He moves his tail like a cedar: the sinews of his thighs are knit together.
All Commentaries on Job 40:17 Go To Job 40
Gregory The Dialogist
AD 604
22. There are in these words many points, to be brought forward for moral instruction. But we examine in the first place the violences of this Behemoth, in order afterwards to detect more accurately his crafts. In Holy Scripture under the name ‘cedar,’ sometimes the lofty excellence of heavenly glory is expressed; but sometimes the stubborn pride of the wicked is designated. By the name ‘cedar’ is expressed the loftiness of heavenly glory, as the Psalmist witnesses, The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree, he shall be multiplied like a cedar in Libanus. [Ps. 92, 12] Again, under the name ‘cedar’ is designated the haughty power of the wicked, as is said by the same Prophet; The voice of the Lord breaking the cedars. [Ps. 29, 5] But what is meant by the tail of this Behemoth, except that latter end of the ancient enemy, when he enters, doubtless, that ruined man, his peculiar vessel, who is specially called Antichrist? For since he is permitted, at one time by the honours of the world, at another by signs and prodigies of pretended sanctity, to be elevated to the swelling of power, his tail is rightly compared by the voice of the Lord to a cedar. For as a cedar leaves behind other trees by increasing in height, in like manner will Antichrist, possessing in temporal things the glory of the world, surpass at this time the standard of man both in the height of his honour, and in the power of his miracles. For there is in him a spirit, who having been created in high estate, lost not, even when cast down, the power of his nature. But his power is at present very little displayed, because it is held bound by an exercise [‘dispensatione’] of Divine strength. Whence it is said by John; I saw an Angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit, and a great chain in his hand: and he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil and Satan, and bound him a thousand gears, and cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him. [Rev. 20, 1-3] For he is said to be bound, and cast into the bottomless pit; because he is thrust back and bound in the hearts of the wicked by Divine power, so as not to be unchecked, as far as he is able to hurt; that, though he may secretly rage by them, he may not break forth into the violent ravages of pride. But it is there intimated how he is to be loosed at the end of the world; And after the thousand years shall have been completed, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, and shall go out, and seduce the nations. [ib. v. 7] For by the number ‘thousand,’ on account of its perfection, is expressed this whole period, whatever it be, of Holy Church. On the completion of which the ancient enemy, given up to his own strength, for a short time, but with much power is let loose against us.
23. But though his fierceness makes him break forth into cruelty, yet the Divine pity confines him with fewness of days. For hence the Truth says by Itself, Then shall be great tribulation, such as was not from the beginning of the world to this time, nor shall be. [Matt. 24, 21] Hence again It says, Except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved. [ib. v. 22] For since the Lord beholds us to be both proud and weak, those days, which He spoke of as singularly evil, He, in His mercy, says were shortened; in order doubtless to alarm our pride by the adversity of the time, and to comfort our weakness by the shortness of the days.
24. But it must be greatly considered, in what way that Behemoth, when he raises his tail as a cedar, arises with greater fierceness than he now exerts himself. For what kinds of punishments do we know, at which we rejoice not as having already exercised the strength of Martyrs? For the sword plunged in the neck prostrated some with a sudden blow; the cross torturing [‘crucis patibulum’] fastened some, in which death is both repelled when courted, and courted when repelled; some the saw ground with its rugged teeth; some the iron-armed hoof trampled on and mangled [‘carpsit,’ al. sparsit,’ ‘dashed in pieces’]; some the rage of beasts tore limb from limb with their bite; some the force of blows imprinted through the skin pierced from their inmost entrails; some the deep dug earth buried alive; some the precipice crushed when hurled headlong to death; some the water drowned and swallowed up when plunged into it; some the devouring flame fed upon and consumed to ashes. When therefore this Behemoth expands his tail more fatally, in the end of the world, what greater cruelty can spring up in these torments, except that which the Truth says Itself in the Gospel; There shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders, so that, if possible, even the Elect may be led into error. [Matt. 24, 24] For now our faithful ones do wonders, when they suffer wrongs, but at that time the ministers of this Behemoth are about to do wonders, even when they inflict wrongs. Let us consider therefore what will be that temptation of the mind of man, when both the pious martyr submits his body to tortures, and yet his torturer works miracles before his eyes! Whose resolution would not then be shaken, from the very bottom of his thoughts, when he who tortures with the scourges, glitters also with miracles? Let it be rightly said then; He setteth up his tail as a cedar, because he will doubtless be exalted from reverence for the prodigy, and harsh with the cruelty of his torture.
25. For he is then not exalted only in power, but is supported also by the display of miracles. Whence is it also said by David; He lieth in wait in secret, as a lion in his den. [Ps. 10, 9] For for open power, it would have sufficed, if he had been a lion, even though he had not lain in wait: and again for secret craft, it would have sufficed for him to have spoiled secretly in ambush, even if he had not been a lion. But because this ancient enemy is unchecked in all his strength, he is permitted to rage in both ways, so as that he is let loose in contest against the Elect both by fraud and strength; in strength by his power, in fraud by his miracles. He is therefore rightly said to be both a lion, and lying in wait: lying in wait by the splendour of his miracles, a lion by his secular power. For in order to draw those who are openly wicked, he displays his secular power; but in order to deceive even the just, he pretends sanctity by his miracles. For he persuades the one by the height of his greatness, he deceives the others by a display of sanctity. Of this tail of this Behemoth, it is said by John, under the form of a dragon; And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and cast them to the earth. [Rev. 12, 4] For heaven is the Church, which in this night of the present life, when it contains within it the countless virtues of the Saints, glitters from above with radiant stars. But the tail of the dragon casts down the stars to the earth, because that latter end of Satan, exalted by the boldness of the man it has assumed, by gaining possession of some, whom it finds in the Church as if the Elect of God, shews them to be reprobates. For stars therefore to fall from heaven, is for some, having abandoned the hope of heavenly things, to be eager, under his guidance, for the pursuit of secular glory.
26. Hence Daniel speaks against this tail of the dragon in the person of Antiochus, saying, It cast down some of the strong host, and of the stars, and stamped upon them, and magnified himself even to the prince of the strong host, and took away from him the perpetual sacrifice, and cast down the place of his sanctification. But strength was given him against the perpetual sacrifice, by reason of transgressions; and truth will be cast down in the earth, and he will do, and prosper. [Dan. 8, 10-12] For he casts down some of the strong host [‘de fortitudine’], and of the stars, when he crushes some who both are resplendent with the light of righteousness, and strong through the virtue of their works. And he magnifies himself as far as to the prince of the host, because he sets himself up against the Author of virtue Himself. He takes away the perpetual sacrifice; because he breaks off the desire of conversation in the Church in those whom he has seized. But strength is given him against the perpetual sacrifice by reason of transgressions; because unless the deserts of those who are perishing demanded it, the adversary would never be able to gain possession of those who were believed to be righteous. Truth is cast down in the earth, because belief in heavenly things is then perverted into a longing for temporal life. And he will do and prosper; because he will then do his violence not only on the minds of the reprobate, but also on the bodies of the Elect with incalculable cruelty, without any opposition. Hence again it is said by Daniel, A king of shameless face, and understanding dark sentences shall rise up, and his power shall be rendered strong, but not in his own strength. [Dan. 8, 23. 24.] For the power of that man is not strengthened by his own strength, because by the might of Satan he is exalted to the glory of perdition. Hence again he says; He shall slay the mighty and the holy people, according to his will, and craft shall be directed aright in his hand. [ib. 24. 25.] For he slays the mighty, when he overcomes, in their bodies, those who are unconquered in mind. Or he certainly slays the mighty, and the people of the Saints, according to his will, when he draws at the beck of his will those who were believed to be mighty and holy. And craft is directed aright in his hand, because in him craft is helped on by his doings. For that which he says in his craft, be supports by working wonders; for whatever his lying tongue pretends, that does the hand of his work set forth, as if true.
27. Hence again he says; He will rise up against the Prince of princes, and he shall be broken without hand. [ib. 25.] Hence Paul says, So that he sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself, as if he were God. [2 Thess. 2, 4] Hence again he says; Whom the Lord Jesus shall slay with the spirit of His mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of His coming. [ib. 8] For that which is said by Daniel, He will rise up against the Prince of princes, is expressed by Paul, So that he sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself as if he were God. And that which is subjoined by Daniel, He shall be broken without hand, is expressed by Paul, Whom the Lord Jesus shall slay with the spirit of His mouth. For he will be broken without hand, because he will be smitten with eternal death, not in battle with the Angels, not in contest with the Saints, but through the coming of the Judge, by the breath of His mouth alone. Of the pride of this Behemoth it is also said by Paul, Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped. [2 Thess. 2, 4] Of whom Daniel, when saying that the fourth beast was strengthened with ten horns, immediately added, I was considering the horns, and behold there came up from the midst of them another little horn, and three of the first horns were plucked up from before its face, and behold in this horn were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking great things. [Dan. 7, 8] He is described in truth as the eleventh horn of this beast, because the power of his kingdom is strengthened by iniquity. For every sin belongs to the number eleven, because while it does perverse things, it goes beyond the precepts of the decalogue. And because sin is bewailed in goats’ hair, hence it is that in the Tabernacle there are made eleven veils of goats’ hair. [Ex. 26, 7] Hence it is said in the eleventh psalm, Save me, Lord, for the godly man hath ceased. [Ps. 12, 1] Hence Peter, being afraid of the Apostles continuing in the number eleven, sought, by casting lots, for Matthias as the twelfth. [Acts 1, 15-26] For unless he observed that fault was signified by the number eleven, he would not be so hastily anxious for the number of the Apostles to be completed to that of twelve. Because therefore transgression is expressed by the number eleven, the author of transgression himself is indicated by the eleventh horn of this beast. Which springs up of small size in truth, because he is born a mere man; but it increases hugely, because he advances even to the power of angelic strength united to himself. And it plucks up the three horns, which are before its face, because he subjects to his power the same number of kingdoms which are near him. And its eyes are like the eyes of a man, but its mouth speaketh great things, because there is seen in him the form indeed of a man, but in his words he is exalted above men. That then which is said by Paul, Exalting himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped, [2 Thess. 2, 1] this the Prophet Daniel witnesses, saying, A mouth speaking great things. [Dan. 7, 8] But Daniel’s declaring that he speaks great things, or Paul that he is exalted above the worship of the Godhead, is the very thing which in the words of God to blessed Job is compared to a cedar. For, like a cedar, he strives after high things, when, in all the pride of deceit, he prospers both in strength of might, and in height of elevation. But he is well said to set fast his tail, because his whole power is brought together and condensed in that one ruined man, in order that he may the more perform mighty and marvellous things through him, the more he urges him on by his collected strength. But since we have heard of what kind is the head of the wicked, let us now learn what members cleave to this head. It follows;
The sinews of his stones are wrapped together.
28. This Behemoth has as many ‘stones,’ as he possesses preachers of his iniquity. Are not they who corrupt the hearts of men with evil persuasions, by pouring in the poisonous seeds of their error, his stones? But it is fitly said, that the sinews of his stones are wrapped together, because, namely, the arguments of his preachers are bound together with cunning assertions, as to pretend to be right, which persuade perverse things, so that though the entanglement of their assertions can be seen, like the wrapping together of sinews, yet it cannot be unravelled. His ‘stones’ have their ‘sinews wrapped together,’ because the acuteness of his preachers is concealed beneath ambiguous assertions. But generally when they infect hearts with their words, they display innocency in their conduct. For they would not attract the good to them by their persuasion, if they were to exhibit themselves as perverse in their conduct also. But because they are the stones of this beast, and are bound by sinews wrapped together, they both display themselves as upright in order to escape notice, and preach perverse things in order to corrupt, imitating, doubtless, their head, who, as a lion in ambush, both rages by the power of earthly dignity, and flatters by a show of sanctity. But would that this beast were acting thus then only, and that he had not now also these testicles of lust to corrupt the inner parts of the faithful. For not only is that which is evil infused with the speaking of the mouth, but that which is worse is held by more in the example of conduct. For how many have not beheld Antichrist, and yet are his testicles: because they corrupt the hearts of the innocent by the example of their doings! For whoever is exalted with pride, whoever is tortured by the longings of covetousness, whoever is relaxed with the pleasures of lust, whoever is kindled by the burnings of unjust and immoderate anger, what else is he but a testicle of Antichrist? For while he willingly engages himself in his service, he furnishes by his example the progeny of error to others. The one works wickedly, the other cleaves to those who work wickedly; and so far from opposing, even favours them. What else then but a testicle of Antichrist is he, who having cast aside the authority of the faith he has pledged to God, witnesses in favour of error? But if any reprove these persons, they presently conceal themselves under some cloke of defence; for since their sinews are wrapped together, and entangled for evil, they cannot be released from corruption.
