Origen of Alexandria : Lend your ears here, you who have drawn near to God, you who believe yourselves to be faithful, and consider more diligently how the faith of the faithful is proved by these things that have been read to us. "And it came to pass," it says, "after these words, God tempted Abraham and said to him: Abraham, Abraham. And he said: here I am." Observe each and every thing that is written. For in each single thing, if someone knows how to dig deep, he will find a treasure, and perhaps even where it is not expected the precious jewels of the mysteries lie hidden. This man was formerly called Abram, and nowhere do we read that God called him by this name or said to him: Abram, Abram. For he could not be called by God by a name that was to be abolished, but he calls him by this name that He Himself had bestowed, and He does not only call him by this name, but even doubles it. — HOMILIES ON Genesis 8.1 Augustine of Hippo : TEMPTATION OF ABRAHAM. — And God tempted Abraham . It is often asked how this can be true when James says in his letter that God does not tempt anyone (Jas. 1:13). The answer is that the language of Scripture often uses the word "tempt" with the meaning of "prove." Instead, the temptation spoken of by James is understood only as referring to that by which one falls into the nets of sin. That is why the Apostle says: lest the tempter should tempt you (1 Thess. 3:5). For it is written elsewhere: The Lord your God tempts you to know if you love him (Deut. 13:3). Naturally, this expression says: to know, as if it were said: "to make you know", because the power of love itself is hidden from man, if God does not make it known through a test of his. [ — QUESTIONS ON GENESIS, Q. 56 (tr. J. Litteral, draft)