Job 9:34

Let Him take away His rod from Me, and let not His fear terrify me.

MYSTICAL INTERPRETATION

For in the Law God held the rod, in that He said, 'If any man do this or that, let him die the death.' But in His Incarnation He removed the rod, in that He shewed the paths of life by mild means. Whence it is said to Him by the Psalmist, Set forward, go forth prosperously and rejoice, because of truth, and meekness, and righteousness. For He had no mind to be feared as God, but put it into our hearts that as a Father He should be loved; as Paul clearly delivers; For ye have not received the Spirit of bondage again to fear, but ye have received the Spirit of adoption of sons, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

Since, as has been said, he intends to investigate why the innocent are punished in the world, he shows in conclusion what could impede him from this investigation and with what intention he wishes to make this investigation. He could be impeded from this investigation by two things. First, by the affliction from which he was suffering. For men whose minds are occupied with sorrow are not able to investigate accurately. He refers to this saying, "May he withdraw his rod from me." Second, from the reverence which he had for God. For men sometimes omit to investigate things which pertain to God from the reverence which they have for him. As to this he says, "Let terror of him not frighten me." He means: May he grant my spirit rest from the affliction which I suffer and not impute irreverence to me because I debate about divine things.