Just as Jesus faced 40 days of temptation after His baptism, we too can expect spiritual struggles when we get serious about our faith. Being in the wilderness isn’t a sign of failure.
The Temptation of Christ: A Paradigm for Christian Struggle
Why Jesus Silenced Demons: A Spiritual Insight
“And in the synagogue there was a man who had the spirit of an unclean demon, and it shouted with a loud voice, saying, ‘Leave us alone. What have we to do with you, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God.’ But Jesus rebuked it, saying, ‘Be quiet and come out of him.’ Then the demon threw him down in their midst and went out of him, having done him no harm.” (Luke 4:33-35)
In the above passage, note that the demon identifies Jesus as the “Holy One of God.” In Psalm 16, it says, “you will not abandon me to Hades and nor let your Holy One see corruption.” “Holy One” is a term for the Messiah.
The demons say, “we know who you are.” But Jesus says, “be quiet.” He stops the demon from confessing him as the Holy One of God. He doesn’t allow him to say this.
St. Cyril of Alexandria says, “He would not permit the unclean demons to confess him. It was not right for them to usurp the glory of the apostolic office or to talk of the mystery of Christ with polluted tongues.”
Knowing who Jesus is is not enough. St. Augustine says, “the devils confessed Christ, but lacking charity, lacking selfless love, it availed nothing. Do not boast of that faith that puts you at the same level with the devils.”
Again in Luke 4:41 we read, “And also demons were coming out of many people shouting and saying, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of God.’ But he rebuked them and would not allow them to talk because they knew he was the Christ.”
St. Athanasius the Great says, “Even when the demons spoke the truth, when they said, ‘You are the Son of God,’ the Lord himself silenced them and forbade them to speak. He did this to keep them from sowing their own wickedness in the midst of the truth. He also wished us to get used to never listening to them, even though they seem to speak the truth.”
There are a couple of very important things to note in this insight from St. Athanasius.
First of all, temptations are very rarely enticements inciting us to do something that is outright evil. Most often they are a distortion of the truth. Jesus does not want the demons to confess him as the Christ, the Son of God, because he knows that they will take that truth and they will distort it in such a way that will confuse the people and take them away from him.
We can see this all the way back to Genesis 3 with the first temptation. The devil says to Eve, “If you eat the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you will become like God. And God does not want that.” This is a twisting of the truth because God does want us to become like him, but we can only become like him with him by participating in the life that he calls us to. We can’t do it on our own. So he doesn’t even allow the demons to declare the truth because he knows they’re just going to twist the truth up.
The second thing St. Athanasius says is Christ wants the people to get used to never listening to the demons. In our lives, we give agency to what we pay attention to. The things that we pay attention to, we give power to in our lives. So by listening to the demons, even when they are speaking the truth, we’re allowing them access into our hearts and minds, and eventually this will turn on us.
Even though these demons are saying the absolute truth, Jesus is the Christ, is the Son of God, he says, “no, you are not allowed to say that.”
Jesus’ refusal to accept testimony from demons, even when they spoke truth, reveals that the source of the message matters as much as the message itself. In our own spiritual lives, we must learn to discern between authentic revelation that draws us closer to God and deceptive truths that, while factually correct, lead us away from genuine relationship with Christ. The demons knew who Jesus was, but their knowledge was sterile, lacking the love and surrender that transforms mere intellectual assent into saving faith. As we navigate a world full of competing voices claiming spiritual authority, may we cultivate the wisdom to recognize that true knowledge of God only comes from humble hearts that seek Him in truth and love.
Echoes of Heaven
For first-time visitors to an Orthodox Church, one of the most striking aspects of the worship experience is the absence of musical instruments. This isn’t merely a stylistic choice; it’s a deliberate theological expression rooted in the history and beliefs of Eastern Orthodoxy.
The roots of Eastern Orthodoxy trace back to the earliest Christian communities, offering worship practices that have remained consistent for nearly two millennia. Historically, early Christians were influenced by Jewish synagogue practices, which had already moved away from instrumental accompaniment by the first century AD. The Early Christians associated instruments with pagan rituals and secular entertainment, leading them to favor a cappella singing as a way to distance themselves from these practices.
In Eastern Orthodoxy, the human voice is considered the perfect instrument. Created as we are in God’s image, our voices are seen as the purest form of musical expression. When Orthodox Christians sing, they are not merely performing music; they are offering their very breath as prayer. The voice, emerging from within the body, symbolizes prayer rising from the heart.
The term “Orthodox” itself is significant, with “doxa” meaning glory in Greek. This word carries two meanings: to praise and to make clearly known. The human voice is believed to be the most perfect way to offer God glory, as it allows for both praise in words and music and the proclamation of Christ’s Gospel through hymns and chanted prayers.
Orthodox worship aims to create an “icon of sound,” a window into heaven, not only through what is seen but also through what is heard. The unadorned human voice captures the essence of angelic worship. In a world increasingly dominated by electronic and produced sound, there is something refreshingly authentic about spaces where human voices alone fill the air.
Through psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, Orthodox Christians offer praise to God and make His truth — that truth that sets us free — known to all who experience the timeless, angelic beauty of the Orthodox Christian liturgy.
Our Father
Much has been written about the Lord’s Prayer and you can find hours and hours of podcast episodes on it. It’s worth taking the time to look these sources up (this lecture by Fr. Thomas Hopko is a great place to start).
St. John Chrysostom said:
The Lord teaches to make our prayer common, in behalf of our brethren also. Because he does not say: “My Father, in Heaven,” but, “Our Father,” offering up his supplications for the body in common, and in no way only looking out for his own good, but looking out in all things for his neighbor’s good. And by this he at once takes away hatred, and quells pride, and casts out envy, and he brings in selfless love – the mother of all good things, and exterminates the inequality of human things…
What St. John is pointing out is that we don’t say, “My Father,” we say, “Our Father.” The Lord’s Prayer is the great equalizer in Christianity. Regardless of our race or cultural heritage, of our station in life, or of any other demographic into which we can be separated, we are all united in calling God: Our Father.
An ancient Christian saying states that “One Christian is no Christian.” Christianity is relational at its core. The word for Church in the New Testament, “ecclesia,” literally means a people called together. This is how the Lord Jesus Christ defines his people: as one Body, united by his grace.
In my journey through life, I don’t walk alone. I walk together with all of my brothers and sisters, untied through Christ as a family of faith, children of Our Father in heaven.
Brightly Burning Flames
St. John Chrysostom is arguably the greatest preacher in Christian history. A central theme in his teaching is that Christians must not settle for the bare minimum. Instead, we are called to give God our very best.
In his homilies on the Gospel of John, he said:
“The life of a Christian should be like a flame, burning with love for God and neighbor.”
Consider what we read in John 3 about God’s gift to us. He “loved the world so that He gave His only-begotten Son”—to be born, to preach, and to die on a cross—“so that those who believe in Him would not perish but have everlasting life.”
If we only do the bare minimum—if our flame burns dimly—we are not giving God enough. That kind of response is unfair, considering all He has done for us. Bare minimum Christianity does not reflect true discipleship. It falls short of honoring the One who gave us everything.
Our faith calls us to grow and to strive for excellence. Christ loved us enough to give His life. We should love enough to leave our comfort zones, especially for those who need our care, compassion, and love.
This is our calling.
We must constantly ask ourselves: “Am I doing enough, or have I become too comfortable?”
God deserves our effort. Christ deserves our excellence.
May each of us become a brightly burning flame—radiating His light and life to the world.
Our Christ-Like Responses
In the Gospels, Jesus only answers the questions of people who are sincerely asking. To people who come to try to trip him up, people who just want to argue and debate, he doesn’t offer an answer. This is our example for what to do when people want to debate points of faith with us.
Christianity, is not about debating it is about encountering the living Christ and the transformative power of his gospel. And that can only happen with a heart that’s open.
So to those who come to us with questions with an open mind and an open heart. Yes, let’s do our best to offer them a response, or to find somebody who can answer the questions. To those who just want to get into verbal jousting matches, we can save our breath, our time, and our energy.
However, it’s important to remember that even those who seem to be antagonistic may be doing so out of a place of hurt or confusion. Perhaps they’ve had negative experiences with the Church or with people who say they’re Christians, and they’re lashing out as a result. Or maybe they’ve simply never been exposed to a loving and compassionate understanding of the faith. As a result, it’s always be helpful to approach these conversations with empathy and understanding, rather than defensiveness or judgment. We can listen to their concerns, validate their feelings, and offer them a gentle and respectful response.
Of course, there will always be those who are simply looking for a fight. But even in these situations, we can choose to respond with love and grace. This is the most Christ-like response of all. We can pray for them, and we can trust that God will work in their hearts in His own time. In the meantime, we can focus on living out our faith in a way that is both authentic and inviting. By showing others the love of Christ through our words and our deeds, we can draw them closer to Him.
Selfless Love in Action
Agape is selfless love – a love that seeks nothing for itself and gives everything for the sake of the other. This is the love of Christ, who gave up his own life so that we may live forever.
True selfless love goes beyond seeking recognition for what we have done or expecting gratitude or repayment in return. It is not a tool to leverage favors in the future, nor is it reserved for those who have earned our affection in the past. Instead, genuine selfless love flows freely, reflecting the boundless and unconditional love of God. It means acting because we recognize a divine opportunity to reflect the love of Jesus Christ – a love that calls us to care for others as He has cared for us.
When we embrace this kind of love, our actions and words become a living testimony of Christ’s love. As we show kindness, extend forgiveness, or offer help to others, we open the door for them to encounter Christ’s presence through us. As 1 John 4:19 reminds us, “We love because He first loved us.” This truth underscores the foundation of our lives as followers of Jesus Christ.
To bear the name of Christ is to carry His love into the world. It is to make visible the invisible God by allowing His love to shine through our deeds, even when no one notices or thanks us. In doing so, we fulfill His command to love others as He has loved us. By being ambassadors of his Christ’s this love, we glorify Him and share the hope of salvation with others.
Born in Humility That We May Rise in Glory
Here’s an excerpt from my online Bible Study. We were looking at the Nativity of Christ as told by the Holy Evangelist Luke.
More details on how to take part in the Bible Study here → https://buymeacoffee.com/frajarmus/membership
On the Nativity of Christ
This is Saint Isaac the Syrian on the Feast of Christ Nativity: “This is the night of the most gentle one. Let no one be cruel. This is the night of the humble one. Let no one be proud. Now is the day of joy. Let us not revenge.” → [Watch Video]
Online Bible Study
Become a monthly supporter of my online ministry and join me every week on Zoom for a Bible Study of the Gospel of Luke.
To accommodate participants in varying time zones throughout the world, I offer the same class at four different sessions:
• Tuesday, 3:00 pm US ET (Monday 8:00 pm GMT)
• Tuesday, 8:00 pm US ET (Wednesday 1:00 am GMT)
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Eastern Orthodoxy 