Philoxenus of Mabbug

In his own words on Job

• Job 1:21

  Now it may be thought that it is a great thing for a man to sell everything that he hath, and to give it to the poor, and to go forth from the world like an apostle, and yet it is natural, and it is that creation into which we enter at our first birth, and the first man also was thus created. And for this reason Job also, when everything that he had was taken away from him, and he was stripped of possessions and heirs, mitigated the violence of his suffering by his speech, saying, "Naked came I forth from my mother's womb, and naked will I return. What hath come upon me except that condition in which I came forth from the womb?" For that a man should deny himself of everything that he hath, and should appear in the world in his own person only, is still a natural thing, but it is exalted above nature if it come to pass through good will for God's sake, just as when we die in the ordinary way it is a matter of nature, but if we die for God's sake it is martyrdom.

  13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 9 -- Second Discourse on Poverty

• Job 3:24

  And besides this righteous king, listen also unto the words of the spiritual athlete Job, whom the healing of the spirit taught what manner of thing he should set upon his table before his food, "For my sighing entereth in before I eat, and my roarings are poured out like water;" these are the fruits which he took before his food, groanings and weeping, and then he drew nigh to eat his natural food, for he ate first of all suffering, and drank the tears of his groanings, and then he took his carnal food, from which also we may learn that that which he ate was consecrated and not ordinary food.

  13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 11 -- On Abstinence

• Job 13:14

  Hear also from him what tribulations he bore and yet did not depart from the love of God: "Why have I taken my flesh in my teeth, and why is my soul laid in my hands? Even if He slay me, it is for Him only that I will wait," as if a man were to say, Even though He love me not, yet will I not depart from His love. God punished him like an enemy, yet he cried out, "I am smitten by a friend," and he denied not the love of Him that punished him.

  13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 11 -- On Abstinence

• Job 13:15

  Hear also from him what tribulations he bore and yet did not depart from the love of God: "Why have I taken my flesh in my teeth, and why is my soul laid in my hands? Even if He slay me, it is for Him only that I will wait," as if a man were to say, Even though He love me not, yet will I not depart from His love. God punished him like an enemy, yet he cried out, "I am smitten by a friend," and he denied not the love of Him that punished him.

  13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 11 -- On Abstinence