Required reading
Ante-Nicene Fathers (Vol 6) (Available from Amazon or free here) - Read the Exegetical Fragments of Dionysius.
My summary
Today we read what may have been Dionysius' thoughts on:
(i) Ecclesiastes;
(ii) Luke 22:42-48;
(iii) John 8:12.
We also read two short comments on:
(i) the substance of the Father and Son;
(ii) the reception of the lapsed.
What grabbed me
I liked the comments on praying about temptation: 'And again, He taught them to pray that they might not fall into temptation, when He said, "And lead us not into temptation;" which means, "Suffer us not to fall into temptation." And to show that this did not imply they should not be tempted, but really that they should be delivered from the evil, He added, "But deliver us from evil." But perhaps you will say, What difference is there between being tempted, and falling or entering into temptation? Well, if one is overcome of evil—and he will be overcome unless he struggles against it himself, and unless God protects him with His shield—that man has entered into temptation, and is in it, and is brought under it like one that is led captive. But if one withstands and endures, that man is indeed tempted; but he has not entered into temptation, or fallen under it. Thus Jesus was led up of the Spirit, not indeed to enter into temptation, but "to be tempted of the devil."'
To be tempted is not sinful in itself. It is when you fall into temptation that you have sinned. And that is worth praying about!
Next week's reading
Read the Extant Writings of Julius Africanus.
Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.
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