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| Chapter XI. How the devil was forced by many reasons to the view that Christ was God.
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Chapter XI.
How the devil was forced by many reasons to the view
that Christ was God.
Finally as for the devil
himself, when he was tempting Him with every show of allurements, and
every art of his wickedness, what was it that in his ignorance he
suspected, or wanted to find out by tempting Him? Or what so greatly
moved him, that he sought God under the humble form of man? Had he
learned that by previous proofs? Or had he known of anyone who came as
God in man’s body? Most certainly not. But it was by the mighty
evidence of signs, by mighty results of actions, by the words of the
Truth Himself that he was driven to suspect and examine into this
matter: inasmuch as he had already once heard from John: “Behold
the Lamb of God, behold Him who taketh away the sin of the
world.”2620
And again from
the same person: “I have need to be baptized of Thee, and comest
Thou to me?”2621
The dove also
which came down from heaven and stopped over the Lord’s head had
made itself a clear and open proof of a God who declared Himself. The
voice too which was sent from God not in riddles or figures had moved
him, when it said: “Thou art My beloved Son, in Thee I am well
pleased.”2622
And though he
saw a man outwardly in Jesus, yet he was searching for the Son of God,
when he said: “If Thou art the Son of God, command that these
stones be made bread.”2623
Did the
contemplation of the man drive away the devil’s suspicions of His
Divinity, so that owing to the fact that he saw a man, he did not
believe that He could be God? Most certainly not. But what does he say?
“If Thou art the Son of God, command that these stones be made
bread.” Certainly he had no doubt about the possibility of that,
the existence of which he was examining into. His anxiety was about its
truth. There was no security as to its
impossibility.E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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