Scripture And The Devil

Disce hic quoque Satanas transfigurat se velut angelum lucis, et de Scripturis ipsis divinis saepe laqueum fidelibus parat. Sic haereticos facit, sic eviscerat fidem, sic jura pietatis impugnat. Ergo non te capiat haereticus; quia potest de Scripturis aliqua exempla proferre, nec sibi arroget quod doctus videtur. Utitur et diabolus testimoniis Scripturarum non ut doceat, sed ut circumscribat et fallat. Cognovit aliquem attentum religioni, virtutibus clarum, signis et operibus praepotentem: jactantiae tendit laqueum, ut hujusmodi virum inflet tumore, quo pietati se non credat, sed credat jactentiae, nec Deo deputet, sed sibi arroget. Ideoque apostoli non in suo, sed in Christi nomine daemoniis imperabant; ne arrogare sibi aliquid viderentur. Sic Petrus paralyticum curat dicens: In nomine Jesu Nazareni surge, et ambula. Disce etiam de Paulo jactantiam fugere. Scio, inquit, hominem, sive in corpore, sive extra corpus nescio, Deus scit, quoniam raptus est in paradisum, et audivit verba ineffabilia, quae non licet homini loqui. Pro hujusmodi gloriabor, pro me autem non gloriabor, nisi in infirmitatibus meis. Sanctus Ambrosius Mediolanensis, Evangelii secundum Lucam, Liber IV Source: Migne PL 15 1619

Learn, here, too, that Satan transforms himself as into an angel of light, 1 and from the Holy Scriptures themselves often prepares a snare for the faithful. Thus he makes heretics, thus he dissipates faith, thus he assails the duties of piety. Therefore, let not a heretic seize you because he can cite some examples from the Scriptures, nor let him arrogate to himself an appearance of learning. The devil, too, uses the evidence of the Scriptures, 2 yet not in order to teach, but to entrap and deceive. He knows the hold of religion, illustrious with virtues, and very powerful with signs and wonders, and he would catch with the snare of boastfulness, in order to puff up such a man with pride, so that he does not trust in his piety, but trusts in boasting, nor does he impute what he has to God, but claims it for himself. Therefore the Apostles not in their own name but in the name of Christ commanded demons, lest they seem to magnify themselves. So Peter cured the paralytic saying, 'In the name of Jesus of Nazareth, rise. And he walked.' 3 Learn also from Paul to flee boasting, he who said, 'I know a man, whether in the body or outside, I do not know, God knows, transported into paradise, and he heard unspeakable words, which a man is not permitted to utter. In this I glory, for in myself I do not glory, unless in my weakness.' 4 Saint Ambrose, On The Gospel of Luke, from Book 4 1 2 Cor. 11.14 2 Lk 4.10-11 3 Acts 3.6 4 2 Cor 12.3-5