The Book of Moral Teachings, or Commentaries on the Book of Job

“The Book of Moral Teachings, or Commentaries on the Book of Job” (in 35 books, begun in the 580s in Constantinople) is one of the most important works of St. Gregory the Great (Dvoeslova). The work is dedicated to Bishop Leander of Seville and was originally a recording of the conversations of St. Gregory, which were subsequently edited by him. The saint offers a moral and allegorical interpretation of the Book of Job, each passage of which begins with a consideration of the literal meaning. Then the author moves on to the mystical and educational and ends with a moral meaning. Allegory (“allegory”) here is almost identified with “typology,” and the explanation of the Christological meaning of the Book of Job is presented as the most important task of the interpreter. The work combines exegetical analysis, ascetic instructions and pastoral advice aimed at the spiritual improvement of man. St. Gregory views Job's suffering not only as a historical event, but also as a symbol of the trials through which the soul passes on the path to salvation. He reflects on the nature of sorrows, patience, humility, Divine Providence and eternal justice. Books 11-16 are like a separate treatise devoted to the problem of evil. The saint refutes the misconception that earthly happiness is a sign of God's mercy and reward for virtue, and suffering and sorrow are God's punishment for sins. Books 11-35 are translated from the English version of the translation. The work has not been thoroughly checked, so it may contain inaccuracies and provides only a general idea of ​​the work. *The title of the work in Latin is Expositio in librum Iob sive Moralia. Epistle of St. Gregory the Dialogue of the Pope to Leander Bishop of Spain Book 8 [chapter 6, verses 29–30, chapters 7–8] 1. To the Most Honorable and Holy Brother Leander, Bishop Gregory, servant of the servants of God. I recognized you long ago, most blessed brother, in the city of Constantinople, when, by decision of the Apostolic See, I was there, and you were brought there by the duty entrusted to you as an ambassador for the cause of the Visigothic faith. Then I told you everything that I didn’t like about myself. Since I lost the grace of conversion long ago and for a long time, and after being oppressed by longing for heaven, I believe that it is better to be a secular (person). Truly, what I was looking for regarding eternal love has already begun to be revealed to me, but I am bound by the ingrained custom of not abandoning external service. And when the spirit still forces me outwardly to diligently serve this world, many worries from the same world began to increase against me, so as to thereby captivate not only the external, but what is worse, captivate the mind. I, carefully avoiding all this, strove to (reach) the monastery pier and ignore what belongs to the world, so that, not believing the deception, I would emerge unburdened from the shipwreck of this life. Because most often, when the storm intensifies, the wave destroys the ship, carelessly taken out of the bay of the safest coast. I discovered that I myself, unexpectedly, under the pretext of church law, found myself in the rapid flow of worldly affairs, and I learned that I had lost the peace of the monastery, because, having had it, I did not carefully preserve what was strictly necessary to hold on to. Truly, when the virtue of obedience was offered to me for the sake of the need to accept the service of the holy altar, it was accepted as church, but, on the other hand, if this could be done with impunity, then I would have rejected it in hiding. Subsequently, when I did not want this and resisted, since the service of the altar was burdensome, the burden of pastoral care was placed on me. Now I bear (the weight of) this (load) so much more heavily, how unfit I feel for it, and I weaken in the absence of the consolation of hope. For while the world, with the increase of evil and the approach of the end, has fallen into a state of extreme confusion, we ourselves, who are allowed to serve the innermost secrets, are drawn into concerns about external things. So in fact I started altar service because of this temporary thing. The fact that I accepted the burden of holy orders happened to me against my desire, since (before) I served in an earthly palace. (To Constantinople), as you know, my brothers followed me from the monastery, united by kindred love. I see that this was accomplished by Divine Providence, so that when I am worried by the constant pressure of worldly affairs, I would always be held by their example on the quiet shore of prayer, as if by an anchor rope. Of course, I resorted to their company, as the safest bay and pier, from the cycle and excitement of earthly affairs. This service easily weakened me, removed from the monastery, separated from the life of my former peace, by the power of my deeds. Finally, among them, through diligent reading, the breath of daily repentance revived me. Then the same brothers, urged by you, were pleased, as you yourself remember, to encourage me with difficult requests to explain the book of blessed Job, and I, in accordance with how the truth filled me with strength, revealed to them secrets of such great depth. They added to the weight of the burden of their request that I should explain the words of the story not only through allegorical meaning, but that the allegorical meaning should immediately be directed to the explanation of morality. They also added something more difficult so that I could justify my understanding of this with evidence, and interpret the evidence provided, if it is possible to provide it, by setting forth an additional explanation. 2. Truly, soon, I confess, I lost heart, because I realized that in this obscure matter, which had not been investigated before us, I was forced to embark on something so great and significant, so that my speech was overcome by such a burden and weakened. But, being suddenly overwhelmed (by despair), being in fear and reverence, since I raised the eyes of my mind to the Giver of gifts, putting aside indecision, I immediately began to think conscientiously and with concentration, since this could not be impossible for me, for the love of my brotherly hearts commanded so. Still, I lost hope of becoming capable of this, but through that very despair I rose more thoroughly directly to this hope, through which “the tongue of the dumb was loosed, She (Wisdom) made the tongues of infants eloquent” (Wis. 10:21). She ordered the immeasurable and senseless cries of the donkey in accordance with the reasonable image of human speech. What, therefore, is surprising if She gives reason to a stupid man, since She, when She wants, speaks Her truth even through the mouth of donkeys (Num. 22:28)? So, being overwhelmed by the power of such reflection, I directed my dryness towards a source of extraordinary depth, which it was necessary to reach. And no matter how quickly my life passed, I did not consider that (the request of) those with whom I was forced to interpret was so difficult when a writing pen serves for the benefit of people. Therefore, I soon read the beginning of the book openly in front of the same brothers sitting before their eyes. And when I found a little more free time, through research, I more freely interpreted and presented what followed. And when there was no longer enough time, then I carefully thought about and developed a lot, but kept silent about a little. Also, what I (already) researched, I in no way left unattended, and much of what was openly said before them (the brothers), corrected, I collected in books, since both what I said at the end and what I said at the beginning was set out with my pen and carefully thought through. Thus, I made it so that what I said (in front of them), carefully correcting, brought almost (everything) into uniformity with the dictated speech, and what I dictated did not differ much from the word of the one conducting the conversation. Meanwhile, as one is ordered, the other is (also) brought into order, and a work published in a heterogeneous manner becomes homogeneous. However, I published the third part of this work in the form of a conversation, and I left it that way, because at that time the brothers forced me to do something else and did not want it to be further improved. And when they, of course, asked a lot (to do), I decided to fulfill (their request), (explaining the text) now through the interpretation of the mysterious, now through reflection on the sublime, now through moral precepts, and collected this work, consisting of thirty-five volumes, into six codes. And therefore, when doing this, I almost always put the order of presentation in the background, and work a little longer on the analysis of the mysterious and moral. But, however, it is necessary that everyone who speaks about God should take care that he himself examines everything that (is going to) supply the morals of those listening, and considers this order of speech (ordinem) fair, if it (the speech), of course, instructs for benefit, whenever the success of speech requires the speaker to do this himself before speaking about anything. Truly the interpreter of sacred speech must imitate the practice of the flow. After all, when a river flows along a channel, then, if it encounters empty depressions on the way, the direction of its flow first directs itself into them, and when it fills them enough, then it suddenly returns to the channel. Such an interpreter of the divine word must undoubtedly be, so that when he talks about any matter, if he finds a seemingly suitable option for constructing speech, he directs, as it were, the flow of language to the next cavity, and when he has completely saturated the field of the attached teaching, then he returns to the channel of the intended word. 3. It is truly necessary to know that some subjects we touch upon briefly through historical exposition, and some we explore deeply allegorically; some are analyzed in the light of moral precepts from an allegorical point of view. By studying something more thoroughly simultaneously in all these ways, we conduct research in three ways. Therefore, we first lay the foundation of history, then we raise the building of the mind to the content of faith, and finally we cover it with the benefit of morality, as if with paint that is applied on top of the building. In fact, what are the utterances of truth if not food to strengthen the mind? Analyzing this in turn in various ways, we bring the food to our lips in order to drive away the disdain of the unwilling reader, as if we had invited a guest, who, before accepting much that was offered to him, sat down to decide which (of what was brought) was more refined. True, sometimes we ignore the clear words of the narrative in order to proceed to the unclear without a longer delay, (since) sometimes (some passages) cannot be understood literally, since only (as if) by an intelligible appearance they in no way (deliver) instruction to the listeners, but give rise to error. And, indeed, this is what it says: “Under Him will those who bear peace” (Job 9:13). And who does not know about such a great man that he in no way follows the empty stories of poets that the universe is carried by the labor of Giants? He also, being constrained by the blows inflicted, says: “My soul desires hanging (suspendium) and death to my bones” (Job 7:15). And who, being wise, will consider that a righteous and so illustrious man, as is obvious and known, accepting gifts for the virtue of patience, by an internal judgment in the midst of suffering, decided to commit suicide? Likewise, sometimes the words of Scripture contradict themselves so that they cannot be understood literally. And indeed he said: “Let the day perish in which I was born, and the night in which it was said: man was conceived” (Job 3:2). And a little later he adds: “Let darkness cover it (the night) and let it be filled with bitterness” (Job 3:5). He also adds to the curse of the same night: “Let that night be lonely (solitaria)” (Job 3:7). Of course, this birthday, pressed by the very pressure of time, cannot stop. Therefore, under what condition did he wish for darkness to cover him (the day)? Of course, the past (day) no longer exists, and, however, if it existed in the nature of things (in rerum natura), it would be able to feel some bitterness. Therefore, it is clear that (here) we are in no way talking about an insensitive day by which (Job) wishes to be struck with a feeling of bitterness. And if the night of conception, connected with the other nights, has already passed, then under what condition does he want her to be solitary (solitariam)? She cannot fall out of the flow of time, and also cannot be separated from the rest of the interconnected nights. He also said: “Until You leave me and go away from me, that I may swallow my spittle” (Job 7:19)? And a little higher he said this: “What my soul did not want to touch before has now become food for me because of my distress” (Job.6:7). Who doesn’t know that saliva is easier to swallow than food? So he encourages himself to eat, but, somewhat unbelievably, he says, “I can’t swallow my saliva.” And another said: “If I have sinned, what will I do to You, O Guardian of men” (Job 7:20)? And the following: “To wear me down with the sins of the strength of my youth” ( Job 13:26 )? And finally, the following, answering, adds: “And truly my heart did not reproach me throughout my entire life” (Job.27:26). Thus, under what condition will the one who throughout his entire life was least condemned by his heart openly testify about himself that he (previously) sinned (peccasse)? And indeed the guilt of deeds and the impeccability of the heart can never be reconciled. But, undoubtedly, the words of Scripture cited (above), which cannot be reconciled with each other, show something else that can be discovered (by research), show as if the same voice were to say: “When you see that we are damaged by our frivolity, then find in us what is right and, being within us, corresponds to itself.” 4. Sometimes someone who does not want to understand the words of the story in accordance with the text hides from himself the offered light of truth and strives with great zeal to penetrate what is inside (hidden), but cannot understand what is on the surface without difficulty and rejects it. And truly a holy man says: “Have I denied the poor what they wanted, and made the widow's eyes wait? Am I the only one who ate my morsel, and the orphan did not eat of it? If I saw a man perishing because he had no clothes and a poor man without a covering, did not his lungs bless me (in his voice) and was he not warmed by the wool of my sheep” (Job 31:16-20). Of course, if we arbitrarily adjust (inflectimus) the text to an allegorical understanding, then we make all his (Job’s) acts of mercy empty. And indeed the Divine word, through the mysterious, perfects the knowledgeable, and, for the most part, on the surface, more or less strengthens the simple. It is open and therefore nourishes the little ones; remains in mystery, and therefore delights the minds of the great. For It is, so to speak, like a certain calm and deep stream of water, into which a lamb can enter, and in which an elephant can also swim. Therefore, just as the usefulness of a place attracts (the interpreter), so the order of the narrative is revealed through research. Therefore, he finds the meaning of divine passages as much more correctly as he (more carefully) requires the essence of everything, (performs an alternating study of) the text (species). 5. Of course, I sent this work, which still needs to be worked on, to your blessedness, not because I should (send it to you) as worthy, but because I remember how you asked me, and I promised (to send it). And whatever your holiness finds in him that is not yet ready, be as lenient towards me as quickly as this clearly indicates that I am sick. Truly, when the body is upset by illness, then it is also weakened by the need to actively talk about something through the burdened mind. Of course, due to many years, my life is already tending to its end, 1 which is why I suffer from many bodily illnesses, I am always tired from an upset stomach and from nits, and I also breathe heavily due to fevers that continuously follow one another. And being constantly shaken (by disasters) among these (illnesses), I believe, since Scripture testifies: “God scourges every son whom He receives” (Heb. 12:6), - that with real evil I humble myself more harshly, and all the more firmly turn to the hope of the eternal. And, perhaps, this was the plan of Divine Providence, so that I, stricken (by illness), would explain (the book by them) the stricken Job, and better feel the spiritual mood of the scourged man through the scourging. It is also true that it is obvious to those who reflect that the strength of the flesh is barely sufficient to express the mysterious in conversation, the mind cannot well express what it feels, since the weakness of the body immoderately opposes my diligent work on it. And really, what is mindfulness of the body if not the organ of the heart? And no matter how skillful the creator of songs may be, he will not be able to bring (singing) to perfection if it is not in tune with the accompaniment, since, undoubtedly, a song controlled by a skillful hand and a separately sounding instrument do not interfere with each other, because a flutist will not play if the pipe is damaged by cracks and hisses. So, how much more difficult can the properties of my interpretation be understood, in which the benefit that should be expounded is dissipated by the destruction of this instrument (the mindfulness of the body) in such a way that no art of wisdom can collect it? I ask that, while looking through this work, you do not find fault with the stupidity of the words, since through sacred sayings the emptiness of fruitless talkativeness is driven away from interpreters, just as “it is forbidden to plant a grove at the church of God” (Deut. 16:21). And, without a doubt, we all know that every time in an insignificant part of flowering crops the ears form poorly, the grains of the ears become fuller in them. Therefore, I take care to preserve the very art of speech, which is penetrated by the rules of worldly science. Truly, as the content of this message testifies, I do not avoid the use of “metacism” 2 , I do not shy away from the use of “barbarisms”, I neglect the observance of the placement of prepositions and their case management, since I consider it extremely unworthy to limit the words of the sacred prophecy by the rules of Donatus 3 . And truly all this has not been preserved by some interpreters for the sake of the authority of Holy Scripture. And, of course, our interpretation really originates from this (source), for in fact it is fitting that the offspring born should have the appearance of their mother. I indeed speak in detail about a new interpretation, but when the matter of research requires, then I use in proofs both old and new, so that, since I occupy the apostolic see by Divine command, the work of my zeal, using both, may be strengthened by both. Verb. “many circles of years are already tending downward” (multa annorum jam curricula devolvunto). Metacism is a translation from the Latin metacismus. Martianus Capella in his De nuptiis Philologiae et Mercurii, 5, 167. Leipzig, 1825 gives this term the following definition: “mytacismus est, cum verborum cojunctio M litterae assiduitate collidito, ut, si dicas: “Mammam ipsam amo quasi meam animam.” See: Gillet 1990. P. 122. Similar expressions can be found in all Latin authors (Ambrosius Mediolanensis, Expositio evangelica in Luc. 2, 42; PL 15, 1568. Hieronymus Stridonensis, Translatio Homiliarum Origenis in Jer. et Ez., prolog., PL 25, 585; Commentarium in Ez., 5, prolog., PL 25, 141. Augustinus Hipponensis, De Doctrina Christiana, 3, 3, 7, P.L. 34, 68, etc.): “I would prefer barbarism to an ambiguous expression, which would be better Latin.” See Gillet 1990, p. 122.