Moralia in Job 286

Verse 14. — By day they shall meet with darkness, and as in the night, so shall they grope at noonday. 34. Christ's persecutors suffered darkness in the day. And as blind men they groped at noonday. By day they met with darkness, because in the very presence of the Truth they were blinded by the error of their perfidy. For clearly is a thing discerned by day, but by night our sight is darkened. The persecutors, then, of our Redeemer, while they beheld the miracles of the divine power, and yet doubted of his Godhead, suffered darkness in the day, because they lost their sight in the light. Hence it is that the Light itself admonishes them, saying: Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you (John xii, 35). Hence it is that it is said of Judaea:

Her sun is gone down while it was yet day (Jerem. xv, 9). Hence it is that the prophet again took upon himself the voice of the penitent, saying: We stumbled at noonday as in darkness, in dark places as dead men (Isaiah lix, 10). Hence again he says: Watchman, what of the night? watchman, what of the night? The watchman said: The morning comes, and also the night (Isaiah xxi, 11). For the watchman comes by night, because the protector of the human race appeared manifest in the flesh, and yet Judaea, pressed by the darkness of her perfidy, in no wise recognized him. Where fitly there is added from the voice of the watchman, The morning comes, and also the night, because through his presence a new light shone forth upon the world, and yet in the heart of the unbelieving the old blindness remained. But well is it said:

As in the night, so shall they grope at noonday. For this we seek out by groping, which we do not see with our eyes. But the Jews had seen his open miracles, and still sought him as though groping, when they said: How long dost thou hold our soul in suspense? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly (John x, 24). Behold, the light of the miracles was present before their eyes, and yet, stumbling into the darkness of their own heart, they still groped by seeking. Their blindness indeed blazed up into cruelty, and their cruelty even into the open works of persecution. But the Redeemer of the human race suffered not to be held long in the hands of his persecutors. Whence also there is at once subjoined: