The Meaning of Eternity and the Eternal Servant

By the word, they filled their own houses, having their own minds adorned by participation in the word of surpassing purity, not possessing any such state which has become Job's for the sake of the divine economy; for because of conversation and interaction with men, such a mind does not have its likeness unblemished, which would have been wiped away if not for sin, but something else happened for the benefit of others. 'Either as a fetus proceeding from a mother's womb, or as infants, who did not see light.'

To the words 'and I suckled breasts,' this is given through the middle of the verses spoken from 'now having slept I am at rest' until 'who filled their houses with silver.' Apply the same reasoning to what was said before; for just as it happened to come into existence involuntarily, so it happened for him to be in the state of a fetus, so that he might not participate in more of this kind of distraction and friction according to generation, or even if he had become an infant, to turn back again, so that he might not be born in the state of age after the infantile state.

For in truth, such a thing would not be outside of perplexity and seeking, regarding those not reaching unto life, and those dying immediately after birth, which the philosopher will investigate not as if these things happen by chance, but as being the just and good of God, the God of all things, governing all things by word and order and measure and weight. The saint himself knows the judgment and does not say this without anxiety, but praises the better state and being persuaded that this is to be preferred. 'There the impious burned a fire of wrath, there the wicked rested from the body, but the eternal ones were of one mind.'

The whole verse of divine thought tested by Job is a teaching on the difference of human generation. For having understood regarding it being better for him not to approach the human way or to be born, or having been born to be immediately freed from this, he proceeds and teaches a certain cause, as if this thing was being studied not a little by the opposing powers. Since the word showed how the souls encountered various errors of generation, and the devil and those with him are lovers of sin...

Just as it stirs those given to it into wickedness, this very thing interprets by saying, 'There the ungodly burned up a fury of wrath' (Ps 58:6). By saying 'there,' he refers to the other world from this one, as in: 'Naked I came from my mother's womb, naked I will depart there' (Job 1:21).

However, even if such a thing is a mere paper against evil powers, God forewarns through His economy and has given laws to each to prevent sinning, so that while passing through this life, one might think heavenly things and desire a similar life there, so that having worn out the body, one might have a rest as one who has become a combatant against the habit of wickedness. For this is what is meant by: 'There the combatants rested from the body' (Job 42:6).

For the saints, having been pleased, through many tribulations on earth—of which they become combatants in body and not in mind—have a rest with the angels, having attained it eternally. And if those are eternal, and their rest is communal, it is evident that the souls too are eternal; for they are immortal and, having despised the temporal, possess the eternal.

It should be noted that 'eternal' is spoken of in several ways; it also signifies the without-beginning and the without-end, as in: 'God is eternal.' For God is called eternal because His existence has neither beginning nor end. And something else is eternal, as it is said: 'The things not seen are eternal' (1 Cor 15:51). For these are not eternal as God is, but because they remain always without falling away. And differently is the eternal, when it is measured against the present, as it is said: 'The sons of this age are wiser in their own generation' (1 Cor 3:19). And the time extending the life of a man is also called an age.

Regarding the Hebrew who was unwilling to be set free in the seventh year, it is said: 'He shall be a servant for an age' (Ex 21:6). For no human being remains a servant at all through death. According to this, Paul also writes: 'If meat makes my brother stumble, I will never eat meat for an age' (Rom 14:21), instead of 'through life.' 'They did not hear the voice of a tax-collector.' For this age is filled with tribute, in which one has come here for the sake of the economy. For there are many who, having come under the yoke of sin, pay taxes and dues to the adversary...