Father Matta El-Meskeen

On the Mount of Temptation

Father M atta E l-M eskeen

On the Mount of Temptation

On the Mount of Temptation
This article was first published in Arabic in March 1968 and was translated into English in
1984 in the Monastery of St. Macarius.

O n th e M o u n t o f T em p ta tio n

mr/H** jU ^*111
P rin te d in the M onastery o f S t. M a cariu s

C o p y rig h t 1992. A ll rig h ts reserved.

ISBN 977 - 240 - 030 - 8 P .O .B ox 2780 C a iro , E gypt.

 On the Mount of Temptation
M editations o n the F astin g
an d T e m p ta tio n of the L ord

F ather M atta el-M esk een

I
“And Jesus, b eing full of the H oly
Spirit returned from Jordan” (Lk. 4:1).

T
h e H o l y S p ir it's descent on the L ord in his bap tism
w as a n a n o in tm e n t of e x q u is ite q u a lity a n d
significance, being the pow er p a rtic u la rly p o u re d o u t
from above to p rep are C h rist’s flesh for his w ork of redem ption,
w h ich began rig h t after b aptism . Jesus was led by the S p irit in to
the desert to en co u n ter the prince of this w o rld a n d m aster of
sin.
T h e A postle Peter refers to this a n o in tm e n t an d to its
co nsp icu o u s pow er as a testim ony, a n d he lin k s it directly w ith
C h rist's m inistry: “ H ow G od a n o in te d Jesus o f N azareth w ith
the H oly S p irit a n d w ith pow er; how he w ent a b o u t d o in g good
an d h e a lin g all th a t were oppressed of the devil: for G od was
w ith h im ” (Acts 10:38).
T h e w ord a n o in tm e n t is a theological term d e n o tin g total
consecration to the service of G od a n d d ed icatio n to w hatever is

5
sacred. At the tim e of C hrist, a n o in tm e n t was never a d m in is-
tered except to h ig h priests, k in g s o r p ro p h e ts or the sacred
vessels of the tem ple. T h is sacram ent took place by a n o in tin g
the body w ith oil w h ich was p o u re d o u t from a h o rn called the
“h o rn of u n c tio n ,” otherw ise referred to as the h o rn of salva-
tion. So the w hole of a n o in tm e n t in its various types a n d ritu als
was sym bolic of C h rist as the "tru e h o rn of s a lv a tio n ” : “A nd h is
father Z achariah was filled w ith the H oly S p irit a n d p ro p h esied
saying, 'Blessed be the L o rd G od of Israel, for h e h as visited and
redeem ed his people, and has raised u p a h o rn of salvation for us
in the house of his servant D avid’” (Lk. 1:67-69).
In the case of C hrist, a n o in tm e n t was ad m in istered direcdy
from heaven. Present w ith in C h rist's p erso n were all the
p o ten tials a n d the qu alities to render h im the ap p ro p ria te
recip ien t of a n o in tm e n t as h ig h priest, k ing, o r p ro p h e t, w ho
bears the sp irit of prophecy: “ For the testim ony of Jesus is the
sp irit of p ro p h e c y ” (Rev. 19:10).
T h e p salm ist here com m ents on this su p er-an o in tm en t thus:
“T herefore G od has a n o in ted you w ith the o il of gladness above
y our fellow s” (Ps. 45:7) a n d associates the a n o in tm e n t w ith
gladness, ju s t as it took place a t the Jo rd a n , w here G od a d m in is-
tered it to his Son w ith a ll pleasure: “T h is is m y beloved Son in
w h om I am w ell pleased” (Mt. 3:17).
T h e “ages of everlasting righ teo u sn ess” began, effecdve w ith
the a n o in tin g of C hrist a t the Jo rd a n , acco rd in g to w h at G od
h ad previously revealed to D aniel in a vision: “ to b rin g in
everlasting righteousness, to seal b o th vision a n d p ro p h e t, an d
to a n o in t a m ost holy o n e ” (D an. 9:24).
T h e sign w h ich w o u ld accom pany the advent of the ages of
everlasting righteousness an d the a n o in tm e n t of the m ost holy
one is referred to by the P ro p h et Isaiah as the a lig h tin g of the

6
H o ly S pirit, w h ich he describes as sig n allin g “ the year of the
L o rd ’s favor.” “T h e S p irit of the L o rd G od is u p o n me, because
the L o rd has a n o in te d me to b rin g good tid in g s to the afflicted;
he has sent me to b in d u p the brokenhearted, to p ro c la im liberty
to the captives, a n d the o p e n in g of the p riso n to those w h o are
b o und; to p ro c la im the year of the L o rd ’s favor” (Is. 61:1,2).
W ith C h rist’s a n o in tm e n t, this strange ap o caly p tic seal h ad
been unsealed, a n d the p rophecy h ad been fulfilled. T h e day h ad
com e to w h ich there was n o end; the everlasting day of the
etern al year of righteousness. T h e H oly O ne h a d been revealed
w ith n o difficulty. T h u s w hen C hrist stood in the synagogue a n d
was asked to read a passage from Scripture, by divine d isp en -
sation, he opened u p the scroll of Isaiah a t the place of the
p rophecy an d the seal, w here it reads, “ T h e S p irit of the L o rd is
u p o n m e...etc.” H e then folded the scroll after h e h a d deciphered
its code saying, “T o d ay this scripture has been fulfilled in your
h e arin g !” (Lk. 4:21). A nd th u s also the saying was fulfilled, “For
the testim ony of Jesus is the sp irit of p ro p h e c y ” (Rev. 19:10).

B ut h o w could C h rist be filled w ith the H o ly S p irit w hile b ein g

God?
T h e answ er to this q u estio n is of extrem e im p o rtan ce; for it is
considered the fo u n d a tio n o n w h ich o u r relig io u s th o u g h t
co n cern in g faith in the p erson of C h rist a n d the m essage of
red em p tio n is b u ilt. F or C h rist d id n o t receive the H o ly S p irit a t
the J o rd a n for h is o w n sake: h e is one w ith the H o ly S p irit in
essence w ith o u t any division, for h e is the Son o f G od. H ow ever,
ju st as it was said a t first a t his in c arn atio n th a t he w as b o rn of
the H o ly S p irit a n d of a virgin, it is likew ise said here th a t the
H oly S p irit descended o n h im once a g ain after b ap tism . For the
m atter involves his in c a rn a tio n firstly a n d secondly, a n d his

7
in c a rn a tio n involves o u r salvation firstly a n d lastly.
In order to grasp this idea fully, we m ay consider the w ords of
St. Severus of A ntioch:

‘It is the Holy Spirit which belongs to me that has rested on me.
Why should I then be called Christ? Is it not because I became
man?'.... It is through divine economy that the Holy Spirit
alighted on Christ on account of his humanity. Otherwise the
Holy Spirit belongs to him naturally by reason of his godhead.
So that which alighted on him is not foreign to him but is one
with him in essence and has abided with him since before all
ages. (St. Severus of Antioch, Letter to Pope Theodosius>*

T h e fo llo w in g excerpt from St. C yril of A lexandria clarifies

this co n cep t further:

It is sheer hypocrisy that someone should believe that the Word

of God was in need, within his essence, of the aid of the Holy
Spirit. For it is clearly evident that the Holy Spirit rested on him,
hum anly speaking, when he (the Word) began to reveal to us the
economy of the flesh1... for he did not receive the Holy Spirit into
his own entity, for the Holy Spirit is in him just as he is in his
Father. Rather, he received him for our own sake, for Christ was
counted among those living on earth. Hence, just as he received

* All the quotations in w hich the page num ber is not indicated are translated from ihe
Arabic.
1 The terms by economy or by dispensation, were used by the church fathers in general
and by the Alexandrian fathers in particular as a concise expression denodng God *
policy and wisdom in all his trinitarian acts, particularly in his incarnadona! ones h*
which he consummated our redem ption and salvation. These actions were performed
for our own sake and not for the sake of the Son of God as a divine person
By analyzing the word economy according to its usage in Greek we find that H derttir*
“ pastoral building.” We wish that this term w ould be reintroduced into our th e o lu g i^ l
terminology, for it is one of extreme precision and depth and also connotes a w hc:-
theological heritage.

8
 the Holy Spirit as man, we see him giving us the Holy Spirit as
God.... If then this one Lord Jesus Christ who received the Holy
Spirit is also he who gives him, the action is thus evident: this
one Christ who received the Holy Spirit by the economy of his
incarnation, also gives him, for he is God by nature. If the Holy
Spirit rested on him being hum an, he did not do so being divine,
but on us as mankind; and this Holy Spirit is from him, in him
and with him. (St. Cyril the Great, De Recta Fide)

It sh o u ld be carefully borne in m in d th a t the H oly S p irit is

fu n d am en tally involved in the process of the in c arn atio n an d
consequently in th a t of red em p tio n a n d salvation as a basic
factor from b e g in n in g to end. H e attended the nativity, the
b aptism , the tem p ta tio n an d all the o th e r signs a n d w onders,
always testifying to C hrist: “ H e w ill bear w itness to m e ” (Jn.
15:26). H e is present in the confession of faith as well: “ N o one
can say ‘J esus i s L o rd ’ except by the H o ly S p irit” (1 Cor. 12:3);
an d in revealing the m ysteries of C hrist: “ H e w ill take w h a t is
m ine a n d declare it to y o u ” (Jn. 16:14).
# # #

9
 II
“... and was led by the Spirit for fb m
days in the wilderness, tempted b \ the
d evil” (Lk. 4:1,2).

It is obvious th a t C h rist d id n o t seek tem p ta tio n for him self.

Was it n o t he w ho said in prayer, “ L ead us n o t in to tem p ta-
tio n ’? Yet, w hen tem p ta tio n did com e he d id n o t sh u n it, b u t
faced it readily, since it was for this very p u rp o se th at he had
com e. H e even h u rrie d it w hen it arrived: “W h at you are g o in g
to do, do q u ic k ly ” (Jn. 13:27).
T o th is p o in t, St. A th an asiu s of A lexandria com m ents:

For as it was not fitting for the Word of God, being the Life, to
inflict death himself on his own body, so neither was it suitable
to fly from death offered by others.... But this did not show
weakness on the W ord’s part, but, on the contrary, showed him
to be Savior and Life; in that he both awaited death to destroy it
and hastened to accomplish the death offered him for the
salvation of all. (St. Athanasius, Incarnation of the Word, 22:1,2)

W hy led by the Spirit?

It is obvious th a t the H oly S p irit intervenes here as the m a in
elem ent in d eclaring the righteousness of C h rist, a n d it is fitting
th a t the testim ony to C hrist an d d eclaratio n of h is lo rd sh ip does
n o t com e from h im . It is the S p irit w ho u n d ertak es to declare
C h rist’s lo rd sh ip because it is the very n a tu re of his role, for in
the m essage of salvation, the Paraclete has a vital role to play,
secretly m an ifesting him self from tim e to tim e w ith o u t being
noticed, except by those w ho are perceptive of the w ork of this
m eek, calm an d ever-self-denying Spirit- Even if J o h n the
B aptist w ent before C hrist in the sp irit of E lijah as a voice

10
crying in the w ilderness a n d as a lam p illu m in a tin g the tu rn in g
roads a n d sh o w ing clear the crooked ways, yet his voice
w ithdrew a n d its lig h t w ent o u t the m o m en t the S p irit of G od
was p o u re d o u t on C hrist in p ro fu sio n . T h e S p irit still goes
before C h rist b u t in a voice w hich is n o t h eard except secretly in
hearts, h e alin g their bruises, b in d in g th eir fractures an d
d isp ellin g their despair. H is lig h t illu m in ate s the eyes from
w ith in , n o t from w ith o u t—w ith the lig h t of eternity w h ich the
w orld c a n n o t see.

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me...to comfort all who mourn;
to grant to those who m ourn in Zion [to sing], to give them a
garland instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning,
the mantle of praise instead of a faint spirit” (Is. 61:1-3).

And w hy sh o u ld the S p irit w ish to be tem pted by Satan?

Isaiah d id n o t fail to m ake a subtle rem ark in this respect.
H ear h im say, “T h e S pirit of the L ord G od is u p o n m e... to
p ro claim the year of the L o rd ’s favor, an d the day of vengeance
of o ur G o d ” (Is. 61:2). It is as if he w ants to say th a t the year of
the L o rd ’s favor m u st necessarily begin w ith d riv in g the enem y
away, th a t righteousness w ill never be p o u re d o u t unless
in iq u ity first abates, a n d th at the release of the captives m u st be
preceded by c a p tu rin g the oppressor.
W hat was the reason b eh in d the m o u rn in g of the m o u rn ers
a n d the despair of the despondent in Zion a n d all over the
w orld? W h at was the reason b eh in d the h u m ilia tio n of the
h u m ilia te d an d th eir break in g hearts, the captivity of captives
an d the bondage of bondsm en? W as it n o t because of the enem y
of o u r race, w ho h ad reigned over us by death, a n d fettered us
w ith sin, th ro w n us in to the captivity of lust, sealed us w ith
d espair of salvation, a n d in su lted the M ost H ig h in o u r creatio n

11
w hich is his image?
H ence, it was the S p irit w ho p la n n e d th a t this da* oz.
vengeance sh o u ld be first in the p la n of red em p tio n , a n d th e re -
u p o n C h rist set o u t in the desert of tem p ta tio n in order to h a ste n
the a cco m p lish m en t of the rest of the p la n o n Calvary.

B u t h o w co uld C h rist be tem pted by the devil w hile being God?

T h is q u e stio n first carries us from reflecting on the tem p ta-
tio n back to C hrist him self.
T h e m ere m en tio n of the w ord tem p ta tio n turns o u r th o u g h t
to the m ean in g of sin. T h e Bible presents te m p tatio n in co n -
ju n c tio n w ith sin in general, w hether in a direct m anner, w here
p u n is h m e n t follows, or in a n indirect m an n er, w here v in d ica-
tio n follow s. H ow ever, we can im p u te the o rig in of the te m p ta -
tio n of C hrist to n eith er of these senses. For it is a wTell-kno\vn
fact th a t “G od c a n n o t be tem pted w ith evil” (Js. 1:13) (the w ord
tem pted here is in the passive.) In o th e r w ords G od can never be
led in to te m p tatio n by the evil one. W hat th en co u ld this tem p -
tatio n of C h rist be?
We go back once ag ain to reflect u p o n the flesh of C hrist.
A ccording to the faith, C h rist was conceived a n d b o rn w ith o u t
sin (orig in al sin). D id he then becom e susceptible to sin after-
wards? N o, according to the faith this is absolutely im possible,
due to the hypostatic u n io n 2 betw een the Logos an d the im m ac-
ulate flesh.
2 Hypostatic union means the real and total union w hich took place between iht c n :r.t
person or the “ W ord,” who is the only Son of God, and the flesh he took iir.-
Virgin, starting from the first m om ent of the incarnation. T he flesh thus became * f
belonging to the person (or hypostasis) of the Son. T his union, however, did no: -
from the infiniteness of the divine person or his inherent attributes b\ a m Th-
technical term is of vital im portance to the Orthodox doctrine. It was Si
who first introduced it into theological terminology; and St. Cyril afterwards car. t u i -c
it, and all the fathers who followed preserved it and used it to elucidate iht :

12
 For this reason we also say that all which belongs to the flesh
belongs also to the Word w ithout sin, according to his dispensa-
tion. (St. Cyril of Alexandria, Second Letter to Succen.)

And the Word became one with the articulate soul and flesh as a
person... and became man. (St. Cyril of Alexandria, Letter to
Nestorius, Second Excommunication)

All people have bodies in which they live and will be resurrected;
as for the Word of God, he became man to sanctify the flesh. (St.
Athanasius, Second Discourse against Arius)
In a letter to E m peror T h eodosius, St. C yril of A lexandria
show s th a t the effect of the divine essence on the h u m a n ity (of
C hrist) is a p erm eatin g one w hich throw s in to bold relief the
m e a n in g a n d value of the oneness w hich resulted from this
u n io n :

If he is in the flesh, he is also a conqueror of sin, for, by his nature

and essence, he is absolutely unchangeable and victorious in
everything, and all sins are away from him. (St. Cyril of
Alexandria, De Recta Fide)

H o w th en can we consider the body of C h rist, w h ich is

absolutely free from sin, a n a tu ra l body ju s t like ours?
T h e answ er to this q u estio n is clear. Sin is n o t a n a tu ra l
elem ent in m a n ’s body, b u t is sp u rio u s to o u r creatio n , an d its
ad m ittan ce was v o lu n tary o n o u r p a rt. T h e in c a rn a tio n of
C hrist by the H oly S p irit an d the V irgin M ary show ed us a body
ju s t like ours as regards o u r h u m a n n a tu re , b u t free from
A d am ’s o rig in al a n d w illful sin:

This body, though he took it from Mary, is truly holy. (St.

nature in the union between the hypostasis and the flesh—the latter becoming divine
flesh, the flesh of the Son of God.

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 Athanasius, To Epictat)

N evertheless, the flesh w h ich C hrist took from the V irg in an d

u n ite d w ith , a lth o u g h it was blam eless, retain ed all the
p ro p erties of w eakness a n d susceptibility to p a in an d even
d eath . It was o nly free from sin:

For when he became man he did not cease to be God, neither was
he ashamed of humanity for being God. (St. Athanasius, Third
discourse against Arius)

St. A thanasius show s, in a n o th e r place, th a t the body of

C h rist is even considered a perfect h u m a n m odel, w hich
retained all the weaknesses of m a n k in d b u t rem ain ed w ith o u t
sin:

For whatever is written concering our Savior in His human

nature, ought to be considered as applying to the whole race of
mankind, because he took our body, and exhibited in himself
hum an infirmity. (St. Athanasius, Defence of his Flight)

How then could Christ be tempted by Satan while being

without sin?
H ere we re tu rn to the gospel text in order to glim pse a
m ystical tru th w orthy of a ll consideration.
We observe th a t the tem pter approaches all p eo p le, w ith o u t
exception, boldly. H e violates their territory, th eir lives a n d even
th eir seclusion a n d prayer; for he finds in th eir n a tu re th a t
w hich encourages his audacity due to th eir d isp o sitio n to sin.
T h e enem y even dared to violate A dam ’s paradise; for A dam was
u n d er G od's co m m an d m en t w hich he h a d the freedom to obey
or break if he liked. In the n a tu re of A dam ’s freedom , the enem y
fo u n d w h a t encouraged h im to probe such freedom a n d shake it
from a ll sides.

14
 In the case of C hrist, on the o th er h a n d , we find the reverse.
T h a t is, the vio latio n is tu rn ed a ro u n d the o th e r way: C hrist is
the one w ho goes o u t to the desert to be tem pted by Satan! Satan,
here, is o n the ru n , w hile C h rist is driven by the S p irit to storm
his d o m a in an d seek h im in h is arid w ilderness, the place of his
rest, the desert w here there is n o water.

“He saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no
one to intervene; then his own arm3 brought him victory, and his
righteousness upheld him. He put on righteousness as a
breastplate and a helmet of salvation upon his head; he p u t on
garments of venegeance for clothing4 and wrapped himself in a
mantle. According to their deeds, so will he repay—wrath to his
adversaries, requital to his enemies” (Is. 59:16-18).

T h ere seems to be here n o th in g u n u su a l a b o u t these sim ple

words o n C h rist’s te m p tatio n by the devil; they d o n o t arrest o u r
a tte n tio n . H ow ever, they are actually very serious a n d of
extrem e p ro fu n d ity , n o t o n ly in their them e, b u t also in their
n a tu re a n d their far-reaching results. For th o u g h the te m p tatio n
here seems to be aim ed a g ain st C hrist, it actu ally encom passes
Satan him self, b u t from a different angle, w h ich is a ll the m ore
significant a n d of special concern to us in o u r present
m ed itatio n . We find here th a t the te m p tatio n has a salvational
actio n w hich m ost essentially concerns us:

When he was tempted by the devil he was patient, not that he

needed to be tempted, but in order to neutralize the power of the
devil. (St. Gregory of Nyssa, cited by St. Severus of Antioch)

C hrist p u t on m a n ’s flesh as a c lo th in g of vengeance,

3 Christ is often figured as the "arm of G od.”

4 The vision here refers to the flesh of Christ.

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acco rd in g to the P ro p h et Isa ia h ’s odd im agery, so as to c o n fro n t
w ith it the enem y of o u r race w ho has disgraced o u r flesh an d
h u m ilia te d it. A ccording to St. P a u l’s in te rp re ta tio n , “[G od
sent] his ow n Son in the likeness of sin fu l flesh a n d for sin, he
co n dem ned sin in the flesh” (R om . 8:3).
Yes, it w as im perative th at the Son of G od, w ith this w eak and
suffering body w h ich was subject to death, sh o u ld co n q u er the
devil, curb h im a n d drive h im to w eakness a n d in to Sheol:
“ Sheol beneath is stirred u p to m eet you w hen y o u com e... All of
them w ill speak a n d say to you: 'Y ou too have becom e as weak
as wel Y ou have becom e like u s!’ ” (Is. 14:9,10).

It was necessary that the nature which was conquered through

Adam should be crowned with victory through Christ and
destroy death. This is the reason why our Savior became man, as
St. Paul says, “Since therefore the children share in flesh and
blood, he himself likewise partook of the same nature” (Heb.
2:14). (Pope Theodosius of Alexandria, Letter to St. Severus of
Antioch)
• • *

16
 Ill

“ And he ate n othing in those days”

(Lk. 4:2).

I n s t e a d of the divine pow er a n d m ig h t w h ich w ent before G od

in the form of fire, th u n d er, lig h tn in g , sm oke a n d earth q u ak e,
as we were accustom ed to in the O ld T estam en t, we find here
C hrist tak in g the in itiativ e to be h u m a n , h u m b lin g him self
w ith fasting an d setting o u t to m eet the enem y in the weakness
of the flesh! Is n o t this the am azing, u n searchable and
u n fath o m ab le m ystery of C h rist—th a t after show ing his
h u m an n ess th ro u g h his in c arn atio n , he em ptied him self to
a cco m p lish h is m ission th ro u g h weakness a n d hum ility ? Is it
n o t a sto n ish in g th at C hrist sh o u ld n o t c o n fro n t the enem y w ith
the pow er of his godhead openly, b u t as a fastin g a n d p ra y in g
m an?

W hen the devil tempted him in the wilderness he was patient,

n ot from a need for tem ptation, b ut for the purpose of
neutralizing the pow er of the devil. He did not confront the devil
w ith the power of his godhead, b u t trium phed over h im with the
body w hich was liable to suffering and death, so th at by this
body, sin should not enter the world once more, for it is through
sin that death spread to all men; that by this body the im purity of
sin may be blotted out; that in this body he may trium ph over the
prince of sin. (St. Gregory of Nyssa, cited by St. Severus of
Antioch)

We w ould like here to draw the reader’s a tte n tio n to the

im p o rtan ce of the O rth o d o x doctrine of the one n a tu re of the
W ord Incarnate. T h e q u estio n w hich b rin g s us face to face w ith

17
th is dextrine is: D id the flesh strive alo n e for this triu m p h an d
salvauon? A nd, in case it did, c o u ld th a t w ork be called
“salv a tio n ” ?
T h e u n ity of the flesh w ith the W ord is a n in ev itab le necessity,
for th eir actio n is one. It is from the oneness of the flesh w ith the
W ord (th at is, w ith the godhead) th a t the one act w h ich C hrist
perform ed in the w eakness of the flesh sp ran g . C hrist
“condem ned s in ” in a fastin g a n d frail body w h ich was broken
o n the cross “in w eakness.”
T h e c o n d em n atio n of sin w hich C hrist effected in this
w eakness of the flesh is actu ally an a rticu late evidence of the
m ig h t of the godhead w h ich is one w ith the flesh. T h u s we find
th a t the cross, w hich is a single a ctio n acco m p lish ed by the
W ord in the flesh is b o th called “w eakness” a n d “p o w e r” a t one
a n d the same tim e. C h rist w as said to have been “crucified in
w eakness” w hich is “the pow er of G od for salv a tio n .” In
a n o th e r place the Bible describes the deed of the cross as the
“w eakness of G o d ” (IC o r. 1:25). C ou ld there be a better
expression of th a t oneness?
W hat can the resu lt of such a w elding betw een this weakness
a n d th a t pow er be o th er th a n to neutralize w eakness an d to
a n n u l it definid v ely in the flesh, th a t is in h u m a n n ature,
forever? T h is result appeared clearly in the flesh a t the L o rd ’s
resurrection from the dead, w hen this oneness w as m ost clearly
m anifested.
T herefore, the u n io n betw een the d iv in e n a tu re an d the
h u m a n one, w hich resulted in the b irth of the flesh, ended u p in
a total oneness in w hich there was n o t the least d u ality . For after
the u n io n , the divine a n d the h u m a n were no lo n g er two
n atu res, b u t one n a tu re of the W ord Incarnate, p e rfo rm in g one
act, a n d w illin g one w ill. T h is is the very one actio n of salvation

18
an d red em p tio n regarded as b o th weakness a n d pow er, a death
a n d resurrection together.

We say that two natures were united, but after this union they
could no longer be distinguished as two. We thus believe in one
nature of the Son because he is one, even though he was
incarnated and became man. (St. Cyril of Alexandria, Letter 40 to
Acac.)

While the two natures, which have come to such true unity, were
different (divine and human), they nonetheless have produced
the one Christ, the one Son, not that the distinction between the
two natures after this union was no more valid, bu t the divinity
and hum anity perfected for us one Lord, one Christ, who is the
only Son, and this by their harmony in a perfect unity that
surpasses description and elucidation. (St. Cyril of Alexandria,
Fourth Letter to Nestorius)

For the sake of this flesh he combined his own will with human
weakness, that destroying this affection [or weakness] he might
in turn make man undaunted in face of death. (St. Athanasius,
Discourse 111 Against the Arians, 29)

St. A th anasius here illustrates in p la in p ro fu n d ity a n d in a

clean-cut statem ent the fact th a t C hrist h a d o n ly one w ill; w hen
he h an d ed it to the flesh it looked weak, b u t its w eakness, w hich
p roduced red em p tio n a n d salvation, tu rn ed in to unexcelled
pow er.
• # *

T h e flesh never w orked alone, for it was o n e w ith the W ord,

an d a ll its w orks were n o th in g b u t a n expression of the w ill of
the W ord a n d h is actio n . For all the w orks of the flesh a n d its

19
sufferings ap p eared a t the en d as saving an d life-giving acts,
expressing one single action, one w ill an d one n atu re of the
W ord Incarnate.

It was not humanity alone which did these deeds as if humanity

were apart from divinity, never; but divinity accepted these pains
on account of the union which it shared with humanity
throughout. (St. Severus of Antioch, Letter to King Anastasius)

H ow far this is from the saying of Pope Leo (of R om e)5 w hich
the C ouncil of C halcedon adopted, th a t severs the w orks of the
flesh from those of the Logos (the godhead) in such a way th a t
shakes the concept of hypostatic u n ion!

Every nature fulfills whatever pertains to it in conjunction with

the other. The Word performs what pertains to the Word, and the
flesh what pertains to the flesh. (Tome of Leo)
H o w th en can it be claim ed th a t the C ouncil of C halcedon
derived th is ex p osition from St. C yril of A lexandria? A nd th a t
this statem ent does n o t d e p art from the theo lo g ical statem ents of
St. Cyril? In fact, if we go back to C yril, we find the very
opposite:

Thus, if we say about Emmanuel that he is from a divine nature

and a hum an nature6, we mean that the hum an nature now

5 We do n o t wish by this com parison to recollect the tragedies of dogm atic history or
bring them back to our own age; we w ould rather overlook the past and even overlook
the rigidity of the letter and of terminology, so as to attain to the excellence of the one
Christ w ho gathers all of us into his spacious heart.
6 T o say that C hrist is from two natures is different from saying that he is in two natures.
For the former, w hich is correct, means that the divine and h um an natures united to
form the “ W ord Incarnate.” But to say that he is in two natures means that the Word is
still Word and the body is still body; they are two natures existing together. The latter
doctrine is not acknowledged by the non-Chalcedonian churches, because it is far
removed from the words of the Gospel text, “And the Word became flesh” (Jn. 1:14

20
 pertains to the Word: he is one Son. The Holy Scriptures, which
are God's breath, say that he suffered in the flesh. It thus befits us
to say the same and not that he suffered in the hum an nature7.
This is too much to say, as if to sever the hum an nature of Christ
from the nature of the Word mentioning the two apart, the
authors thinking that the two are separate... and saying after-
wards that they are not apart, and pretending to preach the
correct faith.8 (St. Cyril of Alexandria, Second Letter to Succen.)

St. C yril here o nly speaks the same w ords spoken before by St.
A thanasius:

For what the hum an body of the Word suffered, this the Word,
dwelling in the body, ascribed to himself, in order that we might
be enabled to be partakers of the godhead of the Word. (St.
Athanasius, Letter to Epictat; NPNF, 2nd Series, Vol. IV, p. 572)

7 E ditor’s note: T o say that he "suffered in the flesh” means that it is Christ the Word
who received these sufferings in his own body, which is correct and has always been
stressed by the fathers. T his is different from saying that he “suffered in his h um anity,”
w hich means that the pains were not received by Christ in his own person, but were
confined by him w ithin the hum an nature. There is all the difference in the world
between sufferings that are bodily received by the Word in his ow n person and those
confined by his divinity in a nature other than its own. For Christ to receive physical
sufferings in his own person means that these sufferings became salvific ones: “ I confess
that the salvific sufferings of our Lord Jesus C hrist were received by him in the flesh for
o u r own sake.” “T he godhead received sufferings in the flesh” (Pope T heodosius of
Alexandria).
8 T he theologians who expound the doctrine of Chalcedon claim that the principle of
two natures after the union derives from the teachings of St. Cyril the Great. But when
they collide w ith the places where Cyril proclaim s one nature after the u n io n (that is,
one nature o u t of two) they im pute to Cyril that he did not distinguish between physis
and hypostasis in Greek, and they allege that w hat he m eant by one nature was actually
one hypostasis. But we strongly object to this claim; for the em barrassing question
which declares it null and void is: Did Cyril ever m ention even once in all his
classifications that the u nion took place between two hypostases instead of two physes?
Cyril in fact was an extremely meticulous theologian who perfectly understood w hat
hypostasis is and w hat nature means.

21
 And while he, the incorporeal, was in the passible body, the body
had in it the impassible Word, which was destroying the
infirmities inherent in the body. But this he did, and so it was, in
order that in his taking what was ours and offering it as a
sacrifice, he m ight do away with it, and conversely m ight invest
us with what was his, and cause the Apostle to say: “This
corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal put on
immortality” (IC or. 15:53). Now this did not come to pass
putatively, as some have supposed: far be the thought: but the
Saviour's having in very truth become man, the salvation of the
whole man was brought about. (St. Athanasius, ibid.)

W ith this flesh, w h ich looks very frail in its outw ard
ap p earance and n atu re, b u t w hich is actually G o d ’s flesh, C hrist
w ent fo rth to be tem pted by the enem y. H e d id n o t fast to escape
the pow er of the devil th ro u g h h u n g e r, b u t to raise the flesh to
the level of the sp irit, so th a t it m ig h t derive its pow er a n d life
from the W ord a n d n o t from a m orsel of bread. If the devil had
been subdued by the W ord, the victory, then, w h ich w ould have
taken place a t the level of the flesh, w o u ld be credited to the
flesh, a n d therefore to us.
T h u s C h rist raised his flesh by fasting as a n offering to G od
before e n co u n terin g the tem p tatio n , for the physical and
psychic p a in w hich he endured in his lo n g fast w as considered
in itself a sanctification for o u r sake an d a sacrifice o n o u r
behalf.

With the forty days of fasting and utter seclusion, Christ

founded the mystery of Ascetic Theology
T h e L o rd draw s o u r a tte n tio n to sin a n d to the powfer of the
devil, w hich surpass the lim its of the flesh. He inspires us to the
p a th we sh o u ld tread so th a t by fasting, prayer a n d seclusion we

22
m ay rise to a sp iritu a l level p ro p o rtio n a te to this evil force;
“T h is k in d never com es o u t except by prayer an d fa stin g " (Mt.
17:21).
By fasting, prayer a n d seclusion, the flesh ceases to call for its
needs, a n d th us m an becomes safe from d ra w in g back. T h e flesh
is then elevated by prayer a n d c o n tem p latio n to the level of the
sp irit, a n d it is only then th at m a n finds h im self face to face w ith
the devil an d sin as concrete powers; he m ay even overpow er
them w ith the h e lp he w ill surely receive from above.
So it is th at C hrist inspires us by his fastin g w ith a pow erful
stance a g a in st sin: a la n g u ish in g body a n d a soul totally
su rren d erin g to G od, together w ith c o n tem p t for the vainglory
of this w orld. It is in this way th a t we can c o n fro n t the devil.
“T h e ru le r of th is w o rld is com ing. H e has no pow er over m e”
(Jn. 14:30).
B ut u p to now the ascesis of fastin g is n o t yet considered
w ith in the b o unds of C h ristia n m ysticism , for the m an fa in tin g
from h u n g e r still needs to be fed w ith the W ord pro ceed in g from
the bosom of the F ather a n d from his m o u th , a n d he needs
actu ally to live by th a t W ord. It is th en th a t one w ould be
in itia te d in to the m ystery of red em p tion, n o t m erely in victory
over sin, b u t also in u n io n w ith the W ord w h en one truly raises
o n e ’s body as a n o b la tio n .9

He accepted what belongs to humanity and the temptations with

which he was tempted, so that we may walk in the tracks of him
who conquered every sin. As God, he became a high priest for us
through his humanity, and as a servant, he raised his pure flesh
to the Father as an offering and sweet incense on our behalf. (St.
Cyril of Alexandria, De Recta Fide)
9 “ I appeal to you therefore, brethren... to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy
and acceptable to God, w hich is your spiritual w orship” (Rom. 12:1).

23
 In ascetic theology, b o th the flesh, w ith its h u n g e r, sw eat an d
sickness, a n d the soul, w ith its surrender to p a in a n d death,
e n ter in to the very core of salvation th ro u g h c o m m u n io n in the
sufferings of the L ord; a n d so m an tastes the m ean in g of
red em p tio n an d sacrifice. H e a p p re h en d s w ith h is so u l a n d feels
w ith his flesh the w a n in g of sin in his m em bers, the recession of
the devil a n d the m in iste rin g of angels: “a n d b eh o ld , angels
cam e a n d m inistered to h im ” (M t. 4:11).
* # #

The Fast of Great Lent

T h e forty days of L en t w hich C h rist fasted entered in to the
ch u rch , a n d therefore in to o u r lives, as a salv atio n al w ork
co m plem entary to the P assion of H oly W eek a n d the c ru c i-
fixion, in p re p a ra tio n for the mystery of resurrection.
T h e ch u rc h can never celebrate the H oly R esurrection w ith its
life-giving m ystery unless it first crosses the way th ro u g h the
forty days of L en t in w h ich it prepares itself for the m ystery of
the cross. It is as if the R esurrection derives its p o w er from the
cross, a n d th a t in its tu rn from L ent.
T h e resurrection, in its perfect m ean in g , is a victory over
death, a n d consequently over sin, as w ell as a te rm in a tio n o f the
dev il’s reig n over m an , w here m an receives a new in c o rru p tib le
body, im m o rtal, n o t susceptible to p a in o r w eakness, a n d even
one w ith the W ord, the Son of G od, in an etern al u n io n a n d a
m ystery of love beyond all co m prehension.
T h e resurrection, in this integral sense, we w ait for, b u t in fact
we receive its pledge here a n d now . T h is pled g e is a true an d
p o w erful victory of the sp irit over the flesh, a n d a reign of
holiness w hich prevails over a ll the allu rem en ts of the devil an d

24
his deception. T h is, how ever, is w ith in the lim its of suffering,
weakness, u n re le n tin g effort, fasting, prayer a n d the silence of
seclusion in lim ited periods of tim e.
W ith its lo n g seclusion, the fast of L en t deeply an d secretly
p repared the way in the L o rd ’s life for the crucifixion a n d re su r-
rection, w here C hrist a ctu ally rose in a vigorous, im passible,
im m o rtal a n d g lo rio u s body w h ich far transcends the lim its of
the n a tu re in w hich we now live:

We should know that the flesh belongs particularly to him, and it

is in it that he tasted death, in it that he rose, stamped out the
pride of death, and gave our race the gift of immortality. This,
because he trampled death with this body, and annulled its
victory. It is no longer an imperfect body of a man like us, but an
exceedingly glorious body which transcends the limitations of
humanity. (St. Cyril of Alexandria, De Recta Fide)

As for us, the fast of L en t w ith its seclusion, a n d Passion Week

w ith its sorrow s, elevate us to a state in w hich we visualize and
are aw are of the resurrection as a pledge, b u t n o t yet in its perfect
form w hich transcends the lim its of um e. For even th o u g h we
now celebrate the R esurrection, it is o n ly w ith in the confines of
y earn in g a n d c o n stan t expectation and by v irtue of the pledge
w hich has been h anded to us.
T o C hrist, the fast of L ent was a sort of p re lim in a ry scale used
to m easure the len g th an d b read th of sin in a flesh o n w h ich sin
c a n n o t leave its p rin ts of co rru p tio n . In his seclusion in the
desert a n d a rid h ig h m o u n ta in s, C h rist was em o tio n ally
detached from the w orld an d co u ld thus see th ro u g h a h u m a n
body a ll the k ingdom s of the w orld a n d m editate on an d
exam ine th eir false glory, their base h e ig h t, th eir illu so ry
perm anence, a n d their rise an d fall over the ru in s of each other.

25
H e thus felt the h u g e difference betw een the com fortable bosom
of the Father, from w h ich he cam e fo rth , an d the hard-pressed
chest of the w orld to w hich he descended. By p ra y in g an d
freq u ently stan d in g before G od, the soul of C h rist w as lifted a n d
elevated above the earth. It felt itself to be a g ra n d tem ple of
G od, h ig h e r th a n the heavens. It m easured the g lo ry of this
tem ple a n d becam e convinced of its h ig h g ra n d e u r above the
glories of m a n k in d a n d the h o n o rs of this age.
By fasting, the flesh was elevated, th ro u g h its in tim acy w ith
the sp irit, above its earth ly hom e, a n d it th u s looked dowTi on
the earth from w hich it was taken, w hich provides m an w ith
food, d rin k a n d an illusory sustenance. C h rist m editated on the
d u st of this earth an d how it in h erited the curse of sin w hich
never ceased to sap m a n ’s strength, his w orry a n d h is love, u n til
it m ade o u t of th at earth a hom e for m a n once a g ain . A nd so
C h rist kept aloof from the earth , her d u st a n d her stones; for he
felt w ith in his h e art the true source of m a n ’s life.

26
 IV
“ And he fasted forty days and forty
nights, and afterward he was hungry.
And the tempter came to h im ...” (Mt.
4:2,3).

D lV lN E in sp ira tio n in this gospel text throw s in to bold relief

the re la tio n sh ip betw een h u m a n in stincts a n d tem p tatio n : “H e
was h u n g ry , a n d the tem pter cam e to h im .” H u n g e r is co n -
sidered a n a tu ra l a n d h o nest expression of physical need an d is
in k eep in g w ith the n atu re of the flesh. T h ere is n o sham e or
c o rru p tio n in this.
B ut w hen physical need presses h ard u p o n m an , im p o rtu n a te -
ly a n d solicitously ask ing for gratification, a ll the in tellectu al
a n d psychic standards fall dow n to the level of the flesh w ith its
n a tu ra l drives an d becom e influenced by this so licitude in an
alw ays-exaggerated m anner: physical need ty ran n ically over-
w helm s the spirit.
At the b e g in n in g , such pressure seems h a rd a n d in sisten t as if
it were a n irresistable necessity. B ut if the m en tal an d psychic
system does n o t ally itself w ith this exaggerated insistence, m an
can m anage to control the flesh: in stincts calm dow n, recede an d
then cease.
P hysical needs are n o t evil in themselves, for they w ere created
by G od. B ut if m an succum bs to their m agnified im p o rtu n ity
a n d consigns him self to their rebellious leadership, they can
lead h im to transgression a n d d ro p h im in to the g rasps of the
devil, w h o w o u ld in h a b it these physical needs a n d use them as a
w eapon a g ain st m an.

27
 V
“ ... and afterward he was hungry” (Mt.
4:2).

T he B ible’s saying th at C h rist was h u n g ry o pens for us a

w onderful them e for m ed itatin g on the n a tu re of C hrist. It did
n o t say, as it did a b o u t Peter, th a t w hen he becam e h u n g ry , “he
desired so m eth in g to e at” (Acts 10:10).
T h e Bible indicates by ' ‘h u n g e r” the a ctio n of physical need
in C h rist’s flesh, w h ich is in accordance w ith the n o rm a l lim its
of h u m a n n atu re. B ut it never m en tio n s an y in c lin a tio n tow ard
ap p etite on Jesu s’ p art. Such a n in c lin a d o n tow ards desire
w o u ld denote an alliance betw een the psychic an d sp iritu al
m ak eu p o n the one h a n d a n d in stin c t o n the other, w hich w ould
resu lt in a d ro p to the level of the earth:
The sage Cyril [the Great] said in his second Thesaurus that fear,
hunger and the like were accepted10 by Christ, but they never held
sway over him. (St. Severus of Antioch on St. Cyril the Great)
It is clear here th a t the n a tu re of C h rist was n o t o n ly free from
sin b u t also never disposed tow ard sin. T h a t h is flesh was
w ith o u t sin is und ebatable, by virtue of the H o ly C onception
a n d the p u re V irgin B irth. B ut as for the flesh b ein g disinclined
to sin, or, according to St. C yril’s expression, never d o m in ated
by the obsession w ith physical needs—b ein g h u n g ry b u t never
co n trolled by h u n g e r—this is an action w h ich transcends
h u m a n n a tu re , o n acco u n t of the total u n io n betw een the flesh
a n d the W ord. For th o u g h the W ord accepted the sufferings of
10 T he W ord’s accepting sufferings in the flesh was not com pulsory due to his union
w ith the flesh, b u t voluntary and w ith pleasure; for he suffered and was crucified
according to his own will.

28
the flesh a n d its weakness, he never accepted any in c lin a tio n
tow ard sin.

Whosoever says th at the flesh to w hich the W ord was united was
im passible to the sufferings w hich were w ithout sin, that is to
say, the flesh was only a shadow or sim ilitude, is excom m uni-
cated. And whosoever says that the L o rd ’s flesh is perishable, that
it m ight accept sin, is excom municated. (Pope Theodosius of
Alexandria)

H ere the efficacy of the doctrine “one n atu re of G od the W ord

In c a rn ate ” stands o u t clearly. F or d ivin ity a n d h u m a n ity
expressed together in C h rist a new n a tu re of m an w hich could
no t be m a n ip u la te d by the perverse p assion re su ltin g from the
solicitude of physical need.
T h e W ord, th a t is the Logos, d id n o t coerce the flesh or
com pulsively restrain it from in c lin in g tow ard ap p etite, as if it
were of a different n a tu re th a t w as foreign to h im . H arm o n y was
the result of the u n io n w hich h a d taken place betw een the W ord
an d the flesh hypostatically. T h e flesh assum ed the virtue of the
godhead an d its perfection:

We do not say that Christ, by m eans of a pleasant flesh w hich was

insensitive or cut off from feeling, became w ithout propensity to
sin, but that, on account of perfect virtueousness and a flesh that
was born w ithout passion, he had no desire for sin. (St.
Augustine, Op, Im erf. IV 48)

T h is show s th a t C h rist’s flesh was strengthened by its u n io n

w ith the godhead w hile re ta in in g all its n a tu ra l h u m a n p ro p e r-
ties. T h is is illu strated by St. A th anasius in this m anner:

H ow then can we believe that the body, ransom ed and quickened

by the Word, had made an addition to God the Word that had

29
 quickened it? For on the contrary, a great addition was accrued to
the hum an body itself from the fellowship and union of the
Word with it. Instead of being mortal it had become immortal
[by resurrection]; and though an animal body, it had become
spiritual; and though made from earth, it entered the heavenly
gates [by ascension]. (St. Athanasius, Letter to Epictat; 9)

T h u s in the body of C hrist, m a n ’s n atu re, w h ich had

previously sin ned a n d becom e subject to p a in an d d eath , was
rec ap itu late d ,11 in perfect u n io n w ith sinlessness a n d the d is in -
c lin a tio n to sin. N ot th a t sinlessness a n d the d isin c lin a tio n to
sin were so m eth in g separate from the flesh o r ex tern al to it,
s u p p o rtin g or c o n tro llin g it from the o utside, b u t th a t they
essentially belonged to it.

If sinlessness were not shown in the nature that had sinned, how
then can sin be condemned in the flesh? (St. Athanasius, Against
Apollinarius, ii,6)

T h u s w ith in the body (of C hrist), the pow er of d eath a n d th at

of im m o rtality were re-assem bled. From them , the pow er of
salvation inevitably em anated w hen the pow er of im m o rtality
co n q u ered the pow er of death a n d the body w as triu m p h a n tly
resurrected. T h is natu re, w ith a ll its p ro p erties in tact, was
transferred to us w hen C h rist gave us h is flesh w ith its victorious
pow er.

It was necessary for our salvation that the Word of God should
become man so as to make m an’s body, which had been subjected
11 R ecapitulation is the L atin equivalent of the Greek anacephalaiosis, a sum m ing up,
o r summary. T he term occurs in Eph. 1:10, where it is stated th at God summed up all
things in Christ. Irenaeus (c. 130—c. 200) made it especially his ow n, interpreting the
term both as the restoration of fallen hum anity to com m union w ith God by the
incarnation, and as the sum m ing up and com pletion of the entire Heilsgeschichte in the
incarnation (Dictionary of Christian Theology).

30
 to corruption and diseased with lust and pleasure, belong to him.
Being alive and life-giving, he annulled corruption, for in this
way sin is mortified in our flesh. (St. Cyril the Great, Letter to
Succen.)

A nd so in the lig h t of this doctrine, one co u ld say th a t C hrist

actu ally h an d ed us a flesh w hich has the pow er of sinlessness
an d d isin c lin a tio n to sinful passion, so th a t we m ig h t be
fortified forever inside this flesh. We are fortified n o t o n ly at the
resurrection (a fact th a t fills us w ith h o p e fu l strength), b u t also
w hen this flesh itself, w hich we receive by faith , becom es an
inw ard pledge of the new life w hich we taste here an d now ,
w hen we im itate C hrist. By p a rtia lly p a rta k in g of this victory,
we actu ally experience the joy of salvation an d the d e lig h t of
triu m p h th ro u g h a m ystery revealed in o u r hearts a n d m in d s as
a resurrection p rio r to the final resurrection.

He accepted all that belongs to mankind, including temptations,

so that we might now walk in his steps, he being trium phant
over every sin. As God, he became a high priest with his divinity,
and as a servant, he raised his pure body to God the Father on our
behalf like sweet incense. (St. Cyril the Great, De Recta Fide)

It was thus said that the holy flesh, which became a special
property of God the Word, was the initial point of God’s action
by which he annulled the pride of death, destroyed the power of
Satan, held Hades in captivity, broke its iron bolts [sin], and
offered us this holy flesh and blood as a commencement and
pledge of eternal life. (Pope Theodosius of Alexandria, Letter to
St. Severus of Antioch)

And afterw ard he was h u n g ry ”

D ivine in sp ira tio n here gives a h in t th at the body h eld o u t for
q u ite a lo n g tim e w ith o u t callin g for its needs, n o t by repression

31
b u t by v irtue of its n ature. T h is fact im p lies the extraordinary
loftiness of th a t n a tu re one way o r a n o th er (“ ... a n d afterw ard he
was h u n g ry ” ) w h ich , as we said before, was d u e to its u n io n
w ith the W ord. For if St. P aul, by reason of the grace w h ich was
in h im , could say, “ For I have learned, in w hatever state I am , to
be content. I k now how to be abased, a n d I k now h o w to
a b o u n d ” (P hil. 4:12), a n d " I pom m el m y body a n d subdue i t ”
(2 Cor. 9:27), how m u ch m ore could C hrist.

The flesh in which he was born was full of the perfection of the
godhead. (St. Athanasius to Epictat)

For this cause... because he was life and power, the body gained
strength in him. (St. Athanasius, Incarnation o f the Word, 21:5)

T h e Bible is n o t so eager to a ttrib u te feebleness a n d rap id

h u n g e r to C hrist, as some theologians do, in fear of E utychian-
ism . N eith er does it take p a in s to th ro w in to relief the pow er of
his go d h ead over the w eakness of the flesh, lest we sh o u ld forget
th a t C h rist was of a h u m a n n a tu re ju s t like ours. T h u s it says,
“a n d afterw ard he was h u n g ry ,” sho w in g the pow er of his
weakness.

Did he not then hunger? Yes; he hungered, agreeably to the

properdes of his body. But he did not perish of hunger, because
of the Lord that wore it. (St. Athanasius, Incarnation of the
Word, 21:7)

H ow ever, we sh ould know th a t even th a t h u n g e r w hich

stirred n a tu ra lly w ith in the flesh c o u ld have been co n tro lled an d
prevented by the Lord: “ I have the pow er to lay it d ow n, a n d I
have the pow er to take it a g a in ” (Jn. 10:18). B ut he never d id so.
O n the contrary, he accepted it to the end, leaving h is body to

32
behave n a tu ra lly a n d express all the reactions w hich occurred
w ith in it o r caused it to suffer, in co n fo rm ity w ith its n a tu ra l
properties.

He became like us except for sin; he partook in the symptoms

proper to our nature and accepted hunger, for there is no sin in
hunger. After he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he became
hungry when that nature was allowed to call for what belongs to
it. (St. Severus of Antioch on St. Gregory of Nyssa)
# * *

33
 VI
and afterward he was hungry, and
the devil came to h im ” (Mt. 4:2,3).

HENthe flesh felt h u n g ry , Satan m oved for the encounter;

for he n o w h a d a key to try in a door w h ich seem ed closed to
h im .

Satan began his attempt when he was sure that Christ was worn
out with hunger. For in hunger the devil found for himself a
helper (Synergon) in tempting, for he knows from his experience
with us that he can conquer us at times of weakness when we are
forced to accept his debates and reasonings. (St. Cyril the Great,
On the Gospel of Luke; PG 77 p. 528)

T h e L ord d id n o t deem him self su p erio r to e n co u n terin g

Satan; he had p u t o n a body th a t was subject to death, w hich
gave the devil an in itia l rig h t to the encounter. T h e L o rd m ade
o u t of h u n g e r, w hich had previously driven us to lu st an d
transgression w ith all their ram ifications, a n o p p o rtu n ity for
v a n q u ish in g the enem y a n d c u ttin g off his re la tio n sh ip w ith the
flesh once a n d for all.

This indivisible Christ performed signs and accepted sufferings

according to his will, 1 mean the ordained sufferings in which
there was no evil, which were in conformity with his humanity.
By his free will he hungered when he fasted for forty days on our
behalf, and thus gave Satan the chance to approach him. (St.
Severus of Antioch, Letter to Pope Theodosius of Alexandria)

It is th u s evident th a t the fasting a n d h u n g e r w hich C hrist

accepted in the flesh were o rig in ally inclu d ed in the p la n an d

34
econom y12 of salvation, for it was th ro u g h them th a t the W ord
m an aged to face the enem y an d , consequently, to face sin. In
d o in g so, C h rist b ro u g h t an en d to the old re la tio n s h ip 13
between the devil and o u r ow n n a tu re w hich h ad been a m ain
key to sin, h av in g been transm itted to us in ta c t th ro u g h A dam
u n d er various allurem ents:

He ate nothing during those days, and when they ended he

became hungry. It was thus becoming for him who humbled and
emptied himself to resist the devil who had vanquished us at first,
to fight him for us, suppress him and strip him of his power. For
this task he, I mean the Only Holy, came in the flesh so as to
purify us, for we became partners in his perfection. (St. Cyril the
Great, De Recta Fide)

12 Econom y or dispensation is, as we have explained above, a theological term denoting

all the works of G od which he accomplished by the incarnation in order to consummate
our redem ption and salvation. T he physical sufferings are therefore counted as
“economic” work in full accordance w ith h is divine will.
13 T h at is, the old relationship which Adam had created by his transgression, which
started with eating and the lust for self-deification and resulted in death.

35
 VII
“And the tempter came and said to
him , ‘If you are the Son of God,
command these stones to become
loaves of bread’ ” (Mt. 4:3).

W e sh ould n o t be too hasty in deciding S a ta n ’s in te n tio n from

this tem p ta tio n of his. R ather, we sho u ld calm ly m editate o n the

L ord's answ er to h im . It is the L ord alo n e w h o exposed Satan's
in te n tio n and guile, w hich were frau g h t w ith delusion. From
the L o rd 's answ er, “ It is w ritten, ‘M an shall n o t live by bread
alo n e, b u t by every w ord th a t proceeds from the m o u th of G od' "
(Mt. 4:4), we discover a t once th a t the enem y w as try in g to in still
in o u r n a tu re the d elu sio n th a t o u r life is totally dependent on
the earth . H e ex p loited h u n g er, w hich seemed life-threatening,
a n d lin k ed it to gratification, w hich co n seq u en tly seemed the
o n ly m eans of life. In like m an n er, even today, he deceitfully
convinces us th a t food is life-giving.
T h is seems to be a fact if we accept it h astily or w ith o u t
c au tio n , ju s t as S atan ’s counsel to A dam , th a t by e atin g from the
tree of know ledge he w o u ld becom e like G od seemed valid.
H ow ever, the d elu sio n b e h in d these counsels lies in the fact th at
eating, gratification o r know ledge w ith o u t G o d c a n n o t give
m an life, n o r can they lead h im to rest. Every tru th w ith o u t G od
is a lie, a n d every life w ith o u t h is w ord is death . H ence, from
C h rist’s answ er we can infer th at e atin g e arth ly food alone
w ould lead m an to inevitable death. M an's life c a n n o t last or be
preserved w ith o u t the w ord of G od w h ich b ro u g h t it in to
existence an d quickened it.
It is no tab le th a t Satan addressed C hrist as th e Son of G od b u t
th a t C hrist answ ered Satan as a m an. T h e devil tried to raise the

36
tem p tatio n to a h ig h e r level, b u t C h rist p u lle d it d o w n to its true
level at once. We thus find in C h rist’s answ er far-reach in g d ep th
a n d p la in sim plicity.

B ut h o w was the devil defeated and his m ig h t v an q u ish ed by

C h rist’s answer?
T h e devil tried, th ro u g h h u n g e r, to b in d C h rist to the e arth so
as to m ake it h is source of life. B ut w hen he becam e sure of his
in a b ility to em ploy his pow er over C h rist’s h u n g e r an d incline
h im tow ard ap p etite by u rg in g h im to desire the earth ly bread
a n d live on it, he suggested th a t C hrist, w h o m he fo u n d to be
beyond the ru le of physical ap p etite, sh o u ld reach o u t for a
m iracle; “ C om m an d these stones to becom e loaves of b read .”
If we n o te th a t C hrist p u t on o u r very same n a tu re , we realize
th a t the devil was actually e m p lo y in g ag ain st h im a ll the
a u th o rity an d craftiness w hich he h a d acq u ired from A dam up
to C hrist, a n d w ith w hich he had b o u n d o u r n atu re, m ak in g
fleshly instincts an in le t for ex citin g the passions, w h ich are a
p itfall for sin a n d transgression. B ut now the tim e h a d com e to
break this b o n d asu n d er a n d release o u r p o o r a n d burdened
nature, the d a u g h ter of A dam , b o u n d by the devil w ith w eakness
for fifty-five h u n d re d years. N ow it was tim e for C h rist to p u t on
this n atu re w ith its burdens a n d w eakness (but to p u t it on
w ith o u t sin) so as to release it from the pow er of this tyrant.
T h e rejection of S a ta n ’s counsel by C hrist w hile he bore o u r
self-same h u n g e r a n d abjection, elevated h u m a n n a tu re above
the devil's pow er a n d raised it from its h u n ch ed p o stu re so th at
it stands u p rig h t. C h rist’s adherence (w hile he w as starv in g to
death) to the p rin c ip le th a t the life of the flesh does n o t consist
in bread alone b u t in G o d ’s w ord raised the W ord of G od above
bread, raised the flesh above h u n g e r, in stin c t a n d death, an d

37
lin k ed the life of the flesh to the W ord of G od: th u s m an m ay
live by H im a n d in H im forever. T h e d ev il’s defeat seems great
indeed if we rem em ber th a t sin entered in to A dam by his
acceptance of a single counsel, a n d sin reigned over m a n k in d ’s
n a tu re a n d over the en tire w o rld by the en tran ce of sin in to th at
single m an . By C h rist's rejection of th a t sam e counsel, C hrist
cu t off the re la tio n sh ip betw een sin a n d the flesh once a n d for
all.
W e received from C h rist this starving body, nonetheless alive
w ith the W ord of G od, to be b o rn from it a n d to live by it.
V ictory then entered o u r n a tu re a n d e tern al life reigned over us
in spite of death a n d in spite of the devil. A nd th u s the d ev il’s
defeat before C h rist is one w hich extends to every m a n w h o p u ts
o n C hrist. T h o u g h o u r victory seems now som ew hat infirm
because of the w eakness of o u r n atu re, it w ill reach its peak
w hen we shed this weakness a t the resurrection from the dead.

When the devil tempted him in the wilderness he was patient,

not because he himself needed temptation, but in order to annul
the power of the tempter. He did not fight the enemy with the
power of the godhead, but triumphed over him in the flesh,
which was susceptible to pain and death, so that by this flesh sin
m ight not enter the world once again (for it is through sin that
death spread to all), that by this flesh the impurity of sin m ight be
blotted out, and the prince of sin triumphed over. (St. Severus of
Antioch on St. Gregory of Nyssa)

C h rist thus raised fastin g a n d the physical sufferings w h ich it

e n tails to an act of divine econom y a n d com pleted w ith it a
considerable p o rd o n of the w ork of salvation. T h u s the fasts in
the O rth o d o x C h u rch are rath er ting ed w ith a theological
significance, th a t they m ig h t no lo n g er be a n in d iv id u a l struggle

38
ag ain st sin a n d the devil, b u t a p a rtic ip a tio n in a guaranteed
victory w h ich the L o rd has perfected o n o u r behalf, yielding for
us fruits w h ich it transcends o u r p o te n tia l to reap.

All the works of his humanity we attribute to the economy of the

Word’s incarnadon. (St. Cyril the Great, De Recta Fide)

For he is the Word of God who, by dispensadon, condescended to

the limits of humanity for our own sake... and thus became a
path for our nature to resurrection. (St. Cyril the Great, De Recta
Fide)

He never sinned, and there was no deceit in his mouth; for it was
necessary that the nature which was defeated through Adam
should as well be crowned with victory... It is a great thing that
the Lord should trium ph over Satan. Had he not triumphed over
him in the flesh, had he not accepted all that befell his body
(without sin) which is consubstantial with our body, and had he
not accepted sufferings or mortified death in his flesh, the sting of
death, which is sin, would have never been broken, nor would
the power of death ever have been abolished. How then can we
not boast of this victory, having thus been freed from captivity?
(Pope Theodosius of Alexandria, Letter to St. Severus of
Antioch)
# # #

39
 VIII
“T hen the devil took him to the holy
city, and set h im o n the pinnacle of the
temple, and said to him . ‘If you are the
Son of God, throw yourself down; for
it is written, ‘He w ill give his angels
charge of y o u / and, ‘O n their hands
they w ill bear you up, lest you strike
your foot against a stone.’ ’ Jesus said
to him , ‘Again it is written, ‘You shall
not tempt the Lord your G o d / ” (Mt.
4:5-7).

T h e q u estions w hich we en co u n ter here are: W h at is the rela-

tio n sh ip betw een this second te m p tatio n a n d fasting? A t w hich
p a rt in C hrist does the enem y level his arrow? A nd h o w does this
second te m p tatio n relate to the first?
In answ er to these questions, we first note th a t the g rad atio n
in te m p tin g is significant a n d very p ro fo u n d . It reveals the
dev il’s schem ing pow er an d craftiness, a lth o u g h in its to tality it
does n o t go beyond w h a t h a p p en s to o u r o w n n atu re.
We m ay note as well the exact n a tu re of the second te m p ta -
tion: By the fasting of the flesh, a n d after the successful
en d u ran ce of the p a in of h u n g e r in such a n am azin g m an n er,
the soul is inevitably elevated to its u ltim ate h eig h t, en terin g
in to a state of ex altatio n . After fasting for forty days in total
subm ission to the dem ands of the spirit, the flesh grow s lig h ter
in w eight, so m u c h so th a t it can move w ith the soul a n d could
easily rise above the p in n acle of the tem ple and then a lig h t
w ith o u t any danger. T h is te m p tatio n often occurred in the lives
of the saints. M any of them actu ally fell in to it a n d the devil
m ade fu n of them . After liftin g them u p in the a ir he d ro p p ed

40
them a n d they fell. H ow ever, the Bible tells us th a t the H oly
S p irit carried P h ilip from Jericho to Azotus a n d back!
T h e tem p tatio n here is levelled a t the h u m a n so u l of C hrist
w hich is g lo w in g w ith fasting a n d prayer. If he really lives on
the W ord a n d n o t on bread, let h im throw h im self from the top
of the tem ple, a n d there w ill be n o d an g er w hatsoever, for,
acco rdin g to the w ritten w ord, the angels w ill bear h im u p . We
observe here th a t a lth o u g h this te m p tatio n is based o n the
previous one, it is in fact its very opposite. For if the first was a
recession to the lust of the flesh a n d the bread of this earth,
w here m a n is confined w ith in the duties a n d o b lig a tio n s of the
law s of m atter a n d has no concern o th e r th a n g ratify in g the flesh
a ro u n d w h ich his life revolves, we find th a t the second te m p ta -
tio n suggests sp iritu a l elevation of the soul, w ith o u t any regard
for the law s, w eight o r dem ands of the flesh. T h e p ro p o sal here
is offered to the soul to be ego-centered an d exalted beyond
h u m a n lim itatio n s.
It is notable th a t the second tem p ta tio n w as m ost deftly
ad ju sted a n d well suited to the state of the body a n d the soul. It
took advantage of the sp iritu a l elevation re su ltin g from
h u m ility , fasting a n d prayer, in order to fling the soul aw ay in
psychological g ra n d e u r a n d m egalom ania. In the first te m p ta -
tion C h rist prevailed in the battlefield of the flesh an d lust
a g a in st the pressure exerted u p o n h im to p u ll h im d o w n to the
earth . C hrist m anaged to abolish these in c lin a tio n s a n d u n d o
the old bonds, b in d in g the flesh instead to eternal life by m eans
of the W ord. In the second tem p tatio n , the arro w was aim ed a t
the sphere of the soul, w here the devil tried to bear dow n heavily
o n the soul, p u s h in g it o u t of the confines of h u m ility an d
fasting. In the first tem p tatio n , C hrist w arded off from h u m a n
n atu re a left-hand stroke, and in the second one h e h a d to w ard

41
off a right-hand stroke14:

As Christ, having taken on ‘the form of a servant* (Ph. 2:7),

through hum ility conquered the devil, so at the beginning
through pride and vain glory the serpent overthrew Adam. (St.
Macarius the Great, Horn. 27:5)

T o the questio n : D id C hrist have a h u m a n so u l ju s t like ours?

St. C yril answers:

... the Logos from God became man. We do not say that the
nature of the Word was altered when he became flesh. Neither do
we say that the Word was changed into a complete man of soul
and body. We say rather that the Word, by having united to
himself hypostatically flesh animated by a rational soul,
inexplicably and incomprehensibly became man. He has been
called the Son of man, not according to desire alone or goodwill,
nor by the assumption of a person only... (St. Cyril the Great,
Letter to Nestorius, Cited in: The Fathers of the Church, vol. 76,
The Catholic University of America Press, 1987, p. 39)

A n o th er q u estio n arises: C ould the devil have had access to

C hrist’s so u l w h ile it was elevated by fa stin g a n d prayer as su c h ?
T h e answ er to this q u e stio n is th a t the devil does n o t
a p p ro a ch the soul elevated by piety as one sto p p in g it from
p rayer a n d devotion, b u t as one flattering an d co m m ending it,
sugg estin g th o u g h ts th a t seem in h arm o n y w ith piety an d
sp iritu a l ardor. H e th en recom m ends m ore of these, suggesting
to C hrist th a t the th o u g h ts be exhibited to o th e r p eople for their
14 Left-hand, stroke and nght-handstroke are expressions used by the ascetic fathers to
denote two kinds of warfare w hich the devil wages against the faithful, and particularly
ascetics. In a left-hand stroke he employs the bodily passions of m an to lead him to sin.
In a right-hand stroke he employs the ascetic’s sense of self-righteousness, on account of
the austere practices and the virtues he attained, to lead him to pride and vanity, and
then to falling into sin. (Editor's note).

42
ow n benefit, suggesting th a t C hrist verify these th o u g h ts
m iraculously, etc. H is counsel is ever a n d alw ays deceptive, for
the devil aim s to dispel the fervor of the soul a n d sever it from
the source of its com fort, streng th an d life. R em in d ed of its
greatness, piety a n d strength, it becomes ego-centric an d
a rro g a n t a n d is alienated from God.
We find th at this w as actually w h a t befell A dam and
subsequently becam e one of the m o st dan g ero u s gaps th ro u g h
w hich the devil enters to h u rl aw ay G o d ’s m ig h ty sons. T he
second te m p ta tio n befits the pow erful. In fact, St. L uke places it
a t the en d of the three tem p tatio n s of o u r L ord.

“ A gain it is w ritten, ‘Y ou shall n o t tem p t the L ord your G o d ’ ”

(Mt. 4:7):
C h rist here exposes the elem ent of gu ile in S a ta n ’s counsel,
his answ er being a ru le th a t is good for anyone w h o perform s
any w ork by d ep en d in g o n his ow n piety a n d self-righteousness,
w ith o u t b ein g h u m b le a n d subm issive to G od's counsel. Such
w ork, in fact, c o u n ts a g ain st its perform er as a te m p ta d o n for
G od, regardless of its m erit.
T e m p tin g G od here v irtu ally m eans th a t m a n forces G od to
san ctio n h is w ork a n d com pels h im to perform a m iracle, an d
this foreshadow s im m in e n t rejection, since G o d does n o t give
his glory to an o th er.

God does not manifest his charity to those who put him to the
test, but to those who believe in him. And Christ never showed
any sign to those who put him to the test. (St. Cyril the Great, On
the Gospel of Luke)

C h rist thus revealed the d an g er laten t in th is counsel, in

w hich the devil urges m a n to perform a deed w here there is

43
a p p a re n t glorification of G od a n d of p iety b u t w h ich actually
ends u p w ith G o d ’s rejection of m an as h a u g h ty a n d m ore
am b itio u s th a n his stature w ould allow .
B ut w hile we find C h rist here com pletely refusing, in all
h u m ility , to perform such a m iracle, w h ich rests o n self-
affirm ation a n d declaratio n of h is deity by p ro o f b u t w hich
actu ally hides w ith in its folds the sense of self-deification, we
also find h im , on the o th er h a n d , p e rfo rm in g a n o th er m iracle
w hich excels this one in pow er, viz. w alk in g o n the sea. By
c o m p a rin g b o th m iracles, we can see the great difference
between them .
In the m iracle w here C hrist w alks o n the sea, we find th a t the
h u m a n soul follow s the W ord a n d is bo rn e u p by h is pow er; for
C hrist w alks o n the sea as G od a n d acco rd in g to h is w ill. B ut in
the m iracle suggested by the devil, we find th a t the counsel
revolves a ro u n d the h u m a n self, so as to m ake it the leader,
w hile the W ord w o u ld becom e a subm issive follow er, w h ich is
absolutely im possible, because it is, like a ll the deeds of Satan,
com pletely subversive.
T h e evidence th a t the m iracle suggested by the devil is at the
level of the h u m a n self consists in S a ta n ’s w ords, w h ich p u rp o rt
the need for external h e lp from the angels so th a t n o d an g er m ay
threaten the success of the m iracle, being a n a ctio n proceeding
from C h rist’s self. In this te m p ta tio n we find C h rist keeping
him self safe from the trick, as, in a ll h u m ility a n d su b m issio n to
G od, he refuses the counsel a n d renders it n u ll an d void. In this
way, C h rist preserved o u r n a tu re from the g u ile of the self an d
its deception by the devil a n d th u s raised the p o ten tials of o u r
fallen n atu re to their o rig in al lim its. H e rid i t from the offense
w hich people m ay find in G od o n acco u n t of o u r false piety, an d
im m unized o u r n a tu re a g a in st the lu st for deification an d

44
independence from God; for he m ade o u r natu re one w ith him .
W hen we m editate o n the tw o tem ptation s an d how , th ro u g h
them , for o u r sake, C hrist im m unized his body a g a in st fallin g
prey to seduction by the devil, we realize the value of this
salv ad o n al action, for th ro u g h C h rist’s tem p tatio n s we were
unfettered from sin w hich had h ith e rto shackled b o th o u r flesh
an d o u r soul.

We thus understand that Emmanuel the Word suffered in the

flesh, but not in the godhead [it is as if he were saying about
himself]: It was necessary that I should unite with the flesh so as
to loosen the bonds of sins, and I was crucified to annul the sins
of all in my own flesh. (St. Cyril the Great, Quod unussit Christ)

It is clear from the words of St. Cyril th at the process of

salvation was accom plished in two stages: the first, loosening
the bonds of sin; the second, a n n u llin g sin itself. T h e first C hrist
accom plished by m eans of the tem p tatio n s a n d the psychic p a in
w hich he endured in o u r stead, w hether in his flesh o r in his
soul; hence the nam e “h e alin g su ffe rin g s /’ T h e second he
accom plished by m eans of the agony of death; hence the nam e
“life-giving sufferings.”

He receives them (human weaknesses) from us (by his union with

the flesh of our humanity) and offers them to the Father,
interceding for us, that in him they may be annulled. (St.
Athanasius, Discourse IV Against the Arians; NPNF 1st series,
vol. IV, p. 435)

For as he takes our infirmities, not being infirm, and hungers not
hungering, but sends up what is ours that it may be abolished, so
the gifts which come from God instead of our infirmities, does he
too himself receive, that man, being united to him, may be able
to partake them. (St. Athanasius,op. cit)
* * *
45
 IX
“ Again, he took him to a very high
m ountain, and showed him all the
kingdom s of the world and the glory of
them; and he said to him , ‘All these I
w ill give you, if you w ill fall dow n and
worship m e / T hen Jesus said to him ,
‘Begone, Satan! for it is written, ‘You
shall w orship the Lord your God, and
him only shall you serve’ ” (Mt. 4:8-
10 ).

T H E devil realized th a t he was defeated in the b attle a g ain st the

flesh an d the soul. H is arena becam e n o w very sm all, being
confined to only one re m a in in g section of m a n ’s n atu re. A nd
now Satan ran the risk an d offered C h rist a ll his pow er if he
w o rsh ip p ed him .

W here did the devil a im h is last arrow ?

C hrist cam e fo rth from the F a th e r’s bosom to retrieve the
w orld for subm ission to G od a n d to g ath er the dispersed n atio n s
a n d lead them in to G od's kingdom . T h is could never be
accom plished except by arrestin g the devil, b in d in g h im an d
th ro w in g h im outside the w orld: “ N ow is the ju d g m e n t of this
w orld, now shall the ru ler of this w orld be cast o u t” (Jn. 12:31).
B ut the price was very very dear an d extrem ely terrifying: the
cross. C h rist knew this as d id the devil.
“ W hy then all of this?: I am ready to give you all the
k ingdom s of the w orld w ith o u t a cross; only w o rsh ip m e.”
It is evident th a t the devil here addressed the p erso n ality of
C hrist w hich was represented in the w eak flesh th a t la n g u ish ed
from h u n g e r a n d before w hich the horrors of the fo rth co m in g

46
crucifixion prefigured. T h e devil seized this o p p o rtu n ity as the
best tim e to dissuade C h rist from h is in te n tio n , th a t is the cross,
by e n co u n te rin g h im in his w eariest co n d itio n , w h en he was
p in in g from h u n g er.
T h e q u e stio n w h ich here arises is: W hat is the relationship
between this tem p ta tio n o f C hrist and our o w n nature?
T h e arro w here was leveled a t the h u m a n self, w h ich C hrist
bore o n o u r behalf in his flesh, w hich, a t th a t tim e, was weary
w ith h u n g e r, struggle, seclusion an d prayer, a lo n g the way
tow ard the en d set before it. H ere was a n easy offer, w hich
im p lie d some condescension o n S a ta n ’s p art. O ne c o u ld easily
exem p t oneself a t such a m o m en t from a ll th a t struggle,
bitterness, fasting, iso latio n , h u m ilia tio n a n d d ep riv atio n . It
was a n overpow ering a llu re m e n t a t this h a rd tim e. T h e self here
was weary, a n d com fort was easy; q u ic k glory w as en ticingly
available; the need was only for a surrender to the devil, a n d a
truce w ith sin. H ow m any th ousands a n d m illio n s have fallen
here!

B ut did C h rist have a h u m a n soul ju s t like ours?

T h e Bible presents C h rist to us as a perfect m a n . T h e body he
took from the V irgin was a perfect h u m a n body w ith a soul a n d
m in d w ith all their faculties. H ence the saying th a t C h rist the
W ord becam e flesh a n d also m an. B ut this does n o t m ean th a t he
was transform ed in to flesh or in to a m a n or th a t he a p p en d ed
a n o th e r m an to his ow n being. R ather, a ll th a t belongs to m a n
belonged, consequently, to C h rist the W ord; fo r the h u m a n
body w h ich he took from the V irgin a n d u n ite d w ith w as a
perfect body bearing all the p roperties of m an.

Accordingly he became man, and did not assume a man, as it

47
 seems to Nestorius. And in order that it m ight be believed that he
became man even though he remained what he was, God by
nature obviously, therefore it is reported that he was hungry, and
was weary from the journey, and endured sleep, and trouble, and
pain, and the other hum an blameless experiences.
And again, in order that he m ight give assurance to those see-
ing him that in addition to being man he is also true God, he
worked signs of his divinity by rebuking the waves, by raising the
dead, and performing other marvelous deeds. (St. Cyril the Great,
First Letter to Succen., Cited in: The Fathers of the Church, vol.
76, The Catholic University of America Press, 1987, p. 195)

T h is does n o t m ean th a t C hrist becam e a G od a n d a m a n w h o

co-existed w ith in h im as Son of G od a n d Son of m an , as if b eing
tw o n atu res o r tw o persons. T h is is contrary to the faith . B ut
C hrist is G od a n d is m a n a n d Son of m a n at one a n d the same
tim e. H e is the Son of G od w ho existed from eternity, w ho,
w hen he becam e flesh, also becam e Son of m an . H e is the one
w ho said: Ego E im i th a t is, “ I am the S elf-E xistent,” w h ich only
G od could say. C hrist did say, “I am (Ego E im i) the lig h t of the
w o rld ” (Jn. 8:12), “ I am (Ego E im i) the way, a n d the tru th , a n d
the life ” (Jn. 14:6). A nd it was he him self w h o m we heard
saying, “ B ut now you seek to k ill m e, a m a n w h o has told you
the tru th w hich I hear from G o d ” (Jn. 8:40).
T h is m eans th a t because Ego E im i (“I am the Self-E xistent” )
becam e flesh, there belonged to C hrist one Ego, one self, by
w hich he expressed h is divine person an d his h u m a n ity at o n e
a n d the same tim e. H ence, it is clear th a t C h rist p u t on an d
accepted w ith in his h oly a n d blessed self o u r w eak a n d crushed
h u m a n self, a n d th u s o u r self becam e g lo rio u s in h im a n d very
h o n o rab le indeed. B ut the h u m a n self w h ich C h rist bore,
th o u g h it was ju s t like o u r self in a ll its w eakness, was certainly

48
elevated to a state m u c h superior to ours, due to its u n io n w ith
the person of the W ord; for it was m ade fit for the eternal glory
w h ich surpasses th a t of angels a n d a ll p rin c ip a litie s a n d pow ers.

“ 'F ather, glorify thy n a m e.’ T h e n a voice cam e from heaven, ‘I

have glorified it, a n d I w ill glorify it a g a in / T h e crow d stan d in g
by heard it a n d said th a t it h a d thundered. O thers said, ‘A n angel
has spoken to h i m / Jesus answ ered, ‘T h is voice cam e for your
sake, n o t for m in e ’ ” (Jn. 12:28-30).

He is God, but he became like us and showed us how to handle

the flesh he took from us. However, he also showed us (through
the economy of his flesh) that he is much superior to us as man,
and to all creation as God... but he humbled himself like a man;
for, had he refused to do hum an works, how could he have
endured the humility he went through ? (St. Cyril the Great, De
Recta Fide)

T herefore, we c a n n o t regard C h rist except as one hypostasis,

one person, one in carnate self, w ho perform ed all the acts of the
g o d h ead an d m a n h o o d together as one a n d the sam e w ork.

We say that our Lord Jesus Christ is one, and the works which
belong to his divinity and humanity we consider as one, by reason
of the union. (St. Cyril the Great, De Recta Fide)

And on account of this, the properties of the flesh are said to be

his, since he was in it, such as to hunger, to thirst, to suffer, to
weary, and the like, of which the flesh is capable; while on the
other hand the works proper to the Word himself, such as to raise
the dead, to restore sight to the blind, and to cure the woman with
an issue of blood, he did through his own body.15 And the
15 T h is m utuality in acts and properties between the flesh and the Word, is theologically
termed as Com m unicatio idiom aium . T he first word is Latin, an d the second is Greek,
denoting m utual relationship.

49
 Word bore the infirmities of the flesh, as his own, for his was the
flesh; and the flesh ministered to the works of the godhead,
because the godhead was in it, for the body was God’s. (St.
Athanasius, Discourse III Against the Arians; 31. NPNF 2nd
series, vol. IV, p. 410)

H ence it is clear th at the self w hich C h rist bore o n o u r behalf,

w hen he u n ite d w ith the flesh he took from the H o ly V irgin
M ary, was actu ally a h u m a n self, perfect a n d com plete in all
respects: it was w eak in its n a tu re b u t p o w erfu l by its u n io n w ith
the W ord.
T herefore, the h u m a n self, w hich C h rist bore on o u r behalf
an d w h ich Satan encountered in its la n g u o r so as to dissuade it
from its in te n tio n to struggle, try in g to d im in ish the value of its
aim , was, in fact, representative of every m a n ’s self, a n d the
tem p ta tio n w hich C h rist’s h u m a n self enco u n tered was actually
o u r ow n.
H ence, C h rist’s firm stance ag ain st the last en ticem en t by the
devil, w ith w hich he tried to shake the h u m a n self from its firm
belief in the w orth of striving, la b o rin g a n d suffering for the
sake of salvation, is co u n ted as victory for every h u m a n self
seeking its ow n salvation. It is a final a n d definitive w a rra n t for
the new re la tio n sh ip w hich C hrist form ed betw een G od a n d us
by m eans of devotion an d w o rsh ip in s p irit an d truth.

... it became necessary for the salvation of us who are upon the
earth that the Word of God be made man in order that he might
make his own the flesh of man although it was subject to
corruption and was sick with the love of pleasure. Since he is life
and life-giver, he would destroy the corruption in the flesh and
rebuke its inborn motions, plainly those which tend toward love
of pleasure. (St. Cyril the Great, First Letter to S u c c e n Cited in:

50
The Fathers of the Church, The Catholic University of America
Press, 1987, p. 194)

We are all in Christ (whether in temptation or in victory). For the

hum an personality in general has been recreated in him anew;
and it is for this reason that he is called the Second Adam; for he
managed to communicate to our nature all the bliss and
happiness of glory and immortality, just as Adam managed to
communicate to it the curse of corruption and hum iliation.
For this reason, the slave was emancipated and released from
his bondage and elevated to a mystical oneness and union with
Christ, when Christ assumed the form of a servant. In like
manner have we been elevated by this unique example, on
account of our relationship with him in the flesh... and it is
evident that he did not choose to be in the state of a servant so as
to gain anything for himself, but to give himself to us, and thus
make us rich by his own poverty, raise us to his transcendent
perfection, and make us sons of God in faith, when we imitate
him in all things. (St. Cyril the Great, On the Gospel of John,
1:14)

As he tempted the Lord in the desert for forty days, what harm
did he inflict on Him by attacking him externally in his body?
For interiorly he was God. So also Christians, granted they may
be tempted exteriorly, nevertheless, interiorly they are filled with
the godhead and suffer no injury. If one has reached this degree,
he has arrived at the perfect love of Christ and the fullness of the
godhead. But one who is not of this type still wages an interior
war. For a certain hour he delights in prayer, but at another time
he is bombarded by affliction and is at war. (St. Macarius the
Great, H om ily 26:15)

51
“ It is w ritten, ‘Y ou sh all w o rsh ip the L ord your G od an d h im
only you sh all serve” (Mt. 4:10):
C hrist, here, m ade an end of all argum en ts; for there is n o true
rest or any valid existence of the h u m a n self except in
w o rsh ip p in g G od, an d the ultim ate aim of m a n can never be
realized except th ro u g h this w orship.
#**

X
“ Begone Satan!” (Mt. 4:10).

H e was tem pted as m an , a n d he expelled the devil as G od.

(Pope T im o th y II of A lexandria, L etter fro m B an ish m en t)
# # #

A nd now , after C h rist has u n d o n e the bonds of sin w ith w hich

o u r n atu re was b o u n d , by his fasting, h u n g e r a n d tem p tatio n ,
there rem ains for h im n o th in g b u t to a n n u l sin by h is death*

52
 Books by Father Matta el-Meskeen
T he O rigin of the Coptic Calendar.
Our Need for Christ.
T he Experience o f G od in a M onk’s Life.
Epiphany.
The Mystery of the Cross.
Resurrection & R edem ption in the Orthodox Concept.
Ascension & Pentecost.
T he Martyrdom of SS. Peter & Paul.
Repentance.
One Christ & One C atholic Church.
T he Discovery of the Relics
of St. John the Baptist 8c Elisha the Prophet.
A V iew point on Birth Control.
Rules for Ascetic Life.
Deep M eaning of Fasting.
T he Passion of Christ in our Life.
Christian Unity.
H ow to read the Bible.
T he Christ of History a L iving Christ.
An O ptim istic Vision of Divine Justice.
Women: Their rights and obligations
in social and religious life in the early church.
Coptic Monas ticism and the Monastery of St. Macarius,
a Short History.
W elcome to the Monastery of St. Macarius.
Spiritual Economy.
True Unity.
On the M ount o f Tem ptation.
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