Continuing from https://www.fryuhanna.com/2025/07/12/the-book-of-job-part-two/
The third speech to Job, that by Sophar, is quite striking; even if it does not include the final message, for it is a powerful meditation on the disappearance of the wicked:
The mirth of the ungodly is a signal downfall, and the joy of transgressors is destruction: although his gifts should go up to heaven, and his sacrifice reach the clouds. For when he shall seem to be now established, then he shall utterly perish: and they that knew him shall say, “Where is he?” Like a dream that has fled away, he shall not be found; and he has fled like a vision of the night. The eye has looked upon him, but shall not see him again; and his place shall no longer perceive him. (20:5-9)
The problem with this is that it simply does not seem to be true often enough, and it often seems to apply to the good, as well. St Ephrem interprets these verses to refer to the grace and gifts of God, so that they do not receive them, and hence perish, spiritually. Also, they see a prophetic glimpse of the last judgment in these words of Sophar: “let all darkness wait for him: a fire that burns not out shall consume him; and let a stranger plague his house. And let the heaven reveal his iniquities, and the earth rise up against him” (vv.26-27).
In his response, Job touches upon the problems I have mentioned: “Wherefore do the ungodly live, and grow old even in wealth? Their seed is according to their desire, and their children are in their sight. Their houses are prosperous, neither have they anywhere cause for fear, neither is there a scourge from the Lord upon them.” (21:7-9).
The reply comes from Eliphaz, who criticises Job on the grounds that he (Job) has done wrong and therefore is being punished (chapter 22). Yet, as we have seen, this is untrue. Job answers that he wishes to know where God is, so that he can address Him and reason with Him. He is confident that if he can do so, God will acquit him (23:1-7). It continues along these lines until chapter 28 when Job begins to discourse on Wisdom in terms which explain why this is properly treated as a Wisdom book:
Whence then is wisdom found? and of what kind is the place of understanding? It has escaped the notice of every man, and has been hidden from the birds of the sky. Destruction and Death said, We have heard the report of it. God has well ordered the way of it, and he knows the place of it. For he surveys the whole earth under heaven, knowing the things in the earth: all that he has made; the weight of the winds, the measures of the water. When he made them, thus he saw and numbered them, and made a way for the pealing of the thunder. Then he saw it, and declared it: he prepared it and traced it out. And he said to man, Behold, godliness is wisdom: and to abstain from evil is understanding. (28:20-28)
As St John Chrysostom remarked of this passage: “Supreme wisdom is to worship God, not to take trouble to make useless notices, and especially to enquire about events.” Job makes a long speech, three chapters, restating his position in poetic terms. At the beginning of chapter 32, we are told that the three kings remain silent since “he was righteous before them.” The Hebrew has a significantly different meaning, which emerges from a small variation, it says that they: “… ceased to answer Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes” (32:1).
A fourth person, Elihu, takes it upon himself to respond to Job. He does not agree that suffering is always a punishment for sin, but is also a means of God’s educating us. He says, somewhat pretentiously one might think: “I have yet something to say on God’s behalf …” (36:2). More significantly, it says: “the Mighty One is great, and we shall not know him,” (36:26), which foreshadows the negative theology of Dionysius the Areopagite, which we shall come to later on in these podcasts. In chapter 37, Elihu describes how God’s activity can be found in nature, for example: “he will carry round the encircling clouds by his governance, to perform their works: whatsoever he shall command them, this has been appointed by him on the earth …” (37:12-13). His speech anticipates those made by God later in the Book: “Hearken to this, O Job: stand still, and be admonished of the power of the Lord. We know that god has disposed his works, having made light out of darkness” (37:14-15).
Chapter 38 suddenly introduces a stunning change: “And after Elius had ceased from speaking, the Lord spoke to Job through the whirlwind and clouds, saying, Who is this that hides counsel from me, and confines words in his heart, and thinks to conceal them from me? Gird thy loins like a man; and I will ask thee, and do thou answer me. Where wast thou when I founded the earth? tell me now, if thou hast knowledge, who set the measures of it, if thou knowest? or who stretched a line upon it?” (38:1-5)
The traditional interpretation is that the speech teaches that God is the foundation of all things, but that the human mind is intrinsically limited.
It is impossible to seriously argue with this. I would say that even the lengthy speeches by the friends and Job himself, which many find repetitive to the point of tedious, have a role in preparing us to accept the limitations of human thought.