Lectio 1 Lecture 1 Perversitas amicorum Iob The perversity of the friends of Job ^13:1 Ecce haec omnia vidit oculus meus et audivit auris mea, et intellexi singula. ^13:1 Behold, my eye has seen all these things, and my ear has heard them, and I understood all particular things. ^13:2 Secundum scientiam vestram et ego novi nec inferior vestri sum. ^13:2 I also know in the same way you do, nor am I inferior to you in this. ^13:3 Sed tamen ad Omnipotentem loquar et disputare cum Deo cupio, ^13:3 Yet let me speak to the Almighty; I desire to dispute with God. ^13:4 prius vos ostendens fabricatores mendacii et cultores perversorum dogmatum. ^13:4 First, I will show that you are makers of lies and cultivators of false dogmas. ^13:5 Atque utinam taceretis ut putaremini esse sapientes! ^13:5 Would that you were silent so that people would think you were wise men! ^13:6 Audite ergo correctionem meam et iudicium labiorum meorum attendite. ^13:6 Listen, then, to my correction and hear the judgment of my lips. ^13:7 Numquid Deus indiget vestro mendacio ut pro illo loquamini dolos? ^13:7 Do you think that God needs your lies so that you can speak deceptions for him? ^13:8 Numquid faciem eius accipitis et pro Deo iudicare nitimini? ^13:8 Do you take God’s part and try to judge for God? ^13:9 Aut placebit ei quem celare nihil potest? Aut decipietur ut homo vestris fraudulentiis? ^13:9 Or will it please him from whom nothing is concealed? Or is he deceived like a man by your fraudulent practices? ^13:10 Ipse vos arguet quoniam in abscondito faciem eius accipitis. ^13:10 He himself blamed you because you took his part fraudulently. ^13:11 Statim ut se commoverit, turbabit vos et terror eius inruet super vos. ^13:11 He will rouse himself immediately, and he will throw you into confusion and his terror will rush upon you. ^13:12 Memoria vestra comparabitur cineri, et redigentur in lutum cervices vestrae. ^13:12 Your memory will be like ashes, and your necks will be laid low in the mud. 217. Ecce haec omnia vidit oculus meus, etc. Postquam ostenderat Iob quod per experimentum cognosci poterat divinae virtutis excellentia, quasi concludens subdit ecce haec omnia vidit oculus meus et audivit auris mea, quasi dicat: effectus praedictos, quibus divina fortitudo et sapientia ostenditur, partim visu partim auditu cognovi; nec in his sensibilibus effectibus mea cognitio requievit, sed ex eis ad intelligentiam veritatis ascendi, unde subdit et intellexi singula, quid scilicet singuli effectus demonstrarent circa Deum vel eius sapientiam vel intelligentiam vel consilium vel fortitudinem. Unde eorum iactantiam excludens, qua magnifica de Deo proponendo se Iob praeferre videbantur, subdit secundum scientiam vestram et ego novi, ea scilicet quae ad Dei magnificentiam pertinent, nec inferior vestri sum, quasi vel minus vel imperfectius ea cognoscens vel a vobis modo addiscens. 217. Behold, my eye has seen all these things. After Job has shown by experience that he was able to know the excellence of divine power, he concludes, behold, my eye has seen all these things and my ear has heard them, for I knew the effects described before, which show divine strength and wisdom, partly by sight and partly by hearing. Nor does my knowledge rest in these sensible effects. From them, I ascend to the understanding of the truth, and so he says, and I understood all particular things, what each particular effect demonstrates about God, either about his wisdom, understanding, counsel, or strength. So excluding their display, by which they manifest the great things of God which Job prefers, he then says, I also know in the same way you do, those things which pertain to the magnificence of God, nor am I inferior to you in this, in that I know less or imperfectly those things, or am less informed about them by you now. 218. Sed quia Sophar excellentiam divinam proposuerat ad arguendum Iob de eo quod cum Deo disputare moliretur, subiungit sed tamen ad omnipotentem loquar, quasi dicat: quamvis intelligam ex diversis eius effectibus excellentiam divinae sapientiae et virtutis non minus quam vos, tamen per hoc rationabiliter a meo proposito non mutor quin Deum alloqui velim, motus cordis mei aperiendo ei qui est cordium scrutator et iudex, et ab eo qui totius veritatis est doctor veritatem exquirendo; unde subdit et disputare cum Deo cupio, non quidem ut eius iudicia improbare velim sed ut vestros errores destruam, quibus suppositis sequeretur quod esset iniustitia apud Deum, unde subdit prius vos ostendens fabricatores mendacii, quia hoc mendacium adinvenerant quod Iob iniquam vitam duxisset. In hoc autem mendacium devenerant propter hoc quod circa fidem qua Deus colitur errabant, credentes quod in hac vita tantum fieret meritorum ac poenarum retributio, et ideo subdit et cultores perversorum dogmatum: quicumque enim a vera Dei cognitione declinat, non Deum sed sua falsa dogmata colit. Non autem sic intelligendum est quod dicit prius vos ostendens, quasi prius in ordine sequentis doctrinae destructurus sit prava eorum dogmata et postmodum cum Deo disputaturus, sed quia dum cum Deo disputare intendit, hoc primum est in intentione sua ut eorum dogmata destruat. 218. But as Sophar had proposed the divine excellence (Job 11:6) as an argument against Job for continuing to dispute with God, he continues, yet let me speak to the Almighty, for although I understand from his divine effects the excellence of divine wisdom and power not less than you, I am still not rationally altered by this from my proposition. But rather I want to address God by opening the movement of my heart to him, who is the searcher and judge of hearts, and by searching for the truth from him, who is the doctor of all truth. So he adds, and I desire to dispute with God, not to disprove of his judgments of men, but to destroy your errors, according to which it would follow that there would be injustice in God. So he continues, first I will show that you are makers of lies, because they had invented the lie that Job had led an evil life. They had arrived at this lie because they were mistaken about the faith with which one honors God, believing that recompense of merit and punishment only happen in this life, and he therefore says, and you are cultivators of perverse dogmas. For whoever turns aside from the true knowledge of God honors not God but his own false dogmas. In saying, first I will show you, one should not understand that he is going to first discuss and destroy methodically their perverse doctrine, and then afterward dispute with God; but rather, his end, which is first in his intention, is to destroy their false doctrines. He wills his dispute with God first in execution as a means to this intended end. 219. Contingit autem quandoque ut aliqui aliqua probabilia licet falsa proponant, sed dum ea verisimiliter defendere nesciunt aut probare, in loquendo suam insipientiam manifestant, quod amicis Iob contingebat, et ideo subdit atque utinam taceretis ut putaremini esse sapientes! Quia hoc ipsum quod vestra falsa dogmata inconvenienter defenditis et probatis vos insipientes esse demonstrat. Quia ergo falsa dogmata proponitis et ad eorum manifestationem inconvenientia media assumitis, ideo correctione indigetis, et hoc est quod concludit subdens audite ergo correctionem meam, qua vestrum processum corrigam, et iudicium labiorum meorum attendite, quo vestra falsa dogmata condemnabo. 219. Men often propose some things as capable of being proved, although they are false; but as they do not know how to defend them or prove them, likely they show their ignorance when they speak. This was the case with the friends of Job. So he then says, would that you were silent so that people would think you were wise men, because the very fact that you defend and try to prove false and unfitting dogma shows that you are foolish. So, since you propose false dogmas, and you take unsuitable means to prove them, you are in need of correction. This is what he concludes, saying then, listen, then, to my correction, by which I will correct your process of reasoning, and hear the judgment of my lips, with which I will condemn your false dogmas. 220. Primo autem intendit corrigere eorum inconvenientem processum. Quia enim ponebant bonorum et malorum operum praemia et poenas in hac vita retribui, ad iustitiam Dei defendendam oportebat quod quaedam mendacia assumerent: cum enim manifestum sit quosdam innocentes et iustos in hac vita adversitatibus premi, necesse erat eis iustis imponere crimina ad Dei iustitiam defendendam, et sic Iob quem afflictum videbant impietatis arguebant; non autem convenienti medio utitur qui veritatem per mendacia defendit, et ideo dicit numquid Deus indiget mendacio vestro? Quasi dicat: numquid necessarium est quod ad defendendum divinam iustitiam mendacia assumantur? Quod enim non potest nisi per mendacia defendi impossibile est esse verum. Cum autem aliquis contra manifestam veritatem mentiri nititur, cogitur aliquas dolosas et fraudulentas vias adinvenire ut mendacium aliqua fraude coloret; sic et isti cum contra iustitiam Iob quae omnibus manifesta erat mentiri conarentur, quibusdam dolis utebantur, ostendendo scilicet fragilitatem humanam quae facile labitur in peccatum et comparando eam ad divinam excellentiam, ut sic probabilius reputaretur Iob iniquum fuisse quam Deum esse iniustum, et ideo subiungit ut pro illo loquamini dolos? Quia quasi pro Deo dolos loquebantur, dum dolose impietatem Iob conabantur imponere ut Deum esse iustum defenderent. 220. First, he intends to correct their unfitting process of reasoning, for since they had placed the rewards and punishments of good and evil works in this present life, it was necessary for them to use lies in defending the justice of God. Because it is evident that some innocent and just men suffer trials in this life, it is therefore necessary to impute crimes to the just in this life, to defend the justice of God. So they charged Job with impiety because they saw him afflicted. But one who defends the truth by lies uses unfitting means, so he says, do you think that God needs your lies? as if to say, “Is it necessary to use lies to defend divine justice?” In fact, what cannot be defended except by lies cannot possibly be true. However, when someone strives to lie against the clear truth, he is compelled to find some crafty and fraudulent means to color his lie with fraud. So when these men tried to lie against the justice of Job, which was clear to all, they used deceptions, for they compared the human frailty, which falls easily into sin, to divine excellence, so that one might think it was more likely that Job was evil than that God was unjust. So he then says, so that you might speak deceptions for him? because they were speaking with deceit as though for God when they tried to charge Job with impiety to defend God’s justice. 221. Possent autem dicere se non dolose contra Iob aliquid dicere, sed hoc tantum dicere quod putabant. Ostendit ergo Iob quod si hoc verum esset, a dolositate excusati in aliud vitium labebantur, scilicet in acceptionem personarum, quae iustitiam iudicantis excludit. Est enim personarum acceptio si aliquis iustitiam alicuius quae apparet contemnit aut negat propter magnitudinem alterius, licet iustitiam eius non cognoscat; si igitur amici Iob eum esse iniquum iudicabant, videntes in eo iustitiam manifestam, ac sola divinae magnitudinis consideratione licet intelligere non possent secundum sua dogmata qualiter Iob iuste puniretur a Deo, in suo iudicio quo Iob condemnabant quasi Dei personam accipere videbantur. Et ideo subdit numquid faciem eius accipitis et pro Deo iudicare nitimini? Quod signanter dicit quia ille pro aliquo iudicare nititur, qui eius iustitiam non cognoscit et tamen conatur qualescumque vias adinvenire ad hoc quod eius causam iustam esse ostendat. 221. They could respond, however, that they did not say anything deceitfully against Job, but only what they thought. Job, therefore, shows that if this were true, they would fall into another vice when they had been excused from deceit, namely, the prejudice of persons which excludes the justice of a judge. Prejudice of persons consists in someone condemning or denying the justice of another, which is apparent because of the greatness of another person, although he does not know his justice. If, therefore, the friends of Job judged him to be evil only in the consideration of the divine greatness, though they saw justice clearly in him, although they could not understand, according to their dogma, how Job had been punished by God justly, it is as if they were prejudiced by the person of God in the judgment with which they condemned Job. So he then says, do you take God’s part and try to judge for God? He clearly says this because someone tries to judge for another who does not know his justice, and yet tries to find any means he can to show that his cause is just. 222. Contingit autem quandoque quod aliquis alicuius causam fraudulenter defendens, ei placeat etiam si sit iustus, quod potest esse dupliciter: uno modo quia ignorat suam causam esse iniustam, unde placet ei quod ab aliquo defendatur, et hoc a Deo excludit dicens aut placebit ei, scilicet Deo, quod pro eo iniuste iudicare nitimini cum hoc ei non possit esse ignotum, propter quod subdit quem celare nihil potest? Alio modo quando ille cuius causa per fraudem defenditur fraudibus defendentis decipitur ut eius defensionem reputet esse iustam, et hoc etiam a Deo excludit subdens aut decipietur ut homo vestris fraudulentiis? Sic igitur manifestum est quod divina bonitas et iustitia mendacio non indiget ad sui defensionem quia veritas sine mendacio defendi potest: ex quo etiam patet quod, si positis eorum dogmatibus hoc inconveniens sequitur quod iustitia Dei mendacio indigeat ad sui defensionem, manifestum fit dogmata proposita esse falsa. 222. Sometimes someone fraudulently defends another’s cause because he likes him, despite the fact that he is a just man. This can happen in two ways: in one way because he is ignorant that his cause is unjust, and so he is pleased that he is defended by someone, and this he excludes from God, saying, or will it please him, namely, God, that you strive to judge unjustly for him when he cannot be ignorant of the case, and so he says, from whom nothing can be concealed? This can happen in another way when the man whose case is defended by fraud is deceived by the one defending him with fraud, so that he thinks his defense is just. He excludes this from God, saying, or is he deceived like a man by your fraudulent practices? Therefore, it is clear that God does not need lies to defend his goodness and justice, because truth can be defended without lies. So then, it is evident if, when their dogmas are accepted, the unfitting conclusion follows that the justice of God needs to be defended by lies, that their proposed teaching is clearly false. 223. Sed ulterius considerandum est quod ille qui ad ostendendam Dei iustitiam vel bonitatem mendacio utitur non solum rem agit qua Deus non indiget, sed etiam hoc ipso contra Deum vadit: cum enim Deus veritas sit, omne autem mendacium veritati contrarietur, quicumque mendacio utitur ad Dei magnificentiam ostendendam hoc ipso contra Deum agit. Et hoc manifeste patet per apostolum Cor., ubi dicit invenimur autem et falsi testes Dei, quoniam testimonium diximus adversus Deum quod suscitaverit Christum, quem non suscitavit si mortui non resurgunt; dicere ergo quod Deus mortuum suscitavit, si verum non sit, contra Deum est quamvis videatur divinae virtutis ostensivum, quia est contra Dei veritatem. Sic igitur qui ad Deum defendendum mendacium assumunt non solum praemium non accipiunt quasi ei placentes, sed etiam poenam merentur quasi contra Deum agentes, et ideo subdit ipse vos arguet quoniam in abscondito faciem eius accipitis; et dicit in abscondito quia licet viderentur exterius causam Dei agere quasi Dei iustitiam cognoscentes, tamen in conscientiis eorum hoc erat quod nesciebant qua iustitia Iob punitus esset, et sic quantum ad cordis eorum absconditum faciem Dei accipiebant dum eius iustitiam falso defendere nitebantur. 223. One must also carefully consider that the man who uses a lie to show the justice and the goodness of God not only does a thing which God does not need, but also offends God in this very thing. For since God is truth, and every lie is contrary to the truth, whoever uses a lie to show the magnificence of God acts against God in this very thing. The Apostle Paul says this very clearly, we are found to be false witnesses of God, because we have given testimony against God that he will raise Christ to life who has not been raised if the dead are not raised (1 Cor 15:15). To say then that God raises the dead (if this were not true), is against God, because it is against the truth of God, although it may seem to show divine virtue. So, those who use a lie to defend God not only do not receive a reward as though they pleased him, but they also merit punishment as acting against God, and so he continues, he himself blames you because you took his part fraudulently. He says, fraudulently, because although they seem exteriorly to take the part of God, because they seem to know the justice of God, yet in their consciences they did not know by what justice Job had been punished, and thus in the hidden part of their hearts they took the part of God in trying falsely to defend his justice. 224. Quomodo autem eos arguet, ostendit subdens statim ut se commoverit, turbabit vos, quasi dicat: vos quia modo adversitatem non patimini tranquilla mente de Dei iustitia disputatis, sed si super vos veniat tribulatio—quam commotionem Dei nominat eo modo loquendi quo punitio in Scriptura ira Dei nominatur—mens vestra conturbabitur, et praecipue cum in veritate solidata non sit. Et quia non alia bona vel mala reputabant nisi haec temporalia, dum a peccatis cavebant ne mala eis supervenirent, propter solum timorem praesentium malorum Deo servire velle videbantur, et ideo subdit et terror eius irruet super vos, quasi dicat: illud propter quod tantum Deum timetis vobis superveniet, scilicet adversitas praesens, secundum illud quod dicitur Prov. X 24 quod timet impius veniet super eum. Et quia ipsi vane Iob promiserant quod etiam post mortem in memoria hominum remaneret, ipse contrarium eis promittit quasi eos irridens, dicens memoria vestra comparabitur cineri: sicut enim cinis post consumptionem lignorum ad modicum durat, ita fama hominis post mortem cito pertransit, unde expectare famam post mortem vanum videtur. Promiserant etiam ei immunitatem et reverentiam quandam habendam ad eius sepulcrum post mortem, sed hoc etiam pro nihilo ducens contrarium eis promittit dicens et redigentur in lutum cervices vestrae, per cervices eorum potentiam et dignitatem designans, quas dicit esse redigendas in lutum, idest in rem contemptibilem et infirmam. 224. He then shows how he blames them, saying, he will rouse himself immediately and he will throw you into confusion, for because you have not suffered adversity peacefully, now you dispute about the justice of God. But if tribulation comes upon you (which he calls God rousing himself, because in Scripture, punishment is called the anger of God), your spirits will be thrown into confusion, especially because they are not solidly grounded in the truth. Since they did not think anything was good or evil but temporal goods, when they avoided sins so that evil things would not befall them, they seemed to wish to serve God only because of the fear of present evils. So he says, and his terror will rush upon you, for you only fear God because of the fear of experiencing evil now, and that is just what will happen to you, according to Proverbs, what the unjust man fears will come upon him (Prov 10:24). Because they vainly promised Job that after death he would live in the memory of men (Job 11:18), in his turn he promises the contrary to them as though mocking them, saying, your memory will be like ashes. For as ashes after the burning of wood remain a short time, so the reputation of man passes away quickly after death, and it is vain to expect a good name after death. They also had promised him inviolability and reverence for his tomb after death (Job 11:19), but this also, he accounts as leading to nothing, and he promises the contrary to them, saying, your necks will be cast down in the mud. By necks he means their power and dignity, which he says will be thrown down in the mud and will become a weak and contemptible thing. Lectio 2 Lecture 2 Iob quaerit de Deo quae dolores habeat Job asks God what grievances he has against him ^13:13 Tacete paulisper ut loquar quaecumque mihi mens suggesserit. ^13:13 Be silent for a little while so I may speak everything the mind suggests to me. ^13:14 Quare lacero carnes meas dentibus meis et animam meam porto in manibus meis? ^13:14 Why should I tear my flesh with my teeth and carry my soul in my hands? ^13:15 Etiam si occiderit me in ipso sperabo; verum tamen vias meas in conspectu eius arguam, ^13:15 Even if he should kill me, I will hope in him; nevertheless, I will blame my own conduct in his sight, ^13:16 et ipse erit salvator meus: non enim veniet in conspectu eius omnis hypocrita. ^13:16 and he will be my savior: for no hypocrite will come into his presence. ^13:17 Audite sermonem meum et aenigmata percipite auribus vestris. ^13:17 Hear my discourse and understand my riddles with your ears. ^13:18 Si fuero iudicatus, scio quod iustus inveniar. ^13:18 If I were judged, I know I would be found just. ^13:19 Quis est qui iudicetur mecum? Veniat! Quare tacens consumor? ^13:19 Who will be judged with me? Let him come! Why must I be spent in remaining silent? ^13:20 Duo tantum ne facias mihi, et tunc a facie tua non abscondar: ^13:20 Spare me in only two things and then I will not hide myself from your face. ^13:21 manum tuam longe fac a me, et formido tua non me terreat. ^13:21 Put your hand far from me, and let not your power terrify me. ^13:22 Voca me et respondebo tibi, aut certe loquar et tu responde mihi. ^13:22 Call me and I will answer you, or at least allow me to speak and you will answer me. ^13:23 Quantas habeo iniquitates et peccata, scelera mea et delicta ostende mihi. ^13:23 Show me how many crimes, sins, wicked deeds and faults I have. ^13:24 Cur faciem tuam abscondis et arbitraris me inimicum tuum? ^13:24 Why do you hide your face and think of me as your enemy?