Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae

Objection 1: It would seem that Christ should not have been tempted in the desert. Because Christ wished to be tempted in order to give us an example, as stated above (Article 1). But an example should be set openly before those who are to follow it. Therefore He should not have been tempted in the desert.

Objection 2: Further, Chrysostom says (Hom. xii in Matth.): "Then most especially does the devil assail by tempting us, when he sees us alone. Thus did he tempt the woman in the beginning when he found her apart from her husband." Hence it seems that, by going into the desert to be tempted, He exposed Himself to temptation. Since, therefore, His temptation is an example to us, it seems that others too should take such steps as will lead them into temptation. And yet this seems a dangerous thing to do, since rather should we avoid the occasion of being tempted.

Objection 3: Further, Mt. 4:5, Christ's second temptation is set down, in which "the devil took" Christ up "into the Holy City, and set Him upon the pinnacle of the Temple": which is certainly not in the desert. Therefore He was not tempted in the desert only.

On the contrary, It is written (Mk. 1:13) that Jesus "was in the desert forty days and forty nights, and was tempted by Satan."

I answer that, As stated above (Article 1, ad 2), Christ of His own free-will exposed Himself to be tempted by the devil, just as by His own free-will He submitted to be killed by His members; else the devil would not have dared to approach Him. Now the devil prefers to assail a man who is alone, for, as it is written (Eccles. 4:12), "if a man prevail against one, two shall withstand him." And so it was that Christ went out into the desert, as to a field of battle, to be tempted there by the devil. Hence Ambrose says on Lk. 4:1, that "Christ was led into the desert for the purpose of provoking the devil. For had he," i.e. the devil, "not fought, He," i.e. Christ, "would not have conquered." He adds other reasons, saying that "Christ in doing this set forth the mystery of Adam's delivery from exile," who had been expelled from paradise into the desert, and "set an example to us, by showing that the devil envies those who strive for better things."

Reply to Objection 1: Christ is set as an example to all through faith, according to Heb. 12:2: "Looking on Jesus, the author and finisher of faith." Now faith, as it is written (Rm. 10:17), "cometh by hearing," but not by seeing: nay, it is even said (Jn. 20:29): "Blessed are they that have not seen and have believed." And therefore, in order that Christ's temptation might be an example to us, it behooved that men should not see it, and it was enough that they should hear it related.

Reply to Objection 2: The occasions of temptation are twofold. one is on the part of man---for instance, when a man causes himself to be near to sin by not avoiding the occasion of sinning. And such occasions of temptation should be avoided, as it is written of Lot (Gn. 19:17): "Neither stay thou in all the country about" Sodom.

Another occasion of temptation is on the part of the devil, who always "envies those who strive for better things," as Ambrose says (In Luc. iv, 1). And such occasions of temptation are not to be avoided. Hence Chrysostom says (Hom. v in Matth. ): "Not only Christ was led into the desert by the Spirit, but all God's children that have the Holy Ghost. For it is not enough for them to sit idle; the Holy Ghost urges them to endeavor to do something great: which is for them to be in the desert from the devil's standpoint, for no unrighteousness, in which the devil delights, is there. Again, every good work, compared to the flesh and the world, is the desert; because it is not according to the will of the flesh and of the world." Now, there is no danger in giving the devil such an occasion of temptation; since the help of the Holy Ghost, who is the Author of the perfect deed, is more powerful* than the assault of the envious devil. .

Reply to Objection 3: Some say that all the temptations took place in the desert. Of these some say that Christ was led into the Holy City, not really, but in an imaginary vision; while others say that the Holy City itself, i.e. Jerusalem, is called "a desert," because it was deserted by God. But there is no need for this explanation. For Mark says that He was tempted in the desert by the devil, but not that He was tempted in the desert only.

Articulus 2

Argumentum 1

Ad secundum sic proceditur. Videtur quod christus non debuit tentari in deserto. Christus enim tentari voluit propter exemplum nostrum, ut dictum est.

Sed exemplum debet manifeste proponi illis qui sunt per exemplum informandi. Non ergo debuit in deserto tentari.

Argumentum 2

Praeterea, chrysostomus dicit, super Matth., quod tunc maxime instat diabolus ad tentandum, cum viderit solitarios.

Unde et in principio mulierem tentavit sine viro eam inveniens.

Et sic videtur, per hoc quod in desertum ivit ut tentaretur, quod tentationi se exposuit. Cum ergo eius tentatio sit nostrum exemplum, videtur quod etiam alii debeant se ingerere ad tentationes suscipiendas. Quod tamen videtur esse periculosum, cum magis tentationum occasiones vitare debeamus.

Argumentum 3

Praeterea, Matth. IV ponitur secunda christi tentatio qua diabolus christum assumpsit in sanctam civitatem, et statuit eum super pinnaculum templi, quod quidem non erat in deserto. Non ergo tentatus est solum in deserto.

Sed Contra

Sed contra est quod dicitur Marc. I, quod erat iesus in deserto quadraginta diebus et quadraginta noctibus, et tentabatur a Satana.

Corpus

Respondeo dicendum quod, sicut dictum est, christus propria voluntate se diabolo exhibuit ad tentandum, sicut etiam propria voluntate se membris eius exhibuit ad occidendum, alioquin diabolus eum advenire non auderet. Diabolus autem magis attentat aliquem cum est solitarius, quia, ut dicitur Eccle. IV, si quispiam praevaluerit contra unum, duo resistunt ei.

Et inde est quod christus in desertum exivit, quasi ad campum certaminis, ut ibi a diabolo tentaretur.

Unde Ambrosius dicit, super Luc., quod christus agebatur in desertum consilio, ut diabolum provocaret.

Nam nisi ille certasset, scilicet diabolus, non iste vicisset, idest christus. Addit autem et alias rationes, dicens hoc christum fecisse mysterio, ut Adam de exilio liberaret, qui scilicet de Paradiso in desertum eiectus est; exemplo, ut ostenderet nobis diabolum ad meliora tendentibus invidere.

Ad 1

Ad primum ergo dicendum quod christus proponitur omnibus in exemplum per fidem, secundum illud Heb. XII, aspicientes in auctorem fidei et consummatorem, iesum.

Fides autem, ut dicitur Rom. X, est ex auditu, non autem ex visu, quinimmo dicitur, Ioan. XX, beati qui non viderunt et crediderunt.

Et ideo, ad hoc quod tentatio christi esset nobis in exemplum, non oportet quod ab hominibus videretur, sed sufficiens fuit quod hominibus narraretur.

Ad 2

Ad secundum dicendum quod duplex est tentationis occasio. Una quidem ex parte hominis, puta cum aliquis se peccato propinquum facit, occasiones peccandi non evitans. Et talis occasio tentationis est vitanda, sicut dictum est Lot, Gen. XIX, ne steteris in omni regione circa sodomam.

Alia vero tentationis occasio est ex parte diaboli, qui semper invidet ad meliora tendentibus, ut Ambrosius dicit.

Et talis tentationis occasio non est vitanda.

Unde dicit chrysostomus, super Matth., quod non solum christus ductus est in desertum a spiritu, sed omnes filii dei habentes spiritum sanctum. Non enim sunt contenti sedere otiosi, sed spiritus sanctus urget eos aliquod magnum apprehendere opus, quod est esse in deserto quantum ad diabolum, quia non est ibi iniustitia, in qua diabolus delectatur. Omne etiam bonum opus est desertum quantum ad carnem et mundum, quia non est secundum voluntatem carnis et mundi.

Talem autem occasionem tentationis dare diabolo non est periculosum, quia maius est auxilium spiritus sancti, qui est perfecti operis auctor, quam impugnatio diaboli invidentis.

Ad 3

Ad tertium dicendum quod quidam dicunt omnes tentationes factas fuisse in deserto.

Quorum quidam dicunt quod christus ductus est in sanctam civitatem, non realiter, sed secundum imaginariam visionem.

Quidam autem dicunt quod etiam ipsa civitas sancta, idest ierusalem, desertum dicitur, quia erat derelicta a deo.

Sed hoc non erat necessarium. Quia marcus dicit quod in deserto tentabatur a diabolo, non autem dicit quod solum in deserto.