The Trial on the Mountain – Part 3
Main Idea
This part of the sermon discusses the third temptation that the Lord Jesus Christ faced on the mountain, when the devil showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory and told Him that he would give Him all these things if He fell down and worshiped him. His Holiness Pope Shenouda III explains that the devil never gives up tempting people, even after they have overcome previous temptations. The devil tempts everyone, whether they are weak, sinners, saints, or prophets, and he does not stop his attempts because a person has overcome him before.
Spiritual Message
Pope Shenouda explains that the devil uses different temptations, such as fame, greatness, pleasure, wealth, and knowledge, to draw people into obeying him and moving away from God. He may portray sin to a person as a source of comfort, happiness, and pleasure, while concealing behind it the loss of virtue, purity, contentment, prayer, and inner peace. He emphasizes that the devil does not give people any true good; rather, he uses the appearance of giving to take away what is spiritually more valuable. He refers to the example of Herod, who caused John the Baptist to be killed, explaining that yielding to evil does not give a person peace but leads to disturbance, anxiety, and fear.
Educational Lesson
Pope Shenouda stresses the importance of not being deceived by attractive promises or easy gains that require violating the truth and God’s commandments. Lying, cheating, and compromising principles for temporary benefits may seem like minor matters, but they make a person subject to temptation. He also warns against seeking knowledge or help through the devil, magic, and fortune-telling, emphasizing that a person should not take anything from the devil or his followers. He points out that, in this respect, the mistake of the first human being was attempting to obtain knowledge through the devil’s temptation, which led to error and the loss of the knowledge of God.
Practical Application
Pope Shenouda calls people to depend on God alone and reject every temptation that asks them to compromise their spiritual faithfulness. He also urges them to beware of sin even when it appears pleasurable or beneficial, because its outward appearance may conceal spiritual harm. A person should preserve the purity of their senses, thoughts, and heart and should not allow the devil to take control of their life through the temptations he offers. The Lord Jesus Christ provides an example of steadfastness in the face of temptation, as He refused to worship the devil and declared that worship and adoration belong to God alone. The essential lesson is that a person must reject the gifts of evil, no matter how tempting they may appear, and seek help and goodness from God alone.
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