Gregory the Great was pope from 590 to 604, a time of great turmoil in Italy and in the western Roman Empire generally because of the barbarian invasions. Gregory’s experience as prefect of the city of Rome and as apocrisarius of Pope Pelagius fitted him admirably for the new challenges of the papacy. The Moral Reflections on the Book of Job were first given to the monks who accompanied Gregory to the embassy in Constantinople. This second volume, containing books 6–10, provides commentary on Job 5:3–12:5. Here, Gregory sets forth “a mystical interpretation” of these chapters, showing the way that Scripture foretells Christ’s incarnation and that Job himself manifests Jesus’ passion.
