Jó 6
Didymus the Blind · Comentário Patrístico (catena)
Jó 6:3-4
Eliphaz believed that Job said all this out of desperation. Since Eliphaz's first words to Job were trustworthy—words that insisted that Job suffered because of sin—Job responds, "It seems my words are valueless and lack faith." Consequently, Job adds the reason why Eliphaz does not believe in him when he says, "For the arrows of the Almighty are in me," thus making the following clear, "This is why my words are valueless. The Lord's arrows are in my body." For most people usually disregard words uttered by people in distress, those aggrieved by poverty, even if their words are understandable. This is expressed in the words, "The poor person speaks and they say, 'Who is this fellow?' " — COMMENTARY ON JOB 6:3-4
Jó 6:8-9
He who asks to be wounded does not pray out of exhaustion that his prayer might be granted but in order to fulfill his task. This task was to fulfill the right deeds or to make visible to the friends for their benefit the reason for the hardships, [namely,] that they had been imposed as a test. Then they would not make mistakes against the righteous. Instead, with divine zeal they would be committed to emulate the endurance and steadfastness that the holy one exhibited and that led him to say, "O that I might have my request," rather than … "that God would grant my desire." Job prays for two reasons. On the one hand, he prays that he himself may win the crown in the competition. On the other hand, Job prays that his friends may not consider his endurance in hardship as meaningless. His steadfastness even in such great hardships can be seen and admired in the fact that Job did not deny his friend an answer, even though preoccupation with his hardships could have served as an excuse. But even now Job speaks like a brave athlete who warlike meets his opponent, and with the consciousness that the imposed suffering did not occur without God's compliance. "That it would please God to crush me," yet "may he not extinguish me entirely," instead of, "May God mercifully allow me to endure the affliction until the end." Similar to this is the expression "and lead us not into temptation," which often has been interpreted in this way: "May it not come so far that we fall prey to the temptations." — COMMENTARY ON JOB 6:8-9
Jó 6:15
Even this happened to test Job. For the absence of friends in the midst of suffering is no small pain. Even the holy David sang as he experienced similar suffering, "Look on my right hand and see—there is no one who takes notice of me." Consider whether Job desired to show here that even the invisible holy powers "passed away" above him, so that his virtue may appear to be even greater. This interpretation fits for the one that has been given the words "the providence of the Lord has looked after me." For the Lord of all did not neglect Job out of hate but in order to show the adversary that his wickedness is useless against human virtue. Likewise, perhaps the divine powers do not protect Job and allow him to struggle so that the righteous behavior of the saint would become even more visible, for one must assume that they know God's will. — COMMENTARY ON JOB 6:15