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Temp Tenntation ent THE NEW SCHAFF-HERZOG
joined with the inciting circumstances. This leads to the Biblical conception of snare or stumblingbloek, used in the Old Testament of idolatry (Ex. xxiii. 30); Jesus applies it to the social complexity of human life (Matt. xviii. 6-9, xvi. 23). An act innocent of itself may by example be occasion for stumbling to another (I Cor. viii. 9-13, x. 28-29); the point here is that life qualified by sin everywhere confronts the insecure human being with its snare, and unintentionally society is involved by reciprocal activity in occasions of guilt. This is in reference to the solidarity of human evil. The personal originator of temptation with reference to Christ is the devil (Luke iv. 13; John xiv. 30), represented by the serpent in paradise (cf. II Cor. xi. 3; Rev. xii. 9); the accuser (Rev. xii. 10) is the motive power of the tempting persecutions (I Pet. v. 8-9; Rev. ii. 10), with the fear of death as means (Heb. ii. 14-15, 18), and sinful desire (I Cor. vii. 5). None of these passages refers to an immediate inner influence. Of Judas Satan takes possession not by virtue of temptation, but gradually after successful enticement by avarice (John xii. 6). However, all occasions for sinning are subject to the omnipotence of God, and the one tempted is prone to refer that which is tempting in his situation to Providence and thus attempt to escape responsibility (Jas. i. 13). Yet it is fundamentally certain that God is not the author of evil, and does not tempt, so far as this may refer to the origination of evil (ut sup.). To God is only attributed induction into the tempting circumstance brought upon oneself (Luke xi. 4). How this fact is to be reconciled with the Christian consciousness belongs to theodicy. However, the dependence of sin upon temptation conditionally mitigates its guilt, and at the same time postulates the salvation of the sinner.
The concept of temptation belongs, in the first instance, to dogmatics, more definitely, to the doctrine of sin, signifying that the origin of sin in humanity as a whole and in individuals I
Dogma is to be so explained as not to appear and as malice, but far more as pardonable Christian failure, without, however, canceling re- Ethics. sponsibility. Not less important is the knowledge of temptation for theolog ical ethics, if this is not regarded as released from relation to real life. On the one hand the full seri ousness of the battle presupposes power to resist, and on the other, the Christian least of all sees be yond the conflict. A special phase of the Christian life is the conflict of the new man against the old, facing the peril of relapse, bringing to the front a special category of sins, and necessitating sober vigilance. This involves self-discipline, the soul of which is active faith. In the deepest sense tempta tions here become challenges to faith, and doubts which cause the convictions of salvation to waver enter the moral point of view, since they under mine the standpoint of the combatant. In this the temptation of Christ was again typical in that it had the denial of humble faith as its objective. Similar temptations are those of the self-security of the victor (Matt. xii. 43-h4). To the episodes of this inner sphere of conflict is given the term " as-saults " upon the Christian life. The essential result is the confirmation of faith (Jas. i. 2-3; I Pet. i. 6-7; Heb. ii. 18; cf. Luke viii. 13). The more intelligible then becomes the background of the " wicked enemy " against the kingdom of God (Matt. xiii. 39, 41; II Cor. ii. 11).
(M. KAHLER.)TEMPUS CLAUSUM (" Closed Time"): A canonical term applied to those days on which noisy festivities, especially the merry-makings usually incidental to marriage, are not allowed. These prohibitions had their origin, in part, at least, in the theories that governed the introduction of fasts. At quite an early period, prayer and continence are commended by way of preparation for a worthy observance of feast days. The Council of Trent inaugurated a modified restriction in this matter; and ruled (session XXIV., chap. 10, de reform. matrim.): " From the Advent of our Lord until the Day of Epiphany, and from Ash Wednesday until the octave of Easter, inclusively, let the ancient prohibitions of nuptial celebrations be diligently observed by all." In .Constitutio LX=., Benedict XIV. communicated a declaration of the Congregatio concilii, stating: " Even during the times expressed in chap. 10, session XXIV., marriage may be contracted before the parish priest; only the nuptial celebrations, feasts, escorting processions, and carnal intercourse are forbidden." Thus it appears that so-called " quiet weddings " may take place in the prohibited season, though not without episcopal dispensation, save in so far as in extraordinary instances the priest is permitted to officiate at a marriage even without a dispensation, as in articulo mortis.
The German Evangelical church retained the forbidden season as a catholic custom; and the church orders of the sixteenth century also, to some extent, recognize the same expressly. But from the beginning both legislation and usage produced great variations. The Eisenach Conference (q.v.) gave some attention to this matter in the year 1857; and published, in its minutes, full particulars of the aspects of the situation as then it stood (cf. Moser, Allgemeines Kirchenblult fur das evangelische Deutschland, 1857, pp. 325-326, 1858, pp. 197-198). The result of the deliberations at Eisenach was as follows: " The Conference recognizes the Tempos clausum Quadragesimte as a salutary instructive institution of the Church, and must accordingly recommend the careful maintenance of what still survives of this institution in the several churches; yet can but refer the question, what may be done toward bringing about a satisfactory status in this connec tion, to the discretion of the particular church executives."
E. SEHLING.TEN ARTICLES, THE: .A series. of articles sanctioned by both English convocations, and passed by parliament in 1536, advancing the Reformation in England. The first five relate to doctrine, and (1) make Scripture the basis and summary of Christian faith, (2) affirm the necessity and regenerating grace of baptism, ,(3) declare penance (including contrition, confession, and reformation) necessary to salvation, (4) take the position that the body and
