Therefore take unto you now seven bullocks and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and my servant Job shall pray for you: for him will I accept: lest I deal with you after your folly, in that you have not spoken of me the thing which is right, like my servant Job.
All Commentaries on Job 42:8 Go To Job 42
Gregory The Dialogist
AD 604
11. Behold the just and merciful God neither passes over their faults without reproof, nor yet leaves their guilt without conversion. For since He is our inward Physician, He first made known the corruptions of our wound, and afterwards pointed out the remedies for obtaining health. But we have already often said, [Pref. chap. 6] that the friends of blessed Job represent heretics, who offend God, while they endeavour to defend Him; for they are in their words rebels against the truth, which they imagine they are serving by their false assertions. Because therefore Almighty God frequently incorporates them into the body of Holy Church, through the knowledge of the truth; their conversion also, which is often mercifully effected, is well designated by this pardon which the friends of Job obtain.
12. But it must be specially observed, that they are ordered to offer to the Lord the sacrifice of their conversion, not by themselves, but by Job. Heretics doubtless, when they come back from their error, cannot appease the wrath of God towards them by a sacrifice offered by themselves, unless they are converted to the Catholic Church, which blessed Job designates; that so they may obtain their salvation by her prayers whose faith they used to impugn with their false assertions. For He says; My servant Job will pray for you; his face I will accept, that folly be not imputed to you. As if He openly said to heretics. I accept not your sacrifices, I hear not the words of your petitions, except through the intercession of her, whose words of confession concerning Me I acknowledge true. And do ye indeed bring down bulls and rams to offer the sacrifices of your conversion, but ask of Me your salvation through the Catholic Church, which I love. For I wish to remit to her the sin which ye have committed against Me in her, in order that she may obtain your recovery, who used to suffer from your sickness.
13. For it is she alone through whom God willingly accepts a sacrifice, she alone who intercedes with confidence for those who are in error. Whence also the Lord commanded concerning the sacrifice of the lamb, saying; In one house it shall be eaten, neither shall ye carry forth of the flesh thereof out of the house. [Ex. 12, 46] For the lamb is eaten in one house, because the true Sacrifice of the Redeemer is immolated in the one Catholic Church. And the Divine law orders its flesh not to he carried forth abroad, because it forbids that which is holy to be given to dogs. [Matt. 7, 6] It is she alone in whom a good work is fruitfully carried on, whence they only who had laboured in the vineyard received the reward of a penny. [Matt. 20, 10] It is she alone who guards those who are placed within her by the strong bond of charity. Whence also the water of the deluge raised the ark indeed aloft, but destroyed all those whom it found out of the ark. It is she alone in whom we truly contemplate the heavenly mysteries. Whence also the Lord says to Moses; There is a place by Me, and thou shall stand upon a rock. [Exod. 33, 21] And a little after; I will take away Mine hand, and thou shall see My back parts. [ib. 23] For since the truth shines forth from the Church Catholic alone, the Lord says that there is a place by Him, from which He is to be seen. Moses is placed on a rock, to behold the form of God, because if any one maintains not the firmness of the Faith, he discerns not the Divine presence. Of which firmness the Lord says; Upon this rock I will build My Church. [Mat. 16, 18] What is then in this place the saying to the friends of Job, Go ye to Job, except, ‘Ascend ye the rock?’ What is, His face I will accept for you, that folly be not imputed to you, except that which is there said, Thou shalt see My back parts? that is, thou shalt understand the mysteries of that Incarnation which is hereafter to be.
14. But heretics, because they disdain to stand on the rock, behold not the back parts of God as He passes by; because, being situated without the Church, they discern not the mysteries of His Incarnation, as they really are. For, as we have said before, by ‘bulls’ is expressed the neck of pride; [Pref. chap. 8] but by ‘rams,’ the leadership which is exercised by heretics, when people are persuaded by them, as flocks that are led astray. For of proud heretics, who corrupt the minds of the weak by their evil persuasion, it is said; The congregation of the bulls amongst the kine of the people. [Ps. 68, 30] And because they lead like flocks the people that follow them, they are sometimes called ‘rams.’ For rams in truth lead the flock. Whence Jeremiah says by way of reproof; Thy princes are like rams. [Lam. 1, 6] Because then heretics, when they return to the Church, abandon the haughtiness of pride, and lead not the multitude of the people to destruction, like herds that follow them, the friends of blessed Job are ordered to offer bulls and rams. For to offer bulls and rams in sacrifice, is to sacrifice proud leadership with the humility of conversion, so that they, who before endeavoured to take the lead in teaching, may tame the neck of pride, and learn to follow by obedience. This their pride is also rightly expiated by seven sacrifices; because heretics, on returning to the Church, receive through the offering of humility the gifts of the Spirit of sevenfold grace, in order that they who had wasted away through their old habit of pride, may be formed afresh by the newness of grace.
15. But the number seven is among the wise of this world considered to be perfect on some special grounds of its own, because it is the sum of the first even, and the first uneven number. For the first uneven number is three, and the first even number is four. Of these two numbers that of seven is composed, which, by multiplying together these very parts rises up to the number twelve. For whether we multiply three by four, or four by three, we arrive at that number. But we, because we enjoy the preaching of truth by a gift from above, tread under foot and look down on these matters which are fixed on the loftiness of knowledge, doubtless retaining this with unshaken faith, that those, whom the Spirit of sevenfold grace has filled, it makes perfect; and imparts to them not merely the knowledge of the Trinity, but also the performance of the four virtues, that is, prudence, temperance, fortitude, and justice. And It is increased, in a manner, in its parts, within those also whom It enters, when both the performance of the four virtues is received through the knowledge of the Trinity, and by the performance of the four virtues we attain even to the manifest sight of the Trinity. And therefore among ourselves the number seven is perfect, but in a very different way; because it rises fully and with no deficiency to the number twelve, when it both perfects works by faith, and again faith by works [i. e. four by three and three by four]. The holy Apostles also, who were to be filled with the Spirit of sevenfold grace, were chosen twelve in number. For they were sent in the four quarters of the world to make known the Trinity, Which is God. They were therefore chosen in number twelve, that even by the nature of the number itself, the cause might be plain, why they preached the three highest, through the four lowest things.
16. Whether then from this, or perhaps from some other reason, in Holy Scripture, by the number seven is designated sometimes the secure rest of eternity, sometimes the whole of this present time, but sometimes the whole body of Holy Church. For by the number seven the perfection of eternity is suggested, when the seventh day is called sanctified for the rest of the Lord. [Gen. 2, 3] And no evening is said to belong to it, because the rest of eternal blessedness is confined by no limit. Hence also it is that, on the giving of the Law, the seventh day is ordered to be one of rest, in order that eternal rest may be designated by it. [Ex. 20, 8-11] Hence it is, that in the course of years, the number seven multiplied seven times, with a unit added, amounts to fifty, in order that the most holy rest of the Jubilee, signifying perpetual blessedness, might be observed. [Lev. 25, 10] Hence it is, that the Lord, rising again and frequently appearing, is said at His last feast to have eaten with seven disciples; [John 21, 2] because they who are now perfected in Him, are filled by Him with eternal refreshment.
17. Again by the number ‘seven’ is understood the whole of this temporal condition. For hence it is that the whole season of this present life is passed over in periods of seven days. Hence it is, that in type of Holy Church, which at all times traverses this world with her preaching, the Ark of the Lord, carried round for seven days with the sound of trumpets, overthrew the walls of Jericho. [Josh. 6, 12-20] Hence the Prophet says; Seven times a day have I praised Thee. [Ps. 119, 164] And as signifying that he had said this for the whole and entire season of his supplication, he says; His praise shall he ever in my mouth. [Ps. 34, 1] But that the whole of the present life is designated by the number ‘seven’ is shewn more plainly, when the number ‘eight’ is mentioned after it. For when another number besides follows after seven, it is set forth by this very addition, that this temporal state is brought to an end and closed by eternity. For hence it is that Solomon advises, saying; Give portions to seven, and also to eight. [Eccles. 11, 2] For by the number seven he expressed the present time, ‘which is passed by periods of seven days. But by the number ‘eight’ he designated eternal life, which the Lord made known to us by His resurrection. For He rose in truth on the Lord’s day, which, as following the seventh day, that is, the Sabbath, is found to he the eighth from the creation. But it is well said; Give portions to seven, and also to eight; for thou knowest not what evil shall be on the earth. As if it were plainly said; So dispense temporal goods, as not to forget to desire those that are eternal. For thou oughtest to provide for the future by well-doing, who knowest not what tribulation succeeds from the future judgment. Hence it is, that the Temple is ascended with fifteen steps, in order that it may be learned by its very ascent that by seven and eight our worldly doings may be carefully discharged, and an eternal dwelling may be providently sought for. Hence also it is that, by increasing a unit to ten, the Prophet uttered a hundred and fifty Psalms. For on account of this number ‘seven’ signifying temporal things, and the number ‘eight’ eternal things, the Holy Spirit was poured forth upon a hundred and twenty of the faithful, sitting in an upper room. For fifteen is made up of seven and eight, and if in counting from one to fifteen we mount up by adding the sums of the numbers together, we reach the number a hundred and twenty. By this effusion of the Holy Spirit they learned in truth both to pass through with endurance things temporal, and eagerly to seek after those that are eternal.
18. Again, by the number ‘seven’ is designated the whole body of Holy Church. Whence John in the Apocalypse writes to seven Churches: [Rev. 1, 20] but what else but the Church universal did he wish to be signified by them? And in order that this universal Church might be signified to be full of the Spirit of sevenfold grace, Elisha is described as having breathed seven times over the dead child. [2 Kings 4, 35] For the Lord, coming to a lifeless people, opens his mouth seven times, because He confers on it in His mercy the gifts of the Spirit of sevenfold grace. Because then the whole body of Holy Church is typified by the number ‘seven,’ let the friends of blessed Job come to him, and offer the whole burnt offering commanded by God. But let them guard with all watchfulness the mysteries of the number seven; in order, namely, that they who are living without may first unite themselves to the general body of Holy Church, and then at length seek pardon for the guilt of their former pride. Let them offer for their fault seven sacrifices, because they receive not the washing away of their guilt, unless by the Spirit of sevenfold grace they are united to that universal peace, from which they had been cut off. Let it be said then, Take unto you seven bulls, and seven rams, and go to My servant Job, and offer for yourselves a whole burnt offering. But My servant Job shall pray for you; his face I will accept, that folly be not imputed to you. As if it were plainly said to heretics on their return; Unite yourselves to the universal Church by the humility of penance, and obtain from Me through her prayers that pardon, of which of yourselves ye are not worthy: for when through her ye learn to be truly wise, ye are the first to blot out before Me the foolishness of your wisdom.
