Dejejunio et tentationibus Domini
The Call to the Desert
Christ is led by the Holy Spirit into the desert to begin His life of penance and to provide a model for the faithful.
After the Lord Jesus was baptized, He returned from the Jordan filled with the Holy Spirit—in the fullness of superabundance, from whose fullness we have all received—and then, immediately and without delay, He was led spontaneously into the desert, up a mountain of remarkable height called Quarantena, which lies between Jericho and Jerusalem, about two miles from Jericho and twelve or so from Jerusalem. Robbers used to linger in that desert; the place is called Domyn, which means "blood," because of the bloodshed the robbers committed there. Specifically, Domyn is the hamlet where the man who went down from Jerusalem to Jericho fell among robbers, roughly halfway along the road that leads from Jericho to Jerusalem on the southern side of the Quarantena desert; beyond that are Bethany, Bethphage, and Jerusalem, and the road passes along the southern side of the Mount of Olives. Since, therefore, the man who is said to have fallen among robbers there bore the figure of Adam, who was defeated by demons, it was fitting that Christ should overcome the devil there historically and in reality, where the devil is said to have overcome the first man figuratively and by way of likeness. Hence it is said that the Samaritan went down by the same road, because the Son of God, clothed in flesh, who is the guardian of men, endured the same temptations there. The Lord, about to do battle with the devil, withdrew into the desert to show us that whoever wishes to perfectly overcome the snares of his temptations must avoid and flee not only the crowds of demons but also the company of wicked men—sometimes in body, but always in mind—following the example of him who, placed in a royal court and among popular crowds, said: "See, I have fled far away, and I have remained in the wilderness." We, therefore, following the example of Christ and John, should be moved by the Holy Spirit—not through hypocrisy by the evil one—into the desert of place and solitude, or at least into the desert of our own heart and contemplation, so that, quieted from the noise of the world, we may better attend to God, and, abandoning the world in our minds, learn to hunger for eternal joys alone, like the manna of the desert. Jesus was led, therefore, by the Holy Spirit, because the humanity of Christ was the instrument of his divinity, and for that reason, He was moved to do all things by the instinct of the Holy Spirit. He chose this, therefore, as his motivation for going into the desert: to offer his spirit in prayer to God the Father for us, to wear down his innocent flesh for us through fasting, and to provide an example for the faithful so that they might offer themselves to God through fasting and prayer. He didn't go against his will, but with the intention of fighting and being tempted by the devil. This suggests that anyone who enters the desert of repentance is more strongly tempted by the enemy, according to the saying: "My son, if you come forward to serve the Lord, stand in justice and fear, and prepare your soul for temptation"—that is, to resist the temptation that threatens you. He was led by the Holy Spirit, who had marked him out in his Baptism, because those whom the Spirit fills, he sends into the fight and provides with strength. He chose to be led into the desert—that is, the place of struggle where one fights with hardship—because Adam, while overflowing with delights in paradise, was defeated by pleasures. He chose to be tempted so that, by overcoming temptations, he might grant us the power to overcome them; just as he chose to die so that by his death he might destroy our own. And this happened after his Baptism and fasting, signaling to us that after the washing of regeneration and the reception of grace, and after the labor of fasting and the resolve of a holy life, the devil, the tempter, immediately approaches and rises up against us more fiercely to turn us away from our religious purpose. He envies and lays snares for those who are making progress and striving for something better, which is why we must be more on guard at such times; he also tempts the good more than the bad. For, according to Gregory, he doesn't bother to tempt those whom he feels he already possesses by a quiet right. And according to Isidore: You are most under attack when you don't know you're being attacked. These four things—baptism, the desert, fasting, and temptation—were ordered in Christ this way: first, he was baptized; second, he was led into the desert; third, he fasted; and fourth, he was tempted. This signifies that in us there must first be a washing away of sins, second a withdrawal from the world's allurements, third an exercise in fasting, and fourth an assault from the enemy's traps. As a figure of this, four things also happened to the people of Israel: first, the Red Sea; second, the desert; third, thirst and hunger; and fourth, the attacks of enemies. After His baptism, the Lord consistently chose a solitary and harsh life of penance, so He could lift the minds of the faithful toward the pursuit of perfection and strengthen them to endure heavy burdens. He went into the desert not for His own sake, but for ours, to offer the eremitic life to those who perfectly imitate Him, while also teaching us—as Chrysostom says—that every baptized person, having left behind the world's allurements and the company of the wicked, ought to serve God's commands in all things. Some devout believers consider this when they fast during this time, and through it, they conform themselves to Christ as if they were in the desert. Christ chose to perform penance, not because He was compelled to, but to warn us toward penance and to show us penance by His own example. In this, He teaches three things that must be present in true and fruitful penance: first, it must be pure so that it pleases God, because He performed penance immediately after His baptism; second, it must be harsh so that it tames the flesh, because He performed penance in the desert, not in a place of luxury; third, it must be discreet so that it doesn't go to excess, because Christ was led by the Holy Spirit—not because He needed a guide, but to show us that we need a discreet guide when we undertake penance.
The Discipline of Fasting
Christ's forty-day fast serves as a remedy for gluttony and a call to spiritual exercise through solitude and prayer.
The Lord came into the desert and fasted for forty days and forty nights, eating nothing in the meantime. The mention of 'nights' is significant, so that no one would think He ate during the night; it also serves as a sign that we need to arm ourselves against the devil—who never stops attacking us—in the days of prosperity and the nights of adversity. He fasted to give us an example of how to fast against temptations, because, according to Basil, sobriety is necessary for anyone who wants to overcome the battles of temptation. He did this especially to show that baptismal innocence is endangered by a life of luxury, for those who belong to Christ—as the baptized do, who are members of Christ and have put on Christ, having been buried with Him in His death—must crucify their flesh with its desires and consider themselves dead to the world, mortifying the deeds of the flesh by the Spirit. Chrysostom says: 'So that you may learn how...' ...great a good fasting is, and how it is a powerful shield against the devil. Because after the washing of baptism, one ought to devote oneself not to luxury, drunkenness, and abundant tables, but to fasting. For this reason, the Lord Himself fasted—not because He needed to, but to teach us, since the rule of the belly had introduced the sins that existed before the washing. Just as someone who has restored a sick person to health commands them to avoid the things that caused the illness in the first place, so too did He introduce this fasting after the washing as a remedy against the vice of gluttony. For it was the incontinence of the belly that cast Adam out of paradise, it was that which earned the flood in the time of Noah, and it was that which brought down lightning upon the Sodomites. The Jews, too, committed great evils through drunkenness and luxury; for this reason, He Himself fasted, demonstrating to us the form of salvation. And so Ambrose says: "He did this for the sake of our salvation, not only to teach us what is useful through his words, but also to instruct us by his examples." What kind of Christian are you, to be refreshed while Christ is hungry? He endures hunger for your salvation; are you afraid to fast for your own sins? And again: "Nothing is as blinding as the danger of worldly pleasure; while it soothes the soul, it destroys life and deceives the mind's perception." Rightly, then, our Lord Jesus Christ instructs us against the allurements of pleasure through his fasting and his time in the desert; and the Lord of all allows himself to be tempted by the devil, so that in him we might learn to overcome all pleasures: so says Ambrose. It should be known that Christ, for the sake of our weaknesses, took on various medicines within himself in order to heal them. He healed us: by a diet, when he fasted for forty days and nights; by an electuary, when he gave his Body and Blood to his disciples at the Supper; by a sweat, when his sweat became like drops of blood falling to the ground; by a plaster, when his face was smeared with spit; by a potion, when he tasted vinegar mixed with gall; and by a bloodletting, when he was wounded by the nails and the lance.1 Look closely at the Lord Jesus, for he sets an example of many virtues for you. He goes into the wilderness, fasts, prays, and keeps watch; he lies and sleeps on the bare ground, and he lives humbly and peacefully among the wild beasts. Have compassion on him, therefore, because his life was always and everywhere—and especially here—painful and hard on his body; and by his example, learn to practice these things yourself. Four things are mentioned here that belong to spiritual exercise and wonderfully support one another: solitude, fasting, prayer, and bodily affliction. Through these, we can best arrive at purity of heart, which is certainly most desirable, because it contains within itself all virtues in a certain way and includes the removal of all vices; for purity of heart cannot exist alongside vices or a lack of virtue. For this reason, the Conferences of the holy Fathers teach that a monk’s entire exercise should be directed toward attaining purity of heart. For through this, a person merits seeing God, as the Lord says in the Gospel: 'Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.' And, according to Bernard, the clearer one is, the closer one is to God. However, it is the most clear that this is what one must attain. Fervent and persistent prayer is a great help in achieving this. But prayer is of little value when accompanied by gluttony, physical softness, or idleness; therefore, fasting and disciplined bodily affliction are required—though they must be practiced with discretion, for indiscretion hinders every good. For this reason, solitude seems to be the key to completing all the things mentioned above. After all, prayer cannot be properly offered amidst noise and confusion. Moreover, seeing or hearing many things can hardly be done without impurity and offense, because death enters our souls through the windows of the senses.✦ And because of those who come and go, one's abstinence and bodily discipline are often relaxed. Therefore, seek solitude and separate yourself from the noise if you wish to be joined to God and to see Him through purity of heart. Avoid conversations to keep silence; sometimes even refrain from good talk, according to the words of the Prophet: "I was dumb and was humbled, and kept silence from good things." Do not seek new friendships, because new conversations and distractions arise from them.✦ Do not fill your eyes or ears with vain images; and flee from everything that disturbs the quiet of your soul and the tranquility of your mind, as if it were poison and an enemy to your soul. It wasn't without reason that the holy Fathers sought out solitary places and instructed those who remained in the monasteries to be as if blind, deaf, and mute, because in this way they could be more closely joined to God. Chrysostom says, "When the Holy Spirit descended upon our Lord, He immediately drove Him into the desert." When monks live with their own families, if the Holy Spirit has descended and remained upon them, He drives them from their home and leads them into solitude. The Holy Spirit does not willingly dwell where there are crowds, constant activity, arguments, and quarrels; rather, He makes solitude His own home. Even our Lord was among His disciples during the day, but when He wanted to pray more intensely, He would withdraw alone. Therefore, if we wish to pray more than we do in public, we should have our own cell, our own fields, our own deserts; we can have virtues even among our brothers and still maintain solitude. Augustine says, "Dearest brothers, let us strive as much as we can to put an end to idle talk, slander, and all foolishness. With all our strength, by fleeing the distractions of this world, let us seek out hours in which we can devote ourselves to prayer and reading for the salvation of our soul." Therefore, with all your heart and all your power, strive to imitate the Lord Jesus in solitude, fasting, prayer, and disciplined bodily mortification.
The Threefold Temptation
The devil tempts Christ with gluttony, vainglory, and greed, but is defeated by Christ's reliance on Scripture and humility.
It is also written of Him that He was with the wild beasts—namely bears, lions, and other fierce animals—in peace, and that angels ministered to Him. From this, learn to live humbly among others and to bear with equanimity those who sometimes seem to you to act unreasonably; for this morally implies that those whose sensuality is held peacefully under the control of reason will be carried to heavenly things through the ministry of angels. It is an angelic quality to live among beastly people as if in a desert—that is, in the solitude of the mind. This means not being defiled by their beastly ways while you are engaged in contemplation, reading, prayer, and the closed room of the heart. After all, it is difficult to touch pitch and not be stained by it. Hence Bede says: 'The Lord dwells among beasts as a man, but He uses angelic ministry as God.' When we, in the desert of a holy life, bear the beastly ways of others with an unpolluted mind, we merit the ministry of angels, by whom we are freed from the body and carried to eternal joys in heaven. Jerome also says: 'The beasts are at peace with us when the flesh does not lust against the spirit; after this, angelic ministers are sent to us to give answers and comfort to vigilant hearts.' But visit the Lord Himself often in this solitude, watching how He lives there, and especially how He lies on the ground at night. Every faithful soul should visit Him at least once a day from Epiphany through the forty days He remained there, and humbly entrust themselves to Him. On this mountain and in this desirable desert, certain people, specifically led by the Lord's example, lived as hermits in small cells, serving the Lord most devoutly and, like the Lord's bees, producing spiritual sweetness in the hives of their small cells. About halfway up this mountain, nearly half a mile from the flat land, the Lord did penance; there is a church and a cell there, along with an altar where He stood when He was tempted by Satan. The Lord fasted for forty days and forty nights, because the number forty is made up of four and ten—since four times ten or ten times four equals forty. By four, the New Testament is signified, which consists of the four Evangelists; by ten, the Old Testament is signified, because it is contained in the ten commandments of the Law. To fast for forty days is to keep the precepts of both Testaments and to guard oneself and one's fast from everything that both Testaments forbid, so that just as the body fasts outwardly from food, the mind also fasts inwardly from vices. The Lord fasted for forty days and nights so that, by the fast of food, He might signify to us the fast of the body, and by the number of days, He might signify the fast of the heart. This number of penitential days is surely the Church's example of His own. This is why the Church doesn't begin to fast immediately after Epiphany, but about forty days later, signifying its own fast as a continuation of the Lord's fast at that very time. Bede says: "The forty-day fast finds its authority in the ancient books through the fasting of Moses and Elijah, and in the Gospel, because the Lord fasted for the same number of days, showing that the Gospel doesn't disagree with the Law and the Prophets." For in the person of Moses, the Law is received; in the person of Elijah, the Prophets. He appeared glorious on the mountain between them so that what the Apostle says about Him might shine forth more clearly: 'Having testimony from the Law and the Prophets.' Bede says this, and Albinus adds: 'Just as Moses represents the Law and Elijah the Prophecy, so our Lord dedicates the Gospel preaching with a forty-day fast.' The forty-day fast is also fittingly established near the Lord's Passion, because it signifies that we ought to restrain ourselves from the friendship of the world, so that we may be able to follow God. Augustine says: "Moses, Elijah, and the Lord Himself fasted for forty days, so that it might be suggested to us—in Moses, in Elijah, and in Christ, that is, in the Law, the Prophets, and the Gospel itself—that this is done with us, so that we might not be conformed to this world and cling to it, but rather crucify the old man and not fulfill the desires of the flesh." It is fitting for our devotion that we who are about to celebrate the Passion of the crucified Lord should also make for ourselves a cross to restrain carnal desires, just as the Apostle says: 'Those who belong to Christ have crucified their flesh with its vices and desires.' In this cross, a Christian ought to hang perpetually throughout this entire life, which is led in the midst of temptations. For this life isn't the time for pulling out the nails, of which it is said in the Psalm: 'Pierce my flesh with your fear.' For the 'flesh' are carnal desires; the 'precepts of justice' are given. The fear of God pierces these with those, which crucifies us as an acceptable sacrifice to Him. Live always like this, Christian: if you don't want to sink your steps into the mud of the earth, don't come down from this cross. But be careful not to descend from this cross by mixing in worldly pleasures; because, as Augustine says, the whole thing is useless. A long day. to have kept the fast, if afterward the soul is overwhelmed by the sweetness or excess of food. In addition, by this number we pay tithes and first fruits to the Lord. For there are three hundred sixty-six days in a year; of these, excluding six days, the tenth part is thirty-six. And so that the remaining six days don't stay untithed, one is added—because less than one cannot be added—while the other three superadded days are paid as first fruits, for which there are likewise the fasts of the four seasons, for three days each. Just as we are commanded in the Law to offer the first fruits and tithes of our possessions, so by fasting for forty days we offer the first fruits and tithes of our days. So that we who have lived for ourselves throughout the year may mortify ourselves for our Author in His tithes and first fruits through abstinence; and so that we who fell from the joys of paradise through food may, as much as we are able, rise again to them through abstinence. Therefore, during Lent, we should devote ourselves more than usual to abstinence and devotion, and in this holy time, wash away and amend the negligences of other times. This number forty is consecrated in many ways: for forty years the Lord fed the children of Israel with the bread of angels in the desert; for forty months He preached in the world; for forty weeks He was in the virgin's womb; for forty days He fasted in the desert; for forty hours He was in the tomb, counting from the hours of His death; for forty days He was in the world with His disciples after the resurrection. Likewise, according to Ambrose, because the waters of the flood covered the earth for forty days—through which sinners were destroyed and after which the serenity of the heavens shone forth and was restored—so in this holy time of fasting, sins are abolished and divine mercy shines forth. So, when the Lord had fasted for forty days and forty nights, He did not go beyond or exceed that time in His fasting, so that His assumption of human flesh would not seem unbelievable, and so that the power of His divinity might be hidden from the devil; for Moses and Elijah had also fasted for that many days, and afterward, the Lord grew hungry. He didn't grow hungry out of necessity, but by His own will; He allowed His body to feel hunger to show the truth of His human weakness, to give the devil an opportunity to tempt Him, and, once challenged, to show how one ought to overcome and conquer. Going forty days without hunger wasn't human, yet growing hungry afterward wasn't divine; so the devil, as if doubtful about Christ, took the opportunity to tempt Him. Moses and Elijah fasted for forty days, but they were only fasting. They felt hunger and thirst; but Christ did not feel hunger for those forty days, but rather afterward. Afterward. Christ didn't want to fast longer than they did, so the devil wouldn't think He was God; nor less, so He wouldn't be seen as merely a man. Then, sensing that the Lord was hungry, the devil approached to tempt Him, hoping to cast Him into sin and to discover whether He was the Son of God—the One he knew would eventually come and take away his power. And, according to Gregory, the devil tempted the Lord in the same three ways he had first brought down man. He overcame the first man with gluttony, through the forbidden fruit; with vanity, saying, "You will be like God"; and with greed, saying, "You will know good and evil"—for greed is also called a hunger for knowledge and a desire for status. He tempted the Lord in the same way, but was defeated and withdrew. David struck down Goliath with three stones from the stream; Christ struck down the devil with three testimonies from the Law. According to the same Gregory, since temptation happens in three ways—namely, through suggestion, delight, and consent—the Lord was tempted only by suggestion, because the delight of sin did not touch His mind, nor did consent overcome Him. And so, all that temptation was external, not internal; for He allowed no contradiction within Himself. Whether all these temptations happened on one day or on different days isn't stated in the Scriptures. First, he tempted him with gluttony, saying, "If you are the Son of God"—that is, by nature. and consequently, equal to him in power, tell these stones to become bread. He was thinking to himself, "If he turns stones into bread, he'll be the Son of God; but if he can't, he'll appear as a mere man." This was also said to him while he was hungry, so that seeing the bread, he might be inflamed with an immoderate appetite for food. He didn't just want to test whether he was God; he also wanted to entice him, as it were, as a man. so that, being hungry, he might take undue pleasure in food and thus sin through the vice of gluttony. Hence Hilary says: "The prince of demons intended, through the changing of stones into bread, to recognize the power of divinity in God; and in man, through the pleasure of food, to recognize the patience of hunger." to deceive. But the devil couldn't deceive the Master. He answered in such a way, and conducted Himself so, that He couldn't be led into gluttony. nor could His divinity be fathomed. For He did not succumb to the temptation, and He neither denied nor asserted that He was the Son of God, but overcame him with the authority of Scripture, saying: "Man does not live and find sustenance by bread alone—that is, physical bread—but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God," when He reveals His will through the Scriptures. Hence Augustine says: "Know most certainly, dearest brothers, that just as the flesh is, which after many days does not receive food, so is the soul that is not fed constantly by the Word of God." This is Augustine's teaching, and this saying of the Lord is verified not only regarding spiritual life, but also regarding... the physical. This is evident in the case of Moses, who fasted for forty days and nights, sustained both spiritually and physically by the word and conversation of God. It is as if He were saying: "Man is not sustained and does not live by physical bread alone, but also by spiritual bread—that is, the bread of the Word of God, the bread of holy action, the bread of grace, and finally, the bread by which he will live forever." And so, there's no need to turn stones into bread, because even if I'm hungry, the Lord can sustain the hungry one by His word alone. Your persuasion is a temptation when it only mentions and urges me toward food for the body, rather than food for the soul. According to Chrysostom, He brought forth testimony from the Old Testament and commanded that, whether we suffer hunger or anything else, we must never abandon the Lord. The Lord Jesus could have made bread from stones, but He would not; it wasn't fitting, so He didn't do it: first, so that His divinity might remain hidden from the devil; second, so that He might teach us to conquer through humility and wisdom rather than through power; third, to avoid ostentation. Fourth, to show that He despised the tempter's will, because it wasn't right for the Lord to obey him, and the tempter is not conquered in any other way than by being despised; fifth, to teach that one should never trust the devil, and that nothing should be done at his command, even if what he suggests or desires seems good and useful. Morally speaking, the devil often tries to persuade us to turn stones—that is, the hardness of penance—into bread, which is to say, into comforts, under the guise of discretion. He tempts us toward softness, saying, 'You are a child of God; you don't need such austerity and penance anymore.' Just as Jezebel turned Naboth’s vineyard into a vegetable garden, so Lebanon is turned into Carmel—which means 'soft'—a change that often happens for the sake of a feast or social gathering; in the same way, the Jews made their demands. It was as if they didn't want the Body of Jesus to remain on the cross on a feast day. You must respond to the devil when he suggests such things just as the Lord did; note the Lord's example that we must resist gluttony, for we must begin with it if we want to overcome other vices. It seems that whoever gives in to gluttony is rendered weak for overcoming other vices. Hence Bede says: 'Unless gluttony is first restrained, one labors in vain against other vices.' And that is why the temptation of gluttony is placed first here, because this temptation occurs to a person first from infancy, and others follow later. Since the Lord was tempted while fasting, if you fast and are tempted, do not say: 'I have lost the fruit of my fasting.' For even if your fasting did not profit you in that you were not tempted, it will still profit you so that you are not overcome by temptations. To keep the soul from being overcome by the flesh, it's necessary to resist the devil as tempter and serve God as ruler. As Augustine says: 'If you want your flesh to serve your soul, let your soul serve God.' You must be ruled so that you may be able to rule. The second temptation is that of vainglory. . But because the devil could not overcome him in this way, he thought to himself, as Chrysostom says: 'This man seems holy, but holy people, even if they are not overcome by the vice of gluttony, are often overcome by some impulse of vainglory.' And so, he took the Lord and carried him to the holy city. It is called Jerusalem, which is known as holy in comparison to other cities where idols were worshipped, because it was set apart for divine worship. This was because of the temple and the Holy of Holies that were there, for it was not permitted by the Law to offer sacrifice anywhere else. Now, however, it is considered holy because the Sacraments of our Redemption were accomplished there. . According to Chrysostom, Christ allowed Himself to be taken up out of patience, not out of weakness. This happened physically, for according to the Gloss, it's likely that the devil appeared in human form; yet Christ acted in such a way that He was seen by no one. And according to some, he carried Him in his arms; according to others, he led Him by the hand, while He followed him like an athlete willingly setting out for a trial. Consider here the kindness and patience of the Lord; for He allowed Himself to be carried and handled by that bloody beast, who thirsted for His blood and the blood of all His friends. And it's no wonder. According to Gregory, if he allowed himself to be led by the one who allowed himself to be crucified by his own members. And he set and placed him upon the pinnacle of the temple, so that he might tempt him there with vanity. You should know that the temple had three levels: the first was the pavement up to the first floor, or gallery, thirty cubits high; the second, from the first gallery up to the second, was also thirty cubits high; the third, up to the third gallery—the roof of the temple, which was flat rather than arched—was forty cubits high. Every gallery had a walkway around the outside, and according to the master of the histories, these walkways are called pinnacles. The devil placed Christ upon one of them—perhaps a higher one, or perhaps a lower one—where the scribes and priests used to address the people. expounding the Law of the Lord. Note, according to the Gloss, that the devil tempted Christ with vanity in the very place where he had deceived many others through vanity in the teachers' chair. Wishing to test something similar to what he had done before, he tempted him with vanity and said, "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down." It was as if he were saying, "You can throw yourself down without danger by your own power, and also because of the ministry of the angels who serve and guard you." He thought that if he descended through the air by flying without injury, he would be the Son of God; and he persuaded him to throw himself down, so that by falling in this way and not hurting himself, people would marvel and revere him as the Son of God, and he would thereby take an opportunity for vanity, when the whole city would praise and glorify him. It is a truly diabolical voice, one that calls not for an ascent to heaven, but for a descent, and it strives to cast the human soul down from a higher level of merit. For the devil doesn't urge those he deceives to climb upward; instead, he calls them to the depths and persuades them to fall, because he who feels he has fallen further than anyone else wants everyone else to fall, too. It is the devil's way to cast those who are standing down; it is God's way to lift those who are lying down back up. By saying, "Throw yourself down," he reveals his own weakness, for he cannot harm anyone unless that person throws himself down. For he who desires that everyone fall downward can indeed persuade us, but he cannot force us to fall. Hence Chrysostom says: "He did not say 'I will throw you,' so that he might not appear to use force; but he said 'Throw yourself down,' to show that each of us falls into death through the freedom of our own will and the fault of our own choice." It is his part to persuade, but it is our part to overcome his persuasions by following the Law. Because Christ used authority earlier, he himself assumes the authority of Scripture, and he does this not to build up and teach virtues, but to plant errors and deceive. So he adds: 'It is written of you, namely in the Psalmist: For he has commanded his angels concerning you, to keep you from harm, and they will lift you up in their hands, guiding you, so that you don't strike your foot against a stone,' and thus incur evil.✦ By the 'hands of the angels' is meant their twofold power: the power of keeping one from evil, and of promoting one toward good; so that the first is the left hand, and the second is the right. This authority is not to the point, because, according to Jerome, it is not understood of Christ the Head, but of his members—that is, of any just person. For Christ is not carried by the hands of angels, but he himself... ...by the power of his own divinity he carries the angels and every creature; nor does he need the help of angels, he who is greater than the angels. That authority, according to the Gloss, is therefore to be explained this way: God has commanded his angels, his ministering spirits, concerning you, a just man, whoever you may be, that they should lift you up in their hands—that is, with their help—and thus keep you, so that you do not strike your foot—that is, your mind or the affection of your mind—against a stone, that is, against some stumbling block of sin. For a 'stone' is so called as if it were 'striking the foot,' and thus every occasion of sin and ruin, against which the affection of the mind can strike, is understood by the name of 'stone.' The meaning, then, is that God has commanded His angels to guard the just person from sins, not that a good person, trusting in the protection of angels, should expose himself to a fall at the suggestion of demons. From this passage, it is also understood that angels are appointed to guard the life of the saints. The devil interprets Scripture wrongly, perverts its meaning, and thus quotes it irrelevantly; furthermore, he quotes it incompletely, for even if it were about Christ, he should have remembered what follows: 'You will walk upon the asp and the basilisk, and you will trample the lion and the dragon.' For the devil himself is the asp and the basilisk, the lion and the dragon, whom Christ trampled in His temptations; therefore, like a proud man, he introduces the part of Scripture that works in his favor, but like a cunning one, he omits the part that is against him.2 For he speaks of the help of angels as if to someone weak, but like a shifty deceiver, he remains silent about his own trampling. But even here, as Jerome notes, the adversary is defeated by the authority of Scripture and his intent is frustrated. In all these temptations, the devil acts this way to see if He is the Son of God, but the Lord tempers His response to leave him in doubt. Therefore, He replies to him, 'It is written,' and it is said for everyone: 'You shall not put the Lord your God to the test,' at least as long as you can escape it another way. I, however, am human, and I can find another way down than by throwing myself off in a show of pride; therefore, I will not put God to the test. Yet a person tempts God in many ways: by improperly exploring God's power, or by improperly testing His will, or by improperly inquiring into His wisdom, or by improperly testing what one asks of God. But these things are to be avoided as long as a person has some other means available through human reason and ability. Hence, this is the argument: whenever a person has something they can do according to the way of human reason, counsel, or assistance to escape danger, they should not omit it by seeking a divine miracle; because, according to Augustine, if one did not avoid danger when it could be avoided, they would be tempting God rather than hoping in Him. Therefore, although God can do all things, He still says to His disciples, 'If they persecute you in this city, flee to another.' He also fled and hid himself. For this reason, trials by red-hot iron or by single combat—that is, dueling—are forbidden by law as illicit. But if human reason and foresight fail, and a person has no other course of action, they may safely turn to the power of God and entrust themselves to His providence—not by testing Him, but by devoutly confessing Him, for in such a case it isn't to be called a temptation. But because Christ still had work to do, and because there were good steps there by which He could descend from the pinnacle, He answered the devil in this way. Chrysostom says of this: 'He wasn't moved, nor was He indignant, but with great modesty He answered him again using the voice of the Scriptures, teaching us that the devil is overcome by patience and tolerance, not by signs, and that we should do nothing for the sake of our own display or to gain love by boasting.' And again: 'Observe how the Lord wasn't troubled; rather, He debated with the wicked one most humbly using the Scriptures, so that you might conform yourself to Christ as much as you are able.' The devil knows the weapons of Christ by which he was defeated. He captured him through gentleness and defeated him through humility; you, too, when you see a man who has become a devil and is opposing you, should defeat him in the same way. You should teach your soul to be formed, yielding your mouth to the mouth of Christ. For just as when a Roman... ...perhaps a judge sits and won't hear the answer of one who is ignorant of how to speak in that way, so too Christ won't hear you, nor will He call you, unless you speak in His way—these are the words of Chrysostom. In a moral sense: the devil lifts many people up high so that he can drag them down to a more serious fall, just as a crow lifts a nut to break it by dropping it from a height. In the same way, a wrestler lifts his opponent off the ground to throw him down; for many are led to the heights of prestige and are cast down there, even though they had been secure in the valley of a simple life. For on the mountains of Gilboa, the mighty of Israel fell. Therefore, according to Augustine, the higher a person's position, the greater the danger they are in. And according to Chrysostom, pride subverted the high-placed; therefore, the Lord allowed Himself to be taken to such a place, yet He did not consent to the devil there, so that those in such positions might resist the devil. The devil even places a person on the pinnacles of the temple so they might think themselves better than others and cast themselves down through false humility; this is the third temptation, that of greed. From then on, according to Bernard, because the Lord showed nothing of His divinity, the enemy—thinking Him to be a man—tempted Him a third time as a man. From there, taking Him, he carried Him to a very high mountain, two miles from the Quarantena toward Galilee, so that the place might suit the temptation: for just as in the desert, where there is hunger, he tempted Him regarding gluttony; and on the pinnacle, where the chair of the doctors is, regarding vainglory; so on the mountain, where these temporal things are seen, he tempts regarding greed. And he showed Him all the kingdoms of the world—not by pointing out things He did not know, but, according to Chrysostom, by showing them to Him just as if someone placed in a high spot were to stretch out his hand, saying, 'Look, over there is Africa, over there Palestine, over there Greece, over there Italy,' and so on. Or, it shows—that is to say... He displayed and described to Him in a single moment all the kingdoms of the world—meaning the pomp, glory, and greatness of every kingdom, and all the things in the world that stir desire, such as riches, pleasures, and honors—so that by making them seem attractive and delightful, He might persuade Him and, in this way, subject Him to himself. A moment is the tenth part of a point, or the fortieth part of an hour, since a point is the fourth part of an hour; this signifies the brevity or passing nature of the world's temporal goods. Hence Ambrose says: "It is fitting that these fleeting, earthly things are shown in a moment of time, for it indicates not so much the speed of the view as the fragility of fleeting power." For in a moment all those things pass away, and often the honor of the world is gone before it even arrives. And He tempted Him, the Lord of all, with avarice, stepping forward with arrogance and boasting to lie about things he could not give, saying: 'I will give you all these things, and I will make you King, if you fall down as an inferior and worship me as a superior'—which would truly be to fall and to subject oneself to the devil. Hence Chrysostom says: "Nothing makes a person subject to the devil so much as to pant after riches and be overcome by the love of having." To Him again: 'He promises the kingdoms of the world, who prepared the kingdoms of heaven for those who believe; he promises the glory of the world to Him who is the Lord of heavenly glory; he pledges to give everything, he who has nothing, to Him who possesses all things; he commands that he be worshipped on earth by Him whom the angels and archangels worship in heaven.' So says Chrysostom, where the Gloss also adds: 'Behold the ancient pride of the devil: for just as in the beginning he wanted to make himself like God, so now he wanted to usurp divine worship for himself.' On the glory of the world and ambition. It's worth noting that if we consider the beginning of this temptation, it's a temptation of greed; if we consider the end, it's a temptation of idolatry. This is a fitting connection, because greed is the worship of idols. We should also consider that the glory of the world, which is destined to perish with the world, is shown on a mountain and a high place. The devil tries to lead a person to that mountain so they might fall and be subjected to him, persuading them to serve him while neglecting the justice of God—from whose service Christ, who was tempted and suffered for us, sets us free. The Lord, however, descended to the plains and to humble things, so that He might overcome the devil through humility. He didn't look at what was shown to Him with the eye of desire as we do, but rather as doctors look at diseases without being harmed by them. When, therefore, you wish to become great and high... ...and you set these things before the eyes of your mind, know that the devil is showing you the kingdoms of the world. If you wish to obtain them, you must fall down and worship the devil, because the devil falls down before anyone who worships him, and the devil is never worshipped without a fall. Hence Ambrose says: 'Ambition has a danger of its own; in order to dominate others, it first serves and bows in submission so that it may be gifted with honor, and while it wants to be higher, it becomes lower.' All power and the ordering of authorities is indeed from God, but the ambition for power is from the evil one; power itself is not evil, but the one who uses power wrongly is. We are taught, therefore, to despise ambition, because it is subject to the devil's power: so says Ambrose. Personal injuries are to be endured.3 But this murderer also gave way, and the Lord, the victor, threatened him with divine authority, cast him out, and ordered him to leave, saying: "Go and back away from me, Satan—that is, into the eternal fire—you who oppose the truth and the salvation of men." In this, as Chrysostom says, he sets a limit to the devil's tempting, so that he might not go any further in his attempts. He immediately put Jesus to flight, and he did not tempt him with other temptations by himself anymore. In this, we are also taught to bear our own injuries, but in no way to tolerate injuries against God. Hence the same Chrysostom says: Christ, when he had suffered the injury of temptation, with the devil saying to him, "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down," was not troubled, nor did he rebuke the devil. But now, when the devil usurped for himself the honor due to God, saying, "I will give you all these things if you fall down and worship me," he was exasperated and repelled him, saying: "Go, Satan," so that we might learn from his example to bear our own injuries magnanimously, but not even to endure hearing injuries against God; for while it is praiseworthy for anyone to be patient regarding their own injuries, it is deeply impious to overlook injuries against God. Where Jerome also says: "He is not condemned by the same sentence as Satan, as many think, like the Apostle Peter; for it is said to Peter: 'Go behind me, Satan,' that is, 'follow me, you who are contrary to my will.' But this one hears: 'Go, Satan,' and it is not said to him 'behind me,' so that it is implied: 'Go into the eternal fire which is prepared for you and your angels.'" Then the Lord adds: "It is written, you shall worship the Lord your God—the Lord of all, that is, by power; God, that is, by creation; your God, that is, who ought to be yours by special worship—you shall worship him inwardly with faith, hope, and charity, and him alone shall you serve outwardly with the service of latria." And by this, according to Augustine, the service owed to temporal masters is not excluded. According to Bede, we are commanded here to serve God alone with the service of latria, which is owed only to the worship of the Divinity; this is why those who offer this to idols are called idolaters. But the Apostle commands us to serve one another through love with the service of dulia, which is common to all—whether to God, to a person, or to any part of the natural order. Therefore, as Bede says, when the devil said to the Savior, 'If you fall down and worship me,' he heard in return that he himself ought rather to worship Him as his God and Lord, as if He were saying to him: 'It isn't I who must worship you, but you who must worship Me as God.' But the devil's worship is a matter of subjection, not of devotion. From the order of temptation mentioned above, it's clear that the devil begins with lighter things, moves on to serious ones, then to more serious ones, and finally to the most serious. He began with a light temptation when he tempted Him with gluttony—which is a light temptation, especially in times of hunger—and finally, after others, he arrived at the most serious when he tempted Him with idolatry. But Christ overcame these temptations by meeting them at their very start. For as soon as the devil brought forward temptations, Christ repelled them. So, too, a person ought to repel the devil's temptations at their very beginning, as soon as they feel them. For, as Jerome says: "The ancient serpent is slippery, and unless he is held by the head, he slips in entirely at once." For the infernal serpent has a head—that is, the evil suggestion; he has a body—that is, the consent; and he has a tail—that is, the completion of the act. But where he places the head of suggestion, he immediately places the body of consent; and where he places the body of consent, he immediately places the tail of the act. Therefore, he must be crushed at his head—that is, in his suggestion—and then he will be unable to do harm, neither regarding the body nor the tail, because once the head of suggestion is cut off, the entire power of the infernal serpent is contracted.
Victory and Angelic Ministry
After the devil is put to flight, angels minister to Christ, offering a model of victory and consolation for the faithful.
Then, once the temptation was finished—that is, once every temptation for which the Lord had come was overcome—the devil, Lucifer, found nothing. Upon hearing the name of God, he left the One he had never truly held, for, having been overcome by the temptation, he ceased and withdrew from Him as if defeated and confused, at least for a time. Later, he returned to attack Him not only deceitfully, but openly through the Jews, both in His own person and in His members, because as the time of the Passion drew near, he stirred up persecution against Him through the chief priests. He began to attack Him—not only by himself, but also through others and through his own instruments and agents—thinking he could cast Him down through the fear of death. According to Chrysostom, the devil did not withdraw as if obeying a command, but the divinity of Christ and the Holy Spirit who was in Him drove the devil away. This is to our consolation, for the devil does not tempt the people of God for as long as he wants, but only for as long as Christ permits. And if He allows him to tempt us for a little while for our own benefit, He still repels him out of regard for our weakness, for He does not allow us to be tempted beyond what we can endure. Hence Augustine says: "If the devil could do as much harm as he wants, none of the righteous would remain." Through these three aforementioned conflicts, in which the Christian militia is still exercised, every temptation is said to be consumed at its roots and overcome, because in gluttony, pride, and greed—from which all temptation arises—all the vices allied with them are destroyed. In these three, in fact, lies the material for all sins, the seeds of which must be guarded against at their very origin. For, as John testifies, "All that is in the world is the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life." Against this triple dart of the enemy, we must oppose an equal number of defensive weapons—a triangular shield, so to speak—so that we may repel the lust of the flesh with fasting, pride with prayer, and greed with almsgiving. Just as that ancient enemy withdrew from the Lord for a time and, returning at the time of the Passion, attacked Him not deceitfully but openly, so too does he sometimes stop tempting us; and when he does not prevail in a temptation, he withdraws from us until another time, so that, finding us as if secure, he may return suddenly and break in more easily when we are off guard. We are instructed here, therefore, to be cautious, because even if we overcome one temptation, we always find the devil ready for battle. Yet at the time of the Passion, the devil was completely defeated and cast into hell, to be released in the days of the Antichrist, according to the Apocalypse of John. Augustine suggests that this tempter was Lucifer, the first angel, that superior being who had already overcome the first man; we should believe that the devil himself took on human form for a time so he could lead the Lord around and speak with Him. Christ’s temptation is compared to the temptation of our first parent, and the figures of the victory He won are listed. It should be noted that the order of Christ’s temptations, according to Matthew, was set to match the order of Adam’s temptations, which went like this: 'Whenever you eat of it'—that is gluttony; 'you will be like gods'—that is vainglory; 'knowing good and evil'—that is avarice, which is not just about money, but also about status and knowledge when they are pursued beyond measure. According to Augustine, however, we can't be certain which was the second and which was the third. But the two Evangelists tell the story differently. A reason can be given: one temptation is primarily about greed and the other about pride. It often happens that one vice is born from another, and vice versa, so Matthew puts one first while Luke puts the other first. Hence Remigius says: 'For this reason one Evangelist puts this one first, while the other puts that one first, because vainglory and avarice beget one another.' Christ, however, overcame the devil in the temptation of gluttony, and this was prefigured long ago in the idol of Bel and the dragon. For in Babylon, the idol of Bel was worshipped as a god, and it was said to eat and drink a great deal; Daniel destroyed it and killed its priests. In that same place, a dragon was hiding in a cave, which the people thought was a god, and to which the priest offered food at set times; but Daniel made a mixture of pitch, fat, and hair, and threw it into the dragon's mouth. When it ate this, it immediately burst open, and thus both the devourer and the glutton were destroyed by Daniel. In this, Daniel pointed to Christ, who overcame the temptation of gluttony. Secondly, Christ also overcame the devil in the temptation of pride, which was prefigured long ago by David and the killing of Goliath. Goliath boasted most proudly of his own strength, but David threw him to the ground with a sling and killed him with his own sword. Goliath the giant represents the pride of Lucifer; but David, the shepherd who struck him down, is Christ, who triumphed humbly over the temptation of pride. Thirdly, Christ overcame the devil in the temptation of greed, which David also prefigured in the killing of the lion and the bear. The lion and the bear represented greed, because they committed it by stealing the sheep for themselves, but David, rescuing his own sheep, killed the predators; and Christ, having overcome the temptation of greed, cast Satan away from himself. 22. On the approach of the angels and the meaning of Christ's temptations. Once Satan was cast out, the angels came and served Him as their victor; in the same way, whoever has fought bravely and triumphed over the devil will be worthy of the ministry and companionship of the angels. Regarding the suggestions of temptations, Chrysostom says this: "Now let us briefly touch upon what the temptations of Christ signify." Fasting is abstinence from evil. When someone is puffed up as if they were holy, they are led as if to the rooftop; this temptation follows the first, because the victory of temptation produces pride, and it becomes a cause for boasting. Flee, therefore, from the exaltation of the heart, and you won't suffer a fall. The ascent of the mountain, however, is a departure from the height of riches and the glory of this world, which stems from the pride of the heart. Bernard also says: "Whoever does not read the fourth temptation of the Lord is ignorant of the Scripture that says that the life of man upon earth is a warfare; the Apostle also says that He was tempted in all things by likeness, without sin." Christ, however, willed to be tempted for several reasons: the first, according to Gregory, is that by His temptation He might free us from our own, just as by His death He freed us from our own. The second reason, according to Hilary, is to make us cautious, so that no one—no matter how holy—presumes they are immune to temptation. That is why, after his baptism and the reception of the Holy Spirit, he chose to be tempted: to show that a greater struggle awaits those who are sanctified. The third reason, according to Augustine, is to provide us an example of how to fight and to instruct us through it, so that he might be our Mediator, not only by his help but also by his example. The fourth reason, according to Chrysostom, is to encourage us, so that no one is troubled by temptations that strike unexpectedly, when they see that even Christ was subject to temptation. The fifth reason, according to Leo, is to conquer the devil, and by conquering him, to restrain his power and audacity. The sixth reason, according to the Apostle, is so that he might know how to better pity and sympathize with those who are tempted, and to give us hope in his mercy, because a person who has been tempted is more ready to show mercy and sympathy to those who are tempted. Furthermore, he chose to be tempted to offer consolation to those who are tempted; for he was tempted immediately after he was baptized, when he was called the Son by the Father, and when the Holy Spirit remained upon him in the form of a dove. This happened when the heavens were opened to him, and when he fasted for forty days and nights; so that through this it might be understood that if someone is tempted, they are not on that account any less cleansed from sin, any less worthy of being a child of God, any less full of the Holy Spirit, any less worthy of heaven, or any less acceptable to God in their repentance. Read this, because the Lord was treated and tempted in this way. Don't be surprised if you're tempted; and because He won in everything, let us also strive, with His help, to win. Let us not trust in any virtue of our own, but place all our hope and confidence in the help of the Most High. And just as the Lord everywhere overcame His adversary not by the power of strength, but by the authority of Scripture, saying, 'It is written,' He wanted to show that He overcomes him by humility, not by power, and to provide us an example of His patience; so too, whenever we suffer something from wicked people, let us be stirred toward instruction rather than vengeance, and let us overcome our adversaries with humility and patience, rather than with pride and power. Take note, then, from what has been said, that the Lord used the authority of Holy Scripture in all His temptations to instruct us. Pay attention to what He answered; and when such a temptation comes, say that same thing yourself, always answering through Scripture, just as He did. Therefore, if you are tempted by a desire for good things, we must answer, 'It is written: What is earth and ashes to the proud?' Every fast is a short life. If you are tempted by a desire for riches, let us answer, 'It is written: We brought nothing into this world, and we can take nothing out.' And: 'Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I shall return there.' If you are tempted by a desire for carnal pleasures, let us answer, 'It is written: Flesh and blood cannot possess the kingdom of God,' where, according to the Gloss, 'flesh and blood' refers to the belly and lust—that is, carnal works. And so, whenever we are attacked by any other vices, let us always use the weapon of Holy Scripture for our defense against that vice. Regarding these acts of the Lord, Anselm says: 'From your Baptism, you entered the desert in a spirit of fortitude, so that an example of the solitary life might not be lacking in you.' 'You endured with equanimity the solitude and the forty-day fast, the bitterness of hunger, and the temptations of the deceiving spirit, so that you might make all these things endurable for us.' And again: 'From then on, most beloved Jesus, you dedicated the secrets of solitude to yourself and sanctified fasting there, teaching that the conflict with the cunning enemy must be undertaken in that place.' Diligently attending to how these things were done for you and in what way they were done, love Him by whom they were done: so says Anselm. Come now, disciple of Christ, seek out the secrets of solitude with your gentle Master, so that you may become an imitator and participant in the effects of the desert, the mysteries of silence, of devout prayer, of long-lasting fasting, and of the threefold conflict with the cunning enemy. In every crisis of temptation, learn to have recourse to Him, for we don't have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. You shouldn't fear temptations or doubt during them, because God often chastises those whom He loves, and there are many tribulations—not for just anyone, but for the just—so that when they have been tested, they may receive the crown of life. Hence, the same Anselm teaches: 'Divine Scripture teaches you, therefore, that the struggle is not only against flesh and blood, but also against spiritual wickedness.' The crown is proposed, and the struggles must be undertaken; no one can be crowned unless he has conquered, and no one can conquer unless he has first struggled. The reward of the crown is greater where the labor is greater. So we shouldn't fear temptation, for it is the cause of victory and the material of triumph; let's not fear temptations, but rather glory in them, saying with the Apostle: 'When I am weak, then I am powerful.' For then the crown of justice is woven; take away the struggles, and you have taken away the crowns; take away the torments, and you have taken away the beatitudes. We shouldn't, therefore, fear the temptations of the world as if they were evils, for through them good rewards are earned; rather, considering our human condition, we should pray that we may endure the temptations we are able to bear. As Ambrose says, and Prosper adds: 'The material of struggle is reserved for the great benefit of the faithful, so that holiness may not grow proud as long as our weakness feels the onset of enemies.' The kinds and manner of temptations. The devil specifically tempts us in six ways: in good things through pride, in bad things through despair, in leisure through lust, in business through agitation, in justice through cruelty, and in mercy through flattery. And although he tempts in many ways, he specifically deceives and fails us in four ways: first, by suggesting good for the sake of evil, as when he suggests the religious life to an unstable person, so that he might later apostatize. Second, by suggesting evil under the guise of good, such as committing perjury to preserve another's property. Third, by discouraging good as if it were harmful—for instance, when he tries to talk a good person out of entering the religious life, so that they might later regret it and be ashamed when they leave. Or when he tries to talk someone out of prayer or giving alms, so that they might fall into vainglory through those very things. Fourth, by discouraging an evil so that he may bring about a worse one—as when he discourages intemperance in food and sleep, only to lead someone into an undisciplined fast, which is worse. Everyone must therefore be very careful not to be caught in the devil's traps or entangled in the snares he sets everywhere in so many different ways. As Pope Leo says: "The ancient enemy never stops disguising himself as an angel of light to set his snares of deception everywhere." He knows whom to stir up with the heat of greed, whom to tempt with the sweetness of gluttony, whom to incite with the urges of lust, and whom to infect with the poison of envy. He knows whom to disturb with sadness, whom to deceive with joy, whom to crush with fear, and whom to seduce with wonder. He sifts through every habit, probes every care, and examines every affection; he looks for ways to do harm exactly where he sees someone is most deeply occupied. So, let everyone be watchful, because no one is without temptation. As Bernard says: "I want you to be warned that no one living in the body can be free from temptation. Whoever is freed from one should immediately expect another, and should pray to be freed from it, knowing that another is coming right away. It often happens that the Lord allows one temptation to linger longer so that another cannot approach, or He frees someone from one more quickly so that another can take its place." After the victory was won and the tempter had fled in confusion, the angels returned to serve Him, ready to obey Him as their true Lord and to carry out His will. They had withdrawn for a time at the Lord's command, watching His struggle from afar so that His divinity would remain hidden from the devil, and so that the devil would have a more suitable opportunity to tempt Him—for if he had seen the angels around Him, he might not have approached. They also returned so that Christ's victory would appear more glorious, because He defeated the devil alone, and it would not seem as though He had needed their help to win. Temptation comes first, so that victory may follow; immediately after the victory, the angels serve, so that the dignity of the victor is confirmed. For from this, the divinity of Christ appears and is made manifest, because no nature is above the angelic, except the divine. And according to Gregory, this fact reveals both natures of the one person, because he is both man, whom the devil tempts, and the same one is God, to whom the angels minister. This ministry can be understood in three ways: first, as bodily support, meaning they ministered by helping him in his hunger with food; second, as adoration, meaning they ministered by humbly adoring him as God; third, as congratulation and praise, meaning they ministered by rejoicing with him as he fought and conquered, and by praising him. Regarding this victory of the Lord and the ministry of the angels, Anselm says: "Having completed his forty-day fast and overcome the devil with all his temptations, he was glorified by angelic ministry, teaching us to decline the pleasures of temporal things throughout the time of this present life, to trample the world and its prince under our feet, and thus to be protected by angelic guards." Hence Bernard also says: "Then, with the temptations overcome and the tempter put to flight, the angels approached and ministered to him; and so, if you wish to have the ministry of the angels, flee the comforts of the world and resist the temptations of the devil; let your soul refuse to be comforted in other things, if you wish to find delight in the memory of God." Hence Chrysostom also says: "For as long as he was engaged in the conflict, he did not allow the angels to appear, so that he would not put the one to be overcome to flight before the victory." But after he had conquered him in all things and commanded the defeated one to flee, then the angels appeared in sequence, so that you might learn that after you have completed your victory over the devil, the angels will suddenly receive you, applauding you, accompanying you everywhere like a royal guard, and honoring you in all things. In the same way, they took Lazarus after the furnace of poverty and hunger—the very depths of his distress—and carried him to his rest. And again: "The angels watched Christ’s struggle from afar, so it wouldn't look like he had won through their protection; but once the victory was won, they approached and served him, for he is the Lord." But Scripture doesn't say what they served him; it's quite believable, though, that they served him something to eat, as servants and ministers, because it is written that he was hungry. They didn't serve him because of any weakness or need on Christ's part, but to show reverence and to honor his power. It doesn't say they helped him, but that they served him—so says Chrysostom. Pay closer attention here, and look at the Lord eating alone while the angels stand around him; think carefully about all of this, for it is beautiful and deeply devout. I ask, then, what did the angels serve him so that he might eat after such a long fast? Scripture says nothing about this. We can imagine a 'victorious meal' however we like, and if we consider his power, he could have created whatever he wanted and had it ready at his own will. But we don't find that he ever used this power for himself or his disciples; he did use it for the crowds, whom he fed twice in great numbers with a few loaves of bread. Regarding his disciples, we read that while he was present, they plucked grain because of their hunger and ate it. Similarly, when he himself was tired from his journey and sat by the well, talking with the Samaritan woman, it doesn't say he created food, but that he sent his disciples into the city to look for it. them. It isn't likely that he provided for himself through a miracle, because he performed miracles for the edification of others and in the presence of many people, but here there was no one present except the angels. What, then, should we meditate on regarding this? There was no human habitation or food prepared on that mountain; instead, angels brought him food prepared elsewhere, just as happened with Daniel. For when the prophet Habakkuk had prepared a meal for his reapers, the angel of the Lord carried him by the hair from Judea into Babylon to Daniel so that he might eat, and afterward, in a moment, he brought him back. Let us linger here, then, and adopt this way of life, and let us rejoice with the Lord Jesus in his meal; and may his most excellent Mother also feel this same joy and victory. Let us meditate on this piously and devoutly: two of the angels, with the Lord’s permission, go and in a moment are before his Mother, and greeting her reverently, they tell her about the state of her Son, and about the little meal he had prepared for himself and Joseph, and the bread. Once they had brought what was needed, they returned to the flat land and solemnly blessed the meal. Watch him closely here in everything he does and in everything that happens: he sits on the ground composedly and eats soberly; the angels stand around, serving their Lord, and they sing a hymn from the songs of Zion, rejoicing and celebrating a feast day with him. . But, if I may say so, this feast is mixed with the deepest compassion. And for this reason we too ought to weep. For they look upon him reverently, considering him their God and Lord, and the Creator of the whole world, who gives food to all. So humbled, and in need of bodily sustenance. Seeing him eating like everyone else, they are moved with great compassion for him. I believe that if you were to look upon him in this state with a heart full of affection, and love him even a little, you would weep with deep compassion. Finally, having eaten and offered thanks, the Lord Jesus, wishing to return to his Mother, began to descend from the mountain. Look closely at him even now: see how the Lord of all walks alone and barefoot. Feel deeply for him, and always walk with him, following him diligently in all things. Good Jesus, who were led by the Spirit into the desert, fasting for forty days and nights, and afterwards, being hungry, overcame your tempter: grant me, merciful Lord, through the power of abstinence and self-control, to fast from vices and sins, and to hunger and thirst for justice. And so that I may overcome my tempter—or rather, my tempters: the world, the flesh, and the devil—grant, O God, by your grace, that I may be able to conquer them with your help. And because temptation is our life and misery upon the earth, remember, Lord, our misery and labor, and grant that we may not fall into temptation, but through your temptation always overcome, and at last be mercifully freed from all temptations. Amen.
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Postquam Dominus Jesus fuit baptizatus, regressus esi a Jordane plenus Spiriiu Sancto, plenitudine superabundantiae, de cujus plenitudine nos omnes accepimus, Et iunc, id est incontinenti ac sine mora, ducius esi, spontanee, in deserium, super quemdam montem mirae altitudinis, dictum Quarantena, qui est inter Jericho et Jerusalem, distans a Jericho duobus milliaribus, et a Jerusalem duodecim vel circa. In praedicto deserto latrones morari solebant, qui locus vocatur Domyn, quod sanguinem sonat, propter effusionem sanguinis quam ibi latrones faciebant. Specialiter Domyn est casale, ubi ille qui descendit a Jerusalem in Jericho incidit in latrones, quasi circa medium in via quae de Jericho ducit in Jerusalem a parte australi deserti Quarantenae ; deinde est Bethania, et Bethphage, et Jerusalem; ettransitvia in latere australi montis Oliveti. Quia ergo homo qui ibi incidisse dicitur in latrones, gerebat figuram Adae qui a daemonibus est victus, conveniens fuit ut ibi historialiter et secundum rem, Christus superaret diabolum, ubi figuraliter et secundum similitudinem diabblus dicitur hominem superasse primum. Unde dicitur quod Samaritanus eadem via descendit; quia carne indutus Filius Dei, qui est custos hominum, easdem tentationes ibi sustinuit. Pugnaturus quidem Dominus cum diabolo, in desertum secessit, ut nobis ostenderet, quod qui perfecte laqueos tentationum ejus vult superare, non solum turbas daemonum, sed etiam societatem malorum hominum, aliquando quidejn corpore, semper autem mente, debet vitare et fugere ; exemplo illius qui in regali aula, et inter turbas populares positus, dicebat : Ecce elongavi fugicns, ei mansi in solitudine, Nos ergo exemplo Christi et Joannis agitemur a Spiritu Sancto, non per hypdcrisim a maligno in desertum loci et solitudinis, vei saltem in desertum nostri pectoris et con~ templationis , ut quieti a strepitu mundi melius Deo vacemus, et in mente seculum deserentes , quasi manna deserti sola aeterna gaudia esurire discamus. Z)mc/m5 esi igitur Jesus a Spiriiu Sancio, quia humanitas Christi erat organum divinitatis, et ideo ad omnia agenda movebatur instinctu Spiritus San— cti.
T\|ll VOLUIT > _Hoc ergo motu ivit in desertum locum, uc ibi spi— ritum in oratione pro nobis Deo Patri offerret, et pcr jejunium carnem innocentem pro nobis ma— ceraret, exemplumque fidelibus daret, ut se Deo per jejunium et orationem offerant. Non ivit invitus; sed voluntate pugnandi, et ut tentareiur a diabolo, per quod insinuatur quod aggrediens desertjfm poenitentiae fortius tentatur ab hoste, juxta iilud : Fili, accedens ad ser~ vitutem Dei, sta in justitia et timore, et prcepara animam tuam ad tentationem, id est, ad resistendum tentationi quae imminet tibi. Ideo autem ductus est a Spirku Sancto, qui eum designaverat in Baptismo; quia quos ille replet, mitlit ad pugnam , et praebet eis fortitudinem. Ideo duci voluit in desertum, id est, locum certaminis, et in quo pugnatur asperis, quoniam Adam in paradiso deliciis affluens, victus est oblectamentis. Ideo tentari voluit, ut tentationes superando nobis potestatem superandi tribueret; sicut et mori voluit, ut morte sua nostram destrueret. Et hoc post Baptismum et jejunium, per hoc nobis insinuans quod post lavacrum regenerationis et gratiae perceptionem, post laborem jejunii et sanctae vitae propositum , statim diabolus tentator accedit, et acrius in nos surgit, ut nos a proposito religionis avertat; et quod proficientibus et ad meliorem tendentibus invidet et insidiatur, propter quod tunc magis cavendum est ; quodque bonos magis quam malos tentat. Quia, secundum Grcgorium, illos tentare negligit, quos se quicto jure possidere sensit. Et, secundum Isidorum : Tunc maxime impugnaris, cum te impugnari nescis.
Haec enim quatuor, scilicet : baptismus, deser-» tum, jejunium, et tentatio sic ordinata fuerunt in Christo , quod primo fuit baptizatus ; secundo , in desertum ductus ; tertio , jejunavit ; quarto, tentatus fuit. In quo significatur quod prius debet esse in nobis ablutio a peccatis, secundo substractio a mundi illecebris, tertio exercitatio in jejuniis, quarto est oppugnatio ab hostium insidiis. In figura hujus, quatuor etiani occurrerunt populo Israelitico : primo, mare rubrum ; secundo^ desertum ; tertio, sitis ei fames; quarto, hostium insultus.
Baptizatus igitur Dominus solitariam ac duram vitam et poenitentiam constanter assumpsit, ut fidelium mentes ad perfectionis aggressionem erigeret, et ad gravia perferenda firmaret. Non enim propter se, sed propter nos eremum adiit, ut videlicet suis perfectis imitatoribus vitam eremiticam conferat, instruensnos nihilominus, secundum Chrysostomum, ut unusquisque baptizatorum , relictis mundi illecebris , et societate pravorum, divinis per omnia debeat servire mandatis. Et hoc reputant quidam fideles devoti tempore isto jejunium observantes, et per hoc se Christo, velut in deserto cohfigurantes. Voluit autem Christus pcenitentiam agere, non quia cgebat; sed ut ad poenitentiam nos moneret, et poenitentiam nobis exemplo ostenderet. Ubi docet tria, quae debent esse in pcenitentia vera et fructuosa : primo, debet esse pura, ut Deo placeat, quia post baptismum statim fecit poenitentiam ; secundo, debet esse aspera, ut carnem domet, quia fecit poenitentiam in deserto, non in loco delicioso; tertio, deb^t esse discreta, ne nimis excedat, quia Christus ductus est a Spiritu Sancto, non quia ductore indigeret, sed ut nobis ostenderet quod in poenitentia agenda ductore indigemus discreto.
Et veniens Dominus in desertum jejunavit, quadraginta diebus , et quadraginta noctibus, nihil interim manducans. Ubi signanter noctibus additur , ne in nocte comedisse putaretur; item in signum quod necesse habemus, et diebus prosperitatis, et noctibus adversitatis contra diabolum nos munjre, qui nunquam cessat tentando nos impugnare. Jejunavit quidem ut adversus tentationes exemplum jejunandi nobis daret , quia, secundum Basilium , volenti pugnas tentationum superare, sobrietas necessaria est ; et specialiter ut ostenderet quod innocentia baptismalis periclitatur in vita voluptuosa; quia qui Christi sunt, ut baptizati sunt, qui sunt membra Christi, et Christum induerunt, consepulti morti ejus, debent carnem suam crucifigere cum concupiscentiis suis , et aestimare se mortuos super terram spiritu mortificando facta carnis. Unde Ckrysostomus : « Ut autem discas quam . magnum bonum sit jejunium, et qualiter adversus diabolum scutum est maximum , et quoniam post avacrum non deliciis et ebrietati et mensae abundanti, sed jejunio intendere oportet , propter hoc et Dominus jejunavit, non eo indigens, sed nos erudiens, quibus peccata quae ante lavacrum erant, dominatio ventris introduxerat. Qjaemadmodum enim si aliquis aegrotantem sanum cum fecisset, jubet non facere illa ex quibus aegritudo contigerat ; ita utique et hoc post lavacrum jejunium contra vitium edacitatis ipse induxit. Nam et Adam de paradiso incontinentia ventris ejecit, el diluvium quod fuit sub Noe illa commeruit, et fulmina in Sodomitas ipsa deduxit. Ita et Judaei maxima operati sunt ab ebrietate et deliciis mala ; propter hoc et ipse jejunavit, nobis utique demonstrans fbrmam salutis.
» Unde et Ambrosius : « Hoc (cnim fecit causa salutis nostrae, ut rem utilem non solum doceret verbis ; sed etiam eaLemplis instrueret. Qualis autem Christianus es, cum Christo esuriente, tu reficeris? Ille pro salute tua famem sustinet, tu pro peccatis tuis jejunare formidas? » Et iterum : « Nihil tam caecum quam secularis suavitatis periculum : quae dum mulcet animum, vitam obruit, et sensum mentis illudit. Merito igitur Dominus noster Jesus Christus, jejunio suo atque deserto adversus voluptatum informat illecebras , et tentari se a diabolo Dominus omnium patitur, ut in illo omnes voluptates vincere disceremus : » haec Ambrosius. Et sciendum quod Christus, propter infirmitates nostras, ut eas curaret, diversas in se medicinas accepit. Curavit nos : per dietam, quando jejunavit, quadraginta diebus et noctibus; per electuarium, quando Corpus et Sanguinem suum dedit in cGena discipulis suis; per sudO" rem, quando factus est sudor ejus sicut gutta sanguinis decurrentis in terram; per emplastrum, quando facies ejus sputo illita fuit; per potionem , quando gustavit acetum felle mixtum ; per minutionem , quando clavis et lancea vulneratus est.
CoDsidera hic et attente inspice Dominum Jesum, plurium enim virtutum tibi monstrat exemplum. Nam vadit in solitudinem, jejunat, orat, et vigilat, in terra nuda jacet et dormit, et humiiiter ac pacifice cijm bestiis conversatur. Compatere igitur sibi, quia semper et ubique, et maxime hic, vita sua poenosa est, et corporis afilictiva; ac ejus exemplo disce etiam in his exercitari. Quatuor enim hic tanguntur quae spiritualis exercitii sunt , et mirabiliter se invicem adjuvant, scilicet : solitudo jejunium, oratio, et corporis affiictio. Et per ista maxime possumus -ad puritatem cordis pervenire, quae ^ utique nimium peroptanda est, eo quod in se quodam modo omnes virtutes comprehendit, et remotionem omnium vitiorum continet; <[uia cum vitiis, vel defectu virtutis, non stat puritas cordis. Et propterea in coUationibus sanctorum Patrum traditur, quod totum exer-citium monachi debet esse ad puritatem cordis habendam. Per hanc cnim homo meretur Deum videre, dicente Domino in Evangelio : Beaii mundo corde^ quoniam ipsi Deum videbunt, Et, %^c\xnd\im Bemardum, qui clarior est, Deo propinquior ^st; esse . autem clarissimum, pervenisse est.
Ad hanc habendam multum valet oratio fervens et assidua. Sed oratio cum crapula, et xorporis mollitie seu otiositate parum valet; et ideo requiritur jejunium et corporis afflictio, discreta tamen, quia indiscreta omne bonum impedit; propterea ad omnium praedictorum consummationem videtur facere solitudo. Nam xum tumuhu et strepitu non potest decenter fieri oratio. Et videre aut audire multa, vix potest fieri sine impuritatc et offensa; quia mors intratper fenestras sensuum ad animas nostras. Et propter supervenientes saepe relaxatur abstinentia, et corporis afflictio. Et ideo quaere solitudinem, et separa te a tumultu, &\ vis Deo conjungi , et per puritatem cordis eum videre. Fuge collocutiones propter taciturnitatis custodiam; interdum etiam a bonis cessa eloquiis, juxta illud Prophetae : Obmutui et humiliatus sum, et silui a boniSn Non quaeras novas amicitias; quia nova inde provenumt colioquia et impedimenta. Non impleas oculos vel aures phantasmatibus vanis; et omnia quae quietem animi, et tranquillitatem mentis perturbant , f ugias tanquam venenosa, et animae inimica.
Non enim sine causa Patres sancti petebant loca soUtaria, et mandabant his qui in ccenobiis remanebaat quod essent caeci, surdi et muji; quia sic melius poterant Deo conjungi. Unde Ckrysostomus : « Quando Spiritus Sanctus descendit super Dominum nostrum, statim ex,pulit eum in desertum. Quando monachi habitant cum parentibus suis, si despenderit Spiritus Sanctus, et manserit super eos, expdlet eos de domo, et ducet eos in solitudinem. Spiritus Sanctus non libenter habitat ubi turbae €t frequentia, et dissensiones, et rixse sunt ; sed proprie sedem habet solitudinem, Denique et Dominus noster erat in die cum discipulis^ sed quando volebat orare intentius, solus recedebat; et nos ergo, si volumus orare plusquam in publico, habeamus cellulam , habeamus agros, habeamus deserta; possumiis et virtutes habere de fratribuSj-^t solitudinem habere. » Unde et Augustinus : a Fratres charissimi» quantum possumus, otiosis fabulis et detractionibus ac scurrilitatibus cunctis finem studeamus imponere, et totis viribus de impedimentis mundi istius fugicndo aliquas horas quaerere, in quibus pro salute animae nostrae orationi et lect^oni possumus intendere. )> Igitur a toto affectu et posse tuo coneris imitari Dominum Jesum in solitudine, jejunio, oratione, et corporis afflictionibus discretis.
De quo etiam scribitur quod erat cum bestiis^ scilicet ursis, leonibus, et aliis feris, pacifice; etAngeli ministrabant illu In hoc ergo disce inter alios humiliter conversari, et aequanimiter tolerare eos qui aliquando tibi videntur irrationabiliter se habere; quia per hoc moraliter insinuatur, quod illi , quorum sensualitas sub ratione pacifice tenetur, per Angelorum ministerium ad coelestia transferentur. Angelicum enim est inter bestiales homines conversari quasi in eremo, in solitudine scilicet mentis. Hoc est in contemplatione, lectione, oratione, clauso cubiculo, et moribus eorum ferinis non pollui. Difficile est enim tangere picem, et ex ea non coinquinari. Unde Beda : a Inter bestias Dominus commoratur ut homo , sed ministerio utitur Angelico, ut Deus. Et nos, cum in eremo sanctae conversationis bestiales hominum mores impolluta mente toleramus, ministerium Angelorum meremur, a quibus corpore absoluti , ad aeterna in cceHs gaudia transferamur. » Unde et Hieronymus : « Tunc bestiae pacate nobiscum sunt, cum caro non concupiscit adversus spiritum ; post hacc Angeli ministri mittuntur nobis, ut responsa et solatia cordibus vigilantibus dent. Ipsum autem Dominum saepe in hac solitudine visita , conspiciens eum qualiter conversatur ibidem , et maxime qualiter jacet de nocte in terra.
Quaelibet enim anima fidelis deberet eum semel ad minus in die visitare ab Epiphania usque ad dies quadraginta, quibus ibi remanebat, et se humiliter ei recommendare. In hoc siquidem monte et deserto desiderabili quidam, exemplo Domini specialiter ducti, vitam eremiticam in parvis cellulis ducebant, Domino devotissime militantes , et alvearibus cellularum modicarum, tanquam apes Domini, dulcedinem spiritualem mellificantes. In hujus montis quasi medio, quod a terra plana fere per dimidium milliare distat, Dominus fecit poenitentiam, ubi est ecclesia et cella, estque ibi altare, ubi stabat quando tentabatur a Satana. » 7 — Quadraginta autem diebus et quadraginta noctibus Dominus jejunavit; quia quadragenarius numerus ex quatuor constat et decem, quater enim decem vel decies quatuor faciunt quadraginta ; per quatuor autem Novum Testamentum, quod in quatuor Evangelistis consistit, significatur ; per decem vero Vetus; quia in decem mandatis Legis continetur. Quadraginta ergo diebus jejunare, cst utriusque Testamenti praecepta servare, et ab illis omnibus quae utrumque Testamentum interdicit, se invicem et jejunium custodire, ut sicut caro exterius jejunat a cibis, ita et mens interius jejunet a vitiis. Jejunavit itaque Dominus quadraginta diebus et noctibus, quatenus in ciborum jejunio significaret nobis jejunium corporisf, et in dierum numero significaret jejunium cordis. Exemplum sane ipsius hic numerus dierum pcenitentialium in Ecclesia est. Unde et post Epiphaniam non statim incipit Ecclesia jejunare ; sed circiter post quadraginta dies, quasi ipso tempore jejunium suum jejunii Dominici consecutivum significans.
Unde Beda : « Quadragesima jejuniorum habet auctoritatem, et in veteribus libris ex jejunio Moysis et Eliae, et in Evangelio, quia totidem diebus Dominus jejunavit , demonstrans Evangelium non dissentire a Lege et Prophetis. In persona quippe Moysis, Lex; in persona Eliae, Prophetae accipiuntur; inter quos in monte gloriosus apparuit , ut evidentius emineret quod de illo dicit Apostolus : Testimonium habens a Lege et Prophetis : » haec Beda, Unde et Albinus : « Sicut Moyses Legem, Elias Prophetiam, ita Dominus noster Evangelicam praedicationem quadraginta dierum jejunio dedicat. Congrue etiam jejunium quadragesiniae statutum est confine Passioni Dominicae, quia significat nos a mundl amicitia debere continere, ut Deum sequi valeamus. » Unde Augustinus : «Moyses, et Elias, et ipseDominus quadraginta diebus jejunaverunt, ut insinuaretur nobis, et in Moyse , et in Elia , et in Christo , hoc est, in Lege et Prophetis, et in ipso Evangelio id nobiscum agi, ne conformemur et haereamus huic seculo ; sed crucifigamus hominem veterem, et carnis curam ne fecerimus in concupiscentiis. Congruit enim nostrae devotioni , ut qui Domini crucifixi Passionem celebraturi sumus, reprimendarum carnalium voluptatum crucem nobis ipsi etiam faciamus, sicut dicit Apostolus : Qui autem sunt Christi, carnem suam a-ucifixerunt cum vitiis et concupi^ scentiis, In hac quidem cruce, per totam istam vitam, quae in mediis tentationibus ducitur, perpetuo debet pendere Christianus. Non enim est in hac vita tempus evellendi clavos, de quibus in Psalmo dicitur : Confige timore tuo carnes meas. Cames enim sunt carnales concupiscentiae , davi sunt praecepta justitiae. His illas timor Dei configit , qui nos illi acceptabilem hostiam crucifigit.
Sic semper hic vive, Christiane , si terreno limo gressus non vis immergere, noli de ista cruce descendere : » haec Augustinus. Sed cave ne de ista cruce per voluptatum admixtionem descendas; quia, ut Augustinus, nihil prodest tota. die longum. duxisse jejunium , si postea ciborvim suavitate , vel nimietate, animaobruatur. Insuperhoc numero solvimus decimas et primitias Domino. Sunt enim in anno trecenti sexaginta sex dies, quorum, praeterquam sex dierum, decima est triginta sex; et ne sex residui remaneant indecimati, additur unus : quia minus addi non potest, tres autem alii superadditi solvuntur pro primitiis, pro quibus similiter sunt jejunia quatuor temporum, per tres dies. Sicut ergo in Lege offerre jubemur primitias et decimas rerum, ita quadraginta diebus jejunando offerimus primitias et decimas dierum. Ut qui nobismetipsis per acceptum annum viximus Auctori nostro, nos ejus in decimis et primitiis per abstinentiam mortificemus ; et qui a paradisi gaudiis per cibum cecidimus, ad haec, in quantum possumus, per abstinentiam resurgamus.
Igitur tempore quadragesimae plus solito debemus abstinentiae et devotioni intendere, et aliorum temporum negligentias hoc tempore sancto diluere et emendare. Hic numerus quadragenarius multipliciter est consecratus; nam quadraginta annis pavit Dominus filios Israel pane Angelorum in deserto; quadraginta mensibus praedicavit in mundo; quadraginta septimanis fuit in utero virgineo; quadraginta diebus jejunavit in deserto; quadraginta horis fuit in sepulchro , ab horis mortis computando ; quadraginta diebus fuit post resurrectionem cum di|cipulis in mundo. Item, secundum Ambrosium, quia quadraginta diebus aquae diluvii inundaverunt, per quas peccatores exterminati fuerunt, et exinde coeli serenitas illuxit, et refiisa fuit ; sic sacro isto jejunii tempore abolentur peccata, et refulget divina clementia.
Cum, ergo, jejunasset Dominus quadraginta diebus, et quadraginta noctibus, non ultra processit vel transiit jejunando, ne incredibilis videretur carnis assumptio, et ut virtus divinitatis celaretur diabolo; quia etiam tot diebus Moyses jejunavit, et Elias ; et postea Dominus esuriit. Non autem necessitate, sed voiuntate esuriit, et corpus esurire permisit, ut in se et veritatem hun»n8& uifirmitatis ostenderet, et occasionem tentandi diabolo dai^t, ac infestatus monstraret qualiter superare et vincere oporteret. Uade, secundum Cfuy^^^^'*^ • Per quadraginta dies non esurire, nea erat hominis; post«a autem esurire, non erat Dei ; et ideo diaboluS) sicut dubius de Christo, accepit occasionem tentandi ipsum. Moyses et Eiias, quadraginta diebus- jejunaverunt , sed jejunantes. esuriebant et sitiebant; Christus vero XL diebus non esuriit , sed. postea. Christus autem noluit jejunare plus quam illi, ne Deus a diabolo putaretur; nec minus, ne pmrus homo videretur.
Tunc ergo diatoolus sentiens Dominum esuri«e, accessit ut tentaret, si posset eum in peccatum dejicere, et ut exploraret an Filius Dei esset, quem sciebat quandoque venturum, et suam per eum potestatem amissurum. Et, secundum Gregorium, tfeivtarvit diabolus Dominum eisdem tribus modjs quibus primum hominem dejecerat. Primum hominem superavii gula, in vetito pomo; vana gioria, dicens : Eriti^ sieut Dei; avaritia dicens : Scientes bonum et maium, avaritia enim etiam dicitur scientiae et sublimitatis ambitio. Sic et Dominum tentavit, sed victus recessit. David Goliam prostravit tribus lapidibus de torrente ; Christus diabolum tribus testimoniis de Lege. Et, secundum eumdem Gregorium, cum tentatio tribus modis fiat, scilicet : suggestione, delectatione , et consensu y Dominus sola suggestione tentatus est; quia delectatio peccati mentem ejus non momordit , nec consensus eum superavit. Et ideo omnis illa tentatio foris, noa intus, fiiit; quia nihil contradictionis in semetipso toleravit. Utrum autem omnes istae tenjtationes factae sint una die, vel diversis , noa est ex(^ssum in Scripturis.
Primo itaque tentavit eum de gula, dicens : Si Filius Dei es » scilicet naturalis,. et per consequens in potestate ei aequalis, dic ut lapides isti paites flant, Cogitabat enim intra se, dicens : Si lapides in panes converterit, Filius Dei erit; si autem convertere non poterit, homo purus apparebit. Hoc etiam esurienti congrue dicebatur, ut panes videns, immoderato appetitu cibi accenderetur. Non solum experiri voluit, an Deus esset ; sed etiaqa quasi hominem allicere voluit,. ut esuriens ■ indebite delectaretur in cibo, et sic vitio gulae peccaret. Unde Hila-rius: : « Intendebat daemonum princeps ex mutatione] lapidum in panes, virtutem potestatis in Deo agnoscere; et in homine oblectamento cibi, patientiam esuritionis. illudere. Sed non potuit diabolus Magistrum decipere.
Taliter enim respondit, et sic se habuit, quod nec ipsum ad gulam poterat inducere^. nec deitatem ejus perpendere. Non enim in tentatione succubuit, seque Filium Dei esse nec negavit , nec asseruit, sed eum auctoritate Scripturae coavicit, dicens : Non in solo pane, scilicet corporali, vivit homo, et sustentatur, sed in omni verbo quod procedit de ore Dei, cum scilicet voluntatem suam per Scripturas revelat. » Unde Augustinus : « Certissime scitote , fratres charissimi , quia qualis est caro , quae post multos dies non percipit cibum, taUs est anima, quae non assidue pascitur Dei verbo : » haec Augustinus, Hoc etiam dictum Domini verificatur non solum de vita spirituall, sed etiam de. corporali,. sicut patet de Moyse, qul jejunavit xl diebus, et noctibus,, verb J et alloquio Dei spiritualiter et corporaHter snstentatus. Quasi diceret : Non tantum pane corporali sustentatur et vivit homo , sed etiam spirituali pane , sdlicet verbi Dei, pane operationis sanctae, pane gratise, tandem victurus in aeternum pane g^vm. Et ideo non oportet de lapidibus panes facere, quia licet esuriam, tamen Dominus potest solo sermone esurientem sustentare.
Unde persuasio tua tentatio est cum mentionem faciat, et mihi suadeat tantum de cibo corporis, non de cibo mentis. Secundum Chrysostomum, de Vcteri Testamento testimoniiim protulit atque praecepit, ut sive famem, sive aliquid aliud patiamur, nunquam tamen Dominum relinquamus. Dominus quidon Jesus panes de lapidibus fiacere potuit, sed noluit; nec decuit, et ideo non fecit : primo, ut diabolum ejus divinitas lateret ; secundo, ut per humilitatem et sapientiam magis quam per potentiam vincere nos doceret; tertio, ut ostentationem. fugere suaderet; quarto, utvolunt*tem tentatoris contemneret, quia fas non erat Dominum voluntati ejus obtemperare, et taliter tentator non vincitur, nisi contemnatur; quinto, ut doceret nunquam esse credendum diabolo, et nihil feciendum ad ejus imperium, etiamsi bonum et utile est quod suggerit vel lubet.
Mo~ raliter saepe suadei diabohis ut lapisy id est durities pcenitentiae, sub quadam specie discretionisconvertaitur in panem, id est, in delicias. et mollitiem, dicens r Jam filiu&Dei es, de cetero tanta austerirtate et poenitentia non indiges. Sic Jezabelvineam Naboth convertitin h<»tum olerum; sic Libanus convertitur in charmel, quod interpretatur mollis, quod fit frequenter hosiare festivitatis, vel causa societatis; sic Judsei petierunt a. PtlalQ> ne corpus Jesu maneret in cruce in die festo : tunc diabolo ista suadenti est respondendum ut supra, secundum responsionem Domini, Et nota hic exempla Domini resistendum esse gulae, nam ab ipsa inchoandum est, si cetera vitia volumus superare. Videtur enim quod qui gulae succumbit, imbecilfis reddatur ad alia vitia devincenda. Unde Beda : « Nisi prius gula refreenetur, frustra contra alia vitia laboratur. Et ideo primo hic ponitur tentatia cje gula; quia haec tentatio primo occurrit homini ab infantia, et aliae sequuntur postea. Quia ergo Dominus jejunans tentatus fuit , si tu jejunaveris et tenteris > non dicas : Quia jejunii mei fructum perdidu Nam et si non tibi profuit jejunium tuum, ut non tenteris; tamen proficiet ut a tentationibus non vincaris.
Ut autem anima a carne iiott vincatur, necesse est ut diabolo tentatori resistat,etDeo rectori serviat. » Unde Augusiinus : «Vis serviat caro tua sBiimae tua, Deo serviat. anima tua; debes regi> ut possis regere. » 13 Secunda tentatio db vana GLOftiA. . — Sed quia diabolus sic vincere eum non potuit, cogitavit apud se, dicens, sicut ait Chrjrsosiomus^: Homo iste sanctus videtur, Sancti autem, etsi non. vincuntur de vitio gulae, ssepe tamen vincuntur de aliquo motu vanae gloriae, et idco, tuttc assumpsit, Dominum et portavit, eum iit sanctam. civitaiem, in ^rusalem, quae respectu alMUiim, in quibus idola cotebantur, dii^atur sancta; quia divino cultui deputata.
propter templum et sanctai sanctorum, quae erant ibi , nec CDat licitum in Legc sacrificare alibi. Nunc autem cEcitur sancta^ propta: saoramenta nostrae Redemptionis ibi patrata. . Secundum ChrysoS" /om«m, Xhristua ex patientia, non impoitcntia„ se permisit assumi. Et hoc corporaliter , quia, secundum Glossam, verisimile est diabolum in humana specie apparuisse; sed tamen Christus sic egit, ut a nemine videretur. Et secundum aliquos eum in brachiis portavit; secundum alios, ad manum duxit, qui sequebatur eum quasi athleta ad tentationem sponte proficiscens. Considera hic benignitatem et patientiam Domini; permisit enim se portari, et contrectari ab illa cruenta bestia, quae suum et omnium amicorum suorum sanguinem sitiebat. Nec mirum.
secundum Gregorium, si se ab illo permisit duci, qui se pertulit a membris illius crucifigi. Et statuit, ac collocavit, eum su~ pra pinnaculum templi, ut eum de vana gloria tentaret ibi. Sciendum autem quod in templo crant tres mansiones : prima , pavimentum usque ad primum tabulatum, sive solarium altitudinis xxx cubitorum; secunda, a primo solario usque ad secundum, xxx etiam cubitis alta ; tertia, usque ad tertium solarium, quod erat tectum templi non cameratum, sed planum, altitudinis xl cubitorum. Quodlibet autem solarium habebat in circuitu exterius unum deambulatorium, et ista ambulatoria, secundum magistrum in historiis, dicuntur pinnacula, super quorum unum Christum statuit diabolus, et forte in eminentiori, vel forte inferiori, ubi Scribae et sacerdotes alloquebantur populum. exponendo LegemDomini. Et nota, secundum Glossam, quod in eo loco diabolus Christum de vana gloria tentabat, in quo multos per vanam gloriam in cathedra doctorum dcceperat. Et simile volens explorare quod supra, tentavit eum de vana gloria, et dixit ei : Si Filius Dei es, mitte te deorsum; quasi dicat : Virtute propria potes sine periculo te mittere deorsum, et etiam propter ministerium Angelorum tibi servientium, et te custodientium. Cogitabat quod si per aera volando ' sine laesione descenderet, Pilius Dei esset ; suasitque ut deorsum se mitteret, ut sic cadendo et non se laedendo, hommes mirarentur, et ipsum tanquam Dei Filium reverentur, et inde occasionem inanis gloriae assumeret, cum omnis civitas laudaret eum, et magnificaret.
Vere diabolica vox , quae non ad coeli ascensum, sed ad descensum provocat, et mentem hominis de altiori gradu meritorum praecipitare contendit. Non enim quos decipit sursum ascendere monet, sed in|ima provocat, ct deorsum ruere suadet; quia optat omnes cadere, qui se sentit prae omnibus cecidisse. Diaboli quippe est, stantes deorsum mittere; Dei autem jacentes sursum erigere. Dicens autem : Mitte te deorsum, infirmitatem suam raanifestat; quianemini potest nocere, nisi ipse deorsum se miserit. Nam ipse qui omnes deorsum cadere desiderat, persuadere quidem potest; praecipitare non potest. Unde Chrysostomus : u Non dixit mitio, ne vim facere videatur; sed mitte te deorsum dixit, ut ostenderet, quod unusquisque nostrum, libertate arbitrii et voluntatis suae culpa, cadit in mortem. Illius est quidem suadere, sed nostrum est persuasiones ejus per Legis observantiam superare.
Quia VCrO Christus supra usus est auctoritate, ideo ipse auctoritatem assumit Scripturae, et hoc non ut virtutes construat et doccat, sed ut errores ingerat, et fallat. Unde subjungit : Scriptum est enim de te, scilicet in Psalmista : Quia Angelis suis mandavit de te, ut conservent te a nocumento, et in manibus tollent te, deducendo, neforte offendas ad lapidem pedem tuum, malum incurrendo. Manus Angelonim dicitur hic potestas eorum duplex, scilicet : potestas servandi ia malo, et promovendi ad bonum; ita quod prima est sinistra, secunda dextra. Auctoritas haec non est ad propositum, quia, secundum Hieronymum, non intelligitur de Christo capite, sed de membris, id est, de quolibet justo. Christus enim non portatur manibus Angelorum, sed ipse Ve?' bo virtuiis suce poriai Angelos, et omnem creaturam ; nec indiget Angelorum auxilio, qui major est Angelis. Est ergo auctoritas illa, secundum Glossam, sic exponenda, quod Angelis suis administratoriis spiritibus Deus mandavit de te, viro justo, quicumque sis; uiiollani ie in manibus suis, id est, auxiliis suis sustollant, et ita custodiant te, ne forie offendas pedem, id est, mentem vel affectum mentis, ad lapidem, id est, ad aliquod offendiculum peccati. Lapis enim dicitur quasi lcedens pedem , unde omnis peccati et ruinae occasio, ad quam potest otfendi affectus mentis, nomine lapis intelligitur.
Est ergo sensus, quod Angelis mandavit Deus ut custodiant hominem justum a peccatis, non quod bonus homo confidens de custodia Angelorum debeat se praecipitio exponere ad suggestionem dsemonum. Ex quo loco, et illud cognoscitur, quia ad custodiendum Sanctorum vitam Angeli deputantur. Male ergo interpretatur diabolus Scripturam, et intellectum ejus pervertit, et sic impertinenter allegavit; item allegavit incomplete, quia etsi essetde Christo,etian\illud quodsequitur debuerat meminisse, scilicet : Super aspidem et basiliscum ambulabis, ei conculcabis leonem et draconem, Ipse enim diabolus est aspis et basiliscus, ipse leo et draco, quem in tentationibus Christus conculcavit; ideo partem Scripturae quae pro se facit tanquam superbus inducit , partem vero quae contra se est tanquam astutus dimittit. Nam de Angelorum auxilio quasi ad infirmum loquitur, de sui conculcatione quasi tergiversator tacet.
Sed et hic, secundum Hieronymum , auctoritate Scripturae adversarius devincitur , et sua intentione frustratur. Inomnibus his tentationibus. diabolus hoc agit, ut intelligat si Filius Dei sit; sed Dominus responsionem sic temperat, ut eum ambiguum relinquat. Unde respondens ait illi : Scripium est, et dictum, scilicet cuilibet homini : Non ten" tabis Dominum Deum tuum, scilicet quamdiu aliter evadere poteris ; ego autem homo sum, et aliter possum descendere, quam per jactantiam me praecipitare, et ideo nolo Deum tentare. Multipliciter autem quis tentat, scilicet indebite explorando Dei potentiam, vel indebite experiendo ejus voluntatem, vel indebite inquirendo ejus sapientiam, vel indebite experiendo quod poscit apud Deum. Sed haec sunt vitanda, quamdiu homo habet ex humana ratione et facultate aliud quod faciat. Unde hic est argumentum, quod quandocumque homo habet aliquid quod potest facere secundum vi^m humanae rationis, vel consilii, vel auxilii, ad evadendum periculum, non debet illud omittere, quaerendo divinum experimentum; quia, secundum Augustinum, si periculum, quantum caveri potest, non caveret , magis tentaret Deum quam in Deum speraret. Unde, quamvis Deus omnia possit, discipulis tamen suis ait : Si vos persecuti fuerini in civitaie isia, fugite in aliam.
Et ipse idem fugit et latuit. Et propter hoc probatio ferri candentis et monomachiae, id est, duelli, tanquam iUicita prohibentur in jure. Si %i4 vero deficit humana rat^ et providentia, et homo non habet aliud quod faciat, tunc secure ad Dei po~ tentiam se convertat, et suae providentise committat , non tentando , sed devote confitendo, quia sic non est dicenda tentatio.
Sed quia Christus adhuc habebat quid faceret, quia boni erant ibi gradus, per quos dc pinnaculo descendere poterat , ideo diabolo sic respondebat. Ubi Chrysostomus : « Nihil motus, nihil indignatus, sed cum multa modestia Scripturarum ei rursus voce respondet, nos utique docens, quia diabolum per patientiam atque tolerantiam, non per signa, superari; nihilque ad ostentationem nostri, atque ad amorem facere gloriando. »' Et iterum : a Aspice autem quomodo non turbatus est Dominus, imo de Scripturis humillime cum iniquo disceptat, ct conformeris Christo pro posse. Novit diabolus arma Christi, quibus succubuit. Ex mansuetudine eum cepit, ex humilitate devicit; tu quoque cum videris hominem effectum diabolum , et tibi obviantem, eo modo devincas. Doceas animam tuam formare, os concedens ori Christi. Sicut enim cum Romanus . forsitan residet fudex, non exaudiet responsum ignorantis eo modo loqui, sic et Christus nisi suo modo loquaris non exaudlet te, nec vocabit te : » haec Chrysostomus.
Moraliter : Multos diabolus elevat in altum , ut facilius ad gra\iorem trahat casum, sicut comix nucem clevat ut ab alto dejiciendo frangat; sic et pugil socium aterra sublevat ut prostemat , multi enim ducuntur in altum praelationis , et dejiciuntur ibi, qui in vallc simplicis status fuerant securi. In montibus enim Gelboe ceciderunt fortes Israel. Unde, secundum Augustinum, quanto quis in loco superiori, . tanto in periculo majori versatur. Et, secundum Chrxsostomum,pTgtlatos subversit elatio ; ideo ad talem locum Dominus se assumi permisit, nec tamen ibi diabolo consensit, ut in talibus locis positi, diabolo resisterent; supra pinnacula templi etiam diabolus hominem statuit quo se ceteris meliorem aestimet, et per ^lsam humilitatem deorsum se mittat, i6 Tertia tentatio Dei de avaRiTiA. — Ex tunc ergo , secundum Bemardum, quia Dominus nihil ostendit divinitatis, arbitratus hostis eum esse hominem, tentavit eum tertio ut hominem. Exinde enim assumens eum , reportavit eum in montem valde excelsum, secundo milliario a Quarantena versus Galilseam, ut scilicet locus congruat tentationi : sicut enim in deserto ubi est esuries , tentavit eum de gula; supra pinnaculum, ubi cathedra est doctorum , de vana gloria ; sic in monte, ubi videntur haec temporalia , tentat de avaritia. Et ostendit ei omnia regnamundi, non ea quae nesciebat indicando, sed, secundum Chrysostomum , ostendi ei ac si aliquis in loco excelso positus manum extenderet, dicens : Ecce ex illa parte est Africa, ex illa Palaestina, ex illa Graecia, ex illa Italia et hujusmodi.
Vel, ostendit, id est,. exposuit et narravit ei in momentO' et in brevibus omnia regna mundi, id est, omnium regnorum pompam, et gloriam ac magnitudinem , vel omnia concupiscibilia in mundo, sicut sunt divitiae, deliciae, et honores, ut quasi speciosa et delectabiKa suaderet, et vel sic eum siblksubjiceret. Momentum est decima pars puncti, vel quadragesima pars horae, punctus enim quarta pars horae est ; pcr hoc ergo significatur brevitas vel transitus bonorum temporalium mundi hujus. Unde Ambroshis : <i Bene autem in momento temporis secutaria et tcrrena monstrantur, non enim tam conspectus celeritatrs indicatur, quam caducae fragilitas potestatis exprimitur. In momento enim cuncta illa praetereunt, et saepe honor seculi abit antequam venerit, Et tentavit eum de avaritia Dominum omnium, ex arrogantia et jactantia prominens mendaciter, quae dare non poterat, et dicens : Hcsc omnia tibi dabo, et te Regem faciam, si cadens, tanquam inferior, adoraveris me , tanquam superiorem, quod vere esset cadere, et diabolo se subjicere. » Unde Chry' sostomus : « Nihil enim sic diabolo hominem subjici facit, ut inhiare opibus, ac habendi amore superari.» Ei iterum : « Regna mundi promittit ilK, qui regna coelorum credentibus praeparavit; gloriam seculi pollicetur ei , qui Dominus est gloriae coelestis; spondet se universa dare qui nihil habet, ei qui omnia possidet; ab eo se jubet adorari in terra, quem Angeli et Archangeli adorant in coelo : » haec Chrysostomus, Ubi et Glossa : a Ecce antiqua diaboli superbia : sicut enim in principio voluit se similem Deo facere, ita nunc volcbat divinum cultum sibi usurpare. » 1 7 De gloria mundi et aubitione.
— Et est hic notandum , quod si consideremus principium hujus tentationis, tunc tentatio est avaritiae; si finem, tentatio est idololatriae ; et bene jungitur, quia avaritia est idolorum servitus, Considerandum etiam quod gloria mundi, quae cum mundo peritura est, in monte et in supercilio demonstratur, et diabolus hominem ducere ad montem nititur, ut corruat et ei subjiciatur, suadens ut serviat ei, negligens justitiam Dei, a cujus servitio liberet nos Christus pro nobis tentatus et passus. Dominus autem ad campestria et humilia descendit , ut diabolum humilitate superaret. Nec intuebatur sibi ostensa oculo concupiscentiae, sicut nos, sed sicut medici sine laesione vident morbos. Cum ergp' volueris fieri magnus et ahus,. et ante oculos mentis ista proponis, scito quod diabolus tibi regna mundi ostendit , quae si consequi volueris, necesse est ut, procidens diabolum adores, quia adoratus diabolum ante corruit, et nunquam sine casu diabolus adoratur. Unde Ambrosius : « Habet enim ambitio domesticum periculum, et ut dominetur aliis prius servit , et curvatur obsequio , ut honore donetur, et dum vult esse sublimior, fit remissior. Omnis quidem potestas , et ordinatio potestatum a Deo est, sed a malo potestatis ambitio; nec est potestas mala, sed is qui male utitur potestate. Docemur ergo ambitionem despicere , eo quod diabolicae subjacet potestati : » haec Ambrosius.
i8 Injuria propria toleranda,.
Sed et hic homicida ille succubuit, et Dominus, et victor auctoritate divina comminatus cum abjecit et abscedere jussit, dicens : Vade et recede a me, scilicet in ignem aetemum, Satana, qui veritati et hominum saluti adversaris, In quo, ut ait Chrysostomus, finem tentandi diabolo ponit, ne progrediatur ulterius tentans. Continuo enim iHum in fugam vertit, neque aliis jam eum per semetipsum tentationibus appe tiit. Ubi etiam docemur proprias injurias portare, sed nullo modo Dei injurias tolerare. Unde idem Chrysostomus : a Christus, cum passus fuisset tentationis injuria, dicente sibi diabolo : Si FHius Dei es,, mitte te deorsum, non est turbatus, nec diabolum increpavit. Nunc autem quando diabolus Dei sibi usurpavit honorem, dicens : Hcecomnia tibidabo si, cadens, adoraveris me , exasperatus est et repulit eum, dicens : Vade, Satana, ut nos illius discamus exemplo nostras quidem injurias magnanimiter sustinere, Dei autem injurias neque usque ad auditum sufferre ; quoniam in propriis injuriis esse quempiam patientem laudabile est, injurias autem Dei dissimulare nimis impium est.» Ubi et Hieronymus : « Non ut plerique putant eadem Satanas, ut Apostolus Petrus, sententia condemnatur; Petro enim dicitur : Vade reiro me, Satana, id est, sequere me qui contrarius es voluntati meae ; hic vero audit : Vade, Satana , et non dicitur ei retro me, • ut subaudiatur : Vade in ignem seternum qui paratus est tibi , et Angelis tuis. Deinde Dominus subjungit : Scriptum est enim, omni homini, Dominum omnium, scilicet per potentiam, Deum, scilicet per creationem, tuum, scilicet qui debet esse tuus per cultum specialem, adorabis, interius fide, spe, et charitate , et illi soli servies, exterius servitute latriae. » Et per hoc, secundum Augustinum, non exduditur servitus debita dominis temporalibus.
Et, secundum Bedam, jubemur hic soli Deo servire servitute latrioe, quae soli divinitatis cultui debetur, unde et hi qui hanc idolis impendunt, idololatrce nuncupantur ; sed ab Apostolo jubemur per charitatem invicem servire servitute dulice, quae communis est, sive Deo, sive homini , sive cuilibet rerum naturae. Itaque, ut ait Beda, dicens diabolus Salvatori, si, procidens, adoraveris me; e contrario audivit quod ipse magis adorare debeat eum Deum et Dominum suum, quasi sibi diceret : Non ego te, sed tu me debes, ut Deum, adorare. Sed adoratio diaboli subjectionis est, non devotionis.
EIx supradicto ordine tentationis patet quod diabolus incipit a levioribus , et procedit ad gravia, deinde ad graviora et tandem ad gravissima. Incepit enim a tentatione levi, quando tentavit eum de gula, quae tentatio levis est, maxime tempore famis, et finaliter post alias pervenit ad gravissima, quando tentavit eum de idololatria. Vicit autem Christus ipsas tentationes, eis in suis principiis obviando. Nam mox cum diabolus tentationes inferebat, Christus eas repellebat. Sic et homo mox ut diaboH tentationes senserit, eas in suo initio debet repellere. Nam, ut dicit Hieronymus : « Lubricus est serpens antiquus , et nisi capite teneatur , totus statim illabitur. Habet enim serpens infernalis caput , scilicet malam [suggestionem ; habet corpus , scilicet consensum ; habet caudam, scilicet operis consummationem. Ubi autem ponit caput suggestionis , statim ponit corpus consensus ; et ubi ponit co^pus consensus , statim ponit caudam operis; et ideo in suo capite, id est, in sua suggestione est conterendus ; et tunc nocere non poterit, nec quantum ad corpus, nec quantum ad caudam, quia, amputato capite suggestionis , tota est contracta vis serpentis infernalis.
» 20 — Tunc consummata, id est, superata omni tentatione, ad quam explendam Dominus venerat , diabolus Lucifer non inveniens. quid ageret , audito Dei nomine, reliquit eum, quem tamen nunquam tenuit, quia superatus a tentatione cessavit, et recessit ab eo tanquam victus et confusus, usquead tempus; postea enim non tantum dolose tentaturus , sed aperte per Judaeos eum et in se et in membris suis impugnaturus advenit, quia appropinquante tempore Passionis persecutionem ei per pnncipes sacerdotum suscitavit; non per seipsum solum , sed et per alios , ac per organa et instrumenta sua propria , coepit eum impugnare, putans eum mortis timore dejicere. Secundum Chrysostomum, diabolus non quasi obediens praecepto recessit, sed divinitas Christi, et Spiritus Sanctus qui erat in eo excussit inde diabolum ; quod quidem ad nostram proficit consolationem, quia non tamdiu homines Dei diabolus tentat quamdiu vult, sed quamdiu Christus permiitit; et si eum permittat paulisper tentare ad nostram utilitatem, tamen repellit propter nostram infirmitatem ; quia non patitur nos tentari ultra quam possumus sustinere. Unde Augustinus : a Si tantum posset nocere diabolus quantum vult, aliquis justorum non remaneret. Tribusautem praemissis congressionibus , in quibus adhuc exercetur militia Christiana , omnis tentatio dicitur con sumpta in suis radicibus et superata; quia in gula, superbia, avaritia, ex quibus tentatio oritur , omnia vitia sibi confoederata sunt perempta. In his enim tribus est omnium materia delictorum , quorum semina in psa origine sunt cavenda ; quia , Joanne attestante, Omne quod est in mundo concupiscentia carnis est, et concupiscentia oculorum, et superbia vitce, Cui triplici hostis telo , totidem arma defensionis, scilicet scutum triangulum opponere debemus, 'ut jejunio concupiscentiam carnis, oratione superbiam, eleemosyna avaritiam repellamus. Sicut autem ille hostis antiquus a Domino usque ad tempus recessit , et tempore Passionis rediens, non in dolo, sed aperte eum impugnavit ; sic et nos aliquando tentare intermittit, et quando in tentatione non praevalet, a nobis usque ad aliud tempus recedit , ut quasi securos inveniens , repente rediens facilius inopinatus irrumpat. » Instruimur ergo hic ad cautelam , quia licet aliquam tentationem superemus, semper tamen diabolum ad pugnam paratum invenimus : tempore vero Passionis, omnino victus diabolus, relegatus est in infernum , in diebus Antichristi solvendus, secundum Apocalypsim Joannis.
Unde Augustinus innuit quod iste tentator fuerit Lucifer primus Angelus, iile superior qui primum hominem superaverat; credendus est autem ipse diabolus hominis formam ad horam assumpsisse, in qua Dominum circumducere, et ei colloqui posset. 21 Tentatio Christi tentationi protoparentis comparatur, et enumerantur figur-e victoriie quam RETULiT. — Et notandum, quod ordo tentationum Christi sic, secundum Matthaeum , positus fuit secundum ordinem tentationum Adae , qui fiiit iste : In quocumque die comederitis, ecce gula; eritis sicut dii, Qcce inanis gloria ; scientes bonum et malum, ecce avaritia, quae non est tantum pecuniae, sed et sublimitatis et scientiae , cum supra modum ambitur. Secundum vero Augustinum, certum nobis non est quae fuerit secunda , et quae tertia. Sed duo Evangelistae varie narrant. Potest ratio assignari, quia una tentatio de cupiditate principaliter, alia de elatione; et frequenter contingit quod unum vitium ex alio nascitur, et e converso ; et ideo Matthaeus praeponit unam , Lucas vero aliam. Unde Remigius : « Ob hoc Evangelistarum hanc iste , illam vero ille praemittit , quia inanis gloria, et avaritia ad invicem se gignunt. Christus vero diabolum in tentatione gulae superavit, et hoc quondam in idolo Belis , et draconis praefiguravit.
In Babylone enim idolum Belis pro Deo colebatur, quod multum comedere et biberc dicebatur; quod Daniel destruxit , et sacerdotes ejus interemit. Ibidem etiam in spelunca : CAPJT XXIL <iraco latitabat, quem gens tanquam Deum aestimabat , cui sacerdos statutis horis cibum offerebat; Daniel autem massam de pice et adipe, et pilis confecit, et in os draconis injecit. Quam cum comedit statim est eruptus, et sic uterque devorator, et gulosus per Danielem est destructus ; et ideo Daniel Christum designavit, qui tentationem gulae superavit,— SecundoXhristus etiam «uperavit diabolum in tentatione superbiae, et hoc prsefiguratum fuit olim in David , et nece Goliae. Golias superbissime de fortitudine sua :se jactavit , quem David fiinda ad terram dejecit, et proprio gladio interfecit. Golias gigaa figuram superbi tenet Luciferi ; David autem, pastor, qui hunc prostravit, Christus est, qui in tentatione superbiae humiliter triumphavit. — Tertio, Christus diabolum in tentatione avaritiae superavit, quod et David in nece leonis et ursi praefiguravit. Leo et ursus avaritiam figurabant , quia auferendo sibi ovem, eam perpetrabant, David autem ovem suam eripiens, raptores interfecit; et Christus, superata teritatione avaritiae, Satanam a se rejecit. » 22 De Angelorum accessu et siGNIFICATIONE TENTATIONUM ChRISTI.
— Abjecto autem Satana, accesserunt Angelij et tanquam victori ministrabant ei, sic qui viriliter, pugnando contra diabolum triumphaverit, ministerio et consortio Angelorum dignus erit. De tentationum vero suggestionibus, sicdicit Ckrysostomus : « Nunc breviter perstringamus quid significent Christi tentationes. Jejunium est abstinentia rei malae. Quando vero quis inflatus fiierit quasi sanctus, ductus est quasi super tectum ; et haec tentatio sequitur primam, qupniam victoria tentationis gloriationem operatur, et fit causa jactantiae. Fuge ergo exaltationem cordis, et non patieris ruinam. Ascensio autem montis est processio ab altitudine divitiarum et gloria hujus mundi , quae de superbia cordis descendit. » Sic etiam dicit Bernardus : « Qui quartam tentationem de Domino non legit, ignorat Scripturam quae dicit, quod militia est vita hominis super terram, Apostolus quoque dicit eum fuisse tentatumper omniapro similitudine absque peccato, » 23 CUR tentari VOLUIT DoiUNUS ? — Voluit autem Christus tentari pluribus ex causis : prima est, secundum Gregorium, ut per suam tentationem nos a nostris liberaret, sicut per suam mortem nos a nostra liberavit.
— Secunda est, secundum Hilarium, ut cautos nos faceret, ne scilicet aliquis quantumcumque sanctus praesumat de se, quasi de tentationibus sit immunis. Et ideo post baptismum, et accepto Spiritn Sancto, tentari voluit, ut ostenderet quod sanctificatis major pugna incumbit. — Tertia est, secundum Augustinum, ut nobis exemplum pugnandi daret , et per hoc nos instrueret, et ut esset Mediator, non solum per adjutorium, *sed etiam per exemplum. — Quarta est, secundum Chrysostomum, ut nos animaret, ut scilicet nemo turbetur de tentationibus praeter spem irruentibus , dum etiam Christum videt subdi tentationibus. — Quinta est^ secundum Leonem, ut diabolum vinceret, et vincendo ejus virtutem et audaciam rcprimeret. — Sexta est, secundum Apostolum, ut tentatis melius misereri, et compati sciret, et nobis de sua misericordia spem fkceret, quia homo tentatus facilius miseretur et compatitur tentatis. — Item tentari voluit , ut tentatis consolationem daret : fuit enim tentatus statim quando fuit baptv^atus , quando a Patre Filius est appellatus, quando Spiritus Sanctus in spede^olumbce super eum mansit. sSg quando coelum sibi aperium fuit, quando quadraginta diebus et woctibus jejunavit; ut per hoc detur intelligi , quod si aliquis tentatur , non propter hoc est minus a pec<:ato mundatus , non est mlnus Dei filiatione dignus, non est minus Spiritu Sancto plenus , non est minus ccelo dignus, non est minus in poenitentia sua Deo acceptus.
24 — lileo quia Dominus sic fuit contrectatus et tentatus. , non miremur si nos tentamur; et quia in omnibus vicit, nitamur et nos, ejus «djutono, ut vincamus. Nec in aliqua virtute nostra confidamus, sed totam spem et fiduciam in ad)utorio Altissimi ponamus. Et sicut ubique Dominus adversarium suum non virtute potentiae, sed auawitate ^cripturae, convicit, dicens : Scripium est, quia humilitate, non potentia, eum vincere, et suae patientiae nobis exemplum praebere volebat ; sic et nos quoties a pravis iiominibus aliquid patimur , ad doctrinam potius quam ad vindictam excitemur, et adversarios nostros kumilitate et patientia, magisquam ^perbia et potentia, vincamus. Attende itaque ex praedictis documentum, quod Dominus in omnibus tentationibus suis usus est auctoritatibus sacrae Scripturae ad nos informandum. Attende quid ille respondit; et quando talis teatatio advenerit, dic illud et tu , semper videiicet respondendo per Scripturam, sicut et ipse fecit. Unde si tenti^t de appetitu bonorum, debemus respondere, scriptmn est r Qfiid suiperbis^ terra et cinis? Omnis po^ ieniatus brevis est viia, Si tentat de ^ypetitu divitiarum, respondeamus, scriptum est : Nihil iniulimus in bunc mundum , nec auferre quid possumus; et : Nudus egressussum de utero matris mece, et nuduM repertar illuc, Si tentat dc app^tu deliciarum carnalium, respondeamus, scriptum est : Caro et sangnis regnum Dei possidere nonpossunt; ubi, secundum Glossam , per carnem et sanguincm , ventrem et libidinem, id est opera carnalia, designat.
£t ita de aliis quibuscumque vitiis impugnamur, semper utamur dypeo sacrae Scripturae ad defensioaem nostram contra istud vitium. De praemissis Domini ^ctis, sic dicit Anselmus : « De Baptismo , in desertum in spiritu fortitudinis ingressus es , ut vitae solitariae in te non deesset exemplum. Solitudinem et jejunium quadraginta dierum , famis acerbitatem , tentamenta illusods spiritus aequanimiter tolerasti, ut omnia haec nobis tolerabilia efiiceres.» Et iterum : «Exinde diiectissimus Jesus solitudinis tibi secreta dicavit, et sanctificavit ibi jejunium, ibi subeundum docens cum callido hoste conflictum. Haec tibi facta , pro te facta , et quonam modo facta sunt diligenter attendens ; dilige eum a quo facta sunt : » h«c Anselmus. Eia nunc, Christi discipule , cum pio magistro solitudinis secreta perquire, ut so^ dus ferarum effectus, arcana silentii orationis devotae , diuturni jejunti, trinae conflictationis cum callido hoste imitator fias, et particeps, et in omni tentationis discrimine ad ipsum discas habere recursum» pro eo quod non habemus pontificem qvi non possit compaii injirmitati'~ ^s nostris, tentatum per omnia pro similitudine absque peccaia, Nec timere debes tentationes aut dubitare in eis , quia quos Deus diligit, saepe castigat, et multce tribulaOones, non quorumcumque , sod justorum, ut cum probati fiierint, coronam vitae accipiant. Unde ilm» h-osius : « Docet igitur te Scriptura divina, non sohim contra carnem et sanguinem, sed etiam contra insidias spirituales esse certamen. Corona proposita est, subounda certaminasunt; nemo potest, nisi vicerit, coronari; nemo autcm vincere, nisi ante certaverit.
Ipsi quoque coronae major est fructus, ubi major est labor. Et ideo tentationem nunquam timere debemus , est enim causa victoriae , materia triumphorum; non timeamus tentationes, sed magis in tentationibus gloriemur, dicentes cum Apostolo : Cum inflrmor, tunc potens sum. Tunc enim nectitur corona justitiae ; tolle Mart}Tum certamina , tulisti coronas ; tolle cruciatus, tulisti beatitudines. Non debemus igitur tentationes seculi pro malis timere, quibus bona praemia comparantur, sed magis rogare contemplatione conditionis humanae, ut eas tentationes subeamus quas ferre possumus : » haec Ambrosius, Unde et Prosperus : « Ad magnam utilitatem fidelium reservata est materia certaminum, ut non auperbiat sanctitas , quamdiu hostium incursum sentit infirmitas. » 25 Tentationum species et moDus. — Attentat autem diabolus specialiter sex modis : in bonis per elationem, in malis per desperationem, in otio per luxuriam, in negotiis per turbationem, in justitia per crudelitatem , in misericordia per adulationem. Et quamvia multis modis tentet, quatuor tamen modis specialiter decipit et fallit : primo , suadendo bonum propter malum, ut cum homini instabili suadet religionis ingressum, propter hoc ut apostatet postmodum. — Secundo, suadendo malum sub specie boni, ut perjurare pro rebus alienis conservandis.
— Tertio, dissuadendo bonum tanquam nocivum, ut cum dissuadet bono viro religionis ingressum, ne de hoc poeniteat , et egrediens confundatur. Vel quando dissuadet alicui orationem vel eleemosynam, ne pcr hoc incurrat vanam gloriam. — Quarto, dissuadendo malum ut pejus adducat, ut quando dissuadet intemperantiam victus et somni, ut in non discretam abstinentiam , quod pejus est^ inducat. Multa ergo sollicitudine praecavendum est omnibus, ne diabolicis capiantur insidiis , et ejus invoivantur laqueis, quos ubique praetendit modis variis. Unde Leo Papa : « Non desinit hostis antiquus transfigurans se in Angelum lucis deceptionum laquebs ubique praetendere. Novit cui adhibeat aestus cupiditatis, cui illecebras gulce ingerat, cui apponat incitamenta luxuriae, cui infundat virus invidiae. Novit quem moerore conturbet, quem gaudio fallat, quem metu opprimat, quem admiratione seducat; omnem discutit consuetudinem , ventilat curas, scrutatur aflFectus; et ibi quaerit causas nocendi , ubi quemque studiosius viderit occupari : » haec Leo, SoUicite ergo quilibet vigilet, quia nuUus sine tentatione est. Unde Bernardus : « Hoc praemonitos vos esse volo, quia nemo in corpore vivere poterit sine tentatione, et qui ab una liberatur, statim exspectet aliam, et sic petat ab ea liberari, ut noverit aliam protinus esse venturam ; saepius enim fit ut unam Dominus patiatur diutius immorari , ne alia possit accedere , aut ab una citius liberet , ut alia possit exercere : » haec Bernardus, 26 De ministratione Angelorum» — Victoria itaque facta et tentatore victo prae confusione recedente, venerunt et redierunt Angeli, ut servientes etsubjecti sibi ad obsequium parati , et accedentes ministrabant ei, sicut vero Domino proprii servi voluntatem ejus implentes, qui, prsecipiente Domino, ad tempus recesserant, agonem ejus procul aspicientes, ut divinitas ejus diabolum magis lateret; et ut convenientius locum tentandi haberet, ne forte videns circa eum Angelos , ad eum non appropinquaret ; et ut victoria Christi excellentior appareret, ex hoc quod solus ipsum devinceret, et ne eorum praesidio eguisse vel vicisse videretur.
Praecedit tentatio, ut victoria sequatur ; post victoriam statim serviunt Angeli , ut victoris dignitas comprobetur. Ex hoc enim divinitas Christi apparet , et fit manifesta, quia nulla natura est super angelicam, nisi divina. Etsecundum Gregorium, ex hac re, unius personae utraque natura ostenditur, quia et homo est, quem diabolus tentat ; et idem ipse Deus est, cui ab Angeiis ministratur. Haec autem ministratio tripliciter potest accipi :primo,de corporali subventione, ut sit sensus, ministrabant, id est, esurienti in cibo subveniebant; secundo , de adoratione , ut sit sensus , minisirabant, id est, ipsum tanquam Deum suppliciter adorabant ; tertio, de congratulatione et laudatione, ut sit sensus, ministrabant, id est,sibi pugnanti et vincenti congaudebant, et eum laudabant. De hac victoria Domini et ministerio Angelorum, sic dicit Anselmus : « Quadraginta dierum completo jejunio, diabolum cum suis tentamentis superans, angelico est ministerio glorificatus, edocens nos toto vitae praesentis tempore delectationes rerum temporalium declinando, mundum cum suo principe pedibus nostris substernere , et sic angelicis praesidiis communiri. » Unde et Bernardus : « Deinde tentationibus superatis, et tentatore fugato, accesserunt Angeli €t ministrabant ei; et tu ergo si vis habere ministerium Angelorum, fuge consolationes seculi, et tentationibus resiste diaboli ; renuat consolari anima tua in aliis , si vis in Dei memoriadelectari. » Undeetiam Chrysostomus : « Quamdiu enim fuit in conflictu positus, nequaquam Angelos apparere permisit, ne scilicet ante victoriam superandum fugaret. Postquam vero illum per cuncta devicit, et victum fugere praecepit, tunc Angeli consequenter apparent, ut tu discas quod te quoque post confectam de diabolo victoriam Angeli repente suscipient, plaudentes tibi , teque • stipatorum more ubique comitantes, etinomnibus honorantes.
Sic utique et Lazarum post fornacem paupertatis ac famis, totius prorsus angustiae, suscipientes ad requiem pertulerunt. -» Et iterum : « Angeli agonem Christi procul aspiciebant, ne videretur eorum praesidio devicisse ; et, victoria facta, accesserunt et ministrabant ei, 27 ' EST DoMiNus. — Sed quid ministrabant Scriptura non exprimit , satis vero credibile est quod ministrabant ei aliquid comestibile, ut servi et ministri , quia legitur esuriisse ; et hoc non propter necessitatem impotentiae Christi ei ministrabant, sed ad reverentiam exhibendam, et propter honorificentiam potestatis; non enim dicitur quod adjuvant, sed quod ministrant : » haec Chrysostomus, Hic diligentius attende, et conspiceDominum comedentem solum, circumstantibus Angelis , et considera bene omnia, quia pulchra sunt valde et devota. Et quaero quid Angeli ministrabant, ut post tam longum jejunium comederetl* De hoc enim Scriptura non loquitur : possumus autemvictoriosumprandium, sicut volumus, ordinare , et quidem si cjus potentiam consideremus, poterat res quas vellet cretre , et pro suae voluntatis arbitrio creatas habere ; sed non invenimus quod hac potentia pro se vel discipulis suis usus fuerit ; pro turbis vero usus fuit, quas duabus vicibus in multitudine magna de panibus paucis pavit. De discipulis autem legimus I quod, eo praesente, vellebant spicas propter famem, et comedebant ; simi^ter cum ipse fieitigatus ez itinere sedebat super pufteum loquens cum Samaritana, non dicitur quod creaverit cibos, sed quod miserit disci^ pulos tn civitatem, ad qusrendura. eos. Nec est verisimile quod per miraculum sibi provideret; quia miracula ad aliorum aedificationem, et in praesentia plurium fieiciebac, sed hic non erant aliqui, nisl An~ geii. Quid ergo circa hoc medita-^ bimur?
In monte namque iUo non erat habitatio hominum et cibi parati; sed alibi parata cibaria portaverunt ei Angeli, sicut contigit Danieli. Cum enim Habacuc Propheta pulmentum messoribus suis parasset , portavit eum Angelus Domini percapillos dc Judae» in Babylonem ad Danielem ut comederet, et postea in momento eum reportavit.
Immoremur ergo hic, et hunc modum assumamus, et cura Domino Jesu in suo prandio jucundemur, sentiatque Mater sua excellentissima de hac eadem jucunditate atque victoria. Pie atque devote sic meditemur : pergunt duo ex Angelis,, Domino annuente , et in momento fiierunt coram Matre, ac eam reverenter salutantes, de Filii sui statu sibi narrant , et modicum pulmentum quod sibi et Joseph- paraverat, ac panem. cum aHis opportunis re portuit; reversi ergoparaju in plana terra, eti mensae benedictioikem solemniter peragunt. Conspice hic eum bene, in singulis quse agit et qu® fiunt : sedet in terra com— posite , et comedit sobrie ; circumstant Angeli ministrantes Do> mino suo , et hy>mnum cantant de canticis Sion, ac jucimdantmv et diem festum' agunt cum eo. . Sed^ sr\ dici liceat, permixtum est hoc festum oompassione pepmaxima». propter quam et nos plorare debftremus. Conspiciunt enim eum reverenter, et considecantes Deom ac Dominum suum, et totiua znundx Creatorem, gui dat escam onmi.
ccmii, sic humiliatum, et susjtentatioBe dbi corporalis indigentem;». et comedentem sicut ceteros dr populo, moventur compossioiie su> per eo. £t credo quod st corde affe^ ctuoso in hoc statu eum respiceres» et eum aliqualiter diligeres , ex. var^ lida compassione plorares. Tandem sustentatione cibi percepta, et gratiarum actione reddita, Dominus Jesus volens ad Matrem redire, coepit de monte descendere^ Conspice etiam nunc bene eum, quonaodo solusvadit, nudis pedibua, Dominus^ omnium , et ei vehemeotter coqapatere, et vade semper cum eo^^sei:* viens ipsi in omnibus sludiose» ORATia Bone Jesu,, qui ductus, in deserto a Spiritu, jejunans quadragkita dlebus et nQGtibus, et postea esuriens tentatorem tuum superasti, da mihi, misericors, per virtutem abstinentiae et continentiae jejunare a vitiis et peccatis, eaurire et sitire justitiam» et ut tentatorem meum, imo tentatores meos, mundum, carncm, diabgUim, Deus„ tua gratia^ Deus, tuo auxilLo valeam superare* : et quia tentatio est vita nostra, et miseria super terram, memento, Domine, nostrae miseriae ac laboris, et da nobis in tentatione non cadece, sed per tuam tentationem semper vincere, et tandem ab omptbus teBtationibus misericorditer liberari. Amen.
Scripture echoes
- ↩Jer.9.21 — Speak thus — declares the LORD — and the corpse of man shall fall like dung upon the face of the field, and like sheaves after the reaper, and there is none to gather.
- ↩Ps.38.3 — Because your arrows have pierced me, and your hand has pressed down on me.
- ↩Ps.90.11-Ps.90.12 — Who knows the power of your anger, and, in keeping with the fear you are due, your wrath? Ps.90.12 — Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.
Notes
- 1 ↩The Latin text uses medical metaphors (diet, electuary, sweat, plaster, potion, bloodletting) to describe the Passion of Christ as a healing regimen for the soul.
- 2 ↩The Latin text contains a typo 'etian\illud' which has been rendered as 'even if... he should have remembered'.
- 3 ↩The source text 'i8' appears to be a typographical error or a marginal reference marker; it has been omitted from the translation as it does not contribute to the semantic content.
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