Introduction  Final cause governs actions. Jesus went to the desert to be tempted by the devil. Did the devil know incarnation in advance? When he was an angel, he saw it mirrored in God, yet after his fall, his mind is clouded and he was doubting since he saw contradictory sings about Jesus (nativity: singing of the angels and the star vs. poverty and fragility). Hence, the devil tempted Jesus to discover the truth and to avoid the human salvation (4AB). Division The previous Gospel pericopes indicated the virtues and the dress that need to equip the penitent, now it is time to see the adversary’s attack and his attempt to strip the soul of the eternal reward: «qualiter adversarius tales aggreditur ut eos mercede possit eterna privare». The division follows the Gospel narrative (see above). First part «Circa litteram»: Jesus was brought to the desert between Jerusalem and Jericho (the same of the parable of the good Samaritan) as a place apt for doing penance. «Et vocatur quarentena» since Jesus was fasting for forty days and nights. Human beings have free will, otherwise there would be no merit in good works. Reference to Peter Lombard, Lib. Sen. II, II, 23 c. 1 and to the commentary of Bonaventure to it: “Deus ideo permittere voluit hominem a dyabolo impugnari, si fortiter et viriliter ageret, maiorem gloriam inde consequeretur” (4D).The temptations serve:  Ad probitatis probationem Ad iniquitatis corretionem Ad humilitatis eruditionem Temptations serve to prove the believers. Biblical exempla (Job and Abraham) and an extensive quotation from the story of Judith: «Vos frates, qui presbiteri estis...» (Judith 8.21-28), where the heroine recalls how God used to tempt the patriarchs and how one needs to keep trust in God. Temptations and tribulations serve to purify (as with gold, as with martyrs) and to avoid spiritual pride. Where does a temptation come from? From interior is the most dangerous, from the exterior is weaker (it does not have power if not joining an interior temptation), from the devil is the weakest, as said by Augustine and a rhymed verse: «Augustinus: Debilis est hostis, qui non vincit nisi volentem. Et ideo metrice dicitur: Hostis non ledit nisi cum tentatus obedit. Est leo dum cedit, si stat quasi musca recedit” (4G – comparison with lion and fly). However, the devil tempts more the penitent  then the sinner, since the latter is already in his power. Second part  Ample explanation ad litteram. Three temptations are the same used by Satan to overcome the humanity at the beginning (gluttony, vainglory and avarice), for this reason he is allowed to assault Jesus in this way. The reply to the second temptations (that upon the pinnacle of the temple, i.e. «locum ubi doctores legis consueverant populo legem exponere» serves to clarify that it is wrong to expect a miracle for something can be done normally (in this case, to go down using the staircase; 4H). The traps of the devil are without number, one needs to strike back with every kind of caution and virtue. In particular, the devil: Abstinentia maceratos tentat gulositate Pietatis assiduos, superbia et vanitate In divinis celicos, symoniaca pravitate (4K) In a mallow and rational way, the devil invites to moderate fasting and abstinence, arguing that they are weakening the person and are irrational. Reference to an exemplum taken from the life of saint Francis (source Bonaventure). Again, the image of the devil that tempts people in three ways (allegory of Daniel 7.5: the bear with three rows of threats as the devil that aims to swallow the devout souls  and to break their good purposes; 4L). Avarice – as a form of idolatry - is a form of adoration of the devil. The sermon connects it with simony, lamenting the present situation: «Heu multos hodie...» (4N). Issue of the offers for the sacraments: an offer cannot be requested or binding, but they can be accepted as free and as a laudable custom, yet the celebration of sacraments must not be postponed for it.  Third part Help of the angels  to people. As a person going to a battle needs someone who instructs and leads him, in the same way God sent a guardian angel to everyone as teacher – reference to Peter Lombard and Psalm 90. Three key aspects of the angel: Nobilitatem Dignitatem Utilitatem (4O). The last part underlines how the angels «a peccatis retrahant; ab inimicis defendant; ad paradisum perducant» (4T). Discussion whether Jesus and the Virgin Mary had a guardian angel. Jesus no but the angels served him. About the Virgin there are different positions: the sermon prefers the position of François de Meyronnes who sates that the Virgin was protected directly by the Trinity and so could not be attacked by the devil, so the angels only pay homage to her (4T). The angels assist the humans also to accelerate the full restauration of their status after the fall of the rebel angels, hence they help the conversion of sinners and rejoice for it. Finally, the sermon lists six characteristics that one has to learn from the angels to live like them.

The simony is introduced as the worst form of avarice