The Fragrance of Job's Integrity

Today the athlete of the inhabited world has come to us. He has come to us as a stranger and a combatant of equal honor to the angels, he who is much struck by the devil and much testified to by God; he who is much beaten by the devil and much receives rewards from the watching angels; he who is much scourged by the Enemy and has been raised up by God as a great crown-bearer for the world.

For thus, conversing with himself, he was saying: 'It seems to me that I have been used for you in another way, rather than so that you might appear righteous?' Who then is able to praise such a one worthily? Who will dare to weave rewards worthy of his manliness? Who will attempt to ascend to an infinite sea of praises? For just as no one possessing understanding would ever dare to cross the expanse of the sea with human steps, so no one of the wise and great teachers will ever attempt to relate to the listeners the praises worthy of that courage and of the triple-layered soul. For all human wisdom his achievements surpass; all crown-bearing his contests surpass.

Do we not receive an angelic tongue, so that, having touched with our fingertips, so to speak, that jar of myrrh, we might all at once fill the assembly? For only if we attempt to touch the vessel of Job and shake it a little, immediately the assembly is filled with the fragrance of the myrrh. Let us then hear the history being told concerning him: In all these things happening to him, Job did not sin with his lips against the Lord. Did you see the testimony that was rousing the praise of the angels? Did you see the testimony that was shaming the devil with his attempts? In all these things happening to him, he did not sin. This is the testimony of God...

It is a testimony before the whole church, like a precious myrrh, that brings joy to those who hear it. Oh, the precious vessel kept in one place in Arabia, its fragrance spreading through the whole inhabited world! Oh, the vessel, struck by myriads of stones, wounds, and arrows from the devil, yet not pouring out the myrrh! Great toil was exerted by the blow, so that the vessel might be crushed and the myrrh of piety might be vanished; and through the stench of the wounds, it strove to dim the fragrance of the myrrh.

For even his body escaped the pulling of the wounds; but the vessel remained being wounded, and the myrrh was not lost, so that we might also say to him with confidence: 'Name to you, having been emptied, myrrh.' It is necessary, therefore, to raise up the athlete naked, as he was before, so that seeing that wonderful image, we may be strengthened by the nature of things: that God, wishing to show the devil that He has righteous men on the earth—no longer deceived by flattery according to Adam, but crowned through myriads of torments and scourges—continued this drama to happen.

'Depart, you great-minded ones,' he says, 'who, having deceived Adam and flattered the woman, cast out man from paradise; behold, a man living divided by the commands of Scripture, and having through intellect established the unwritten law of nature. Bring forward myriads of insults, myriads of flatteries, myriads of torments, if you are able to shake this best soul.' Behold, you cast the first man out of paradise. See now, attempt, if you can, even to trip the athlete from his feet by hardship.

But, if it seems good, let us run back a little upward into this history: There was a certain man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job. And that man was blameless, righteous, God-fearing, true, abstaining from every evil thing. Such was also Adam before...