He beholds every high thing: he is a king over all the children of pride.
All Commentaries on Job 41:34 Go To Job 41
Gregory The Dialogist
AD 604
42. That is, he looks down as if from above on all, who are, as it were, placed beneath him; because while he strives in his intention against his Maker, he scorns to think any one like himself. And this fitly suits his members also, because all the wicked, elated through swelling of heart, despise with the haughtiness of pride all whom they behold. And if they ever respect them outwardly, yet within, in the secret of their heart, where they are great in their own estimation, they consider the life and the merits of others inferior to themselves. And they look on them as beneath themselves, because, through the lofty thought of their heart, they have placed themselves on a kind of high eminence. To whom it is well said by the Prophet; Woe unto you that are wise in your own eyes, and prudent in your own sight. [Is. 5, 21] Hence also Paul says; Be not wise in your own conceits. [Rom. 12, 16] Hence it is said to Saul by the Divine reproof; When thou wast little in thine own eyes, did I not make thee a head in the tribes of Israel? [1 Sam. 15, 17] For he is little in his own eyes, who in considering himself, regards himself as inferior to the merits of others. For whoever in the loftiness of his thought extends himself above the merits of others, looks, as it were, on himself as great. But the reprobate Saul remained not in the good which he had begun, because he was swollen with pride at the power he had received. But, on the other hand, David, ever thinking humbly of himself, and counting himself inferior, in comparison with the same Saul, after he had met with an opportunity of striking, and spared this same raging adversary, prostrated himself with humble profession, saying; Whom dost thou pursue, O king of Israel? whom dost thou pursue? A dead dog, and a single flea. [l Sam. 24, 15] And he had been already certainly anointed as king, and had already learned by Samuel praying, and pouring the oil upon his head, that Divine Grace, having rejected Saul, was preserving him to hold the helm of the kingdom. And yet with humble mind he was prostrating himself to his persecuting adversary, to whom he knew that he had been preferred in the Divine judgment. He therefore humbly placed himself beneath him, to whom he knew that he was incomparably superior through the grace of election. Let those then, who are still ignorant in what rank they are held by God, learn in what way they should humble themselves to their neighbours, if even His Elect thus humble themselves before those, to whom they know they are already preferred in His secret judgments.
43. But it is a usual mark of the Elect, that they ever think more meanly of themselves than they really are. For hence it is said by the same David; If I did not think humbly, but exalted my soul. [Ps. 131, 1] Hence Solomon invites the little ones to wisdom, saying; If any is a little one, let him come to her. [Prov. 9, 4] But he who as yet despises not himself, does not lay hold of the humble wisdom of God. Hence the Lord says in the Gospel; I thank Thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because Thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them to little ones. [Matt. 11, 25] Hence again the Psalmist says; The Lord keeping little ones. [Ps. 116, 5] Hence the teacher of the Gentiles says; We became little ones in the midst of you. [1 Thess. 2, 7] Hence advising his disciples, he says; Each esteeming others better than themselves. [Phil. 2, 3] For, because every wicked person considers every one whom he knows, to be inferior to himself, the righteous, on the contrary, endeavours to regard all his neighbours as superior to himself. And lest, when one person humbles himself before another, this humiliation should tend to the pride of the other, he rightly admonished both parties, saying; Each esteeming others better than themselves: in order that in the thoughts of the heart I should prefer him to myself, and he in return should prefer me to himself; so that, when the heart is kept down on either side, no one may be elated by the honour bestowed on him.
44. But the reprobate, because they are members of this Leviathan, scorn either to know or to maintain this form of humility. Because, though they sometimes shew themselves outwardly humble, yet they neglect to maintain the power of humility within. And it often happens to them that if they ever perform one single good thing, however trifling, they immediately turn away the thought of their mind from all their faults, and ever look with all their attention at even this last good thing they may have done, and that from this they regard themselves as already holy, forgetting all the wickedness they have committed, keeping in mind only their one good action, which perhaps they were able but imperfectly to execute. As, on the other hand, it is usually the case with the Elect, that though powerful in the grace of many virtues, one sin, however inconsiderable, greatly harasses and assails them, in order that, by considering that they are weakened in one quarter, they may not pride themselves on those virtues in which they are powerful. And while they tremble at their weakness, they also maintain more humbly that point in which they are strong. The wicked, therefore, by thus incautiously looking at their one inconsiderable good quality, discern not the many and grievous sins in which they are plunged. And it is so ordered by a marvellous dispensation, that the Elect from the fear of being weakened by even their most minute sin, lose not the great virtues to which they have advanced.
45. It is so ordered then by the rule of the righteous and secret judgment, that their evils are of service to the one, and that their good things are injurious to the others; when these make use of their slight sins for their advance in virtue, and those avail themselves of their smallest good deeds to add to their sin. For these advance to greater perfection in virtue from the fact that they are tempted to sin. But those fall back into greater sin, from the fact that they boast of then goodness. The reprobate therefore applies what is good to a bad purpose, and the virtuous applies what is had to a good purpose. As it frequently happens that one person falls into the evil of sickness from wholesome food taken improperly, and that another, by taking the poison of a serpent in a medicine of proper composition, gets the better of his troublesome sickness. He therefore who would not use his wholesome food aright, perishes fatally by the very means from which others live in health. But he who took care to use the serpent’s poison cautiously, lives in health by the very means by which others perish fatally. We call then not the wickedness itself, but the suggestion of wickedness, with which we are often tempted against our will and efforts, the poison of the serpent. But this is then turned into a remedy, when the mind which is raised on high by its virtues, is brought low by the temptations it sees ranged against it. Whatever works then the wicked, and those who are rejected from the approval of inward examination, may perform, with whatever virtues they may shine forth, they are utterly ignorant of the sense of humility; doubtless because they are members of this Leviathan, of whom it is said by the voice on high, He beholdeth every high thing. Because not only by himself, but by the hearts of those whom he has possessed, he looks down as from an high place on all beneath him.
46. But it must be observed, that this Leviathan, who is described by a beast which possesses a body, is described as looking on high, because, namely, when pride of heart extends outwardly as far as to the body, it is first indicated by the eyes. For they, being puffed up by the swelling of pride, look, as it were, from on high, and the more they depress, the higher they raise, themselves. For unless pride shewed itself through the eyes, as if through certain outlets [‘fenestras’], the Psalmist would never say to God, Thou wilt save the humble people, and wilt bring down the eyes of the proud. [Ps. 18, 27] Unless pride poured forth through the eyes, Solomon would not say also concerning the pride of Judaea; A generation, whose eyes are lofty, and their eyelids lifted up on high. [Prov. 30, 13] Because then this Leviathan is designated by an animal possessing a body, and pride, when it comes forth into the body, more plainly rules over the eyes, the ancient enemy is described as seeing all men, as it were, from on high. But because many points are brought forward to set forth the enemy of the human race, the mind is very desirous, that some one point should be more plainly stated, in the end of the Lord’s speech, by which his members can be pointed out by a brief description. It follows;
He is a king over all the children of pride.
47. This Leviathan, in order to fall in all the points mentioned above, smote himself with pride alone. For he would not wither up, through those many branches of sins, had he not first, through this, become rotten in the root. For it is written, Pride is the beginning of all sin. [Ecclus. 10, 13] For by this he himself fell, by this he overthrew men who followed him. He assaulted the health of our immortality with the same weapon as he destroyed the life of his own blessedness. But God introduced it at the end of His speech, for this reason, that by mentioning the pride of this Leviathan after all his sins, He might point out what was worse than all sins. Although further, from the fact of its being placed at the bottom, it is pointed out to be the root of vices. For as a root is covered over beneath, but yet branches expand outwardly from it, so pride conceals itself within, but open vices immediately shoot forth from it. For no evils would come forth to view, if this did not fetter the mind in secret. This is that which makes the mind of this Leviathan to boil as a pot. And by this he agitates also the minds of men with a kind of glow of madness, but he shews by their outward deeds how he subverts the mind of the person he agitates. For that first boils with pride within, which afterwards foams forth in works without.
48. But because an opportunity has offered itself of speaking about pride, we ought to examine into it with greater minuteness and anxiety, and to point out with what power or in what way it enters the minds of men, and on whom, and in what way, it commits ravages. For other sins assail those virtues only by which they themselves are destroyed; as, namely, anger patience, gluttony abstinence, lust continence. But pride, which we have called the root of vices, far from being satisfied with the extinction of one virtue, raises itself up against all the members of the soul, and as an universal and deadly disease corrupts the whole body. So that whatever is doing when it makes its assaults, even if it appears to be a virtue, vain-glory alone, and not God, is served thereby. For when pride assaults the mind, a kind of tyrant closely invests, as it were, a besieged city: and the wealthier is any one he has seized, the more harshly does he rise up in his authority; because the more largely the business of virtue is transacted without humility, the more widely does pride exercise its sway. But whoever has with enslaved mind admitted its tyranny within, suffers this loss first of all, that from the eye of his heart being closed, he loses the equitableness of judgment. For even all the good doings of others are displeasing to him, and the things which he has done, even amiss, alone please him. He always looks down on the doings of others, he always admires his own doings; because whatever he has done, he believes that he has done with singular skill; and for that which he performs through desire of glory, he favours himself in his thought; and when he thinks that he surpasses others in all things, he walks with himself along the broad spaces of his thought, and silently utters his own praises. But the mind is sometimes brought to such haughtiness, as in his pride to be unrestrained even in boastfulness of speech. But ruin follows the more easily, the more shamelessly a man is puffed up in his own mind. For hence it is written, The heart is exalted before a fall. [Prov. 16, 18] Hence it is said by Daniel, The king was walking in the palace of Babylon, and he answered and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, in the glory of my beauty? [Dan. 4, 29] But how vengeance swiftly aroused repressed this pride, he immediately added, saying, While the word was yet in the king’s mouth, there fell voice from heaven, To thee it is said, O king Nabuchodonosor, the kingdom shall depart from thee, and they shall drive thee out from men, and thy habitation shall be with cattle, and wild beasts: thou shalt eat hay as an ox, and seven times shall be changed over thee. [ib. 31] Behold, because the pride of mind vented itself even in open words, the forbearance of the Judge immediately burst out in his sentence; and smote him the more severely, the more immoderately his pride exalted itself; and because he enumerated and mentioned the goods in which he flattered himself, he heard the evils enumerated with which he was to be smitten.
49. But it should be understood, that this very pride, of which we are speaking, possesses some persons in secular, and others in spiritual concerns. For one prides himself on gold, another on eloquence, one on weak and earthly things, another on the highest and heavenly virtues. And yet one and the same thing is going on before the eyes of God, though, as it comes to the hearts of men, it is clothed in their sight with a different garb. For when he who was at first proud of earthly glory, is afterwards elated at his sanctity, pride has never forsaken his heart, but, coming to him as usual, it has changed its garment, that it may not be recognised.
50. It should be known also, that it attacks rulers in one way, and subjects in another. For it suggests to the thoughts of a ruler, that he has by the sole merit of his life risen above others; and if he has ever done any things well, it suggests them unseasonably to his mind. And when it suggests that he has specially pleased God, in order the more easily to enforce its suggestion, it brings forward in evidence, the recompense of the power entrusted to him; saying, That unless Almighty God perceived thee to be better than these men, He would not have given them all under thy power. And it presently exalts his mind, points out that those who are under his power are vile and worthless, so that he no longer regards any body as fit for him to speak to on equal terms. And hence the calmness of his mind is soon turned into wrath; because when he despises all, when he blames without any moderation the understanding, and the conduct of all, he swells out the more unrestrainedly into anger, the more he considers that those who are committed to his charge, are not worthy of him.
51. But, on the other hand, when pride urges on the heart of subjects, it strives especially to make them neglect entirely the consideration of their own conduct, and in their silent thoughts always to become judges of their ruler. For when they look unseasonably for what they ought to blame in him, they never notice what to correct in themselves. And hence they perish the more dreadfully, the more they avert their eyes from themselves; because they stumble and fall in the journey of this life, while they fix their attention elsewhere. They declare that they are sinners indeed, but not to such a degree that they should be delivered up to the control of so hurtful a person. And while they despise his doings, while they scorn his precepts, they are plunged into such madness, as to think that God does not care for the concerns of men; because they grieve that they have been put under the charge of one, who is, as it were, deservedly blamed. And while they are thus proud against their ruler, they also rise up against the sentence of their Maker. And whilst they pass sentence on the conduct of their pastor, they impugn also the wisdom of Him who orders all things. But they often oppose the commands of their ruler impertinently, and term this haughtiness of language, liberty. For pride frequently thus presents itself, as if it were proper liberty, just as fear frequently puts itself in the place of humility. For, just as many are silent through fear, and yet consider that they are silent from humility, so do some speak from the impatience of pride, and yet think that they are speaking with rightful freedom. But sometimes inferiors utter not the impertinencies which they feel; and they whose loquacity is hardly restrained, are sometimes silent solely from the bitterness of their inward rancour. But, by suppressing through grief of mind their words of impertinence, though they are wont to speak wickedly, they are more wickedly silent. Because when on having sinned they hear any correction, they keep back, through indignation, the words of reply. Whenever they are treated harshly, they frequently break out into words of complaint at this very harshness. But when their teachers prevent them with gentleness, they are more grievously indignant at this very humility, with which they are prevented. And their mind is the more vastly inflamed, the more considerately it is regarded as weak. These doubtless, because they are ignorant of humility, which is the parent of virtues, lose the benefit of their labour, even if there are any good things which they seem to do; because the height of the rising fabric is not strongly fixed, which is not by the strength of its foundation made fast on the rock. That then which they build rises up only to fall, because before they erect the fabric they do not first prepare the foundations of humility. But we thoroughly lay open their inmost character, if we shew what they are in a few outward points.
52. For to all who swell within with proud thoughts there is noisiness in their speech, bitterness in their silence, dissoluteness in their mirth, wrath in their sorrow, unseemliness in their conduct, comeliness in their appearance, erectness in their gait, rancour in their reply. Their mind is ever strong in inflicting, weak in enduring, contumely; sluggish in obeying, importunate in provoking others; slothful in those things which it ought, and has power, to do, but ready for those which it neither ought, nor is able, to do. In that which it seeks not of its own accord, it is turned by no exhortation, but it seeks to be compelled to do that which it secretly longs for, because while it fears to become cheap from indulging its desire, it wishes to suffer compulsion even in its own will.
53. Because then we have said that the minds of men are tempted in one way by carnal, and in another by spiritual, concerns, let those hear; All flesh is grass, and the glory thereof as the flower of grass. [Is. 40, 6] And let these hear that which is said to some persons after their miracles; I know you not whence ye are; depart from Me, all ye workers of iniquity. [Luke 13, 27] Let those hear; If riches increase, set not your heart upon them. [Ps. 62, 10] Let these hear that the foolish virgins, who come with empty vessels, are shut out from the marriage within. [Matt. 25, 12] Again, because we have said before, that rulers are tempted in one way, and subjects in another, let those hear that which is said by a certain wise man; Have they made thee a ruler? Be not lifted up, but be among them as one of them. [Ecclus. 32, 1] Let these hear; Obey them that have the rule over you, and be subject to them, for they watch as if about to give an account for your souls. [Heb. 13, 17] Let those, when they boast of the power they have received, hear that which is said by the voice of Abraham to the rich man in flames; Son, remember that thou in thy life time receivedst thy good things. [Luke 16, 25] Let these, when they break into complaints against their rulers, hear that answer which is given to the murmuring people by the voices of Moses and Aaron; Nor is your murmur against us, but against the Lord. For what are we? [Ex. 16, 8] Let those hear; They shall be troubled in the sight of Him Who is the Father of orphans, and the Judge of widows. [Ps. 68, 4] Let these hear what is said against the contumacy of subjects; Whosoever resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God. [Rom. 13, 2] Let all together hear; God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble. [James 4, 6] Let all hear; Every one that exalteth his heart is unclean before God. [Prov. 16, 5] Let all hear; Why art thou proud, O earth and ashes? [Ecclus. 10, 9] Against the plague of this sickness, let us all hear that, which the Truth our Instructor teaches, saying; Learn of Me, for I am meek, and lowly in heart. [Matt. 11, 29]
54. For for this end the Only Begotten Son of God took on Him the form of our infirmity; for this the Invisible appeared not only visible, but even despised; [Phil. 2, 5-8] for this He endured the jests of contumely, the reproaches of derisions, and the torments of sufferings, that God in His humility might teach man not to be proud. How great then is the virtue of humility, since for the sole purpose of truly teaching it, He Who above estimation is great, became little, even to suffering? For since the pride of the devil caused the origin of our fall, the humility of God was found out as the instrument of our redemption. For our enemy who was created great among all things, wished to appear exalted above all things. But our Redeemer remaining great above all things, deigned to become little among all things.
55. But we both detect more readily the cause of pride, and lay bare the foundations of humility, if we briefly mention and run over what the author of death, and what the Creator of life declare. For the one says; I will ascend into heaven. [Is. 14, 13] But the Other says by the Prophet, My soul is filled with evils, and My life hath drawn nigh unto hell. [Ps. 88, 4] The one says; I will exalt my throne above the stars of heaven. [Is. 14, 13] The Other says to mankind expelled from the abodes of Paradise; Behold, I come quickly, and I will dwell in the midst of thee. [Zech. 2, 10] The one says; I will sit in the mount of the testament, on the sides of the north. [Is. 14, 14] The Other says; I am a worm, and no man, the reproach of men, and the outcast of the people. [Ps. 22, 7] The one says; I will ascend above the height of the clouds; I will be like the Most High. [Is. 14, 14] The Other; When He was in the form of God thought it not robbery to be equal with God, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant; [Phil. 2, 6] and He speaks by His members, saying; Who is like unto Thee, O Lord? [Ex. 15, 11] The one speaks by his members, saying; I know not the Lord, neither will I let Israel go. [Ex. 5, 2] The Other says by Himself; If I should say I know Him not, I shall be a liar, like unto you: but I know Him, and keep His saying. [John 8, 55] The one says; The rivers are mine, and I have made them. [Ez. 29, 9] The Other says; I can of Mine own Self do nothing. [John 5, 30] And again; My Father that abideth in Me, He doeth the works. [John 14, 20] The one, when shewing all kingdoms, says; All this power will I give Thee, and the glory them, for they are delivered to me, and to whom I will give them. [Luke 4, 6] The Other says; Ye shall drink indeed of My cup, but to sit on My right hand, or on My left, is not Mine to give to you, but to them for whom it is prepared of My Father. [Matt. 20, 23] The one says; Ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. [Gen. 3, 5] The Other says; It is not for you to know the times or the moments which the Father hath put in His own power. [Acts 1, 17] The other, in order that the Divine Will might be despised, and his own enforced, says; Why hath God commanded you, that ye should not eat of every tree of Paradise? [Gen. 3, 1] And a little after; For God doth know, that in whatsoever day ye eat thereof, your eyes shall be opened. [ib. 5] The Other says; I seek not Mine own will, but the will of Him Which hath sent Me. [John 5, 30] The one speaks by his members, saying; Let there be no meadow, which our luxury does not pass through, let us crown ourselves with roses before they be withered, let us leave every where tokens of our joy. [Wisd. 2, 2] The Other announces to His members, saying, Ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice. [John 16, 20] The one teaches the minds who are subject to him nothing else but to aim at the height of loftiness, to transcend all their equals in swelling of mind, to surpass with lofty pride the society of all men, and to exalt themselves even against the might of their Creator: as is said of these very persons by the Psalmist; They have passed into the affection of the heart, they have thought and spoken wickedness, they have spoken iniquity on high. [Ps. 73, 7] The Other when approaching the spitting, the palms of the hands, the buffets, the crown of thorns, the cross, the spear, and death, admonishes His members, saying; If any man serve Me, let him follow Me. [John 12, 26]
56. Because then our Redeemer rules the hearts of the humble, and this Leviathan is called the king of the proud, we know plainly, that pride is a most evident token of the reprobate, but humility, on the contrary, of the Elect. When it is known then which any one possesses, it is found out under what king he is fighting. For every one bears as it were a kind of inscription [‘titulum’] in his work, to shew thereby easily under the power of what ruler he is serving. Whence it is also said by the Gospel; Ye shall know them by their fruits. [Matt. 7, 16] Lest then the members of this Leviathan should deceive us by performing even wonders, the Lord has pointed out a plain token by which they can be detected, saying; He is a king over all the children of pride. For though they sometimes assume a pretended appearance of humility, yet they cannot conceal themselves in every point. For since then pride cannot bear to be long concealed, when it is concealed by one action it is exposed by another. But they who war under the king of humility, ever fearful, and circumspect on every side, fight against the darts of pride, and specially guard, as it were, the eye only of their body against the coming blows, when in themselves they principally defend their humility.
