They are exalted for a little while, but are gone and brought low; they are taken out of the way as all others, and cut off as the tops of the ears of grain.
All Commentaries on Job 24:24 Go To Job 24
Gregory The Dialogist
AD 604
10. The glory of bad men, whilst it is for the most part extended into a multitude of years, is by the minds of the weak reckoned to be long and as it were stable; but when an instantaneous end cuts it off, surely it proves to its face that it was short, because the end by putting a limit makes it known that that which was capable of passing away was little. And so ‘they are exalted for a little while, and do not hold on,’ because from the mere circumstance that they seek to appear high, they are by self-exalting made far removed from the true essence of God. For they are not able to hold on, because they are severed from the solid basis of the Eternal Essence, and they undergo this first ruining, that by glorying in self they fall in themselves. For hence it is said by the Psalmist, Thou castedst them down, when they were lifted up [Ps. 73, 18]; because they are brought down within, in proportion as they arise wrongly without. Regarding this shortness of temporal glory, he saith again; I have seen the wicked above measure exalted, and lifted up like a cedar of Libanus; I passed by, and lo, he was gone. [Ps. 37, 35] Hence again he saith, For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be. [ib. 10] Hence James says, For what is Your life? it is even a vapour that appeareth for a little time. Hence the Prophet reflecting on the shortness of carnal glory, tells it forth, saying, All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of hay. [Is. 40, 6] For the power of the wicked is likened to the ‘flower of hay,’ because the glory of the flesh, whilst it shines bright, it falls, whilst it is exalted in itself, cut off by a sudden end it is brought to a close. For in the same way by the blowing of breezes the stubble is caught on high, but by an instantaneous fall it is brought back to earth below. Thus the smoke is lifted up to the clouds, but suddenly whilst swelling out it is scattered to nought. Thus the vapour from beneath thickening lifts itself on high, but the ray of the sun when risen clears it away, as though it had not been. Thus on the surface of the herbs the moisture of the dew of night is sprinkled, but by the sudden heat of the light of day it is dried away. Thus the foamy bubbles of water, raised on showers beginning, come forth racing from within, but being burst asunder they come to nought the more quickly in proportion as being inflated they are raised higher, and when they grow to a head, so as to appear, in growing they make it that they should ‘not hold on.’ Therefore concerning the wicked that are swoln with the exaltation of temporal glory, and yet not enduring with any stedfastness in this glory, let it be rightly said, they are exalted for a little while, but they shall not hold on. Of whom it is yet further added;
And they shall be brought low as all things, and shall be taken away.
11. Such should be the advancement of contemplation, that it should be carried off from few things to the taking a view of many, from many to taking a view of all things, so that being led forth step by step it should advance; and whilst judging all things transitory should by comprehending itself grow forth well nigh incomprehensibly. Hence the holy man, whilst he was sifting the glory and the failing of the wicked, stretched to ‘all things’ presently the eye of the mind, saying, they shall be brought low as all things, and shall be taken away; ‘all things’ earthly assuredly. As though he said in plain words; ‘They cannot any way stand, because the very things flee away as well whereon they rest for support, and while they are in love with things temporal, along with these by the currency of time they run to an end.’ But it may be asked, whereas it is said by Solomon, One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh; but the earth abideth for ever [Eccl. 1, 4]; why does blessed Job declare that all things ‘are brought low, and taken away?’ Yet this we easily sift out, if we keep distinct how earth and heaven either pass away or remain. For both these in respect of that figure which they now have pass away, yet in respect of their essence they are held in being without end. Hence it is said by Paul, For the fashion of this world passeth away. [1 Cor. 7, 31] Hence Truth saith by Itself, Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My words shall not pass away. [Mat. 24, 35] Hence it is told John by the voice of the Angel, There shall be a new heaven and a new earth. [Rev. 21, 1] Which indeed are not to be created other things, but these very same are renewed. And thus heaven and earth at once ‘pass away’ and ‘shall be,’ seeing that both by fire from that fashion which they now have they are clean wiped out, and yet in their own nature are ever preserved. Hence it is said by the Psalmist, Thou shalt change them, and they shall be changed. [Ps. 102, 26] Which same final changing of themselves they do now announce to us by those very successions, whereby for our services they unceasingly shift about. For the earth by the dryness; of winter falls off from its fashion, by the moisture of spring it is made green. Heaven is every day overlaid by the darkness of night, and renewed by the brightness of day. Hence, then, hence let every believer gather that these things both perish, and yet by renewal are restored, which it is plain are now perpetually as it were from decay being refitted. In the midst of all this then the holy man, whilst he beholds the course of the wicked, makes it known with what a visitation they are one day to come to nought, when he forthwith adds;
And as the tops of the ears of corn they shall be crushed.
12. For the tops of the ears of corn are the beards; now the beards come out joined in an ear of corn, but going on growing little by little they are separated from one another bristly and rough. Thus, verily, thus, as to this world’s glory do the evil-minded rich ones rise up. For by a fellowship of nature they are joined to one another, but going on increasing they are in turn divided against one another. For one looks down upon another, and a second is inflamed against a third with the torches of envy; they then who by the swelling of the mind separate themselves from the unity of charity, as it were after the way of beards stand bristling against one another. What then might I have called the evilminded rich ones of this world but a kind of beards of the human race, who while they are lifted high against one another, but with one consent press hard upon the life of the good, are indeed divided against themselves, yet with one accord bear down the grains beneath.
13. At this present time then the beards spring up on high, the grains lie hidden; because both the power of lost sinners towers high, and the glory of the Elect does not appear. The one shew themselves off in the high estate of honours, the others lower themselves in humility. But the time of winnowing will arrive, which is calculated both to break the bristling of the beards, and not to bruise the solid grains. For then the pride of the wicked is broken in pieces, then the life of the Elect is shewn to view, with what faultlessness it shines bright; in that while the unrighteous are undone, by this very crushing of the beard it is brought to pass that the grains should appear, which were holden out of sight; and when the beards are broken, the whiteness of the grains is made to appear, because upon the wicked falling into everlasting punishments, the righteousness of the Saints is manifested, with what truth it is shining white. Whence too it is rightly said by John, Whose fan is in His hand, and He will throughly purge His floor, and gather His wheat into the garner: but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire. [Matt. 3, 12] So let blessed Job mark with what awful visitation the pride of bad men shall be broken, and comparing them to beards that perish, let him say, Like the tops of ears of corn they shall be crushed. Surely because the bristling of the proud is broken by the stress of the final winnowing, whereas now looking down upon the life of the Elect it is lifted up.
