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How to Withstand Temptations: Lessons from Evergetinos Volume 3
26:52
The post presents teachings from the third volume of the Evergetinos, Hypothesis 34, on how to withstand temptations. It draws from the lives of saints and sayings of desert fathers. St. John the Merciful loses thirteen ships carrying cargo worth 3,300 pounds of gold in a storm.
He gives thanks to God, absolves the sailors, and attributes the loss to his own high-mindedness in almsgiving. He says God will provide for the hungry despite his fault, and soon afterward God doubles the church's assets so he can give even more. A monk begs St. Pachomius to pray for martyrdom during a time of peace.
Pachomius refuses, calling monastic life a voluntary martyrdom and warning against seeking danger. He eventually prays for the monk's desire but warns that one who seeks martyrdom by his own will and exposes himself unnecessarily is in error, citing Christ's command to pray not to enter temptation. The monk is captured by barbarians, denies Christ under threat of swords, offers libations to idols, and eats sacrificial meat, suffering spiritual death instead of martyrdom.
St. Barsanuphius tells brothers not to flee from rumored brigand attacks. He distinguishes between unexpected temptation, in which God protects, and willfully courting disaster, which violates Christ's command. He compares temptation to a furnace testing gold and bricks baked in fire becoming fire-resistant, saying tribulation works patience, experience, and hope.
Abba Mark teaches to accept present afflictions with expectation of future spiritual pleasure, to reconcile affairs to God through prayer, and to cut off evil thoughts at their onset before they linger and increase evil. Abba Isaac urges constant remembrance of God and prayer before afflictions arrive, citing Noah's ark built in peace.
The Evergetinos adds that spiritual hymns lighten temptation's burden, tearful prayer extinguishes evil desires, and the example of Lazarus shows that bearing misery without murmuring leads to paradise.
Key moments
- St. John the Merciful loses 13 ships with 3,300 pounds of gold in cargo during a storm, gives thanks to God, absolves the sailors, and attributes the loss to his own high-mindedness in almsgiving.
- St. John says God will provide for the hungry despite his fault, and soon after God doubles the church's assets so he can give even more.
- A monk begs St. Pachomius to pray for martyrdom despite peace in the church; Pachomius refuses, calling monastic life a voluntary martyrdom and warning against seeking danger.
- Pachomius eventually prays for the monk's desire, warning that one who seeks martyrdom by his own will and exposes himself unnecessarily is in error, citing Christ's command to pray not to enter temptation.
- The monk is captured by barbarians, denies Christ under threat of swords, offers libations to idols, and eats sacrificial meat, suffering spiritual death instead of martyrdom.
- St. Barsanuphius tells brothers not to flee from rumored brigand attacks, distinguishing between unexpected temptation (God protects) and willfully courting disaster (violating Christ's command to pray not to enter temptation).
- Barsanuphius compares temptation to a furnace testing gold, and bricks baked in fire becoming fire-resistant; tribulation works patience, experience, and hope.
- Abba Mark teaches to accept present afflictions with expectation of future spiritual pleasure, reconcile affairs to God through prayer, and cut off evil thoughts at their onset before they linger and increase evil.