Moralia in Job 433

Verse 35. — I will speak, and I will not fear him. 63. Fear could not raise us up from sin. — For the holy man, since he beholds the Redeemer of the human race coming meek, takes not dread toward the Lord, but affection toward the Father; and he despises fear, since through the grace of adoption he rises up to love. Hence John says: There is no fear in charity, but perfect charity casteth out fear (1 John iv, 18). Hence Zacharias says: That, being delivered without fear from the hand of our enemies, we may serve him (Luke i, 74). From the death of sin, therefore, fear could not raise us up, but the grace of gentleness, breathed upon us, lifted us to the state of life. Which is well signified by Eliseus raising the Shunammite's son (4 Kings

iv, 30, 34), who, sending the servant with a staff, by no means restored life to the dead son; but coming through himself, and stretching himself upon the dead, and gathering himself to his members, and walking to and fro, and breathing seven times into the mouth of the dead, he forthwith quickened him to living light again through the ministry of compassion. For God, the Author of the human race, grieved as it were for a dead boy, when He looked with pity upon us slain by the sting of iniquity. And because through Moses He brought forth the terror of the Law, He as it were sent the rod through a servant boy. But the boy with the staff could not raise the dead, since, as Paul attests: The Law brought nothing to perfection (Heb. vii, 19).

But He Himself, coming through Himself, and humbly stretching Himself upon the corpse, gathered Himself to make equal to Himself the members of the dead: For when He was in the form of God, He thought it not robbery to be equal with God; but He emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, made in the likeness of men, and found in habit as a man (Philip. ii, 6). He walks to and fro, since He calls both the Jews near at hand and the Gentiles set afar off. He breathes seven times upon the dead, since through the opening of the divine gift He bestows the sevenfold Spirit of grace upon those lying in the death of sin. And straightway he is raised up living, since he whom the rod of terror could not raise, the boy, through the Spirit of love, returned to life.

Let him say therefore in his own person, let him say in the voice of the human race: Let him take away his rod from me, and let not his dread terrify me; I will speak, and I will not fear him. Whereupon it is also fittingly subjoined: