Matthew 4:7

7 Jesus answered him, "It also says in the Scriptures, 'Do not test the Lord your God.'"

Matthew 4:7 Meaning and Commentary

Matthew 4:7

Jesus saith unto him, it is written again
Christ takes no notice of the false and wrong citation of scripture made by the devil, nor of any misapplication of it; but mildly replies, by opposing another passage of scripture to him, ( Deuteronomy 6:16 )

ye shall not tempt the Lord your God,
thereby tacitly showing, that he had produced scripture to a very wrong purpose, since that could never contradict itself; and also, that for a person to neglect the ordinary means of safety, and to expect, that as God can, so he will, preserve without the use of such means, is a tempting him. The Hebrew word (wont) "tempt", as Manasseh ben F6 Israel observes, is always taken in an ill part, and is to be understood of such who would try the power, goodness, or will of God. And which, as it is not fitting it should be done by any man, so not by himself; and perhaps he hereby intimates too, that he himself was God; and therefore as it was not right in him to tempt God the Father, by taking such a step as Satan solicited him to; nor would it be right in any other; so it was iniquitous in the devil to tempt him who was God over all, blessed for ever.


FOOTNOTES:

F6 Conciliat. in Deut. Quaest. 3. p. 223.

Matthew 4:7 In-Context

5 Then the devil led Jesus to the holy city of Jerusalem and put him on a high place of the Temple.
6 The devil said, "If you are the Son of God, jump down, because it is written in the Scriptures: 'He has put his angels in charge of you. They will catch you in their hands so that you will not hit your foot on a rock.'"
7 Jesus answered him, "It also says in the Scriptures, 'Do not test the Lord your God.'"
8 Then the devil led Jesus to the top of a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and all their splendor.
9 The devil said, "If you will bow down and worship me, I will give you all these things."
Scripture taken from the New Century Version. Copyright © 1987, 1988, 1991 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.