Matthew 4:8 (WEB)
Again, the devil took him to an exceedingly high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory.
Catechism · 2
The Seven Petitions
“It is by his prayer that Jesus vanquishes the tempter, both at the outset of his public mission and in the ultimate struggle of his agony.” — Catechism footnote: Cf. Mt 4:1-11; 26:36-44.
The Fall
“Scripture witnesses to the disastrous influence of the one Jesus calls "a murderer from the beginning", who would even try to divert Jesus from the mission received from his Father.” — Catechism footnote: Jn 8:44; cf. Mt 4:1-11.
Fathers and councils · 36
John Cassian
- John Cassian, Conferences I–X V.6Conference V
“In the one case he said “Ye shall be as gods;” in the other, “If Thou art the Son of God.”” — editor's note: Cf. Gen. iii. 5 with S. Matt. iv. 6, 8.
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Augustine of Hippo
“…they be made bread:” by vain boasting, where, when stationed on a mountain, all the kingdoms of this earth are shown Him, and promised if He would worship: by curiosity, where, from the pinnacle of the temple, He is advised to cast Himself down, for the sake of trying whether He would be borne up by Angels.” — editor's note: Matt. iv. 8, 9.
Read the whole comment“Hence our Lord fasted forty days, forty days He was tempted in the desert, and forty days He was with His disciples after His resurrection.” — editor's note: Matt. iv. 1–11.
Read the whole comment“And so the account continues, until we come to the words, Then the devil left him: and, behold, angels came and ministered unto Him.”” — editor's note: Matt. iv. 1–11.
Read the whole comment“By these three was the Lord tempted of the devil.” — editor's note: Matt iv. 1–10.
Read the whole comment“…through every entrance to creep into His inward parts, was thrust out, having finished all his alluring temptation in the wilderness after the baptism; because, being dead in the spirit, he forced no entrance into Him who was alive in the spirit, he betook himself, through eagerness for the death of man in any…” — editor's note: Matt. iv. 1–11
Read the whole comment“But after that temptation, when, as Scripture says, He was ministered to by the angels who are good and holy, and therefore objects of terror to the impure spirits, He revealed more and more distinctly to the demons how great He…” — editor's note: Matt. iv. 3–11.
Read the whole comment“For He thought it meet also to be tempted by the devil, by whom otherwise He would never have been tempted, just as, had He not been willing, He would never have suffered; and the answers He gave to the devil are such as thou also oughtest to use in times of temptation.” — editor's note: Matt. iv. 1–10.
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John Chrysostom
“Then saith He, Get thee behind me, Satan, for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve.”” — editor's note: Matt. iv. 8–10.
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Gregory of Nazianzus
“…heavens cleft asunder, and witness borne to him by the Spirit That is of one nature with Him; you shall see Him tempted and conquering and served by Angels, and healing every sickness and every disease, and giving life to the dead (O that He would give life to you who are dead because of your heresy), and driving…” — editor's note: Ib. iv. 1–11.
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Leo the Great
“For He conquered the adversary, as ye have heard, by quotations from the law, not by actual strength, that by this very thing He might do greater honour to man, and inflict a greater punishment on the adversary by conquering the enemy of the human race not now as God but as Man.” — editor's note: Ut audistis, viz. in the Gospel for Quadragesima, or the First Sunday in Lent then apparently as now S. Matt. iv. 1–11: cf. Serm. XL. 3.
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Tertullian
“…this world as the Creator’s, since the apostle imputes ignorance to them, whereas even the devil according to our Gospel recognised Jesus in the temptation, and, according to the record which is common to both (Marcionites and ourselves) the evil spirit knew that Jesus was the Holy One of God, and that Jesus was…” — editor's note: Matt. iv. 1–11.
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Catena Aurea on Matthew
- OrigenCatena Aurea on Matthew
We are not to suppose that when he shewed him the kingdoms of the world, he presented before Him the kingdom of Persia, for instance, or India; but he shewed his own kingdom, how he reigns in the world, that is, how…
Read the whole comment - Remigius of AuxerreCatena Aurea on Matthew
By “their glory,” is meant, their gold and silver, precious stones and temporal goods.
Read the whole comment - Rabanus MaurusCatena Aurea on Matthew
The Devil shews all this to the Lord, not as though he had power to extend his vision or shew Him any thing unknown. But setting forth in speech as excellent and pleasant, that vain worldly pomp wherein himself…
Read the whole comment - Glossa OrdinariaCatena Aurea on Matthew
He saw not, as we see, with the eye of lust, but as a physician looks on disease without receiving any hurt.
Read the whole comment - JeromeCatena Aurea on Matthew
An arrogant and vain vaunt; for he hath not the power to bestow all kingdoms, since many of the saints have, we know, been make kings of God.
Read the whole comment - Pseudo-ChrysostomCatena Aurea on Matthew
But such things as are gotten by iniquity in this world, as riches, for instance, gained by fraud or perjury, these the Devil bestows. The Devil therefore cannot give riches to whom he will, but to those only who are…
Read the whole comment - Remigius of AuxerreCatena Aurea on Matthew
Wonderful infatuation in the Devil! To promise earthly kingdoms to Him who gives heavenly kingdoms to His faithful people, and the glory of earth to Him who is Lord of the glory of heaven!
Read the whole comment - Ambrose of MilanCatena Aurea on Matthew
Ambition has its dangers at home; that it may govern, it is first others’ slave; it bows in flattery that it may rule in honour; and while it would be exalted, it is made to stoop.
Read the whole comment - Glossa OrdinariaCatena Aurea on Matthew
See the Devil’s pride as of old. In the beginning he sought to make himself equal with God, now he seeks to usurp the honours due to God, saying, “If thou wilt fall down and worship me.” Who then worships the Devil…
Read the whole comment - Pseudo-ChrysostomCatena Aurea on Matthew
With these words He puts an end to the temptations of the Devil, that they should proceed not further.
Read the whole comment - JeromeCatena Aurea on Matthew
The Devil and Peter are not, as many suppose, condemned to the same sentence. To Peter it is said, “Get thee behind me, Satan;” i.e. follow thou behind Me who art contrary to My will. But here it is, “Go, Satan,” and…
Read the whole comment - Remigius of AuxerreCatena Aurea on Matthew
Other copies read, “Get thee behind me;” i.e. remember thee in what glory thou wast created, and into what misery thou hast fallen.
Read the whole comment - Pseudo-ChrysostomCatena Aurea on Matthew
Observe how Christ when Himself suffered wrong at the hands of the Devil, being tempted of him, saying, “If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down,” yet was not moved to chide the Devil. But now when the Devil…
Read the whole comment - JeromeCatena Aurea on Matthew
When the Devil says to the Saviour, “If thou wilt fall down and worship me,” he is answered by the contrary declaration, that it more becomes him to worship Jesus as his Lord and God.
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on Matthew
The one Lord our God is the Holy Trinity, to which alone we justly owe the service of piety.
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on Matthew
By service is to be understood the honour due to God; as our version renders the Greek words, ‘latria,’ wherever it occurs in Scripture, by ‘service’ (servitus), but that service which is due to men (as where the…
Read the whole comment - Pseudo-ChrysostomCatena Aurea on Matthew
The Devil, we may fairly suppose, did not depart in obedience to the command, but the Divine nature of Christ, and the Holy Spirit which was in Him drove him thence, and “then the Devil left him.” Which also serves…
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on Matthew
After the temptation the Holy Angels, to be dreaded of all unclean spirits, ministered to the Lord, by which it was made yet more manifest to the daemons how great was His power.
Read the whole comment - Pseudo-ChrysostomCatena Aurea on Matthew
He says not ‘Angels descended from heaven,’ that it may be known that they were ever on the earth to minister to Him, but had now by the Lord’s command departed from Him, to give opportunity for the Devil to…
Read the whole comment - Gregory the GreatCatena Aurea on Matthew
In these things is shewn the twofold nature in one person; it is the man whom the Devil tempts; the same is God to whom Angels minister.
Read the whole comment - Pseudo-ChrysostomCatena Aurea on Matthew
Now let us shortly review what is signified by Christ’s temptations. The fasting is abstinence from things evil, hunger is the desire of evil, bread is the gratification of the desire. He who indulges himself in any…
Read the whole comment - Hilary of PoitiersCatena Aurea on Matthew
When we have overcome the Devil and bruised his head, we see that Angels’ ministry and the offices of heavenly virtues will not be wanting in us.
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on Matthew
Luke has not given the temptations in the same order as Matthew; so that we do not know whether the pinnacle of the temple, or the ascent of the mountain, was first in the action; but it is of no importance, so long…
Read the whole comment - Glossa OrdinariaCatena Aurea on Matthew
Though Luke’s order seems the more historical; Matthew relates the temptations as they were done to Adam.
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Cross-references · 7
Cited together in The City of God IX.20.
Cited together in Conferences I–X V.6.
Cited together in Catechism §394.
Cited together in Conferences I–X V.6.
Cited together in Catechism §394.
Cited together in Conferences I–X V.6.
Cited together in Gregory the Great on Matthew 4:8–11 (Catena Aurea).