just as even now, having sensed the words spoken by Bildad A to be as a heavy burden, Job, weary in soul, says: "How long will you weary my soul, and oppress me with words as a heavy burden?" You see that the words of the Shuhite tyrant are tyrannical, and having heard them, Job says the things set before us. For nothing so reaches the soul of a man as a harsh word; for often a person who has endured tortures applied to his body has not endured words. However, the perfect athlete, even if he is weary, yet endures harsh words; for it belongs to a great man to endure insult. Wherefore, in the records of his own virtuous deeds, the Apostle says: "Being reviled, we bless; being defamed, we entreat." And now it is Job, the most noble of athletes, who says these things; whose book contains nothing else in particular but his fortitude and his patience. But nevertheless, he perceives the labors B from which he has grown weary, by reason of the harsh word of those who have come to visit him. And since the weight of the word, like some burden placed upon the soul, causes it to grow weary, for this reason he says: A 'Do you, O friends, add to the suffering of [my] body the pain of [my] soul, rather piercing [the soul] more with words than the pains [pierce B the body?'
VERS. 5. Speak against me. Many a man does evil when he acts perversely; and when he has once cast off shame, he speaks to one's face, not in order to reprove, nor to speak the truth, but in order to rail and insult.
VERS. 7. I will cry out, and nowhere is there judgment. Now, if I cry out, nowhere does my judgment come. I am still an athlete. As if he were saying: 'Just as an athlete cries out in the stadium, and nowhere is my judgment present; for I am wrestling for a long time. If I do not finish the contest, C the decree of the crown does not arrive.' And we say these things in order that we do not accuse God, that Job suffers such things, and nowhere is the judgment, that is to say, the sentence of his release and of his deliverance from terrible things.
CHAP. XX. VERS. 6. If his gifts ascend into heaven. And when the heretic prays, when his sacrifice seems to be borne aloft in pride, when he seems to be established, then he perishes completely. For his prayer is counted unto him C as sin. But we who know his faults, we churchmen say: 'Where are such, dreaming and creating [false] faults for themselves? Whose truth does not fix the mind, because they are stumbling; and they become like a dream that has flown away, which shall not be found.' Such also is that which David sings: 'The enemies of the Lord have vanished. As soon as they were glorified and exalted, they vanished like smoke,' and again: 'As a dream of one awaking.'
VERS. 15. Wealth gathered unjustly shall be vomited forth. I know also another type of wealth gathered unjustly, which D is in the words of heretics, which they have as doctrines contrary to the truths of the mind, and which are stored within their own [minds], and is not sweet, but "the gall of asps," that is to say, evil things; as it is said in Deuteronomy in the song of Moses concerning the wine of their teaching: 'For their vine is of the vine of Sodom.' But the good God will not allow them to have wealth gathered unjustly always within themselves, but He will make them vomit it forth. For the Angel will cast them forth from the good works [done for them] onto the ill-constructed house D which is the church of those doing evil. Therefore he adds: 'From his house,' and the rest.
A Observe how many things are kept in store for the heretic on account of his impious doctrines. Because of this, let us be attentive to ourselves, lest we be despoiled by the plausibility of heretical teaching and fall away from the mystery of the Church.
*Vers. 17. Let him not see the milking of the sheep.* The heterodox man also does not see the "milking of the sheep." Now, the "sheep" (nomades) are the souls that are pastured by the good Shepherd and find pasture; but those doctrines [which are] against God possess nothing sweet, but are tart and dense.
*Vers. 19. For he has broken the houses of many weak ones.* And if the heterodox man finds you anywhere weak in the faith, weak in sound doctrine, he steals this person away. And it is truly possible to say of the teacher of the heterodox, that "he has broken the houses of many weak ones"; for he snatches away the sustenance of the easily deceived, B and after these things he does not establish it; for he cannot establish falsehood.
*Vers. 28. Let the day of wrath come upon him.* According to which the divine judgment is moved against him; whether [it applies] to the one from the circumcision who has acted impiously against God, or the heterodox, or any impious person whatsoever, his portion is that which is signified in the things previously said.
CHAP. XXI.
*Vers. 7. Why do the impious live, and grow old in riches?* But the phrase, "and they grow old in riches," means not that they have become newly rich, but that they have continued to be wealthy from their early youth even to old age.
*Vers. 12. Taking the psaltery and the harp.* Other happiness of the fathers, [that is of] the children, is cheerfulness, which is fulfilled by flutes, harps, and cymbals, by which the ears of some are tickled, and the pleasures of the soul are excited; and those who are present are lured by lascivious melody, which the children of the impious create, applying their hands to the stretched strings C and singing along and applauding at the sound of the instruments.
*Vers. 13. They have finished their life in good things.* That is, there was no interruption to their prosperity, but they passed their whole life enjoying bodily goods, and the end of their blessedness and life remained a limit [to them] until the end of this prosperity.
*And they slept in the rest of hell.* That is, having rested and being joyous until death—not that death becomes bitter for them, but just as they sleep, so they die. Or, that while others are suffering ill and in distress while they live, these, having died, are at rest—these [people] are not, as the Word says, having spent their whole life in constant cheer, thus arriving in death at rest.
CHAP. XXII.
*Vers. 2. Is it not the Lord who teaches?* Sound is this doctrine, that the true teacher of virtue is not D
A cannot be man; for the one who teaches man knowledge—and it is written in the Psalms—is none other than God. God teaches by illuminating the soul of the one who learns from Him, and by enlightening the mind with the true light, His own Word. Therefore, even if righteous men teach us, having received the grace of teaching, it is still the Lord who teaches us through them; and the very realization and the opening of our hearts to the reception of divine lessons occurs according to divine grace.
*Or, holding an account of you, shall He reprove you?* To this we would say that God does not rebuke the ungodly out of concern that He Himself might suffer some harm, but because He takes account of the one for whom He provides and whom He benefits. B *You used to take pledges from your brethren in vain.* Eliphaz suspects this concerning Job, because he knew him to be rich and suspected that he had acquired his wealth from such things; thus he says, "You used to take pledges in vain"—that is, receiving no profit from it. And pressing further, he mentions another of his sins.
*And you took the clothing of the naked away.* It is sometimes possible to take garments from one who is not naked, but from a rich man who has many garments stored away. If, however, someone has one tunic, and you were to demand this tunic from him under the pretext of claiming what is mine, and I, not pitying the naked man, take away his clothing—many such things occur C among us when we lend money, when we have debtors. Often we, having closed up our own hearts, and not seeing that he supports a wife and children, and with difficulty sustains life from the few obols he earns from them, demand bitterly—sometimes even when we have more than enough ourselves—the things Job is accused of, saying, "And you took the clothing of the naked away." Perhaps, also, he calls the failure to give a garment to the naked a "taking away"; for he who does not clothe the naked is a defrauder and a covetous man, as is he who does not feed the needy. D
*And you held the faces of some in wonder.* This is another sin, the respect of persons. "Such-and-such a man is rich, so I admire his face; the other is poor, so I trample him, because he has no status."
*Erit igitur tuus omnipotens adjutor.* Eliphaz here puts forth a sound doctrine: he suspects that Job is suffering on account of his sins, and that by enduring this suffering he is being purified; and having been purified, like gold in a furnace, he emerges tested, having set aside everything foreign and every wickedness.
He says, therefore, that if you too endure the things that have befallen you, God will grant that you are purified like refined silver; and having become pure, you shall have boldness, having set aside your sins and lifting up your face with joy towards heaven. Even if you pray and make a vow to God, He Himself will strengthen you to bring to fulfillment your vows to Him, for it is He who works in us both to will and to work for His good pleasure. A However, instead of "He shall grant you to pay your vows," Theodotion translated: "And you shall determine a word, and it shall be established for you"; that is, everything that you may ordain and set in order will not fail. And simply to speak, He will provide for you all conduct appropriate to a righteous man, and all your ways shall be directed, being guided by the divine light; or else your actions shall be bright and illustrious.
"Because he humbled himself, and you shall say: He was arrogant." B It seems as though he is speaking about someone else, but the discourse is directed towards Job. Therefore, he says, these things shall happen to the one who repents, because he humbled himself and said that he justly suffered what he has suffered, since he was arrogant. "And he shall save him who casts down his eyes." That is, the humble-minded man, the one who looks downward because of his troubled conscience and lack of boldness, just like the publican in the Gospels who was justified.
CHAPTER XXVII
Further, adding to his preface, Job said: The devil received authority over Job and tested him night and day; C first, indeed, through external things; later, through his own body; after these things, even through his friends. Ὅτε γὰρ αὐτὸν ἐδοκίμαζε διὰ τῆς γυναικὸς, καὶ οἶδεν, ὅτι οὐ νενίκηται ὁ Ἰὼβ, τρεῖς φίλους ἤνεγκεν, οὐκ ἐχθροὺς, οὐκ ἐπίβουλα δόγματα ἔχοντας· ἀλλ’ ἀληθεῖς μὲν λόγους, οὐ καλῶς δὲ, οὐδὲ ἐν καιρῷ προσφερομένους· καὶ ἐβούλετο διὰ τούτων ποιῆσαι τὸν δίκαιον φθέγξασθαί τι κατὰ τῆς Προνοίας· ἀτεβῆσαι διὰ τοὺς πόνους· ἐκκακῆσαι διὰ τὰς ἀλγηδόνας· ἀλλ’ ὁ στερρὸς ἀδάμας οὗτος, ὅρα τί λέγει μετὰ τοὺς λόγους τῶν τριῶν, ὅτε ἐτέλεσε ὁ Ἐλιφὰξ τρεῖς διαλέξεις, ὁ Βαλδὰδ τρεῖς, ὁ Σοφὰρ δύο.
Οὐ γὰρ σύνοιδα ἐμαυτῷ ἄτοπα πράξας. Τοῦτο καὶ Παῦλος ὕστερον ἐφθέγξατο, καὶ προσέθηκεν· D «Ἀλλ’ οὐκ ἐν τούτῳ δεδικαίωμαι.» Πολλῇ ἡ παρρησία τοῦ δικαίου καὶ ἐπὶ τῷ προτέρῳ βίῳ, καὶ ἐπὶ τοῖς κατὰ τὴν καιρὸν τῆς περιστάσεως, ὥστε αὐτὸν εἰπεῖν· Οὐδὲν ἐμαυτῷ σύνοιδα.
ΚΕΦ. ΚΘ.
Ἀθροὶ δὲ ἐπαύσαντο λαλοῦντες. Πὶ κατὰ τὴν τῶν λοιπῶν ἔκδοσιν «οἱ ἄρχοντες.» Οὗτοι παραχω-
παραχωAρουντες τῷ δικαίῳ τοῦ λόγου, αὐτοὶ αὐτοῦ παρόντος, σιωπὴν ἦγον.
Δάκτυλον ἐπιθέντες ἐπὶ τῷ στόματι. Δόξει μὲν οὖν καὶ σημεῖον εἶναι σιωπῆς τὸ, δάκτυλον ἐπιθεῖναι ἐπὶ τῷ στόματι· τάχα δὲ, ἐπεὶ ἡ χεὶρ ἀντὶ ἔργων λαμβάνεται, δηλοῖ, ὅτι τὸ ἔργον αὐτῶν ἐφίμου αὐτοῖς τὰ χείλη, καὶ οἱονεὶ δεσμός τις τῷ στόματι ἐπέκειτο· ᾐσθήθησαν γὰρ, ὅτι οὐκ εἰσὶν ἄξιοι τοῦ λαλεῖν, παρόντος τοῦ Ἰὼβ, μείζονα ἔργα πεποιηκότος, αὐτοὶ ὀλίγα πεπραχότες· ὁ γὰρ δάκτυλος τὴν ἐλαχίστην σημαίνει πρᾶξιν καὶ ἐνέργειαν.
Δικαιοσύνην δὲ ἐνδεδύκειν. Καλὸν χιτῶνα ὕφανεν ἑαυτῷ ὁ Ἰὼβ, ἵνα ἐνδύσηται τὴν δικαιοσύνην ἀντὶ χιτῶνος. Ἴδε αὐτοῦ καὶ τὸ ἱμάτιον· δικαιοσύνη ὁ χιτών· κρῖμα ἡ διπλοῒς.
ΚΕΦ. ΛΒ.
Φοβηθεὶς τοῦ ὑμῖν ἀναγγεῖλαι τὴν ἐμαυτοῦ ἐπιστήμην. Ἐπαγγέλλεται μέντοι B ἐπιστήμην ἔχειν, ἢ, κατὰ τοὺς λοιποὺς, γνῶσιν, πῶς ἄνθρωποι πάσχουσιν ἐν τῷ βίῳ· πῶς τινες ἄδικοι εὐτυχοῦσιν. Εἶδον ἀδικοῦντας καὶ παρανομοῦντας, εὐθηνοῦντας, καὶ ἐμοῦ παραμικρὸν ἐσαλεύθησαν οἱ πόδες, ἐὰν ἐν τῷ βίῳ τούτῳ μόνῳ ἐνίδω· ἐὰν δὲ τὸ μέλλον ἐννοήσω, ἑστῶτές εἰσιν οἱ πόδες μου.
Διὸ εἶπα· Ἀκούσατέ μου. Ἕτερα ἀντίγραφα μετὰ τὸ Ἐρῶ γὰρ ὑμῶν ἀκουόντων, ἔχει καὶ τούτους στίχους· Ἰδοὺ ἤκουσα τοὺς λόγους ὑμῶν, ἠνωτισάμην ἄχρι συνέσεως ὑμῶν. Οἱ δὲ ἕτεροι ἑρμηνευταὶ οὕτως ἐκδεδώκασιν· «Ἰδοὺ, ἐξεδεξάμην C τοὺς λόγους ὑμῶν· ἠκροασάμην ἐφ’ ὅσον ἐφρονεῖτε, ἐφ’ ὅσον ἐζητάζετε λόγους, καὶ μέχρι τοῦ ἐφικέσθαι ὑμῶν, ἐνένδουν.» Κατὰ μὲν οὖν ταύτην τὴν ἔκδοσιν καὶ τὰ ἕτερα τῶν ἀντιγράφων, Ὥσπερ, φησὶν, ἐγὼ μεθ’ ἡσυχίας ἤκουσα πάντων ὧν εἴπατε, καὶ ἀνέμεινα μέχρι συμπεράσματος τῶν ὑμετέρων λόγων· καὶ ἕως οὖ ᾶσαν ἑαυτῶν τὴν φρόνησιν κενώσητε· καὶ ὑμεῖς τῶν ἐμῶν ἀκούσατε λόγων. Κατὰ δὲ τὰ παρ’ ἡμῖν ἀντίγραφα ὁ νοῦς οὗτος· Ἀκούσατέ μου, φησὶν, ἐρῶ γὰρ οὐδὲν ὑπέρογκον, ἀλλ’ ἃ δύνασθε δοκιμάσαι. Καὶ μέχρις ὑμῶν συνήσω, ἀντὶ τοῦ, Οὐ κενοφωνίαις χρήσομαι, ἀλλ’ ὡς δύνασθε συνιέναι λαλήσω. Ἡ ἐκεῖνο φησὶν, ὅτι, Οὐ πρότερον παύομαι λαλῶν, πρὶν ἢ καὶ ὑμεῖς τοὺς ἐμοῦ δοκιμάσητε λόγους, εἰ ἄρα κἀγὼ συνιέναι δύναμαι «μέχρις ὑμῶν,» τουτέστι, μέχρις οὗ καὶ ὑμεῖς ἐννοήσητε, ἢ καὶ ὑπερDβάλλω τὴν ὑμετέραν σύνεσιν.
Πλήρης γάρ εἰμι ῥημάτων. Καλῶς εἶπε τὸ, πλήρης εἰμί· ὁ γὰρ μὴ πλήρης ὢν ῥημάτων, καὶ ἐρχόμενος ἐπὶ τὸ λαλεῖν, κενὰ λαλήσει ὡς κενὸς, κατὰ τὸ εἰρημένον· «Ὁ γὰρ μωρὸς μωρὰ λαλήσει, καὶ ἡ καρδία αὐτοῦ μάταια νοήσει.»
Ὠλέκει γάρ με τὸ πνεῦμα τῆς γαστρός. Ὥσπερ τις ἔγκυος γίνεται, καὶ μορφωθέντος τοῦ γεννωμέ[alt-version omitted]νου ἐν αὐτῇ ἐπὶ ὠδῖνας ἔρχεται, μέχρις οὗ ἀπογεν-
ἀπογεννήσῃ τὸ συλληφθέν· κατὰ ταῦτα δὲ καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς φιλομαθοῦς ψυχῆς γίνεται· συλλαμβάνει γὰρ τὸν λόγον, ὃν ἀπαγγελλόμενον μορφοῖ, καὶ τυποῖ αὐτὸν τῇ τάξει· ὅταν δὲ μετὰ τὸ τυπῶσαι καὶ μορφῶσαι, τετελειωμένον αὐτὸν παραδῷ, τότε τίκτει· καὶ μέχρις ἂν τέκῃ, βαρύνεται ἐν ὠδῖνι. A
Λαλήσω, ἵνα ἀναπαύσωμαι ἀνοίξας τὰ χείλη. Ὁ τυγχάνων συνετοῦ ἀκροατοῦ, καὶ ὢν πλήρης λόγων, λαλῶν ἀναπαύεται, τὴν περισσότητα οἷον κενώσας καὶ ἀποβαλών.
CHAPTER XXXV.
Ἀνάβλεψον εἰς τὸν οὐρανόν. Ἀναβλέπει εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν οὐχ ὁ τοὺς σωματικοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς ἐπάρας, καὶ ἰδὼν τὸν οὐρανόν· τοῦτο γὰρ τὸ ἀναβλέπειν ἔχουσι καὶ οἱ κύνες καὶ οἱ ὄνοι. B Οὐδεὶς φιλόκοσμος ἀναβλέπει εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν, ἀλλ’ ὁ μὴ ἀγαπῶν τὸν κόσμον, μηδὲ τὰ ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ. Πάλιν δὲ οὐχ οὕτω τὰ νέφη ὑψηλὰ ἀφ’ ἡμῶν ἐστιν, ὡς ἐὰν ἴδω τὸν Μωσέως βίον, καὶ τὴν ἐκείνου πρὸς Θεὸν ἀρέσκειαν, καὶ τὴν ἐμαυτοῦ σμικρότητα καὶ ταπεινότητα, οὕτω βλέπω τὸ νέφος ὑψηλὸν ἀπ’ ἐμοῦ· ἐὰν ἔλθω ἐπὶ Ἰησοῦν τὸν τοῦ Ναυῆ, ἐπὶ τοὺς βίους τῶν προφητῶν, ἐὰν ἐξετάζω αὐτῶν τὰς πράξεις, τότε ποιῶ τὸ γεγραμμένον, καὶ καταμανθάνω πόσον ἐστὶ τὰ νέφη ὑψηλὰ ἀπ’ ἐμοῦ.
Εἰ ἥμαρτες, τί πράξεις; Ἆρα οὖν, φησὶν, οἶδας, εἰ ἥμαρτες, τί πράξεις ἐπὶ τὸ λῦσαι τὸ ἡμαρτημένον; Εἰ ἥμαρτες λόγοις, λόγοις κρείττοσιν ἴασαι· εἰ ἥμαρτες ἐν ἔργοις, ἔργοις διαφέρουσιν αὐτὸς ἑαυτὸν ἰώμενος· C εἰ δὲ πολλαὶ καὶ ἀνίατοι αἱ ἀνομίαι, διὰ τοῦτο ἐπὶ τοῖς ἀνιάτοις, οἷς ἑαυτοὺς ἰάσασθαι οὐ δυνάμεθα, ἦλθεν Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς ἐξ οὐρανῶν, ἵνα τὰ ἀνίατα ἰάσηται, καὶ γένηται τὸ, «Μακάριοι ὧν ἀφέθησαν αἱ ἁμαρτίαι.»
Ὁ κατατάσσων φυλακὰς νυκτερινάς. Ὅρα ὅτι ἐγκώμια τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ ὕμνους διεξέρχεται ὁ Ἐλιοῦς, λέγων περὶ αὐτοῦ, «Ὁ κατατάσσων φυλακὰς νυκτερινάς.» Θέλεις ἰδεῖν πῶς κατατάσσει φυλακὰς νυκτερινὰς ὁ Θεός; Ὅλος ὁ αἰὼν οὗτος νύξ ἐστι, σκότος ἐστί. Τὸ φῶς τηρεῖταί σοι· νῦν γὰρ δι’ ἐσόπτρου D βλέπεις, μέλλεις δέ ποτε βλέπειν τὸ φῶς.
φῶς. A
CHAP. XL.
VERS. 7. "Gird up thy loins like a man." The perfect state of the struggles is stored up for those who have performed well after this life; nevertheless, God gives to the athletes even in the present age the pre-ordained gifts as an earnest. Therefore, when Job had struggled with the greatest intensity; when, having cast away his possessions, he praised the Giver; when, stripped of his children, he gave thanks to Him who took them away; when, having suffered from disease like worms cast out from the body, he was not overcome by the pains—God provides for him the preludes and the earnest of the rewards, having spoken to him through a cloud and a whirlwind. Having heard the previous words, being required to answer God, he keeps silent, as not having boldness; for he did not yet know that "Moses spoke, and God answered him with a voice." However, God gives him the boldness to speak; and such is His kindness that He B takes upon Himself the role not of a judge, but of one being judged with man. And other Scriptures have taught this, such as, "Come, and let us reason together," and, "My people, what have I done to you?" Already God gives him a prize, in that He questions man, in that He inquires of him, in that He gives him the authority of reply. If he had not been victorious, he would not have received this; if he had not endured, he would not have heard: "Gird up thy loins like a man, and do not be silent, but act manfully toward the questions." For as long as one’s loins are not girded, nor braced, but are loose, he cannot reasonably answer God. No one, therefore, should answer God C before he has become a man perfect in spiritual stature and has girded his loins.
VERS. 8. "Do not reject my judgment." Do not imagine that you are suffering these things without cause, nor reject my judgment. Let us remember the usefulness of this utterance, when God decrees that we should suffer: if you lose a child, or if you lose your property, or suffer bodily disease—or whatever it is that we must undergo—nothing of these can happen without the judgment of God. Since, therefore, none of these occur without the judgment of God, it is said to the one suffering, "Do not reject my judgment," that is, Do not deny that which I have decreed concerning you concerning the present oracle. D
Do you think that I have spoken to you otherwise, or that I may appear just? I justify you; you were just, but you were not manifest; you possessed patience; it was necessary that I provide an occasion so that your patience might shine forth; you possessed manliness, but it was hidden in you; the troubles which befell you showed your manliness. Let us remember these things in times of trials, and I think—
A that we must hear God present and speaking to us, "Or do you suppose I have dealt with you otherwise," that is, to have allowed the temptation, that to those who are ignorant His justice might be made manifest?
Vers. 10. Take up for yourself height. One may also understand these verses in this way: You have overcome the tempter; take up the height; take up the power; be crowned; put on dignity. The insulter made war against you, but you humbled the proud one, and far away with shame you drove him back with his phalanx.
Chap. XLI
Vers. 5. Will you play with him as with a bird? Or will you bind him as a sparrow for a child? He describes the end of a great, strong, and perfect soul, in that the dragon is delivered to him as a sparrow to a child, not being able to harm the child, because even bound, one leads it wherever the child wishes and carries it about; so, by the grace of the Lord, as an easily-managed sparrow, Satan has become bound for the infants and sucklings, from whose mouth God has perfected praise. B
Vers. 6. Nations will feast upon him. As the Lord is the food of the faithful, so the dragon is for the ungodly; "For you gave him as food to the Ethiopian peoples," that is, to the sons of darkness, to those in ignorance. For according to each word which we accept, we eat either from the dragon, if we accept vain discourse, or from Christ, if we accept a word that is edifying and beneficial.
Vers. 7. All the navigators together will not carry a single hide of his tail. To speak more clearly: Men, who use their bodies as ships, cannot by themselves kill the last and extreme parts of the dragon; but with divine power looking upon us, we are able to both overcome him entirely and kill him. And we kill the devil, each one as much as lies in himself, according to that: "And the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly."
Vers. 15. Who will enter into the folding of his breast? Breast and chest are named, where the ruling principle is. His breast is not simple; it is deceitful, it is folded; but a holy man C is able to refute him, and show that he is folded; for to the holy man he is not folded.
Vers. 16. But spirit will not pass through him. The phrase, "will not pass through," does not mean that he does not go through and pass by, but that nothing escapes him; it is necessary for all to pass through him. Let us therefore prepare ourselves, so as not to be restrained by him.
Vers. 18. And his eyes are the likeness of the Morning Star. His eyes, therefore, are not the Morning Star, but the likeness of the Morning Star; for he transforms himself into an angel of light. He pretends to be a heavenly star; he pretends to be a symbol of day. D
As burning lamps.
A I believe that the authors of godless, atheistic doctrines are the mouth of the dragon. But it may be understood metaphorically in another way: namely, those who kill by their discourse. If ever you hear someone condemn the Creator under the pretext of Christianity—Marcion, for example, or Valentinus, or Basilides, by asserting such dogmas as these, or by speaking evil of the Creator of heaven and earth, or by vomiting forth something similar—perceive them to be the dross of their kind. Let us, then, be on our guard, lest those lamps burn us; let us diligently beware lest the flame of their fire touch us.
B VERSE 22. *Before him runs perdition.* Perdition is like his forerunner, and it acts as his adjutant; wherever he moves his steps, perdition runs before, and he himself enters after it. No one welcomes the dragon who has not first received perdition. For whoever commits a sin seeks teachers when his ears itch; and seeking teachers, he finds the dragon after he has perished, and he welcomes him, as his own soul is filled with so many evils.
CAP. XLII.
VERS. 10. C Dedit autem Dominus dupla. He who has endured every temptation receives rewards for his patience that are double all his former things. But the Lord gives as rewards not only double, but hundredfold; yet he would not have received double of his former things, if he had not shown virtue that was double.
NOTICE REGARDING ORIGEN’S EXPLANATORY WORKS ON THE PSALMS
From the 74th epistle of the blessed Jerome to saint Augustine, we learn that Origen left behind explanations of the Psalms in many volumes. "If," he says, "things are obscure, how did you dare to discuss them after them, [i.e.] those things which they could not explain? If they are manifest, it is superfluous to discuss them, since they could not be hidden from those who have interpreted the Psalms among the Greeks in many volumes, as Eusebius notes in Hist. eccl. lib. vi, cap. 24." Authors of the Philocalia (cap. 2), Eusebius (lib. vi, cap. 25), Pamphilus in his Apology for Origen, Methodius in Epiphanius, and Epiphanius himself (haer. LXIV) produce various fragments in volume form that are cited in the Psalms in this edition. Origen himself cites his commentary on the second Psalm in his fourth book of Commentary, in his Epistle to the Romans, with these words: "How the wrath of God ought to be understood, has been more fully stated in the second exposition of the Psalms, and how it is to be understood so that we are not comprehended by it; but we, following righteousness, piety, faith, charity, patience, meekness, and the rest of similar things..." Item, book II of *De Principiis* says: "Of which, he says, according to the narrowness of our sense, we will repeat that verse as we expound the psalm: 'Then he will speak to them in his anger, and in his wrath he will disturb them,' as we are able, showing how this understanding is to be had." Existing in the Commentary on the sixth psalm in the Apology of Pamphilus for Origen, where another is presented, and in the commentary on the fifteenth psalm, one that is not in the eighteenth. See also Jerome on the fifteenth psalm, where he takes a place for himself, ep. 43 to Ctesiphon: "In the fifteenth," he says, "psalm, where it is written: 'Furthermore, my reins have instructed me even until night,' he asserts that the man who has reached the pinnacle of virtue, so that not even in the night does he suffer what are of men, nor is any part of his thoughts stained by vices." He himself makes mention of Origen in his fourth book of Commentary in his Epistle to the Romans regarding the thirty-first psalm and others: "Wherefore," he says, "in the thirty-first psalm, which [David] superscribed, the intellect of David granted this title, admonishing through this very title that a higher understanding must be sought in those things which he is about to say, because 'Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven'..." of which, 511 as we are able, we have spoken, as we treat the psalms in order.