Beware then lest we be condemned by this, after saying, I renounce Satan, and array myself with You, O Christ. Rather however this should not be called “a bond,” but a covenant. For that is “a bond,” whereby one is held accountable for debts: but this is a covenant. It has no penalty, nor says it, If this be done or if this be not done: what Moses said when he sprinkled the blood of the covenant, by this God also promised everlasting life. All this is a covenant. There, it was slave with master, here it is friend with friend: there, it is said, “In the day that you eat thereof you shall die”; an immediate threatening; but here is nothing of the kind.
God arrives, and here is nakedness, and there was nakedness; there, however, one that had sinned was made naked, because he sinned, but here, one is made naked, that he may be set free. Then, man put off the glory which he had; now, he puts off the old man; and before going up (to the contest), puts him off as easily, as it were his garments. He is anointed, as wrestlers about to enter the lists. For he is born at once; and as that first man was, not little by little, but immediately.
(He is anointed,) not as the priests of old time, on the head alone, but rather in more abundant measure. For he indeed was anointed on the head, the right ear, the hand; to excite him to obedience, and to good works; but this one, all over. For he comes not to be instructed merely; but to wrestle, and to be exercised; he is advanced to another creation. For when one confesses (his belief) in the life everlasting, he has confessed a second creation. He took dust from the earth, and formed man: but now, dust no longer, but the Holy Spirit; with This he is formed, with this harmonized, even as Himself was in the womb of the Virgin.
He said not in Paradise, but “in Heaven.” For deem not that, because the subject is earth, it is done on earth; he is removed there, to Heaven, there these things are transacted, in the midst of Angels: God takes up your soul above, above He harmonizes it anew, He places you near to the Kingly Throne. He is formed in the water, he receives spirit instead of a soul. And after he is formed, He brings to him, not beasts, but demons, and their prince, and says, “Tread upon serpents and scorpions.” He says not, “Let Us make man in our image, and after our likeness”, but what?
“He gives them to become the sons of God; but of God,” he says, “they were born.” Then that thou give no ear to the serpent, straightway he teaches you to say, “I renounce you,” that is, “whatsoever you say, I will not hear you.” Then, that he destroy you not by means of others, it is said, “and your pomp, and your service, and your angels.” He has set him no more to keep Paradise, but to have his citizenship in heaven. For straightway when he comes up he pronounces these words, “Our Father, Which art in Heaven,...Your will be done, as in Heaven, so on earth.”
The plain falls not on your sight, you see not tree, nor fountain, but straightway you take into you the Lord Himself, you are mingled with His Body, you are intermixed with that Body that lies above, whither the devil cannot approach. No woman is there, for him to approach, and deceive as the weaker; for it is said, “There is neither female, nor male.” If you go not down to him, he will not have power to come up where you are; for you are in Heaven, and Heaven is unapproachable by the devil.
It has no tree with knowledge of good and evil, but the Tree of Life only. No more shall woman be formed from your side, but we all are one from the side of Christ. For if they who have been anointed of men take no harm by serpents, neither will you take any harm at all, so long as you are anointed; that you may be able to grasp the Serpent and choke him, “to tread upon serpents and scorpions.” But as the gifts are great, so is the punishment great also. It is not possible for him that has fallen from Paradise, to dwell “in front of Paradise”, nor to reascend there from whence we have fallen.
But what after this? Hell, and the worm undying. But far be it that any of us should become amenable to this punishment! But living virtuously, let us earnestly strive to do throughout His will. Let us become well-pleasing to God, that we may be able both to escape the punishment, and to obtain the good things eternal, of which may we all be counted worthy, through the grace and love toward man, etc.
Source: Homilies on Colossians (New Advent)