12. THE LORD CAME INTO THE WORLD TO SUBJUGATE THE HELLS AND TO GLORIFY HIS HUMAN AND THE PASSION OF THE CROSS WAS THE FINAL COMBAT, WHEREBY HE FULLY CONQUERED THE HELLS, AND FULLY GLORIFIED HIS HUMAN. It is known in the church that the Lord conquered death, by which is meant hell, and that He afterwards ascended in glory into heaven; but as yet it has not been known that it was by means of combats which are temptations that the Lord conquered death or hell, and at the same time by means of them glorified His Human; and that the passion of the cross was the final combat or temptation by means of which He effected this conquest and this glorification. Of these temptations many things are said in the Prophets and in David; but not so many in the Evangelists. In these, the temptations which He endured from childhood are summarily described by His temptations in the wilderness, followed by those from the devil and the last of them by the things He suffered at Gethsemane and on the cross. (Concerning His temptations in the wilderness, and by the devil, see Matt. 4:1-11; Mark 1:12, 13; and Luke 4:1-13.) By these temptations, however, are meant all His temptations even to the last of them. He revealed no more to His disciples concerning them; for it is said in Isaiah:
He was oppressed, yet He opened not His mouth: as a lamb that is brought to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so He opened not His mouth (Isa. 53:7). (Concerning His temptations at Gethsemane, see Matt. 26:36-44; Mark 14:32-42; and Luke 22:39-46. And concerning the temptations on the cross, see Matt. 27:33-50; Mark 15:22-37; Luke 23:33-49; and John 19:17-34.) Temptations are nothing else than combats against the hells.* * Concerning the Lord's temptations or combats, see the small work on The New Jerusalem and its Heavenly Doctrine, published in London (n. 201 and 302). And concerning temptations in general (n. 187-200).
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