Hilary of Poitiers - Commentary GospMatthew 4:1

 Bishop of Poitiers, Gaul

(he likely d. 367?)

Then Jesus was led into the desert by the

Spirit to be tempted by the devil.

The passage (Latin traductio)

into the desert, the 40 days of fasting,

the hunger after fasting, the temptation

of Satan, and the response of the Lord 

have been fulfilled in accordance with

the realization of a great and heavenly

plan.  That he was led into the desert

indicated the prerogative of the Holy

Spirit, who exposed his humanity to

the devil at that moment by allowing him

to be tempted.  This provided an opportunity

which the Tempter would not have had

unless it had been given to him.

Accordingly, the devil had a suspicion

generated by fear, not derived from

insight (Latin cognitio).  Though the

Lord was weakened by fasting for 40 days,

he knew nevertheless that in just as

many days the waters had erupted the

depths (see Genesis 7:11 - 12 on Flood

that threatened earthly life), that the

land of promise had been scouted out

(Numbers 13:25 Joshua & Caleb as

scouts), that the Law (TORAH) of Moses

was written by God (Exodus 24:18), 

and that the people who dwelt in the

wilderness, living a life like that of the

angels (Psalms 78:25) had completed 

this number of years (Exodus 16:35).

But because the devil was afraid of losing

the opportunity of tempting him whom

he regarded as man, he acted rashly.

For he had enticed Adam and led him

into death by deception.  Yet it was

fitting, given the devil's wickedness

and evil deeds, that he should be

overcome by a man in whose death

and calamity he gloried.  He who had 

begrudged God's blessings to humanity

was not able to understand that God

was in the man before his temptation.

For this reason, the Lord was tempted

immediately after his baptism, indicating

that, while the devil's temptations

(Latin tentementa) are meant to undermine

us -- especially believers (Latin in

sanctificatis nobis maxime) -- God

more greatly wishes that the victory

be won by his saints!

Volume 125, FATHERS of the CHURCH,

CUA Press, Washington, D.C.

St. Hilary of Poitiers: Commentary on

Matthew ISBN 9780813201252 (2012)