according to Heb. 12:2: "Looking on Jesus, the author and finisher of
faith." Now faith, as it is written (Rom. 10:17), "cometh by
hearing," but not by seeing: nay, it is even said (John 20:29):
"Blessed are they that have not seen and have believed." And
therefore, in order that Christ's temptation might be an example to
us, it behooved that men should not see it, and it was enough that
they should hear it related.

Reply Obj. 2: The occasions of temptation are twofold. One is on the
part of man--for instance, when a man causes himself to be near to
sin by not avoiding the occasion of sinning. And such occasions of
temptation should be avoided, as it is written of Lot (Gen. 19:17):
"Neither stay thou in all the country about" Sodom.

Another occasion of temptation is on the part of the devil, who
always "envies those who strive for better things," as Ambrose says
(In Luc. iv, 1). And such occasions of temptation are not to be
avoided. Hence Chrysostom says (Hom. v in Matth. [*From the
supposititious Opus Imperfectum]): "Not only Christ was led into the
desert by the Spirit, but all God's children that have the Holy
Ghost. For it is not enough for them to sit idle; the Holy Ghost
urges them to endeavor to do something great: which is for them to be
in the desert from the devil's standpoint, for no unrighteousness, in
which the devil delights, is there. Again, every good work, compared
to the flesh and the world, is the desert; because it is not
according to the will of the flesh and of the world." Now, there is
no danger in giving the devil such an occasion of temptation; since
the help of the Holy Ghost, who is the Author of the perfect deed, is
more powerful* than the assault of the envious devil. [*All the
codices read 'majus.' One of the earliest printed editions has
'magis,' which has much to commend it, since St. Thomas is commenting
the text quoted from St. Chrysostom. The translation would run thus:
'since rather is it (the temptation) a help from the Holy Ghost,
who,' etc.].

Reply Obj. 3: Some say that all the temptations took place in the
desert. Of these some say that Christ was led into the Holy City, not
really, but in an imaginary vision; while others say that the Holy
City itself, i.e. Jerusalem, is called "a desert," because it was
deserted by God. But there is no need for this explanation. For Mark
says that He was tempted in the desert by the devil, but not that He
was tempted in the desert only