The Ancient Witnesses

Chapter 6: The Fullness of Time • 177

generations, and that identifies our Lord with Israel and speaks of His rule as king.” “Why do you say that?” asked Cesar. “ Forty signifies both discipline and rule,” explained the Bishop, “for both the Law and the Prophets mention forty-day fasts—the humbling of the soul—in the persons of Moses and Elijah. 4 Moreover, both good and evil men are disciplined: the good are ruled by discipline—for “God punishes every son he receives” 5 —while the evil are crushed by it. 6 Our Lord, too, was tested by the devil for forty days since he humbly took our mortality upon himself. 7 And after his resurrection he remained with his disciples for forty days . 8 Forty days , then, is a sign of that laborious period during which, under the discipline of Christ the King, we have to fight against the devil. 9 And Matthew’s Gospel alone presents the record of Christ the King who endured this sweaty, earth-bound existence in order to reign over us sin-oppressed creatures.” 10

4 See Exod. 34:28 and 1 Kings 19:8.

5 Heb. 12:6.

6 Ps. 2:9.

7 Matt. 4:1-2.

8 Acts 1:3.

9 Paraphrase based on Augustine, Harmony 2.4.9 ( Patrologia Latina 34, 1075; NPNF I, 6:105).

10 A paraphrase of Ad huncigitur mundum, et ad istam terrenam mortalemque vitam hominum, ad nos regendos in tentatione laborantes … Augustine, Harmony 2.4.10 ( Patrologia Latina 34, 1075; NPNF I, 6:106).