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52 HARVEY GOLDBLATTsemantic link, often found in patristic usage, between the "mountains" 61 andthe "desert," 62both identified as wilderness regions favorable to union withGod, and as scenes of outstanding events and solitude, but often as places inwhich the monks were liable to demonic temptations and the unendingassault of evil spirits. Vysens'kyj's insistence on "withdrawal from theworld," "renunciation," and "detachment" thus must be seen against thebackdrop of Christian ascetic thought and the understanding of the monk'svocation in terms of his struggle "in the desert" with the "prince of thisworld." 63In stressing that the obligation of the true monk is to overtake the devil"in his last refuge," that is, to flee "into the mountains" lest he become "lesskeen" and unable "to gain over others," Vysens'kyj makes reference toEphesians 6.12, where St. Paul asserts that we are to put on the whole armorof God, for we are contending not merely "human forces but against theworld rulers of this present darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickednessin the heavenly places": 64And how can the person who has engaged in a military battle or straggle, or who hasnot seen soldiers entering into battle, instruct others in the military skills and techniquesof that craft? But the conflict, which is more severe and cunning than all disciplines,is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against theworld rulers of this present age, against the spiritual hosts evil in the heavenlyplaces. How can one who has become less keen and is totally ignorant of thesethings instruct and gain over others who are equally lacking in understanding? Whatgain will be seen on the part of one who has become less keen and is ignorant of thelonglasting straggle of the monk in the desert (216.16-23)?with a number of rhetorical questions, including a reference to life "in the wilderness": "Kto boMadom istaan est' ot nas slova radi Boźija? Kto ν pustyni byst' skitajasja? Kto otsestvijatvorjaäe dalecajsaja... " (KS, p. 228).61See, for example, John Chrysostom, In Matthaeum, homil. VII, 7 (PG LVII, 166), where itis asserted that one need not "master the wilderness" (τα όρη καταλαμβάνειν) in order to be aperfect Christian. See fn. 118 below.62In patristic usage, moreover, the term έρημία often combines the notion of "solitude" withthat of "tranquility" (ησυχία) to describe at once a state of separation from the world and astate of the soul necessary for contemplation; see, for example, John Chrysostom, In Matthaem,homil. L, 1 (PG LVIII, 503): "... ησυχίας γαρ μήτηρ έρημος,..."; idem, Timotheus I, homil.XIV, 4 (PG LXJJ, 576): ".. .έν ησυχία βαθείς*. και έν έρημία των αγίων φδόνιων." It isimportant to note that the church fathers employ the "double connotation of solitude andsilence" in reference to preparation for the apostolate; see G. Lampe, A Patristic Greek Lexicon(Oxford, 1961), p. 609. Cf. Gerhard Kittel, ed., Theological Dictionary of the New Testament(Grand Rapids, 1964), vol. 2, pp. 657-59.63See Maloney, Russian Hesychasm, pp. 75-76; Russell, Satan. The Early Christian Tradition,pp. 149-85.64Cf. 2 Cor. 10.3-4: "For though we live in the world we are not carrying on a worldly war,for the weapons of our warfare are not worldly but have divine power to destroy strongholds."