Luke 4:10

Whence knowest thou, Satan, that those things are written? Hast thou read the Prophets, or the oracles of God? Thou hast read them indeed, but not that thyself mightest be the better for the reading, but that from the mere letter thou mightest slay them who are friends to the letter. (2 Cor. 3:6.) Thou knowest that if thou wert to speak from His other books, thou wouldest not deceive. But mark how wily he is even in this testimony. For he would fain throw a slur upon the glory of the Saviour, as though He needed the assistance of angels, and would stumble were He not supported by their hands. But this was said not of Christ, but of the saints generally; He needs not the aid of angels, Who is greater than angels. But let this teach thee, Satan, that the angels would stumble did not God sustain them; and thou stumblest, because thou refusest to believe in Jesus Christ the Son of God. But why art thou silent as to what follows, Thou shalt walk upon the asp and the basilisk, (Ps. 91:13.) except that thou art the basilisk, thou art the dragon and the lion?

See, how wickedly he tempts using the scriptures. He wants to take away the glory of the Lord, as if he needed angelic assistance, as if he were about to stumble if angels did not help him. It was not spoken concerning Christ, nor does the master of the angels need angels. But I say the opposite to you, o devil; if Jesus does not help the angels, they stumble. And you have fallen "from heaven" because you considered yourself self-sufficient and not needing the help of Jesus. But to know that the things written are not spoken concerning Jesus, but are referred to a righteous man, listen. For it is written: "He who dwells in the help of the Most High shall lodge in the shelter of the God of heaven." This applies more to a righteous man than to the Son of God. And again: "A thousand shall fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand." This also refers to the righteous man. These words are said in the ninety-first Psalm; but they do not speak about Christ, but about the righteous. For Christ does not fear the midday demon nor the night demon, nor does He need the help of angels, He Himself keeping them unscathed to God; but even if it is said concerning Christ, it skillfully omits the intermediate matter. For it continues: "You shall tread upon the adder and the basilisk, and you shall trample the lion and the dragon." For these things were He Himself.

[Satan] set [Jesus] up on the pinnacle of the temple. Satan wanted him to suppose that he who was a man could become God, by means of the godly house, just as Satan had once made Adam suppose that he could become God by means …

You see, ancient errors are undone in Christ's footprints, and the snares, first of the stomach, second of sexual sin, and third of ambition, are loosed. For Adam was enticed by food. Because he willingly transgressed in the matter of the forbidden tree, he also was charged with heedless ambition, for he desired to be like the Godhead. Therefore the Lord first remitted the debt of the ancient wrong, in order that, having shaken off the yoke of captivity, we may learn to overcome our faults with the help of the Scriptures.… The devil shakes the whole world with cunning deceit, in order to corrupt people, and fights with all the enticements of this age. You must beware of his flattery all the more. Food had not persuaded Eve, nor had the forgetfulness of the commands deprived her. If she had been willing to worship the Lord alone, she would not have sought what was not due to her. So a remedy is given, which blunts the dart of ambition, so that we serve the Lord alone. Pious devotion lacks ambition.

He tempts through vainglory when he says: "If you are the Son of God, cast yourself down from hence." By the same means by which the ancient enemy tempted our first parent through vainglory when he said "You shall be as gods," so he now tempts the second Adam: but by the same means by which he boasted of having conquered the first man, he is conquered by the second man.