Mattheüs 4:7

7 Jezus zeide tot hem: Er is wederom geschreven: Gij zult den Heere, uw God, niet verzoeken.

Mattheüs 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.

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FOOTNOTES:

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

Mattheüs 4:7 In-Context

5 Toen nam Hem de duivel mede naar de heilige stad, en stelde Hem op de tinne des tempels;

6 En zeide tot Hem: Indien Gij Gods Zoon zijt, werp Uzelven nederwaarts; want er is geschreven, dat Hij Zijn engelen van U bevelen zal, en dat zij U op de handen zullen nemen, opdat Gij niet te eniger tijd Uw voet aan een steen aanstoot.

7 Jezus zeide tot hem: Er is wederom geschreven: Gij zult den Heere, uw God, niet verzoeken.

8 Wederom nam Hem de duivel mede op een zeer hogen berg, en toonde Hem al de koninkrijken der wereld, en hun heerlijkheid;

9 En zeide tot Hem: Al deze dingen zal ik U geven, indien Gij, nedervallende, mij zult aanbidden.