Sprawiedliwość Boga wobec Szatana na podstawie "Jedenastego kazania do ludu" św. Cezarego z Arles
God’s Justice toward Satan in "Sermon 11" of Saint Cesarius of Arles

Summary/Abstract: In Sermon 11, Cesarius of Arles († 543) presented the theme of God’s justice toward Satan in a very detailed way. He gave such a comprehensive explanation of the matter that it became a kind of theological treatise. God, as he points out, could use his almighty power against Satan. He didn’t do it, because he did not want to violate justice. God is just in the same way in relation to Satan and to man. Cesarius explained how Satan defeated himself; no one forced him, and the reason for his defeat was jealousy. On the other hand, Satan, as Cesarius noted, out of jealously, recommended to the man choosing of evil; he did not force the man to turn away from God because the man was free. The man, rather than staying by God who created him, accepted the suggestion of Satan that brought about death. Cesarius also presented two stages of liberation of human being from the satanic captivity. The first one was the Incarnation, the coming of Christ in the body similar to a sinful body; the second was the cross. The righteous Christ accepted injustice and revealed the criminal and unjust conduct of the devil. On Good Friday, when Satan murdered Christ on the cross, he transgressed the law of righteousness. He committed crime on Jesus, he became guilty, because he sentenced to death a completely innocent person. Satan being guilty, had to accept the confiscation of what he seized – man. Christ, as Cesarius pointed out, freed mankind from the power of Satan by his righteousness. He did it not as God but Christ in the human body. Christ’s justice reveals His mercy towards man.

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