In his neck remains strength, and sorrow is turned into dancing before him.
All Commentaries on Job 41:22 Go To Job 41
Gregory The Dialogist
AD 604
2. For what is designated by the ‘neck’ of that Leviathan, except the stretching out of his pride, with which he raises himself up against God, when, with pretended sanctity, he is exalted also by the pride of power? For that pride is expressed by the ‘neck,’ the Prophet Isaiah witnesses, who reproves the daughters of Jerusalem, saying, They have walked with stretched forth neck. [Is. 3, 16] Strength then is said to remain in the ‘neck’ of this Leviathan, because power is also subjoined and ministers to his pride. For all his haughty pride, all his crafty machinations, he prosecutes at that time by the strength also of secular power. Which the prophet Daniel observing, says, Craft will be directed aright in his hand. [Dan. 8, 25] For craft in his hand, is fraud in his strength; for all his wicked designs he is able also, for the time, to carry out with strength. But his craft is said to be ‘directed,’ because the malice of his fraud is impeded by no difficulty. For this Leviathan or his vessels are wont frequently to possess this peculiarity, that, to add to their iniquity, they are able to carry out more wickedly what they wickedly desire.
3. For when the Elect perchance are weakened, and rush headlong in their unlawful desires, they are frequently restrained by the hand of the Divine gift, so as to find no results from their wretched will. And when a strong opposition arises to their wishes, they are frequently corrected by the very impossibility, and by the wonderful course of the inward disposal, a change of their evil will succeeds through conversion, while through their infirmity perfection [or ‘through their weakness fulfilment’] is denied them. For hence is that which the Lord says, under the character of every soul, to Judæa who is weak, and walking in evil ways; Behold, I will hedge up thy way with thorns, and I will hedge it up with a wall, and she shall not find her paths, and she shall follow after her lovers, and she shall not overtake them, and she shall seek them, and not finding them shall say, I will go and return to my first husband, for then it was better with me than now. [Hos. 2, 6. 7.] For the ways of the Elect are hedged up with thorns, when they find the pain of piercing in that which they desire in this world. He obstructs, as it were, by interposing a wall, the ways of those, whose desires the difficulty of attainment opposes. Their souls truly seek their lovers, and find them not, when by following malignant spirits, they do not gain hold of those pleasures of this world, which they desire. But it is well added that she says immediately in consequence of this very difficulty; I will go and return to my former husband, for then it was better with me than now. For the Lord is the first husband, Who united to Himself the chaste soul, by means of the love of the Holy Spirit. And the mind of each one then longs for Him, when it finds manifold bitternesses, as thorns in those delights, which it desires in this world. For when the mind has begun to be stung by the adversities of the world which it loves, it then understands more fully, how much better it was for it with its former husband.
4. Those then, whom an evil will perverts, adversity frequently corrects. Whence also it is much to be feared, lest prosperity should follow, when unjust things are longed for, because an evil, which is supported also by the prosperity of attainment, is with more difficulty corrected. Both craft then is directed aright in the hand of this Leviathan, who with his members is consigned to eternal tortures, and strength remains in his neck, because that which he longs for in this world with evil resolve against the good, he consummates with more evil ability, in order that no present adversity may oppose him, in proportion as no prosperity awaits him for the future. And because every one who, from depraved habits, is familiar with his friendship, loses first the true riches of the mind, it is fitly subjoined;
And want will go before his face.
5. For acquaintance is wont to be designated by the ‘face.’ Whence it is written; And My Face shall go before thee, [Ex. 33, 14] that is, knowledge of Me will give thee guidance. But it should be known, that the want of the Elect is used in one sense in Holy Scripture, the want of the reprobate in another. For it is the want of the Elect, when the true riches of the heavenly country recur to their mind, and when, placed in the sorrowful banishment of this present life, they remember that they are poor. For they sigh in truth unceasingly after those riches, of which Paul says; That ye may know what is the hope of His calling, and what the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the Saints. [Eph. 1, 18] And because as yet they do not behold them, they earnestly groan, the mean while, in the sorrow of this poverty. Jeremiah had doubtless gained a sight of this poverty, when he was saying; I am a man who behold my poverty by the rod of His indignation. [Lam. 3, 1] For the rod of the indignation of God is the blow of severity. And man then endured this indignation, when he was expelled from Paradise, and lost the true riches of inward joy. But because all the Elect continually behold that they have fallen into the poverty of the present life from that faculty of innate strength, it is well said, I am a man who behold my poverty. For whoever still longs after these visible things, understands not the misery of his pilgrimage, and has not skill to see the very evil which he is suffering. The prophet David, beholding this poverty, says, My strength is weakened in my poverty. [Ps. 31, 10] For strength is said to be weakened in poverty, because the mind which has fallen in this pilgrimage, and has been assaulted by the annoyances of its own corruption, is hindered from beholding that which it has lost.
6. But the reprobate know not how to think of this poverty, because, while they pursue those things which they behold, they neglect to think of the invisible things which they have lost. Whence it is rightly called their ‘want;’ for while they are filled with sins, they are emptied of the riches of virtues. And it is frequently their lot, that, when, from being lifted up by the madness of pride, they consider not the losses of their fall, they discern not that they are poor also in good deeds. Whence it is said by the voice of the Angel to the preacher of Laodicea; Thou sayest that I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked. [Rev. 3, 17] He who is elated through pride at his sanctity, declares himself, as it were, to be rich, but is proved to be poor, blind, and naked. Poor, assuredly, because he has not the riches of virtues; blind, because he sees not the poverty which he is suffering; naked, because he has lost his first garment, but in a worse way, because he knows not that he has lost it. Because then, as we have said, the ‘want’ of the reprobate is their being stripped of their merits, it is rightly said of Leviathan; Want will go before his face. For no one is joined to the knowledge of him, unless he is first stripped of the riches of virtues. For he first steals away good thoughts, and afterwards infuses in them a clearer knowledge of his own iniquity. Want is therefore said to go before his face, because the faculty of strength is first destroyed, in order that a knowledge of him may be afterwards gained, as if through familiarity. Or certainly, because he steals upon many in so crafty a manner, that he cannot be detected by them, and so makes void their virtues as not to display the evil design of his cunning, want is said to go before his face. As if it were openly said, Because when he tempts by lying in ambush, he spoils men before he is perceived. For hence is that which is said of Ephraim by the Prophet, Strangers have devoured his strength, and he hath known it not. [Hos. 7, 9] For by ‘strangers’ are usually understood apostate angels, who devour our strength, when they consume the virtue of the mind by perverting it. Which Ephraim both endured, and knew it not, because through the temptation of malignant spirits he both lost the strength of his mind, and understood not that he had lost it. Want therefore goes before the face of Leviathan, because he spoils by his temptation the minds of the careless, before he who is tempted knows his snares. By this then which is said, In his neck will remain strength, is set forth the power of his violence. But by this which is added, And want will go before his face, is designated the subtlety of his craft.
7. Although with regard to our knowing that want goes before his face, there is another point for us to expound in a more melancholy manner. For by the awful course of the secret dispensation, before this Leviathan appears in that accursed man whom he assumes, signs of power are withdrawn from Holy Church. For prophecy is hidden, the grace of healings is taken away, the power of longer abstinence is weakened, the words of doctrine are silent, the prodigies of miracles are removed. And though the heavenly dispensation does not entirely withdraw them, yet it does not manifest them openly and in manifold ways as in former times. And this is so caused by a wonderful dispensation, in order that the Divine mercy and justice may be fulfilled together by one and the same means. For when Holy Church appears as if she were more abject, on the withdrawal of signs of power, both the reward of the good increases, who reverence her for the hope of heavenly things, and not on account of present signs; and the mind of the wicked is the more quickly displayed against her, who neglect to pursue the invisible things which she promises, when they are not constrained by visible signs. When therefore the humility of the faithful is deprived of the manifold manifestation of wonders, by the terrible judgment of the secret dispensation, there is heaped up more abundant mercy for the good, and just anger for the evil, by the same means. Because these signs of power cease, in great measure, in Holy Church, before this Leviathan manifestly and visibly comes, it is now rightly said; Want will go before his face. For the riches of miracles are first withdrawn from the faithful, and then that ancient enemy displays himself against them with visible prodigies, in order that as he boasts himself on his wonders, he may be overthrown more mightily and more honourably by the faithful without wonders. For though signs will not be wanting to the faithful in their contest with him, yet his will be so great, that those of our people will seem to be rather few or none at all. But their virtue doubtless becomes mightier than all signs, when it crushes with the heel of inward resolution all his terrible deeds which it beholds. But the malignant enemy displays himself against them with so much the fiercer cruelty, the more he grieves that he is despised even with the brightness of his miracles. He therefore gathers himself together for their destruction, and unites all the reprobate with unanimous cruelty for the death of the faithful; in order that he may put forth his cruelty with so much greater power, in proportion as all the members of his body agree with him in the things he seeks perversely to effect.
