Morals On The Book Of Job, Tr. With Notes And Indices By J. Bliss. 3 Vols. The 3Rd In 2 Pt

by HardPress Publishing

Morals On The Book Of Job, Tr. With Notes And Indices By J. Bliss. 3 Vols. The 3Rd In 2 Pt — Gregory the Great. Gregory the Great's Morals on the Book of Job is a dense patristic commentary that treats Job as a type of Christ and of Holy Church. The work blends exegetical interpretation with exhortation for church leadership, preaching, and social mercy, situating the last days of the Church under pressure from heresy, carnality, and persecution. It argues that Wisdom comes to the heart through divine revelation, and that preaching must be matched by lived virtue—with money, care for the poor, and humane governance balancing discipline with compassion. Heretics are rigorously tested against charity and obedience, while Scripture serves as a living weapon through a fourfold pattern of Wisdom. The narrative voice shapes Job’s trials into ecclesial instruction—justice tempered by mercy; vigilance amid spiritual warfare; and hope grounded in the Resurrection and in the Mediator. The treatise fuses allegory, typology, and Scriptural cross-references to outline a moral theology of preaching and governance for Holy Church.

Genres: Religion, Catholic, Theology, Nonfiction, Christian

618 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 600

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Reviews

[booklady]

I have been reading this off and on for almost a year. I have read it, listened to it on my kindle, and read and listened at the same time. This does not mean I followed the good pope, Saint Gregory I the Great, most of the time, but I certainly tried to. My 225 quotes as well as the passages I included in my updates are parts which I understood very clearly. They we're the only things, but they definitely stood out.

The style of writing back then was to use lots of metaphors which the author did in a copious amount. I would try to follow him, until he gave numerous ones for the same person/object to bring out different qualities. Then I would start to lose the thread. Sometimes I would go back and try to pick it back up but when even that didn't work, I just pressed on until I got to the next section in the text which I understood. We were talking about that re: our current Carmelite reading at the last meeting and everyone there said they do the same when they get to confusing parts. It's either that or quit and I do not recommend that at all. Pray to the Holy Spirit to give enlightenment that God wants me to have and trust that if I'm meant to understand something I will; otherwise not worry about it.

Even without understanding large swaths of this book, there was a tone which inspired me and that came through from every page. It was humbling, sometimes a bit discouraging, but then a good reality check that I needed to hear/read. At first, I was a bit discouraged that it was taking me so long to finish this book. Then, I realized that it was good to be reading this over a long stretch.

It's worth the time invested. Sorry I am not able to offer a better review.


January 9, 2026: Sum total wisdom gleaned from the exchange between Job and his 'friends': "...what else are we taught by the tutorage of blessed Job, but that everyone should learn to look to it heedfully, that in the season of sorrow he never urge words of upbraiding? For if there be some points which might be justly found fault within time of distress, they ought to be put aside, lest the comforter by rebuking heighten the sorrow, which he had it in view to alleviate."

This book is eminently quotable. See quotes for a sample of the wisdom within.


NOTE: NOT reading for the second time. I just stopped and restarted, so far, NO Dates finished

'For when temptation of the flesh moves us, our infirmity being made to tremble disturbs even the bed of the soul.  But what do we understand in this place by ‘dreams’ and ‘visions’ saving the representations of the last searching Judgment?  What we already have some slight glimpse of through fear, but do not see it as it really is.  Thus holy men, as we have said, ever turn back to the secret recesses of the heart, when from the world without, they either meet with successes beyond their wishes, or with adversities beyond their strength, and, wearied with their toils without, they seek as a bed, or litter, the resting-places of the heart.'

December 17, 2025: resumed reading. Have finished up a few books and am returning to this.

I was going to reread The Great Encyclical Letters of Pope Leo XIII, 1878-1903: Or a Light in the Heavens but have decided that I need to read this more. Thanks for the tip, Jack!

November 19, 2025: I haven't looked at this in a couple of months and have so many others I want to finish, so setting it aside for now.

[Louise]

"Therefore as the fitness of each passage requires, the line of interpretation is studiously varied accordingly, in that the true sense of the word of God is found out with so much the greater fidelity, in proportion as it shifts its course through the different kinds of examples as each case may require."

Good read for those studying the Church fathers or patristics. There are gems in there for the rest of us, but it's a really long read.

"It is a sympathy that lowers itself to his state of suffering, that knows how to estimate aright the meaning of the sufferer."

"To fear God is never to pass over any good thing that ought to be done."

"Knowledge is nought if it hath not its use for piety; ... piety is very useless, if it lacks the discernment of knowledge."