Gregorius in Evang Dubitari autem a quibusdam solet a quo spiritu sit ductus Iesus in desertum, propter hoc quod subditur assumpsit eum Diabolus in sanctam civitatem. Sed vere et absque ulla quaestione convenienter accipitur ut a spiritu sancto ductus esse credatur, ut illuc eum suus spiritus duceret ubi hunc ad tentandum spiritus malignus invenit. Greg., Hom. in Ev., 16, 1 Some doubt what Spirit it was that led Jesus into the desert, for that it is said after, “The Devil took him into the holy city.” But true and without question agreeable to the context is the received opinion, that it was the Holy Spirit; that His own Spirit should lead Him thither where the evil spirit should find Him and try Him. Augustinus de Trin Cur seipsum quoque tentandum praebuit? Ut ad superandas tentationes mediator esset, non solum per adiutorium, verum etiam per exemplum. Aug., de Trin., 4, 13 Why did He offer Himself to temptation? That He might be our mediator in vanquishing temptation not by aid only, but by example. Chrysostomus super Matth Est autem ductus a spiritu sancto, non quasi minor maioris praecepto: non enim solum ductus dicitur qui alicuius potestate ducitur, sed etiam ille qui alicuius rationabili exhortatione placatur, sicut scriptum est de Andrea, quod invenit Simonem fratrem suum et adduxit eum ad Iesum. Pseudo-Chrys. He was led by the Holy Spirit, not as an inferior at the bidding of a greater. For we say, “led,” not only of him who is constrained by a stronger than he, but also of him who is induced by reasonable persuasion; as Andrew “found his brother Simon, and brought him to Jesus.” Hieronymus Ducitur autem non invitus aut captus, sed voluntate pugnandi. Jerome “Led,” not against His will, or as a prisoner, but as by a desire for the conflict. Chrysostomus super Matth Ad homines enim Diabolus vadit ut tentet eos; quoniam autem adversus Christum Diabolus ire non poterat, ideo contra Diabolum Christus processit; unde dicitur ut tentaretur a Diabolo. Pseudo-Chrys. The Devil comes against men to tempt them, but since He could not come against Christ, therefore Christ came against the Devil. Gregorius in Evang Sed sciendum nobis est, quia tribus modis tentatio agitur: suggestione, delectatione et consensu; et nos cum tentamur, plerumque in delectationem aut in consensum labimur, quia de carnis peccato propagati in nobisipsis etiam gerimus unde certamina toleramus; Deus vero, qui in utero virginis incarnatus, in mundum sine peccato venerat, nihil contradictionis in semetipso tolerabat. Tentari ergo per suggestionem potuit, sed eius mentem peccati delectatio non momordit; atque ideo omnis diabolica illa tentatio, foris, non intus fuit. Greg. We should know that there are three modes of temptation; suggestion, delight, and consent; and we when we are tempted commonly fall into delight or consent, because being born of the sin of the flesh, we bear with us whence we afford strength for the contest; but God who incarnate in the Virgin’s womb came into the world without sin, carried within Him nothing of a contrary nature. He could then be tempted by suggestion; but the delight of sin never gnawed His soul, and therefore all that temptation of the Devil was without not within Him. Chrysostomus in Matth Tunc autem maxime instat Diabolus ad tentandum cum viderit solitarios; unde etiam in principio mulierem tentavit sine viro eam inveniens; unde et sic per hoc etiam Diabolo datur occasio tentandi quod ducitur in desertum. Chrys. The Devil is wont to be most urgent with temptation, when he sees us solitary; thus it was in the beginning he tempted the woman when he found her without the man, and now too the occasion is offered to the Devil, by the Savior’s being led into the desert. Glossa Hoc desertum est in Ierusalem et Iericho ubi morabantur latrones, qui locus vocatur dammin, idest sanguinis, propter effusionem sanguinis quam ibi latrones faciebant; unde et homo cum descendisset a Ierusalem in Iericho incidisse dicitur in latrones, gerens figuram Adae, qui a Daemonibus victus est. Conveniens ergo fuit ut ibi Christus Diabolum superaret ubi Diabolus hominem sub figura superasse dictum est. Gloss. ap. Anselm This desert is that between Jerusalem and Jericho, where the robbers used to resort. It is called Hammaim, i.e., ‘of blood,’ from the bloodshed which these robbers caused there; hence the man was said (in the parable) to have fallen among robbers as he went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, being a figure of Adam, who was overcome by daemons. It was therefore fit that the place where Christ overcame the Devil, should be the same in which the Devil in the parable overcomes man. Chrysostomus super Matth Non solum autem Christus ductus est in desertum a spiritu, sed et omnes filii Dei habentes spiritum sanctum: non enim sunt contenti sedere otiosi, sed Spiritus Sanctus urget eos aliquid magnum apprehendere opus, quod est ire in desertum quantum ad Diabolum, quia non est ibi iniustitia, qua Diabolus delectatur. Omne etiam bonum est extra carnem et mundum, quia non est secundum voluntatem carnis et mundi. Ad tale ergo desertum omnes filii Dei exeunt ut tententur: ut puta si non proposuisti ducere uxorem, duxit te Spiritus Sanctus in desertum, idest extra fines carnis et mundi, ut tenteris concupiscentia carnis: quomodo enim tentatur libidine qui tota die est cum uxore? Scire debemus, quod filii Dei non tentantur a Diabolo nisi in desertum exierint; filii autem Diaboli in carne et mundo constituti confringuntur et parent; sicut bonus homo, si uxorem habuerit, non fornicatur, sed sufficit ei uxor sua; malus autem etiam habens uxorem, fornicatur, et non est uxore contentus; et sic in omnibus invenies. Filii ergo Diaboli non exeunt ad Diabolum ut tententur. Quid enim opus habet ad certamen exire qui non desiderat vincere? Qui autem gloriosiores sunt filii Dei, extra fines carnis exeunt contra illum quia victoriae gloriam concupiscunt. Propterea et in hoc Christus exiit ad Diabolum ut tentaretur ab eo. Pseudo-Chrys. Not Christ only is led into the desert by the Spirit, but also all the sons of God who have the Holy Spirit. For they are not content to sit idle, but the Holy Spirit stirs them to take up some great work, i.e., to go out into the desert where they shall meet with the Devil; for there is no righteousness wherewith the Devil is pleased. For all good is without the flesh and the world, because it is not according to the will of the flesh and the world. To such a desert then all the sons of God go out that they may be tempted. For example, if you are unmarried, the Holy Spirit has by that led you into the desert, that is, beyond the limits of the flesh and the world, that you may be tempted by lust. But he who is married is unmoved by such temptation. Let us learn that the sons of God are not tempted but when they have gone forth into the desert, but the children of the Devil whose life is in the flesh and the world are then overcome and obey; the good man, having a wife is content; the bad, though he have a wife is not therewith content, and so in all other things. The children of the Devil go not out to the Devil that they may be tempted. For what need that he should seek the strife who desires not victory? But the sons of God having more confidence and desirous of victory, go forth against him beyond the boundaries of the flesh. For this cause then Christ also went out to the Devil, that He might be tempted of him. Chrysostomus in Matth Ut autem discas quam magnum bonum est ieiunium, et qualiter scutum est adversum Diabolum, et quoniam post Baptismum non lasciviae, sed ieiunio intendere oportet, ipse ieiunavit, non eo indigens, sed nos instruens. Chrys. But that you may learn how great a good is fasting, and what a mighty shield against the Devil, and that after baptism you ought to give attention to fasting and not to lusts, therefore Christ fasted, not Himself needing it, but teaching us by His example. Chrysostomus super Matth Et ut quadragesimi nostri ieiunii poneret mensuram, quadraginta diebus et quadraginta noctibus ieiunavit; unde sequitur et cum ieiunasset quadraginta diebus et quadraginta noctibus. Pseudo-Chrys. And to fix the measure of our quadragesimal fast, be fasted forty days and forty nights. Chrysostomus in Matth Non autem ultra processit ieiunando quam Moyses et Elias ne incredibilis videretur carnis assumptio. Chrys. But He exceeded not the measure of Moses and Elias, lest it should bring into doubt the reality of His assumption of the flesh. Gregorius in Evang Ipse autem auctor omnium in quadraginta diebus nullum omnino cibum sumpsit. Nos quoque quantum possumus, Quadragesimae tempore carnem nostram per abstinentiam affligamus. Quadragenarius autem numerus custoditur, quia virtus Decalogi per libros quatuor sancti Evangelii impletur; denarius etenim quater ductus, in quadragenarium surgit. Vel quia in hoc mortali corpore ex quatuor elementis subsistimus, per cuius voluptatem praeceptis dominicis contraimus, quae per Decalogum sunt accepta. Qui ergo per carnis desideria Decalogi mandata contempsimus, dignum est ut eamdem carnem quaterdecies affligamus. Vel sicut in lege offerre debemus decimas rerum, ita ei offerre contendimus decimas dierum. A prima enim dominica Quadragesimae usque ad paschalis solemnitatis gaudia sex hebdomadae veniunt, quarum dies quadraginta et duo sunt, ex quibus dum sex dies dominici ab abstinentia subtrahuntur, remanent triginta sex. Dum vero per tercentum sexaginta quinque dies annus ducitur, nos autem per trigintasex dies affligimur, quasi anni nostri decimas Deo damus. Greg., Hom. in Ev., 16, 5 The Creator of all things took no food whatever during forty days. We also, at the season of Lent as much as in us lies afflict our flesh by abstinence. The number forty is preserved, because the virtue of the decalogue is fulfilled in the books of the holy Gospel; and ten taken four times amounts to forty. Or, because in this mortal body we consist of four elements by the delights of which we go against the Lord’s precepts received by the decalogue. And as we transgress the decalogue through the lusts of this flesh, it is fitting that we afflict the flesh forty-fold. Or, as by the Law we offer the tenth of our goods, so we strive to offer the tenth of our time. And from the first Sunday of Lent to the rejoicing of the paschal festival is a space of six weeks, or forty-two days, subtracting from which the six Sundays which are not kept there remain thirty-six. Now as the year consists of three hundred and sixty-five, by the affliction of these thirty-six we give the tenth of our year to God. Augustinus in Lib. 83 quaest Vel aliter. Omnis sapientiae disciplina est creatorem creaturamque cognoscere. Creator est Trinitas: pater et filius et Spiritus Sanctus; creatura vero partim est invisibilis, sicut anima, cui ternarius numerus tribuitur (diligere enim Deum tripliciter iubemur: ex toto corde, ex tota anima et ex tota mente), partim visibilis, sicut corpus, cui quaternarius debetur propter calidum et frigidum, humidum et siccum. Denarius ergo numerus, qui totam insinuat disciplinam, quater ductus, id est numero qui corpori debetur, multiplicatus, quia per corpus administratio geritur, quadragesimum numerum conficit, cuius partes aequales ad quinquaginta perveniunt; unum enim et duo et quatuor et quinque et octo et decem et viginti, quae sunt partes quadragenarii, simul iuncta, efficiunt quinquaginta. Et ideo tempus quo ingemiscimus et dolemus quadragenario numero celebratur. Status autem beatitudinis, in quo erit gaudium, quinquagesimae celebratione praefiguratur, idest a Pascha usque ad Pentecosten. Aug., Lib. 83. Quest. q. 81 Otherwise; The sum of all wisdom is to be acquainted with the Creator and the creature. The Creator is the Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; the creature is partly invisible,—as the soul to which we assign a threefold nature, (as in the command to love God with the whole heart, mind, and soul,)—partly visible as the body, which we divide into four elements; the hot, the cold, the liquid, the solid. The number ten then, which stands for the whole law of life, taken four times, that is, multiplied by that number which we assign for the body, because by the body the law is obeyed or disobeyed, makes the number forty. All the aliquot parts in this number, viz. 1, 2, 4, 5, 8, 10, 20, taken together make up the number 50. Hence the time of our sorrow and affliction is fixed at forty days; the state of blessed joy which shall be hereafter is figured in the quinquagesimal festival, i.e., the fifty days from Easter to Pentecost. Augustinus in Serm. de Quadragesima Non autem quia Christus post acceptum Baptismum continuo ieiunavit, regulam observationis dedisse credendum est, ut post Christi Baptismum continuo ieiunare necesse sit. Sed quando acriori certamine cum tentatore confligitur, ieiunandum est, ut corpus impleat de castigatione militiam et animus impetret de humiliatione victoriam. Aug., Serm. 210, 2 Not however because Christ fasted immediately after having received baptism, are we to suppose that He established a rule to be observed, that we should fast immediately after His baptism. But when the conflict with the tempter is sore, then we ought to fast, that the body may fulfill its warfare by chastisement, and the soul obtain victory by humiliation. Chrysostomus super Matth Sciebat autem dominus cogitationem Diaboli, quia volebat eum tentare: audierat enim quia Christus natus est in hoc mundo Angelis praedicantibus, pastoribus referentibus, magis quaerentibus et Ioanne ostendente. Unde dominus processit contra eum, non quasi Deus, sed quasi homo; magis autem quasi Deus et homo. Nam per quadraginta dies non esurire non erat hominis; aliquando autem esurire non erat Dei. Unde esurivit, ne manifeste intelligatur Deus, et sic Diaboli spem tentandi extingueret, suam autem victoriam impediret; unde sequitur postea esuriit. Pseudo-Chrys. The Lord knew the thoughts of the Devil, that he sought to tempt Him; he had heard that Christ had been born into this world with the preaching of Angels, the witness of shepherds, the inquiry of the Magi, and the testimony of John. Thus the Lord proceeded against him, not as God, but as man, or rather both as God and man. For in forty days of fasting not to have been “an hungred” was not as man; to be ever “an hungred” was not as God. He was “an hungred” then that the God might not be certainly manifested, and so the hopes of the Devil in tempting Him be extinguished, and His own victory hindered. Hilarius in Matth Nam post quadraginta dies, non in quadraginta diebus esuriit. Igitur cum dominus esuriit, non inediae surrepsit operatio, sed naturae suae hominem dereliquit. Non enim erat a Deo Diabolus, sed a carne vincendus. Qua rerum ratione indicat, post quadraginta dierum consummationem, quibus post passionem in saeculo erat commoratus, esuritionem se humanae salutis habiturum; quo in tempore expectatum Deo patri munus, hominem quem assumpserat, reportavit. Hilary He was “an hungred,” not during the forty days, but after them. Therefore when the Lord hungred, it was not that the effects of abstinence then first came upon Him, but that His humanity was left to its own strength. For the Devil was to be overcome, not by the God, but by the flesh. By this was figured, that after those forty days which He was to tarry on earth after His passion were accomplished, He should hunger for the salvation of man, at which time He carried back again to God His Father the expected gift, the humanity which He had taken on Him. Lectio 2 Lecture 2 3 Et accedens tentator dixit ei: Si Filius Dei es, dic ut lapides isti panes fiant. 3. And when the Tempter came to Him, he said, “If Thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.” 4 Qui respondens dixit: Scriptum est: Non in solo pane vivit homo, sed in omni verbo, quod procedit de ore Dei. 4. But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.’ “ Chrysostomus super Matth Quia Diabolus videns per quadraginta dies Christum ieiunantem desperaverat, postquam esurientem sensit, iterum coepit sperare; unde sequitur et accedens tentator. Si ergo ieiunaveris et tenteris, ne dicas quia perdidi fructum ieiunii mei; nam etsi non tibi profuit ieiunium tuum ut non tenteris, tamen proficiet ut a tentationibus non vincaris. Pseudo-Chrys. The Devil who had begun to despair when he saw that Christ fasted forty days, now again began to hope when he saw that “he was an hungred;” and “then the tempter came to him.” If then you shall have fasted and after been tempted, say not, I have lost the fruit of my fast; for though it have not availed to hinder temptation, it will avail to hinder you from being overcome by temptation. Gregorius in Evang Sed si ipsum ordinem tentationis aspicimus, pensamus quanta magnitudine nos a tentatione liberamur. Antiquus enim hostis primum hominem ex gula tentavit cum cibum ligni vetitum ad comedendum suasit; ex vana gloria, cum diceret: eritis sicut dii; ex avaritia, cum diceret: scientes bonum et malum: avaritia enim non solum pecuniae est, sed etiam altitudinis, cum supra modum sublimitas ambitur. Quibus autem modis primum hominem stravit, istis modis secundo homini tentato succubuit. Per gulam tentat, cum dicit dic ut lapides isti panes fiant; per vanam gloriam cum dicit si filius Dei es, mitte te deorsum; per sublimitatis avaritiam, cum regna mundi ostendit, dicens haec omnia tibi dabo. Greg. If we observe the successive steps of the temptation, we shall be able to estimate by how much we are freed from temptation. The old enemy tempted the first man through his belly, when he persuaded him to eat of the forbidden fruit; through ambition when he said, “Ye shall be as gods;” through covetousness when he said, “Knowing good and evil;” for there is a covetousness not only of money, but of greatness, when a high estate above our measure is sought. By the same method in which he had overcome the first Adam, in that same was he overcome when he tempted the second Adam. He tempted through the belly when he said, “Command that these stones become loaves;” through ambition when he said, “If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down from hence;” through covetousness of lofty condition in the words, “All these things will I give thee.” Ambrosius super Lucam Inde autem coepit unde iam vicerat, scilicet a gula; unde dixit ei si filius Dei es, dic ut lapides isti panes fiant. Quid autem sibi vult talis sermonis exorsus, nisi quia cognoverat Dei filium esse venturum, sed venisse per infirmitatem corporis non putabat? Aliud explorantis, aliud tentantis est; et Deo se profitetur credere, et homini conatur illudere. Ambrose, Ambros. in Luc., c. 4. 3 He begins with that which had once been the means of his victory, the palate; “If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones become loaves.” What means such a beginning as this, but that he knew that the Son of God was to come, yet believed not that He was come on account of His fleshly infirmity. His speech is in part that of an enquirer, in part that of a tempter; he professes to believe Him God, he strives to deceive Him as man. Hilarius in Matth Eam ergo in tentando conditionem operis proposuit, per quam in Deo ex mutatione lapidum in panes virtutem potestatis agnosceret, et in homine oblectamento cibi potentiam esurientis illuderet. Hilary And therefore in the temptation he makes a proposal of such a double kind by which His divinity would be made known by the miracle of the transformation, the weakness of the man deceived by the delight of food. Hieronymus Sed duobus contrariis teneris, o Diabole: si ad imperium eius possunt lapides panes fieri, ergo frustra tentas eum qui tantae potentiae est; si autem non potest facere, frustra Dei filium suspicaris. Jerome But thou art caught, O Enemy, in a dilemma. If these stones can be made bread at His word, your temptation is vain against one so mighty. If He cannot make them bread, your suspicions that this is the Son of God must be vain. Chrysostomus super Matth Sicut autem Diabolus omnes excaecabat, sic modo invisibiliter a Christo est excaecatus. Post quadraginta enim dies esurientem sensit, et per quadraginta non esurientem non intellexit. Cum suspicatus est eum non esse filium Dei, non cogitavit quoniam fortis athleta ad ea quae infirma sunt descendere potest; infirmus autem ad ea quae fortia sunt ascendere non potest. Magis ergo ex eo quod per tot dies non esuriit, intelligere debuit quia Deus est, quam ex eo quod post tot dies esuriit, quia homo est. Sed dicit: Moyses et Elias quadraginta dies ieiunaverunt, et homines erant. Sed illi ieiunantes esuriebant et sustinebant, iste quadraginta diebus non esuriit, sed postea. Esurire enim et non manducare, patientiae est humanae; non esurire autem, divinae naturae. Pseudo-Chrys. But as the Devil blinds all men, so is he now invisibly made blind by Christ. He found Him “an hungred” at the end of forty days, and knew not that He had continued through those forty without being hungry. When he suspected Him not to be the Son of God, he considered not that the mighty Champion can descend to things that be weak, but the weak cannot ascend to things that are high. We may more readily infer from His not being “an hungred” for so many days that He is God, than from His being “an hungred” after that time that He is man. But it may be said, Moses and Elias fasted forty days, and were men. But they hungred and endured, He for the space of forty days hungred not, but afterwards. To be hungry and yet refuse food is within the endurance of man; not be hungry belongs to the Divine nature only. Hieronymus Propositum autem Christi erat humilitate vincere; Jerome Christ’s purpose was to vanquish by humility; unde adversarium vicit testimoniis legis, non potestate virtutis, ut hoc ipso et hominem plus honoraret et adversarium plus puniret, cum hostis generis humani non quasi a Deo, sed quasi ab homine vinceretur; unde sequitur qui respondens, dixit ei: scriptum est: non in solo pane vivit homo, sed in omni verbo quod procedit de ore Dei. Leo, Serm. 39, 3 hence he opposed the adversary rather by testimonies out of the Law, than by miraculous powers; thus at the same time giving more honor to man, and more disgrace to the adversary, when the enemy of the human race thus seemed to be overcome by man rather than by God. Gregorius in Evang Sic ergo tentatus a Diabolo dominus, sacri eloquii praecepta respondit; et qui tentatorem suum mergere in abyssum poterat, virtutem suae potentiae non ostendit, quatenus nobis praeberet exemplum ut quoties a pravis hominibus aliquid patimur, ad doctrinam excitemur potius quam ad vindictam. Greg. So the Lord when tempted by the Devil answered only with precepts of Holy Writ, and He who could have drowned His tempter in the abyss, displayed not the might of His power; giving us an example, that when we suffer any thing at the hands of evil men, we should be stirred up to learning rather than to revenge. Chrysostomus super Matth Non autem dixit: non in solo pane vivo, ne videatur de se dictum esse; sed non in solo pane vivit homo, ut posset Diabolus dicere si filius Dei es. Abscondit se ut non ostendatur; quod potest, si homo est; astute excusat se, ne ostendatur non posse. Pseudo-Chrys. He said not, ‘I live not,’ but, “Man doth not live by bread alone,” that the Devil might still ask, “If thou be the Son of God.” If He be God, it is as though He shunned to display what He had power to do; if man, it is a crafty will that His want of power should not be detected. Rabanus Testimonium autem hoc de Deuteronomio sumptum est. Ergo si quis non vescitur verbo Dei, iste non vivit, quia sicut corpus humanum non vivit sine terreno cibo, ita et anima vivere non potest sine Dei verbo. Procedere autem verbum de ore Dei dicitur cum voluntatem suam per Scripturarum testimonia revelat. Rabanus This verse is quoted from Deuteronomy. Whoso then feeds not on the Word of God, he lives not; as the body of man cannot live without earthly food, so cannot his soul without God’s word. This word is said to proceed out of the mouth of God, where he reveals His will by Scripture testimonies. Lectio 3 Lecture 3 5 Tunc assumpsit eum diabolus in sanctam civitatem, et statuit eum super pinnaculum templi, 5. Then the Devil taketh Him up into the holy city, and setteth Him on a pinnacle of the temple, 6 et dixit ei: Si Filius Dei es, mitte te deorsum. Scriptum est enim: Quia angelis suis mandavit de te, et in manibus tollent te, ne forte offendas ad lapidem pedem tuum. 6. And saith unto Him, “If Thou be the Son of God, cast Thyself down; for it is written, ‘He shall give His Angels charge concerning Thee:’ and in their hands they shall bear Thee up, lest at any time Thou dash Thy foot against a stone.” 7 Ait illi Iesus: Rursum scriptum est: Non tentabis Dominum Deum tuum. 7. Jesus said unto Him, “It is written again, ‘Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.’ “ Chrysostomus super Matth Cum ex praemisso Christi responso nihil certum discere Diabolus potuisset utrum Christus Deus esset an homo, assumpsit eum ad aliam tentationem, dicens apud se: iste qui fame non vincitur, etsi filius Dei non est, tamen sanctus est. Valent enim homines sancti fame non vinci; sed postquam omnem necessitatem carnis vicerunt, per vanam gloriam cadunt; ideo coepit eum tentare in gloria vana; propter quod sequitur tunc assumpsit eum Diabolus in sanctam civitatem. Pseudo-Chrys. From this first answer of Christ, the Devil could learn nothing certain whether He were God or man; he therefore betook him to another temptation, saying within himself; This man who is not sensible of the appetite of hunger, if not the Son of God, is yet a holy man; and such do attain strength not to be overcome by hunger; but when they have subdued every necessity of the flesh, they often fall by desire of empty glory. Therefore he began to tempt Him by this empty glory.