On the Temptation of Christ

On the Temptation of Our Lord Homily 17. On the Temptation of Our Lord. Another of his own, as it were his own. Homily of the Sixteenth Sunday on the Temptation of Our Lord. And it is recited in Lent. Another of his own, as it were his own. Homily of the Sixteenth Sunday on the Temptation of Our Lord. And it is recited in Lent. Adam, a speaking image, whose voice rode from the dust. The honor of folly again cast the spirits into error. By the sounds that were spoken concerning the nature of the mortal. By the fire of envy he incited Satan, the chief of the air. By the vanity over his nature he brought his jaw to the envious one. The name "image," the image that was honored in him, his throat that he might make a contest. He did not know this fool, that his honor was from the Living One. Who ruled over his nature and brought him into being. And the rod that cannot be touched and cast from all that was made. For it was the image that called to him to the water that was created from the element. His jaw gave pleasure to the envious one and he offered himself for the contest. And he put on the armor of contests that he might fight with the simple one. In the preparation of his whole self he would look at the Creator from the beginning. And he gave him a place to contend with his image for the sake of his own self. He hid his image of clay from the strength of the mighty one. And he placed his hand in the pit of sin and enslaved his freedom to death. There was for him a great fall the service of his youth. And he turned the bridle of his will when he began to enslave his own self.

He knew concerning the freedom of the people, and he bound and imprisoned his thoughts. For if he had gone out in the crown, he would have received a crown of glory. He filled the vessel of poison, and the rebel deliberated briefly. And the cause of folly became a teaching for us afterwards. Much wisdom was in the temptation, which he set in order for the sons of his race. For by sin he established a covenant, which became a sign for sinners. He did more than the Creator for the folly of the rebellious one. For he revealed in it concerning the freedom that is not constrained by creation. He knew before the times that this would help us. For what he gave in the smallness of his freedom, he asked from it victory. And when the victory was his, he gave it to the authority of his freedom. So that he might learn how much he loves us because of his image. Through our freedom he made us wise from the beginning of our times. And from us he gave us a Savior at the end of the vessels. In the times of the first Adam, he called by the name of the image that is asked. And in the likeness of the second Adam, he confirmed the name in deed. From us he mounted the image that resembles the first. So that he might show that he does not reject us because of sin. With a struggle he cast down the people to the excess of sin. And with mercy he sinned against our race through the mediator, the son of our race. He did not send hunting spirits to hunt our knowledge. He himself taught us with his sign through the mediators of our beginning. For the confirmation of the name of the image that is honored in it from the beginning.

He formed an image within the members, and the image of his essence dwelt in him. He did not form it from the elements, which are mixed with the seed of man. By the power of the spirit he mounted his servant, from the human race. He mounted the body by the power of the corporeal, and he breathed the soul by the power of the spirit. And he completed him in all purity, in the womb and in birth, in a natural manner. He clothed him in pains and sufferings, in hunger and thirst like every man. And he prepared him to make a contest with the righteous one on behalf of his race. In all that Adam shared, in the likeness of the first Adam, only sin did not serve him, because he was strengthened by the power of the spirit. New voices spoke in his womb, in his birth, and in his baptism. They greatly disturbed his peace, and the ranks of his powers were shaken. In the honor of the dignity of the father, he sealed in Adam and offered. And by the praises of the son of Adam, he was exalted and performed his deed. The voice of the man Joel distressed him when he spoke with his mother, that she would receive a womb in a new creation without seed. The tidings that were proclaimed in the land by the spirits on the day of his birth, in the likeness of heralds, were established. In all the power of his encampment, he heard again the voice in the wilderness, that behold, the pure one speaks of blemishes. And he prepared himself for the contest, that sinners might not be justified. The voice of the father of his hour was better than the previous voices, which proclaimed that this one is my beloved, and the son who completes my will. The voices that spoke were renewed, his heralds concerning revelations. And the mysteries upon his face were more excellent than those of men.

He hung his hopes on the cunning one and sent him new traps. And he began to burn with envy, a good [envy] from the first offering. His form within him was being changed concerning the hopes that had been spoken. When he saw the body of man, he heard the words of the spirit from him. How then does this tempter, the deadly one, wrap afflictions around himself? He stirs up voices against him and does not resemble his own thoughts. Nature from nature produces through the cause of unions, and his seed is a voice in the womb, apart from human seed. In the name of the borrowed servitude, he called a sign to the sons of his kind. And in the name of his own servitude, he gathered and called them beloved. He gave grace to the poor and an offering of strength before them. And now she has received the gift in a confession that cannot be taken away. Man is born from man, and he resembles man in his entire being, how much more is his stature elevated. And it is not fitting for me to be disturbed by the change of voices against him. With the weapon of the desire for food, it is fitting for me to approach him. For I am confident in his nature, he is a prisoner in the disturbances. With these thoughts he was making a foundation for the poverty of his mind. When it was fitting in the desert, he made a disturbance with him. He was remembering the temptation that brought down the first Adam through it. And with the desire for bread, he hoped that it would ensnare the Adam of the two. He gave him a place, the creator, as in the first offering, that he might contend with the son of Adam. He led him out to the desert, to the accursed one.

Like the desire of the slayer of man, he gave him hooks through fasting. Forty nights and days he was eager for bread to taste it. With that snare which he brought to Adam, and by which he saw all his goodness wasted. He armed himself with fasting against him, forty days in the desert. The armor of all his power he had wrought, and he was hoping to cast it upon him. The arrow of the desire for food. For forty days he held it, the arena of the contest. Until the spirits were vanquished, the seers of the contest. At the end of the forty days, the deceivers came to the contest. The contest of righteousness and the head of the envious one. At the end of the fast he restrained him, the rebel who would take the contest, to show the power of his victory in the members weakened by hunger. By means of bread he approached the body which was worn by hunger. When he thought he would tempt him with his disturbances towards food, behold, the sacrifice which is sought in the zeal of your father. If you are the true Son, show the sign in the deed. In the desert you are, who is tempted, to the tempter fulfilling the contests. And the body is worn from hunger, and no food is found for you. Command the obedient demons to fill your contests. Change stones into bread, so that you do not perish from hunger. Speak the word with authority, as befits the sounds about you, that for you the contests are fulfilled, and the sounds about you are confirmed.

It was not difficult for the power of the tempter to do something from something. For behold, the first priests commanded the people to change. Or the ladders of the conqueror, which are hidden in the depths of denial. When he descended from the true hunt, to his own errors for his hearers. Or the portions which the conqueror mounts, and he spreads out true signs. Or the snares which the foul one hides, and he cuts off a light one. The heavy body descended to the contest with the spirit. And the light spirit fled from the heavy body. Through the violence of abstinence from food, he approached him by means of movements. And he trampled him on the ground lightly, the heavy one who had put on members. The spirit seized the members, flying to the heavy body. And the heavy one did not endure the seizure of the spirit, the light rider upon the heavy body. Only a voice cried out in him, the body to the spiritual one. And the head of the air was swallowed up by the word of the earth. He overturned the word to the wanderer, and his foot did not stand on the earth. For the word of the Creator is able to give life to men without food. I know that the power of the Creator fills the bellies of the dead. But to ask for help in a trial that is not necessary. Go learn from the first ones who fasted when food was abundant. That they might lose the trial of the division of their thoughts. Do not approach me with threats in the guise of a lover of mercy. I know that death gives birth to counsel for whoever hears it.

Do not stretch me out by the hand of the first one. The death that killed Adam: it is the deceit of the tempter. Go, be healed from your own self: the sinner who was glorified. In battle with many, one from the guilty conquers. By the spiritual weapon, the rebel ascended in shame. From the first arena, he changed the place of the contest. And the weapon to the second stage: he was hoping for empty hope. From contest to contest, while he thought that the pains of the hunters of the few would be established. If he who fasted from bread and trampled hunger by force, in the root of the love of money, he shows the power of his violence. And if he who fasted from hunger and scattered the desire for food, he is mortal among mortals, who conquers the sinner in the end. Many conquered by fasting, and they were guilty of oaths. Many despised wine, and they were inflamed with envy. In the root of the love of money, it is fitting for me to contend with him. From him evil shoots sprout and fruits of sin are borne. By the love of money he wished to make a contest with him. And he was eager that on the top of the mountain he would show him the beauty of the stars. The Creator gave him the desire, for he knew that he desired this. And he brought him up the mountain to the summit, that he might take a stand with the evil one. The rebel did as one who is accustomed, with forms in the taking of the eyes.

And he showed the beauty of the crowns, and the crown and the authority of the kingdom. It was not truth and desires that he showed, but a likeness of the false one. He deceived the world and its goods; with a deceiver he showed him images that are not true. While the All-Seeing One walked in it, he was deceived by the tricks of the tempter. He was showing images in the depths of the deceiver who was leading astray. And Christ, hidden in the mystery, was being revealed in his thoughts. He arranged a gift when it was not, and placed a crown when it was not true. And he set up ranks and authorities when there was no voice to command. All these he gave to you, so that if you fall, you would worship me. To me this authority is given, and to whom I wish I give it. One thing alone I ask of you, and it is weighty for me if you wish: that you worship me and receive crowns, and rule over all your authority. Your heart, the spirit, is bound to the body by the bonds of love of silver. And the hand of the spirit did not strike the body that the Holy Spirit anoints. The bodily desire hung, and the spirit brought it down to the earth. And the heavenly stars were amazed at the body that conquered, which conquered the spirit. From the accursed body, above the weapon of the righteous one. And the heavy members trampled the head of the air, which is light. With a voice alone he stirred up the evil one of heavy mass against the light of wings. It is written that you shall not worship another, but only your Lord alone. Go, deceiver, say to him: Do not snatch the name of the Creator.

He does not persuade the servant to receive the worship of the servant. By the word of his name, the Creator, he mocks his possession of his wickedness. And he poured out the cup that he had mixed; the slanderer eats with the snares. It is written: You shall worship the Lord, and him alone you shall serve. And he concealed with this echo the desire to set up a snare. By the worship of the snare he wished to make him err after his delusions. And he reminded him that he is God, and he covered that he is not God. To one alone is confession due, and to him alone you shall worship at all times. Do not be deceived, O rebel, by the worship of truth that is not yours. By the power of the Spirit and the name of the gods, the athlete, the tempter, prevailed and raised the height of the boastful. To the labor of the snares of the contest, one course in the desire for bread, he took with him the tempter. And another in the love of money, and one after both of them, the garments. The wicked athlete ascended from the contest in shame. And he began to mix snares to change the place of the course. One hope remained alone, and upon it his trust was placed. And he kept to the end of the contest until he took victory in it. If he who is of hunger did not cast him down, nor his love of money, there is a snare that is hidden and does not perceive when one falls into it. If he who trampled the thorns of hunger and broke the bow of Mammon, by the victory of the love of glory, he sinks himself from his height.

The cup filled with the poison of death, he offers and gives to him. And if he tastes a little of it, his word dissolves his limbs. To the height of the love of glory, he was eager to ascend the summit. For he thought in his height of glory that the summit was for him who ascended it. The spirit brought him up to the athlete, to the victor whom the rebel sought. He opened the gate of the contest above the temple of mercy. The athlete descended to the gate with the weapon of the love of glory. And he fixed the sign of victory for him who rules the love of money. In the arena of the love of glory, he trusted that the Lord would conquer. And he did not know that he would be defeated by the sharpness of the arrows of the one he cast down. By the word of the messenger of the self, he concealed glory and sent his hunters. And he called to him with a voice, and wrote in it a vain hope. He placed death in the arrows of glory; the rebel hid and shot with it. And he received the reward of salvation, that he might hold in his hand the Holy Spirit. If you are not the son of the Creator, and the voices against you are true, cast your corpse here to the ground, and behold, it will seal the pit. For it is written that for the righteous, help is with the angels. And they protect him in difficulties, so that his ways may not stumble. Descend from the height to the earth, and test the power of your dominion. And behold, your spirits are leading you, and they are driving you with their hands. Why is your dominion hidden, and has it taken hold of the face of his glory?

Show your glory and reveal your power, and behold, you are praised by all. Or the snares of the hidden one are set, and the nets of the tempter are spread. For he would cut off a little of the sound of the word of his mouth. He offered a great contest of spirit with the body, and with the first of the words he overthrew him. And he overturned all his counsels. To the counsels of the pure one, he set a word against him. And by the testimony of Scripture, he shut the mouth of the boaster. It is written for us: Do not be healed by a physician who does not take the door in your face, and your questions are not resolved. Or the chariots that the hidden one rides, and the counsels that the envious one devises, that the knower of all would spread in the furnace of the spirit. Or the body, the material, that took up the contest with the spirit. Or the sentient one without feeling, the rational one that made pain serve. Or the nature that bends pains, that conquers the pains of its own kind. Or the free-born one who became strong and led by freedom to the captor. Or the warrior who fought and loosed the captives to freedom. Or the son of the race of sinners who freed his kind from iniquity. Three times the body took up the contest with the spirit, and he felt it with the movements of thought, the sentient one to the insentient. Three arrows he drew and shot into the bow against the enemy. And in the third he proclaimed victory and the evil one was defeated. In the first contest his bow and the arrows of the enemy were broken.

And he did not remain in the snares of his adversary. The remainder of the true and firm one. In the last generation, the limbs of the battle of error were loosened. And the thoughts of the spirit were shattered by the struggle with the flesh. With many snares, the rebel contended with the son of Adam. And with one snare of the power of the spirit, he broke him and abolished his authority. With all his skill, the wicked one fought with the tempter. And the vanquisher, by word alone, dissolved the chariot of his deceits. The victor broke his snares with a threefold victory for the son of the exile. And he opened a clear path for the rebellious foundations of sin. With a threefold victory, he concealed the pains of death. And he passed a little way into the many pains of the hunters. With the desire for bread, he offered him the temptations of all changes. And the rebel covered himself with the guise of bread like a sister. With the love of silver, he stirred up the storms of all evils. And he adorned the crown and authority for the sake of the governance of his thoughts. With the cup of love of praise, he mixed and blended poison, and set death. And glory in the form of sweetness he hid upon his bitter cup. With the threefold victory of the spirit, he loosed all the pains within and without. And he crowned himself like a sign. In the struggle with the Savior, on his own side he set him, for the whole world from its end. And the whole camp fell from one who conquered by the power of the spirit. He mounted and overcame all the snares, and the enemy clothed himself like a weapon.

And the son of David broke the snare. The voice proclaimed to the limbs of his armor. The rebel with his armor was terrified, and the powers of his armies were scattered. And the whole left side was seated in the mourning of the fall of the wicked one. All his snares were delivered up, the slanderer, like the thorns of the Lord. And he fled from him until the time, until the sword was hidden for the slaughter. The battle ceased, and the contest of the athlete and the chief of the air was still. And the spectators of the arena stood up to praise the true athlete. The whole crowd was amazed at the stadium of the athletes, that they might see a new contest of the bodily and spiritual. They beheld a new spectacle, two orders opposite each other, which never at any time had a single order mingled with the spiritual. By the power of the athlete, the spiritual ones were being overcome, for how could a weak nature conquer the wicked one by arms? For their victory was not like that of one who wears limbs. They knew that he had been trained in battle with many. In this they were astonished, that they might see the outcome of the arena: which one would take the victory, the crown of praises would go to him. For the outcome of the contests, they awaited the crown of their praises, that their victory cries might be placed on the head of the one who was being trained. And when they saw that the bodily one was victorious, their spiritual victory was complete. They placed their cries as a crown on the athlete of righteousness. Praises were opened to him for the athlete in place of victory.

When they were crying out, their wings, “Blessed is the power that conquered in the body!” Here they silenced their voices toward our race, for they were stirred. And they acquired the hope of renewal, that we might rest from toil. A crown they wove for him, the bodily athlete, because they saw that he had loosed the restraint of the enraged ones through his greatness. Glory they cried to him with hosannas, when he ascended from the contest. “Blessed is he who established peace, our peace and that of all!” Thanksgiving to the Good One, who by his power strengthened your body in the contest. “Blessed is he who by his command humbled the rebel who deceived Adam!” With love toward him they were drawn, after the completion of his contest. And they ministered to his hidden things in revelations to the earthly ones. Their assemblies ascend and descend for the honor of the Son of mortals. And they rejoice in the sight of him, and they soothe for themselves the voice of my words. They marveled greatly at his humility and lowliness, and at his endurance they were amazed: that when from a guilty race he was, his victory over the rebel was through his sufferings. Not by human armor did the Suffering One take victory; by the power of the Spirit was his victory, and the Spirit cut off his will. By the name of the Son who dwelt in him, he triumphed and conquered the passions, and he made equal the greatness of honor and praise from the spiritual beings. Now that the contest is completed, let us inquire who is the wrestler: the Suffering One who put on members, or the nature that does not suffer? Who hungered and was tempted, and perceived evil in his need?

And when the rebel approached the lower steps of the ladder, he descended not into the abyss and took up the contest with the evil one. And he who conquered the pious one, the victory was reckoned to him. The clear distinction proclaims the tempter to the knowing ones: that it is the son of Adam who was healed in the likeness of the first Adam. He brought forth his spirit to the desert, and he who was hungry was healed. The hunter sought him: food for the sustenance of his life. The rebel would cast down stones for the hungry one, that he might change the rocks into bread. He saw that his limbs were weak and he relaxed the fast for his tendons. He would show him treasures of wealth and great authority. He saw that he was clothed in limbs of the dead and desired silver. He would offer him deadly poison in cups of the mercy of praise. The evil one was healed in the body, not for the power of the essence. For he knew that the nature of the being is not healed by food. He would not show the only one wealth and great authority. For he knew that wealth makes one forget the greatness of his glory. He did not know the hidden ones; he would conceal the snares of glory. For even that helper knew that his tricks were revealed to the essence. The tempter would not make a contest with the power that holds all. For it was clear to the servant that his power was weak before his Lord. Why would the tempter make a contest with the Creator with his strength?

And when the contest was to be the victory for the victor with the guilty one, he did not make his contest with his own strength. The contest of the wicked one was that he might display his power, for he is the nature of the creature that was made to contend with the Creator. And that one, for the sake of salvation, took up the struggle with the evil one. He was able, without contest, by his sign to confound the erring ones. When the creature completed his actions through the contest, what power is there opposite that which can stand before the Being? How could a rebel find strength to rise against the Creator? And by what senses was the weak one clothed in the simplicity of Being? How from place to place did he move, holding all? And by what motions did he go to where the rebel desired him? Why did he not wish to bring him forth to make a contest? For it is written that the Holy Spirit brought him forth to the desert to be tempted. When the Spirit willed, he was tempted and performed mighty deeds. For behold, the will is subordinate to the will of the Father and the Spirit. How did he who by his sign strikes all suffer from hunger? And how were the temptations of the rebel for the one who holds the measure of wisdoms? If because he put on a body, his nature was tempted by suffering, there is a reason that he was tempted within the body and without the body. And if the Only-begotten was tempted, he was tempted in these things that are written. Then also the Father and the Spirit are participants in him in the temptation, if he who is of the pure ones is one in the equality of the Being.

It is not possible that one nature should be strengthened, and another remain without suffering. Everything that belongs to the nature belongs to the hypostases of the substance. That thing which is brought near to one, the whole nature participates in. And if the Son suffered, the Father would taste the sufferings of the Son through the sufferings of the Son. And also the Father and the Spirit would taste the suffering that approached the Only-begotten. But far be it that this should be! And the knowledgeable do not accept that the nature is capable of suffering. The nature was strengthened in this which is ours. It is our nature that was strengthened and received sufferings in its person. And the nature in which he raised it up in victory above sufferings. It is the person that contended with the Adversary on behalf of its person. And by the power of the Spirit it was victorious and brought the captivity of the captor. To him, the Son, are the breads of death for the humble son of mortals. And to the nature that took the fruits, glorious as befits it. And if the heretics cry out with the members as if from the midst, to us the lower one did not cast the substance to the pains of the body. Their teaching is not a boast, but the shame of them is praise. For they strive for falsehood, they do not weary us with their voices. They do not move our sorrow with the sounds of their cheeks, and they do not accept teaching. For it stirs the being from its place. But the confession is stirred like a wave in the midst of the sea. And what they have bound with their waves, the power of the substance binds it because of the mystery of the substance. It conquers that which is not overcome.

And because of the burden of humanity, he was pressed concerning what he would do concerning the distinctions of the natures. He makes them stand in opposition to the knowers: of the passible and the impassible. The boundaries of their words are loosed by mixture and blending. They wish to make the natures stumble, while he struggles with their customs for the sake of the one who is able to give peace to the troubled. It is not that they have become boastful, except by this distinction: when they confess that the pure one is preserved with his nature, his garment. By the assumption of the head of the body, he is perfected for the sake of the members of the bodies. And that he shares with the divinity, his honor is not an exaltation. The whole race was honored by the goods of the [...] of his glory. When his honor was mixed for us in the hour that was with the creature. He created with the Word his garment, called without division. When they confess that he does not share with the divinity in anything, they do not diminish his honor, nor do they err from his truth. They do not harm his salvation, nor do they falsify his kingship. They confess his weakness and worship his praises. They honor the body of the mother because of the love of her garment. To the hidden one they confess openly, and to the secret one because of the hidden. When they extend confession to one person who is one. To the plagues of the body of the pure one, they offer the truth of his suffering, and to the afflictions of the Word of the Father, they offer the power of his authority. He became a cup of suffering that suffered in his honor and was healed. And he endured pain in place of all, apart from the Word, his garment. By his help he shows in his hand that help has drawn near to his pure ones.

And in his victory, he struck down the one who was adorned by the power of the Spirit. Because of the folly of Adam, Adam of the two was established, that the first might sin in the garden, the last might conquer in his victory. Through the guilt of the first, his race sinned and became barren. And through the victory of the last, the first and the last were redeemed. Because of the folly of Adam, he triumphed over death and enslaved his race. And through the wrath of the one who called Adam, he died the death and gave life to the dead. Adam sinned and fell and taught, and the pains of this his members increased. And the Adam of the two came to life and gave life to many through his suffering. After the second one stood in place of Adam, the son of Adam with the righteous one. And he repaid the damages that the first Adam had inflicted through the desire for the fruit. By the same tree in which the first sinned, the last also was adorned. That Adam sinned through desire for the fruit, Christ conquered through abstinence. The first Adam, who was from the earth, found himself for sin. And the second Adam gave himself, and salvation and freed his race. Because Adam triumphed over death and took oaths over many. And through the Adam of the two, death was abolished, and he established life over all. Adam was freed through Adam, the earthly one through the heavenly one. That death might loose his bonds, his desire for heavenly life, for Adam the physician of bitterness, through the second one because of Adam. One saw him who had put on his members, and he resembled him in all his likeness. With the son he contended, the righteous one who sought Adam.

And not with the power of the Essence did the rebellious one take the contest. The foundations of the Essence were shaken by the temptation of the Essence. For behold, the Son of His race shows us that the temptation is His own. He said to the heretics, the disciples of the slanderer: Do not trust in the power of the Essence, O son of death, great is your error. But I, I who descended to the arena and rejoiced with the evil one, and I cut off the seal of all by the power which I put on from the womb. Do not subordinate the Only-Begotten to the lower elements of the dead. For even I, who descended to the arena, by His power received the victory. Behold, the Son of the race proclaims to you that the Essence is the Adjudicator. Listen and hear, O heretics, that the Essence is not to be healed. The Father is known in every tongue and covers the face of the insolent. For I, I am the Lord God, and I have not changed in my essence.