They meet with darkness in the daytime, and grope in the noonday as in the night.
All Commentaries on Job 5:14 Go To Job 5
Gregory The Dialogist
AD 604
34. They ‘meet with darkness in the day-time,’ for in the very presence of Truth, they were blinded by the deceitfulness of unbelief. For we see clearly in the day-time, but in the night the pupil of our eye is dimmed. Therefore whilst the persecutors beheld the miracles of Divine Power, and yet doubted of His Divine Nature, they were subjected to ‘darkness in the day-time,’ for they lost their eyesight in the light. Hence it is that ‘Light’ Itself admonishes them, saying, Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you. [John 12, 35] It is hence that it is said of Judaea, Her sun is gone down, while it was yet day. [Jer. 15, 9] It is hence that the Prophet again took up in himself the strain of persons in a state of penitence, in these words, We stumble at noonday as in the night, we are in dismal places as dead men. [Is. 59, 10] Hence again He says, Watchman, what of the night [b]? Watchman, what of the night? The watchman said, The morning cometh, and also the night. [Is. 21, 11. 12] For ‘the watchman came by night,’ in that the Guardian of the human race even shewed Himself manifest in the flesh, and yet Judaea, being close pressed by the darkness of her faithlessness, never knew Him. Where it is well added in the voice of the watchman, The morning cometh, and also the night. For by His presence hath a new light shone out upon the world, and yet the former darkness remained in the hearts of unbelievers. And it is well said, They shall grope in the noonday as in the night; for we search out by groping that which we do not see with our eyes. Now the Jews had seen His undisguised miracles, and yet they still went on seeking Him, as it were groping for Him, when they said, How long dost Thou make us to doubt? If Thou be the Christ, tell us plainly. [John 10, 24] See, the light of miracles was before their eyes, yet stumbling in the darkness of their own hearts, they continued to grope in seeking for Him. And this same blindness of theirs burst out into cruelty, and their cruelty even to the extent of overt acts of persecution. But the Redeemer of mankind could not for long be held by the hands of His persecutors.
