Commentary on Job, part 19

Returning to the commentary on Job after a long time away, I have a translation of the next fragment, on Job 28:9-10:

He stretched out his hand on the sharp rock, and overturned mountains from their foundation. He interrupted the whirlpool of rivers. (28:9-10)

One should take this sharp rock allegorically as referring to the fruitless sacrament of the heathens. Mountain refers to the pride of demons in service to idols. And river refers to the carnal thought of the rational arts. It is a whirlpool because their wild spinning obscures their sayings. When the Lord came, he brought an end to this fanatical wisdom and caused the teaching of gentleness to flow from the Holy Spirit, as David wrote: “You caused the spring and streams to flow, and you made the violent rivers dry up.” (Psalm 73:15)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

Commentary on Job, part 18

The contrast between humans, who are able to know about God through nature, and non-human animals, who remain ignorant, is allegorized by Stepanos to the contrast between orthodox believers,  who have received salvation through Christ, and the non-believers who are unable to attain it.

“Neither have the sons of the proud trodden it” (28:8)

Although he speaks of the generation of dragons and other wild animals to which was not given the art of mining gold and other precious stones, as we said above about the art of smithing, you should understand this allegorically as the way of the economy of the Savior, which Herod and other cruel kings like him cannot tread unsnared. And also the children of the Jews and heretics who have separated themselves from the faith, of whom the Lord said, “You are of your father, Satan” (John 8:44). They cannot attain by the examination of their minds the holy sacrament of sacrifice.

“and the lion has not passed it” (28:8)

Although the lion is mighty, it cannot pass in a place where the elements are precious.

Commentary on Job, part 17

The Armenian version of Job 28:7 contains a variant of the Armenian word for 'vulture': անգեղ (which also means 'without beauty, ugly') rather than the standard անգղ to render the Greek γύψ. Perhaps this is the result of a folk etymology based on the negative characteristics associated with the scavenger bird. The comprehensive etymological dictionary of Adjarian connects անգղ to a Scythian word alleged by the lexicographer Hesychius to mean 'swan' and rendered in Greek as ἄγλυ. Adjarian also lists the Arabic ‘anqā ('phoenix') and the Laz anke ('a species of bird with the color of vultures that catches and eats flies and butterflies').

“There is a path, the bird has not known it, and the eye of the vulture has not seen it.” (28:7)

The aerial demon of principalities did not know the divine economy of our Savior. Neither did the aerial demon of dominions, as the sacrament of the Church was hidden from them according to the wise one: “the way of a snake on a stone or a ship on the sea or an eagle in the sky is not traced” (Proverbs 30:19).

Commentary on Job, part 16

We get more allegorical readings of precious substances in the next fragment:

“Its stones are the place of sapphires and its dust gold for him.” (28:6)
 You will understand this verse according to the earlier verse concerning precious stones. The intelligent [reader] will understand the Holy Spirit's powerful relic, the Theotokos, as Jeremiah says: “Her Nazarites were made purer than snow, they were whiter than milk” (Lamentations 4:7). And gold dust is the holiness of the body, as he says: “Holy is your temple, wondrous in righteousness” (Psalm 64:4-5). And also those purified of this earthen nature shine brightly with virtue and become a place of the word of truth. This is why the prophet says: “Holy stones shall roll on the land” (Zechariah 9:16), meaning the turning of stones. 

Commentary on Job, part 15

Verse 5 of chapter 28 refers to the bread that comes from the earth. Here again we have an allegorical reading relating to the Incarnation:

“The earth, out of it shall come bread, and below it, it has been changed as if fire.” (28:5)

As was said above that from the earth come precious substances, so too also here bread grows from the earth. And the fire is the warmth of spring by which the shoots blossom forth, and which brings to mind the womb of the Holy Virgin. And the bread is the Lord’s Body while the fire is the Word of God.

Commentary on Job, part 14

The extant fragments now jump ahead to chapter 28. Here Stepanos provides an interpretation in terms of precious gemstones. 'Chrysolite' is a translation of ոսկեքար, a calque on χρυσόλιθος, which is identified with the topaz in the Liddell-Scott lexicon, but corrected (in the revised supplement) as 'a yellow precious stone, perhaps peridot'. The reference to a practice of liquefaction or melting of the stone here is obscure.

“the stone, and darkness, and the shadow of death. The trench is flooded by dust.” (28:3-4)
 The stone is a precious gem, and the darkness is a pearl, which exists in secret as though in darkness and shadows, because they are hidden deep inside the earth. And chrysolite is cut by the trench, and is collected and thrown in a dusty form on a stone and through an excessively hot fire so that it becomes like a flood.  

Commentary on Job, part 13

One fragment is on chapter 18. Here Stepanos relates the verse to Psalm 61 (according to the numbering of the Septuagint).

“he will strengthen those who thirst for him.” (18:9)

They are the ones of whom David says, “They ran in thirst” (Ps. 61:5), that is, the demons that drink the blood of man.