In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God with wrong.
All Commentaries on Job 1:22 Go To Job 1
Gregory The Dialogist
AD 604
88. In that the mind in grief ought to watch with wariness and diligence, lest, when the temptation prompts it within, it break forth inwardly into the utterance of forbidden words, and murmur at the trial; and lest the fire, which burns it like gold, by the excesses of a lawless tongue, may turn it to the ashes of mere chaff.
89. Now nothing hinders that all that we have said concerning virtues, be understood of those gifts of the Holy Spirit which are vouchsafed in [vid. chap. 91.] manifestation of virtue, for to one is given the gift of Prophecy, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the gifts of healing. But forasmuch as these gifts are not always present in the mind in the same degree, it is clearly shewn that it is for our good that they are sometimes withdrawn, lest the mind should be lifted up in pride. For if the Spirit of Prophecy had always been with the Prophets, plainly the Prophet Elisha would never have said, Let her alone, for her soul is vexed within her, and the Lord hath hid it from me, and hath not told me. [2 Kings 4, 27] If the Spirit of Prophecy had been always present to the Prophets, the Prophet Amos when asked would never have said, I am [so Vulg.] no Prophet; where he also adds, neither a Prophet's son, but I am an herdsman and a gatherer of sycamore fruit. [Amos 7, 14.] How then was he no Prophet, who foretold so many true things concerning the future? or in what way was he a Prophet, if he at the time disowned the truth concerning himself? Why, because, at the moment that he was called in question [requisitus], he felt that the Spirit of Prophecy was not with him, he bore true testimony concerning himself, in saying; I am not a Prophet. Yet he added afterwards, Now therefore hear thou the word of the Lord. Therefore thus said the Lord, Thy wife shall be an harlot in the city, and thy sons and thy daughters shall fall by the sword, and thy land shall be divided by line; and thou shalt die in a polluted land. [ver. 16, 17.] By these words of the Prophet it is plainly shewn, that while he was bearing that testimony about himself he was filled, and on the instant rewarded with the Spirit of Prophecy, because he humbly acknowledged himself to be no Prophet. And if the Spirit of Prophecy had always continued with the Prophets, the Prophet Nathan would never have allowed King David, when he consulted him about the building of the Temple, what a little while after he was to refuse him.
90. And hence, how justly is it written in the Gospel, Upon Whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, the same is He Which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. For the Spirit descends into all the faithful, but remains in the Mediator alone, in a special manner. For He has never left the Human Nature of Him, from Whose Divine Nature He proceedeth. He remains therefore in Him, Who only can both do all things and at all times. Now the faithful, who receive Him, since they cannot always retain the gifts of miracles, as they desire, testify that they have received Him as it were in a passing manifestation. But whereas on the other hand it is said by the mouth of Truth concerning the same Spirit to the Disciples, For He dwelleth with you, and shall be in you, [John 14, 17] how is it, that this same abiding of the Holy Spirit is by the voice of God declared to be the sign of the Mediator, where it is said, Upon Whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and abiding on Him? If then according to the words of the Master He abideth in the disciples also, how will it be any longer a special sign, that He abides in the Mediator? Now this we shall learn the sooner, if we discriminate between the gifts of the same Spirit.
91. Now there are some of His gifts, without which life is never attained; and there are others whereby holiness of life is made known for the good of other men. For meekness, humility, faith, hope, charity, are gifts that come from Him, and they are such as man can never reach to life without. And the gift of Prophecy, healing, different kinds of tongues, the interpretation of tongues [sermonum], are His gifts; yet such as shew forth the presence of His power for the improvement of all beholders. In the case of these gifts then, without which we can never attain to life, the Holy Spirit for ever abides, whether in His preachers, or in all the Elect; but in those gifts whereof the object is not the preservation of our own life, but of the lives of others through the manifestation of Him, He by no means always abides in the Preachers. For He is indeed always ruling their hearts to the end of good living, yet does not always exhibit the signs of miraculous powers by them, but sometimes, for all manifestation of miracles, He withdraws Himself from them, in order that those powers, which belong to Him, may be had with greater humility, in the same degree that being in possession they cannot be retained.
92. But the Mediator of God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, in all things hath Him both always and continually present. For the same Spirit even in Substance proceeds from Him. And thus, though He abides in the holy Preachers, He is justly said to abide in the Mediator in a special manner, for that in them He abides of grace for a particular object, but in Him He abides substantially for all ends. For as our body is cognizant of the sense of touch only, but the head of the body has the use of all the five senses at once, so that it sees, hears, tastes, smells, and touches; so the members of the Supreme Head shine forth in some of the powers, but the Head Itself blazes forth in all of them. The Spirit then abides in Him in another sort, from Whom He never departs by reason of His Nature. Now those of His gifts, by which life is attained, can never without danger be lost, but the gifts, whereby holiness of life is made evident, are very often withdrawn, as we have said, without detriment. So then the first are to be kept for our own edification, the latter to be sought for the improvement of others. In the case of the one let the fear alarm us, lest they perish, but in the other, when they are withdrawn for a season, let humility be our consolation, for that they may chance to lift up the mind to entertain pride. Accordingly when the power of miracles which had been vouchsafed is withdrawn, let us exclaim as is right, The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the Name of the Lord. For then, and only then, we really shew that we have held in a right spirit all that we had given us, when we bear with patience the momentary withdrawal thereof.
