Commentary on Job, part 4

The next part of the commentary on Job concerning the permission that God grants to Satan:

It is said that God gives permission or leave to the evil one, because without this it is impossible for them to do anything or to harm anyone in spirit or body. It is said that Satan comes with the angels before the Lord because there is no place either visible or invisible where he can hide from Him and the God’s providential knowledge. Now although he cannot ascend to this exalted place where the angels and the cherubim and seraphim are, wherever he is, he cannot hide from the divine vision.

He is said to come, tarry and remain “before the Lord.” Perhaps the Lord will permit Satan to inflict these trials on this man so that through these trials Satan will be able to cause him to fall and to drive him away from piety. Satan wanted to destroy the blessed man through trials but he could not because he was not allowed by God to do so. The omniscient one knew the secrets of the evil one. He allowed him to inflict trials on Job so that struggle of the champion would be shown.  And when the adversary knew that God permitted him to test Job, he tested him first through external possessions, through the perishing of his sons and daughters, and then through various and shameful bodily tortures. And you should understand all this  (the coming of the angels before the Lord, and Satan with them, and God’s speaking with Satan, and what follows) in the following way: the contriver of evil takes different forms according to our understanding.