Chap. xii.—The meek reply of Christ

Chap. xii.—The meek reply of Christ.

But the Lord is long-suffering, and does not reduce to nothing him who in his ignorance dares [to utter] such words, but meekly replies, “Get thee hence, Satan.”[1984] He does not say, “Get thee behind me,” for it is not possible that he should be converted; but, “Begone, Satan,” to the course which thou hast chosen. “Begone” to those things to which, through thy malevolence, thou hast been called. For I know who I am, and by whom I have been sent, and whom it behoves me to worship. For “thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve.”[1985] I know the one [God]; I am acquainted with the only [Lord] from whom thou hast become an apostate. I am not an enemy of God; I acknowledge His pre-eminence; I know the Father, who is the author of my generation.