Thomas Aquinas Commentary Job 28

Previously, Job had shown how frail and perishable the lot is that the wicked receive from God (Job 27:13). Now, he intends to show, on the contrary, the dignity of the spiritual good that righteous people receive from God even in this world. He understands this spiritual good to be categorized under wisdom. He therefore intends to show that wisdom is preferable to all physical things, both in its origin and in its precious worth (Job 28:15). He begins by showing that everything that seems precious in the physical world has its origin in specific places, starting with metals, which are considered precious in human opinion.

Metals are generated from moist vapors, released from the earth by the power of the sun and other stars and then trapped within it. This process is the origin of the pliability and fusibility of metals. In contrast, stones and similar things that are not pliable or fusible are generated from dry vapors trapped in the earth. Metals are classified according to the greater or lesser purity of the released vapor and the difference in their heat of fusion. Among these, gold seems to be the most pure, followed by silver, then bronze, and finally iron. Because gold is the most pure, it is generally found in its pure state in the sand of rivers, due to significant evaporation and the warmth of the sand. Silver is generally found in certain veins, either in the earth or in rocks. Bronze is found incorporated into rocks. Iron is found in muddy earth that has not yet been perfectly integrated, meaning it has not yet reached the stage of becoming stone.

Commenting on the various locations of the metals, he says, Silver has its origins in veins—that is, in certain specific places from which vapors suitable for the generation of silver are released. Thus, as soon as these vapors mix with either earth or stone, veins of silver are produced there. Regarding gold, he then says, and for gold there is a place in which it is refined, because nuggets of gold are collected from a great quantity of sand and then melted into one mass. This does not happen everywhere, but only in some specific place where a proper proportion of active power coincides with matter suitable for producing such a substance. Regarding iron, he says, Iron is taken from the earth, because it is found in the earth, as it were, not yet refined. Regarding bronze, he says, and stone, with which a vapor proportioned to its nature is mixed, released by heat of great intensity, is changed to bronze when the bronze-like substance found there is liquefied by the heat of fire.

He then proceeds to examine other things that have a specific time and place by divine arrangement and are therefore subject to divine knowledge. Most of these are hidden from humanity. The darkness of night hides the sun and many other things from us, but this happens by divine arrangement. Thus, he says, He placed a time for the darkness. Also, some things are hidden from us by their decay when they are broken down into their basic elements. These are known to God but hidden from us, and so he says, and he considers the end of the universe—that is, the end of the resolution of things.

Some things are also hidden from people because of the inaccessibility of their location. For example, some mountains are at times inaccessible, and on them are things removed from human sight. Expressing this, he says, and also the stone of the dark—which is the cliff of some high mountain always covered by clouds like darkness—and the shadow of death—some shadowy place in the mountain canyons that the life-giving heat of the sun never touches. A torrent divides them from people traveling. For torrents often flow down in the foothills of certain mountains that cannot be crossed, so that the road for travelers is on one bank of the river, with no access to the other bank. Sometimes, it happens that some people live here and there in such inaccessible places. Even the beggars who go everywhere do not dare to go to these places because of the difficult approach. And so he says, and the torrent divides from the people traveling, those men, whom—living in inaccessible places—the step of the poor man has forgotten, so that they do not go there, and those trackless, because there is no road open to them.

There are also some places that are inaccessible, not because of their location, but because of some extraordinary event, such as being ruined by a physical change like Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 19:24). And so he says, The earth from which bread arose in its place (as was proper and fitting) has been destroyed by fire, for the cause of its destruction proceeds from a very great heat. When there is a great abundance of heat, the dissolutions of both dry and wet elements attain a high degree of integration, which generates certain precious things like rocks or metals from them. Regarding the precious stones that are formed from dry evaporation, he says, Places whose stones are sapphires, in the land ruined by fire. Regarding the precious metals that are generated from moist evaporation, he says, whose dust is gold. Because these places release a harmful air from an abundance of sulfur, not only humans but also brute animals avoid them. First, regarding the birds, about which there is less to consider, he says, Land—that kind of earth—does not know the path of the bird. That is, the bird does not dare to fly over it or even approach it because of the harmful air. Thus he says, nor has the eye of the vulture looked on it, which can normally see things from far away. Alternatively, one can interpret the text in another way: This land has not known the path of a bird. The bird has no experience of that land, because the bird does not pass through it, nor has he—that is, anyone—in that land, looked upon the eye of the vulture. Next, he treats of humans, saying, The sons of peddlers have not trodden it (meaning the merchants who are accustomed to going to hard-to-reach places for profit). Then he treats of the four-footed animals, saying, nor will the lioness, who lives in wild places, cross it.

Although these places are hidden from humans, they are not hidden from God, who exercises His power in both the mountains and the rivers. And so he says, To the flinty rock—the mountains made of rock—he extends his hand—His power. He demonstrates this in two ways. First, by the fact that mountains are sometimes completely leveled to the ground, which he expresses by saying, he overturns the mountains from their foothills. Second is the fact that waters cross through the middle of the mountains , as though a way were carved for them by divine power through the rocks. And so he says, He hollows out watercourses in the rocks, in the courses of streams.

Just as His power extends to do all splendid deeds, so His wisdom is extended to know every precious thing, and so he says, his eye has seen every precious thing. For if He can lay the mountains low, cut through rocks, and exercise the same power over all the earth, He can consequently see the precious things hidden there, although the eye of man cannot see them. His eye not only sees those things that lie hidden in the earth, but he also searches fully the depths of rivers. That is, He knows what lies hidden in the depths of rivers so perfectly that He seems to carefully inspect them. The sign of this is that he has brought hidden things to light to reveal them to humanity.

Since the author had shown that all precious things found in physical bodies are contained in specific places—which, though unknown to men, are still known to God—he now demonstrates the preeminence of wisdom. He first introduces the fact that wisdom is not contained in a specific place, asking, “But where is wisdom found?” This is as if to say: Wisdom is not confined to any physical place because it is not a physical thing. Not only are precious physical things themselves confined to physical places, but their very sources are as well. This cannot be said about wisdom, and so he adds, “and what is the place of understanding?” For understanding is the source of knowledge and wisdom. Therefore, just as wisdom is not confined to a place, neither is understanding, which is its origin.

Second, he shows the dignity of wisdom by explaining that its price cannot be calculated. He says, “No man knows its price,” for there is no thing known to man that is a sufficient price for wisdom.

He then clearly shows the consequences of these two premises. First, he had said that wisdom is not found in a specific place. Among humans, things esteemed as valuable are partly found among refined, pleasure-seeking men, who strive to collect precious stones and metals. Thus, he says, “Nor is it found among soft-living men”—that is, refined men—because they are especially hindered from perceiving wisdom, since their hearts are preoccupied with pleasures. Other valuable physical things are found in dark places, but this is not true of wisdom, and so he says, The deep says: It is not in me. What lies hidden in the depths is especially concealed from human wisdom. Still other valuables are found in the sea, either because they are created there, like pearls in seashells, or because they are lost there in sunken ships. But this is not true of wisdom. This is also the case because valuable things are usually transported by sea, and so he says, And the sea says, ‘it is not with me.’ On the contrary, things in the sea are often completely hidden from human wisdom.

Next, he explains what he had said about wisdom having no price. He enumerates those things thought most valuable among men, saying, The gold of Ophir will not be traded for it, meaning the purest gold, because the price of wisdom cannot be valued in any amount of gold. After gold, silver is esteemed the most precious among metals, and so he continues, nor can one give its weight in silver for exchange.

Besides these metals, there are some very precious stones of different colors, especially cultivated in India. He says of these, She (wisdom) cannot be compared with the sparkling colors of India, that is, the precious stones of diverse colors naturally tinted in India. He continues with precious stones found in other lands, saying, nor with the most precious sardonyx, which is composed of two stones: carnelian, which is red and is said to light up the soul with joy and sharpen the mind; and onyx, which is joined to it and is thought to have some harmful powers, like exciting sorrows and fear. This harm is restrained by the carnelian, so the combined stone is said to have the property of expelling lust and rendering a man pure and chaste. For this reason, it is called a very precious stone. He then adds, and sapphire, which is the color of heaven and is valuable for its many powers.

There are still other very precious stones, but since their values are not the same in all places and times, he does not refer to them specifically. He then speaks about things that have value because of their beauty, saying, Nor will gold equal her, which has beauty from its splendor, nor glass, which has beauty from its transparency, although it is not distinguished by a high price. He then speaks about beauty derived from craftsmanship when he says, nor will vessels of gold be exchanged for her, which are grand in size and exquisite in composition. Just as these things cannot be exchanged for wisdom, so also are they all accounted as nothing in comparison to it. He then says that none of them are worth mentioning when one considers the excellence of wisdom.

Because he had said that some physical things were precious because they were hidden from us, he consequently shows that wisdom does not lack even this value, stating, “Wisdom has its source in hidden things.” The origin of human wisdom is hidden in two ways. First, on the part of the light of the intellect, which is derived in us from the most hidden cause of all: God. Second, on the part of the things known. Wisdom seeks the hidden properties and essences of these things and, through them, ascends to the knowledge of divine matters, which is the special characteristic of wisdom. Thus, he concludes that nothing can be compared to wisdom, either by reason of value or concealment, not even precious stones. He then says, The topaz of Ethiopia will not equal it, which takes its name from its place of discovery or its resemblance to the color of gold. As for costly garments, he says, nor are the most elegant dyed things—any sort of silk or wool cloth—comparable to her, to wisdom.

Therefore, since he had said that wisdom is so incomparable and has a hidden origin, he inquires where its source lies, asking, Where, then, is the origin of wisdom? Where does it come from? And where is the place of understanding, from what source do men receive the light of understanding? He shows this source excels all human cognition, saying, She is hidden from the eyes of all the living, because, as it is written, The fount of wisdom is the word of God on high . There have been some who practiced divination, believing that certain birds participated in wisdom's effects over men and that men could know the future from them. But he shows that wisdom exceeds this soothsaying, saying, and she is concealed also from the birds of the air. Therefore, the origin of wisdom exceeds even the heavenly bodies that move these birds. There are also some who seek knowledge of the future from the dead, but not even this attains the origin of wisdom, and so he says, Ruin and death said: We have heard of her fame with our ears. He rightly attributes the fame of wisdom to death and ruin, because they imply an end and a withdrawal from the goods that wisdom provides.

Nevertheless, these three things can be metaphorically referred to the three kinds of rational creatures. When he says, She is hidden from the eyes of all the living, he refers to men. When he adds, she is concealed from the birds of heaven, he refers to the angels. And when he continues, Ruin and death said: ‘We have heard of his fame with our ears,’ he refers to the demons, who are separated from God by damnation and have knowledge of divine wisdom only by its reputation from afar.

To show the root of wisdom, he then says, God understands the way to her, the whole process of wisdom, since he himself is both the origin of wisdom and the “place of understanding” (Job 28:20). Because God knows himself perfectly, he then says, and he knows where wisdom is found, that is, he knows himself, in whom wisdom is perfectly found as in its first origin. Wisdom proceeds from him into all creatures, which are made by the wisdom of God, just as art proceeds from the mind of the artist into his work. As Sirach says, God showers wisdom on all his works . Thus, the very universe of creatures is like the secondary place of wisdom. To show that God knows the place of wisdom, he continues by saying that God knows the universe of creatures. First, he shows this regarding the most elevated creatures, under which all other things are contained, saying, He sees the ends of the earth, which are the most excellent creatures, where the order of creation terminates in ascending from lower creatures; these are the heavenly bodies and spirits. Then he shows this regarding the other creatures contained under them, like the elements, saying, and he sees everything which is under the heaven.

Lest anyone believe that God receives knowledge from things as we do, he consequently shows that God knows things as their cause. He continues by speaking of hidden creations like the winds and the rains: he gave the winds their strength, for he gave them their inclination of motion so that they move sometimes in this direction and sometimes in that. Then he speaks about the rains. First, that water is raised to become clouds in vapor, and so he says, and the waters he holds suspended in measure, so that they do not overflow and flood everything, nor do they decrease unduly and cause everything to dry out. Next, he speaks of the very generation of rain when he says, when he made a law for the rains, to come down at certain times and in certain places. Third, he speaks of their effect, especially on the sea, which is disturbed by atmospheric changes, and so he continues, and he was setting the way for the storm which roars from great agitation, because even such storms arise at certain times and with a certain intensity.

Because God does not acquire wisdom from creatures as we do, but rather produces creatures according to his wisdom, he continues, Then, when he was making creatures, he saw her, wisdom, in himself, insofar as he produces things in their being through the active considerations of his wisdom. Wisdom was derived from him first to the angels, who were made participants in the divine wisdom. Expressing this, he says, he made her known, manifesting his wisdom to them. Second, it was derived to the universe of creatures by his governing it through his wisdom, and he expresses this by saying, and he prepared the order of the world in his wisdom. Third, it was derived to men, who do not perceive the truth of wisdom by simple apprehension, as the angels do, but arrive at it by the investigation of reason. And so he says, he inquired, that is, he made men investigate her.

He expresses this as he continues, and he said to man, namely, by illuminating him and communicating wisdom to him through interior inspiration: Behold the fear of the Lord, is wisdom. This fear I am giving to you by my presence, because man clings to God through the fear of the Lord, in whom is the true wisdom of men, as in the highest cause of all things. And to withdraw from evil, that is, from sin, in which man loses God, is understanding, because understanding is especially necessary so that a person may discern evil things from good ones. When he has avoided these evil things through the execution of good works, he attains the participation of divine wisdom.

Thus, because The fear of the Lord is wisdom; and to withdraw from evil, understanding, the consequence is that the just, who fear God and withdraw from evil, have wisdom and understanding. These are preferred to all the earthly goods that evil men possess. So it is clear that the reasonability of divine providence is preserved in the fact that spiritual goods are given to the just as better goods, while temporal goods are given to the wicked as transitory ones.