2819. As regards the Lord's temptations in general, some were more external, others more internal. The more internal they were, the more severe they were. His inmost temptations are described in Matthew 26:37-39, 42, 44; 27:46; Mark 14:33-36; 15:34; Luke 22:42-44. But see what has been stated already regarding the Lord's temptations, namely the following:

The Lord first of all fought from goods and truths which were appearances of goods and truths, 1661.

Out of Divine love towards the whole human race He fought against the evils of self-love and of love of the world, 1690, 1691 (end), 1789, 1812, 1813, 1820.

He alone has fought out of Divine love, 1812, 1813.

All the hells fought against the Lord's love, which was the salvation of the whole human race, 1820.

The Lord suffered the severest temptations of all, 1663, 1668, 1787.

By means of temptations and victories the Lord by His own power became righteousness, 1813, 2025.

The Lord effected the union of the Human Essence to the Divine Essence by means of temptations and victories, 1737, 1813, 1921, 2025, 2026.

See also what has been stated already about temptations in general, in 59, 63, 227, 847.

Temptation is a power-struggle over whether good or evil, truth or falsity, is to prevail, 1923.

Temptations involve feelings of anger, and many other emotions, 1917.

Temptations are celestial, spiritual, or natural, 847.

In temptations evil genii and spirits attack the things that belong to a person's love, and so the things that constitute his life, 847, 1820.

What temptations accomplish, 1692, 1717, 1740.

The purpose of temptation therefore is that bodily things may be subdued, 857.

Evils and falsities with a person who is being regenerated are subdued by means of temptations, not done away with, 868.

Truth goes into battle first, 1685.

A person fights from the goods and truths which he has acquired by means of cognitions even when they are not in themselves goods and truths, 1661.

Spirits and evil genii activate the falsities and evils within man, and this leads to temptations, 741, 751, 761.

In temptations a person assumes that the Lord is absent, when in fact He is at such times more present, 840.

A person cannot by any means endure by himself the conflicts brought about by temptations, for they are conflicts against every hell, 1692 (end).

The Lord alone fights in man, 1661, 1692.

By means of temptations evil genii and spirits are deprived of their power to do evil and to inspire falsity within man, 1695, 1717.

Temptations take place with those who have conscience, and are more intense with those who have perception, 1668.

Temptations take place rarely at the present day; instead occasions of anxiety occur, which are something different and have a different origin, 762.

Persons who are dead spiritually are not able to suffer the conflicts brought about by temptations, 270.

All temptations bring with them despair over the end in view, 1787, 1820.

After temptations fluctuation occurs, 848, 857.

By means of temptations the good learn that [left to themselves] they are nothing but evil, and that all things are subject to mercy, 2334.

By means of temptations goods become joined more closely to truths, 272.

People are not saved by virtue of enduring temptations if they go under, or if they imagine that they have acquired merit through them, 273.

Every temptation involves freedom, greater freedom than outside of temptations, 1937.

847. That 'the waters receded from off the earth, going back and forth' means fluctuations between truth and falsity is clear from what has been stated, namely about 'the waters of the flood' or deluges, in reference to Noah, meaning temptations. And because the subject here is the first state following temptation, 'the waters receded, going back and forth' can mean nothing else than fluctuation between truths and falsities. But the nature of this fluctuation cannot be known unless one knows what temptation is, for the nature of a temptation determines that of the fluctuation following temptation. When temptation is celestial the fluctuation is between good and evil; when temptation is spiritual it is between truth and falsity; and when temptation is natural the fluctuation is between the things that belong to evil desires and things which are their opposite.

[2] The types of temptation are numerous. In general they are celestial, spiritual, and natural, which must not in any way be confused with one another. Celestial temptations can exist only with people who are moved by love to the Lord; spiritual temptations only with those who are moved by charity towards the neighbour; while natural temptations are utterly different again. Indeed the latter are not temptations at all but merely anxious cares resulting from attacks on people's natural loves caused by misfortune, sickness, and abnormal condition of the blood and fluids in the body. These few considerations make it to some extent possible to know what temptation is, that is to say, the distress and anxiety caused by things that clash with a person's loves. With people moved by love to the Lord, whatever attacks that love to the Lord produces inmost torment. This is celestial temptation. With those moved by love towards the neighbour, which is charity, whatever attacks this love leads to a tortured conscience. This is spiritual temptation.

[3] But in the case of people who are natural, those experiences which they so often call temptations, and the pricks of conscience, are not really temptations at all but merely anxious cares resulting from attacks on their loves - for example, when they foresee and feel that they are being deprived of honour, the good things of this world, reputation, pleasures, physical powers, and so on. Nevertheless these so-called temptations do normally achieve some good. Temptations are also experienced by people who are moved by natural charity, and so by all manner of heretics, by gentiles, and by idolaters. They are caused by the things which go against the way of life which their faith demands and which they hold dear. These however are anxious cares, which are mere imitations of spiritual temptations.