that Christ could have been set on a pinnacle of the
Temple without being seen by others. Nor is there to be found a
mountain so high that all the world can be seen from it, so that all
the kingdoms of the earth could be shown to Christ from its summit.
It seems, therefore, that Christ's temptation is unfittingly
described.

On the contrary is the authority of Scripture.

_I answer that,_ The temptation which comes from the enemy takes the
form of a suggestion, as Gregory says (Hom. xvi in Evang.). Now a
suggestion cannot be made to everybody in the same way; it must arise
from those things towards which each one has an inclination.
Consequently the devil does not straight away tempt the spiritual man
to grave sins, but he begins with lighter sins, so as gradually to
lead him to those of greater magnitude. Wherefore Gregory (Moral.
xxxi), expounding Job 39:25, "He smelleth the battle afar off, the
encouraging of the captains and the shouting of the army," says: "The
captains are fittingly described as encouraging, and the army as
shouting. Because vices begin by insinuating themselves into the mind
under some specious pretext: then they come on the mind in such
numbers as to drag it into all sorts of folly, deafening it with
their bestial clamor."

Thus, too, did the devil set about the temptation of the first man.
For at first he enticed his mind to consent to the eating of the
forbidden fruit, saying (Gen. 3:1): "Why hath God commanded you that
you should not eat of every tree of paradise?" Secondly [he tempted
him] to vainglory by saying: "Your eyes shall be opened." Thirdly, he
led the temptation to the extreme height of pride, saying: "You shall
be as gods, knowing good and evil." This same order did he observe in
tempting Christ. For at first he tempted Him to that which men
desire, however spiritual they may be--namely, the support of the
corporeal nature by food. Secondly, he advanced to that matter in
which spiritual men are sometimes found wanting, inasmuch as they do
certain things for show, which pertains to vainglory. Thirdly, he led
the temptation on to that in which no spiritual men, but only carnal
men, have a part--namely, to desire worldly riches and fame, to the
extent of holding God in contempt. And so in the first two
temptations he said: "If Thou be the Son of God"; but not in the
third, which is inapplicable to spiritual men, who are sons of God by
adoption, whereas it does apply to the two pr