Homily XIII
Mat. IV.1
Having then fasted forty days and as many nights,
"He was afterwards an hungered; [538] " affording him a point to lay
hold of and approach, that by actual conflict He might show how to
prevail and be victorious. Just so do wrestlers also: when teaching
their pupils how to prevail and overcome, they voluntarily in the lists
engage with others, to afford these in the persons of their antagonists
the means of seeing and learning the mode of conquest. Which same thing
then also took place. For it being His will to draw him on so far, He
both made His hunger known to him, and awaited his approach, and as He
waited for him, so He dashed him to earth, once, twice, and three
times, with such ease as became Him.
3. But that we may not, by hurrying over these victories, mar your
profit, let us begin from the first assault, and examine each with
exact care.
Thus, after He was an hungered, it is said, "The tempter came, and said
unto Him, If You be Son of God, command that these stones be made
bread." [539]
For, because he had heard a voice borne from above, and saying, "This
is My beloved Son;" and had heard also John bearing so large witness
concerning Him, and after that saw Him an hungered; he was therefore
in perplexity, and neither could believe that He was a mere man,
because of the things spoken concerning Him; nor on the other hand
receive it that He was Son of God, seeing Him as he did in hunger.
Where being in perplexity he utters ambiguous sounds. And much as when
coming to Adam at the beginning, he feigns things that are not, that he
may learn the things that are; even so here also, not knowing clearly
the unutterable mystery of the Economy, and who He may be that is come,
he attempts to weave other nets, whereby he thought to know that which
was hidden and obscure. And what said he? "If You be the Son of God,
command that these stones be made bread." He said not, because you are
an hungered, but, "if You be the Son of God;" thinking to cheat Him with
his compliments. Wherefore also he was silent touching the hunger, that
he might not seem to be alleging it, and upbraiding Him. For not
knowing the greatness of the Economy which was going on, he supposed
this to be a reproach to Him. Wherefore flattering Him craftily, he
makes mention of His dignity only.
What then said Christ? To put down his pride, and to signify that
there was nothing shameful in what had happened, nor unbecoming His
wisdom; that which the other had passed over in silence to flatter Him,
He brings forward and sets it forth, saying, "Man shall not live by
bread alone." [540]
So that He begins with the necessity of the belly. But mark, I pray
you, the craft of that wicked demon, and where he begins his
wrestlings, and how he does not forget his proper art. For by what
means he cast out also the first man, and encompassed him with
thousands of other evils, with the same means here likewise he weaves
his deceit; I mean, with incontinence of the belly. So too even now one
may hear many foolish ones say their bad words by thousands because of
the belly. But Christ, to show that the virtuous man is not compelled
even by this tyranny to do anything that is unseemly, first hungers,
then submits not to what is enjoined Him; teaching us to obey the devil
in nothing. Thus, because the first man did hereby both offend God, and
transgress the law, as much and more does He teach you:--though it be
no transgression which he commands, not even so to obey.
And why say I, "transgression"? "Why, even though something expedient
be suggested by the devils, [541] do not you," said He, "even so give
heed unto them." Thus, for instance, He stopped the mouths of those
devils [542] also, proclaiming Him Son of God. And Paul too again [543]
rebuked them, crying this self-same thing; and yet what they said was
profitable; but he more abundantly dishonoring them, and obstructing
their plot against us, drove them away even when doctrines of salvation
were preached by them, closing up their mouths, and bidding them be
silent.
And therefore neither in this instance did He consent to what was said.
But what said He? "Man shall not live by bread alone." Now His meaning
is like this: "God is able even by a word to nourish the hungry man;"
bringing him a testimony out of the ancient Scripture, and teaching us,
though we hunger, yea, whatever we suffer, never to fall away from our
Lord.
But if a man say, "still He should have displayed Himself;" I would ask
him, with what intent, and for what reason? For not at all that he
might believe did the other so speak, but that he might, as he thought,
over-argue [544] Him into unbelief. Since the first of mankind were in
this way beguiled and over-argued by him, not putting earnest faith in
God. For the contrary of what God had said he promised them, and puffed
them up with vain hopes, and brought them to unbelief, and so cast them
out of the blessings they actually possessed. But Christ signifies
Himself not to have consented, either to him then or afterwards to the
Jews his partisans, in their demand of signs: invariably instructing
us, whatever we may have power to do, yet to do nothing vainly and at
random; nor even when want urges to obey the devil.
Many Blessings,
+William
Monk Michael
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