Paradise Regained

Jesus’s argument against Satan’s proposed form of wealth and power (an argument that closes the previous Book) as reduced Satan to silence and bafflement. Calling attention to Jesus’s apparent virtues, Satan criticizes Jesus for hiding his gifts and calls upon Jesus to become a leader. Yet Jesus is not swayed, responding that true excellence is related not to the deeds of war and conquest that Satan values, but to the lifestyle of self-discipline, righteousness, and obedience to God exemplified by the prophet Job.

In response, Satan claims that God seeks and even enforces glory from all created beings. Jesus, however, retorts that praising and honoring God is not an imposition. Glorifying God is a reasonable acknowledgement of God’s goodness, while turning away from God is a sign of ingratitude. Returning to the topic of achievements, Satan points out that Jesus is the prophesied successor of the legendary King David and insists that Jesus should be working to free the people of Israel from oppression. Jesus responds that God’s plan cannot be forced to completion—that patience and trust in God are necessary. He also expresses suspicion about Satan’s motives in urging action, since Jesus’s glorification will necessarily involve Satan’s destruction.