But the eyes of the wicked shall fail, and they shall not escape, and their hope shall be as one dying.
All Commentaries on Job 11:20 Go To Job 11
Gregory The Dialogist
AD 604
Whoever seeks present glory doubtless dreads contempt. He who is ever hungering for gain is ever surely in fear of loss. For that very object, which seems medicine to him, wounds him with its loss. As he is riveted under fetters to things mutable and destined to perish, so he lies groveling beneath them far away from the stronghold of security. But, on the other hand, whoever is rooted in the desire of eternity alone is neither uplifted by good fortune nor shaken by adverse fortune. For while he has nothing in the world that he desires, there is nothing that he dreads from the world.… But herein, it is to be known, that when bad people deliver right sentiments, it is very hard for them not to let themselves be revealed by those things that they are secretly pursuing within. Hence Zophar adds, “Many will entreat your favor.” For the righteous do not keep themselves on the narrow paths of innocence with the aim in view that others may implore them. Whether heretics or any others that are perverse, all of them live with an appearance of innocence among each other; they have the desire to show themselves as intercessors on behalf of others when in their speech they convey the holy truths they are longing for. They also promise them to others as something great. And while they tell of heavenly things, they soon show by their pledges what their hearts are bent on. But lest by long continuance of promising earthly things, they may be made to appear as they are, they quickly return to words of uprightness. Then it is immediately added, “But the eyes of the wicked shall fail, and refuge shall perish from them.” By designation of “eyes,” the energy of the intention is presented to us. “Truth” testifies in the Gospel, saying, “If your eye shall be single, your whole body shall be full of light.” For in view of the fact that a pure intention has preceded our action, it may seem otherwise to men. Yet, to the eyes of our interior Judge, the body of the deed that follows is presented pure. Therefore “the eyes” of the wicked are the intentions of carnal desires in them; these fail for the reason that they are careless of their eternal interests and are ever looking for transitory interests.… What does the sinner hope for here in all his thoughts except to surpass others in power, to go beyond all people in the abundance of his possessions, to bow down his rivals in lording it over them, to display himself as an object of admiration to his followers, to gratify anger at will, to make himself known as kind and gracious when he is commended, whatever his appetite may long for, to acquiesce in all that pleasure dictates by the fulfilling of the thing?
