A worthless physician is literally one who applies curing strategies that are not useful for the suffering. This happens in two ways: either it is due to lack of experience in the physician or to his wickedness. The friends who are contradicted here speak out of a lack of knowledge rather than wickedness in saying, “You suffer due to your sins.” They think they are bringing words of comfort. They were worthless physicians since they did not discover the true reason. “Whitewash with lies,” Job says against them, who think highly of themselves as if they could cure the affliction that occurs in others. He wishes that they had knowledge of the right times, to speak when it is appropriate and to be silent when it is appropriate, since they have realized their mistake. For that would be the beginning and commencement of wisdom for them. For once they learn that one can also be suffering for a different reason, namely, for inherent virtue to become visible, then Job’s friends will possess wisdom. Even for those who long for insight, it is beneficial to restrain their speech. In Proverbs it is said, “Even fools who keep silent are considered wise.” [Pro 17:28.] For if someone realizes that he needs the illuminating teaching of a teacher, this will make him wise. As someone who can talk and teach about wisdom is wise and a teacher, likewise is the one partially wise, who is able to ask what needs to be asked. He did not call him “fool” because he lacked insight altogether but because he had deficiency of insight. The word “If you would only keep silent” is similar to “There is a time, when one has to be silent.” However, since one has to talk, when one has become wise, he adds, “But there is a time to speak.”—Didymus the Blind

“He is wise in mind, mighty and strong,” with good reason. Indeed, since God is wise, his benefits are countless. But if you do not believe, O mortal, let us bring our reflection to its conclusion. If he pronounces one thousand words, we cannot answer a single one. These are wise words. In fact, that righteous man said, “Also the righteous will be happy.” About what righteous man is he speaking? But where will we ever find a man who is righteous before God? “Not one of his thousand words.” This is exactly what the prophet said as well: “No living person will be found righteous before you.” [Psa 143:2 (142:2 LXX).] “If you observe our faults, O Lord, O Lord, who will survive?” [Psa 130:3 (129:3 LXX).] … God has created human nature. Why? Out of pure benevolence, as all the rest of creation. He has created the universe and all the rest for humans. He stated a commandment, but humanity did not consider it. Afterward he gave them the law, but they neglected it. Then he sent his Son, but they did not consider him either. Then he gave them repentance, but they did not ponder it. Then he threatened them with the punishment of hell, but they disregarded it. But why did he want to save them? Do you want us to ask Paul himself? Listen to what he says: “God dealt with me mercifully because I acted in the ignorance of disbelief.” [1Ti 1:13.] And then, after being called, Paul testified to the profound and providential care, of which he was an object—St John Chrysostom

But the wise person examines all with care, whereas the fool sees nothing. This certainly means that it is God who “causes the foolish to be destroyed by his wrath, while ardor makes him who has gone astray, perish.” This refers to the ardor of God. “His wrath causes the foolish to disappear” means, in my opinion, that God’s wrath causes the sinners to disappear. “Wrath destroys the foolish one,” Eliphaz says, and therefore it does not destroy the sensible. Wrath, in fact, has no place among the sensible—St John Chrysostom

The author calls Job a man of the East; he was superior to all in radiance and celebrity and could name distinguished and illustrious ancestors. How could Job not be incited to pride by the virtue that reigned in his soul, by the joy which his children gave him and by the fact he was the only one who simultaneously possessed wealth and virtue and the privilege to descend from illustrious fathers? But when these goods fall into the hands of the impious, heed what the prophet says: “Since pride has completely grasped them, they have clothed themselves in their injustice and impiety.” [Psa 73:6 (72:6 LXX).] But as for Job, he declares, “Why do the wicked live and grow old in their prosperity?” [Job 21:7.]Now it was not like that at all for Job. It is not the nature of wealth that causes bad conduct but the mind of those who do not use wealth properly—St John Chrysostom

“If you sit at the dinner table of a prince, understand with prudence what is set before you.” Christ is anticipated here as the prince. His table and food are the words of his doctrine and his eternal goods which he has prepared for those who love him. Each Christian sits at his dinner table. The one who understands with prudence what Jesus has taught with his works and words extends his hand, which means that with his works he begins to show that he is an imitator of Christ, made humble, a peaceful lover of all and patient in tribulations. The one who does not do this but instead gazes with eagerness at the pleasures of the world must give up any desire for eternal goods which at any rate he will never own. The pleasures of the world are characteristic of a false life, and those who love them will never enjoy eternal possessions—St John Chrysostom

He has bought us with his own blood. He endured the cross, despising its shame, so that he might win our salvation. Therefore bow your necks to his yoke. For your soul will see the fruitful seed, that is, you will be sharers in those being kept for eternal life, that is, the saints who have been enriched with the hope of eternal life. For there was no idea of the resurrection of the dead among the Greeks, and the mystery until now was not set forth. They all but said that the breath in your no nostrils is smoke that is burning. All the ashes will disappear, and the spirit like a weak person will be dissolved—St Cyril of Alexandria

Consider how he who was not yet born could have a people, unless he were in being before he was born. The prophet says this in his person, “From my mother’s womb he gave me my name”; because the angel foretold that he would be called Jesus. Again, concerning the plots of Herod, he says, “He … concealed me in the shadow of his arm.”—St Cyril of Jerusalem

These then are imitations that cannot save those who carry them and are nothing other than burdens for the priests and weigh them down to the point of exhaustion. And when captivity came, these were carried off first of all due to the value of the metals from which they were made, and they were not able to free the souls of those carrying them. For it is not as dumb imitations they had a life and any feeling of pain, but they are figuratively ascribed soul and body parts, though having no feeling and body parts.… So it could be said that this error of idolatry was the greatest burden among the nations, one that pressed its worshipers down into the ground and could not save and, in fact, made their souls captive to the devil and his demons—St Jerome

God himself testifies that the Holy Spirit presides over his blessings, saying, “I will put my Spirit on your seed and my blessings on your children.” For no blessing can be full except through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit—St Ambrose of Milan

Next is the fact of his being called Servant [Cf. Isa 49:6; Isa 53:11.] and serving many well, and that it is a great thing for him to be called the Child of God. For in truth he was in servitude to flesh and to birth and to the conditions of our life with a view to our liberation, and to that of all those whom he has saved, who were in bondage under sin. What greater destiny can befall humanity’s humble state than that it should be intermingled with God and by this intermingling should be deified, and that we should be so visited by the Dayspring from on high, [See Luk 1:78.] that even that holy thing that should be born should be called the Son of the Highest, and that there should be bestowed on him a name that is above every name? [Php 2:9.] And what else can this be than God?—and that every knee should bow to him that was made of no reputation for us, and that mingled the form of God with the form of a servant, and that “all the house of Israel should know that God has made him both Lord and Christ”? [Act 2:36.] For all this was done by the action of the Begotten and by the good pleasure of him that begat him—St Gregory the Theologian