Matthew 4:7

Mat_4:7

Not tempt the Lord thy God.

I. The essential difference between faith and presumption.

II. The possibilities of presumption.

1. When we undertake to settle questions which axe beyond our range.

2. When we look for bodily health without obeying the laws of nature.

3. When we expect sufficient means without sufficient labour and moderation in enjoyment.

4. When we hope for admission into the kingdom of God, and postpone earnest application for entrance.

5. When we expect steadfastness and growth, while we neglect the sources of spiritual strength.

III. Its heavy penalties. (W. Clarkson, B. A.)

Proving

God is different from tempting Him. (Wiseman.)

The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

4:7 The Scriptures also say: Countering the devil’s appeal to Scripture, Jesus invoked a deeper scriptural principle of honoring God, which the devil ignored.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Mat 4:7. Πάλιν γέγραπταί, it is written again) Although Satan retorted the phrase, “It is written,” Jesus does not suffer it to be forcibly taken from Him as something trite, but employs it three times. Scripture is to be interpreted and reconciled by Scripture.—οὐκ ἐκπειράσεις, κ.τ.λ.) thou shall not tempt, etc.—Thus the LXX. in Deu 6:16. According to the usage of those interpreters, ἐκπειράζειν is not a word of stronger signification than πειράζειν.—Jesus, however, means, “It is not Mine to provoke God by tempting Him.”—Κύριον, the Lord) This is put as a proper name.

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Mat_4:7. Πάλιν] rursus, never signifies in the N. T., not even in 2Co_10:7, Gal_5:3, 1Jn_2:8, at quoque, e diverso, a meaning which it frequently has in classic writers (Ellendt, Lex. Soph. II. p. 485), as Erasmus, Er. Schmid, Schleusner, B. Crusius, have interpreted it; but here means, on the other hand, looking back to the γέγραπται of the devil in Mat_4:6, and introducing another passage of Scripture as something which again has been written; comp. Mat_5:33. Bengel well says: Scriptura per scripturam interpretanda et concilianda.

οὐκ ἐκπειράσεις] future, as in Mat_1:21; the compound strengthens the meaning; comp. on 1Co_10:9.

The meaning is: Do not let it be a question whether God will save thee from dangers on which thou hast entered uncalled.

Flacius: Si habuisset expressum mandatum dei, non fuisset tentatio. Deu_6:16 (LXX.), comp. Exo_17:2.

Meyer — Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament — English translation by Peter Christie, edited by Frederick Crombie (T&T Clark, 1880) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Word for word, Thou shalt not go on still in tempting.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Jesus said unto him, It is written again-- (Deu 6:16), as if he should say, "True, it is so written, and on that promise I implicitly rely; but in using it there is another Scripture which must not be forgotten."

Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God--"Preservation in danger is divinely pledged: shall I then create danger, either to put the promised security skeptically to the proof, or wantonly to demand a display of it? That were 'to tempt the Lord my God,' which, being expressly forbidden, would forfeit the right to expect preservation."

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 7. Thou shalt not tempt] To expose myself to any danger naturally destructive, with the vain presumption that God will protect and defend me from the ruinous consequences of my imprudent conduct, is to tempt God.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(7) It is written again.—The words are, as already stated, from the chapter that contains one of the passages written on the phylacteries, that were probably used by our Lord Himself. As the words stand in Deu_6:16, their general meaning is specialised by an historical reference, “Ye shall not tempt the Lord thy God, as ye tempted Him in Massah.” In the history thus referred to, the sin of the people had been that they questioned the presence of God with them until they saw a supernatural proof of it. They asked, “Is Jehovah among us, or not?” and that question sprang from unbelief. To have demanded a like proof of His Father’s care now would have identified the Son of Man with a like spirit of distrust, and the history of that temptation was therefore a sufficient answer to this. Here, too, a light is thrown on the future teaching of the Christ. The lessons of the wilderness taught Him (the word may seem bold, but it is justified by Heb_5:8) to commit Himself absolutely to His Father’s will. We find almost an echo of what is recorded here in the words which tell us that He forbore to pray for the twelve legions of angels which the Father would have sent him (Mat_26:53).

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

7. Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God] Deu_6:16. The verse ends “as ye tempted him in Massah.” The reference to Massah (Num_20:7-12) shews the true meaning of the Saviour’s answer. Moses and Aaron displayed distrust in God when they tried to draw to themselves the glory of the miracle instead of “sanctifying the Lord.” Jesus will not glorify Himself in the eyes of the Jews by a conspicuous miracle. His work as the Son of Man is to glorify the Father’s name through obedience. Cp. Joh_12:28.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain,.... That is, he took him off from the pinnacle of the temple, and carried him through the air, to one of the mountains which were round about Jerusalem; or to some very high mountain at a greater distance; but what mountain is not certain; nor can it be known; nor is it of any moment; it has been said (g) to be Mount Lebanon: here he

sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and glory of them. By "all the kingdoms of the world" are meant, not only the Roman empire, as Dr. Lightfoot thinks, though that was, to he sure, the greatest in the world at that time; but all the kingdoms in the whole world, which subsisted in any form, whether within, or independent of the Roman empire; or whether greater or lesser: and by "the glory of them", is meant, the riches, pomp, power, and grandeur of them. Now the view which Satan gave Christ of all this, was not by a representation of them in a picture, or in a map, or in any geographical tables, as (h) some have thought; since to do this there was no need to take him up into a mountain, and that an exceeding high one; for this might have been done in a valley, as well as in a mountain: and yet it could not be a true and real sight of these things he gave him; for there is no mountain in the world, from whence can be beheld anyone kingdom, much less all the kingdoms of the world; and still less the riches, glory, pomp, and power of them: but this was a fictitious, delusive representation, which Satan was permitted to make; to cover which, and that it might be thought to be real, he took Christ into an high mountain; where he proposed an object externally to his sight, and internally to his imagination, which represented, in appearance, the whole world, and all its glory. Xiphilinus (i) reports of Severus, that he dreamed, he was had by a certain person, to a place where he could look all around him, and from thence he beheld , "all the earth, and also all the sea"; which was all in imagination. Satan thought to have imposed on Christ this way, but failed in his attempt. Luke says, this was done

in a moment of time, in the twinkling of an eye; as these two phrases are joined together, Co1 15:52 or "in a point of time". The word used by Luk 4:5 sometimes signifies a mathematical point, which Zeno says (k) is the end of the line, and the least mark; to which the allusion may be here, and designs the smallest part of time that can be conceived of. Antoninus the emperor uses the word, as here, for a point of time; and says (l), that the time of human life, and the whole present time, is but a point. Would you know what a moment, or point of time is, according to the calculation of the Jewish doctors, take the account as follows; though in it they differ: a moment, say they (m), is the fifty six thousandth, elsewhere (n), the fifty eight thousandth, and in another place (o), the fifty three thousandth and eight hundredth and forty eighth, or, according to another account (p), eighty eighth part of an hour. If this could be thought to be a true and exact account of a moment, or point of time, it was a very short space of time indeed, in which the devil showed to Christ the kingdoms of this world, and their glory; but this is not more surprising than his vanity, pride, and impudence, in the following verse.

(g) Vid. Fabricii Bibliograph. Antiq. c. 5. p. 137. (h) Vid. Fabricium, ibid. & Grotium in loc. (i) Apud Fabricium, ib. (k) Vid. Laertium in Vit. Zenou. (l) De seipso, l. 2. c. 17. & l. 6. c. 36. (m) T. Hieros. Beracot, fol. 2. 4. (n) T. Bab Beracot. fol. 7. 1. (o) Avoda Zara, fol. 4. 1. (p) T. Bab. Beracot, fol. 7. 1.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

7 Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.

Ver. 7. Jesus answered and said, It is written again] Christ rejects not the Holy Scriptures, although perversely alleged and abused by Satan, but openeth them, by laying one place to another. So did those holy Levites in Neh 8:7, and St Paul in Act 9:22. συμβιβαζων, Collatis testimoniis demonstrans. Parallel texts, like glasses set one against another, cast a mutual light. And, as the lapidary brighteneth his hard diamond with the dust shaved from itself; so must we clear hard Scriptures by others that are more plain and perspicuous.

Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God] Trust him we must, tempt him we may not. Now God is tempted, either when men are too much addicted to the means, as Thomas; or when they reject them, as Ahaz, who refused a sign and ran to unlawful means, hiding all under this, I will not tempt God, Isa 7:12. Heathens could say, Admota manu invocanda est Minerva, and they noted him for a foolish carter, that when his cart stuck fast, cried to his god, and moved his lips, but not his hands to help himself. "If thou callest for knowledge," saith Solomon, "and criest for understanding"-there is prayer to God; "if thou seekest her as silver, and searcheth for her as for hidden treasures"-there is man’s endeavour in the diligent use of the means; "then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God"-there is the happy success, Pro 2:3-5. Ora et labora Ask and work, was an emperor’s motto. (Reusneri Symb.) St Augustine sets it down as a vanity of his youth, that he prayed God to help him against some special sins whereunto he was strongly addicted, but should have been full sorry that God should have heard him, because he was loth to part with them. How much better was that prayer Sir Thomas Moore, Domine Deus, fac me in iis com sequendis operam collocare, pro quibus obtinendis soleo ad te orare; " Lord God, make me to bestow pains in getting those things, for obtaining whereof I use to pray unto thee."

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Jesus said unto him, It is written again - Again the Saviour replied to Satan by a text of Scripture - a passage which expressly forbade an act like this.

Thou shall not tempt the Lord thy God - This is quoted literally from Deu 6:16. The meaning is, thou shalt not try him; or, thou shalt not, by throwing thyself into voluntary and uncommanded dangers, appeal to God for protection, or trifle with the promises made to those who are thrown into danger by his providence. It is true, indeed, that God aids those of his people who are placed by him in trial or danger; but it is not true that the promise was meant to extend to those who wantonly provoke him and trifle with the promised help. Thus, Satan, artfully using and perverting Scripture, was met and repelled by Scripture rightly applied.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

This is written Deu 6:16. To make an undue and unwarrantable trial of God, is to tempt God, whether the trial respecteth his power or his goodness; thus the word is used, Num 14:22; Psa 78:18; Isa 7:12; Mat 16:1. By this answer Christ lets the devil know that he abused Scripture in his quotation of it; such as casting of himself down, when he had a plain way to go down by the stairs, would not have been an act of faith, but presumption; not a trusting God upon his word, but a tempting of God, expressly contrary to his command, Deu 6:16.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

7. It is written again — One text should limit, modify, and explain another. Promises are not to be wantonly presumed upon. They are to be interpreted in the spirit of the divine Promiser. The promise of God to keep us presumes that we soberly and truly desire to be kept.

It would be well for those who maintain the infallible perseverance of all saints to ponder this point. They quote God’s promises to keep and preserve the converted man in every case, omitting to note that all such promises of God are conditional. He will keep us, under proviso that we rationally and voluntarily will to be in his holy keeping. Tempt — Or put to the test. To assume to draw at will upon the fund of his Father’s omnipotence, to perform a capricious experiment, would be a presumptuous tempting and insulting God.

The first temptation, as we showed, (in Mat_4:3,) appealed to the animal appetites. This second rises to the higher sentiment, the love of show — the gratification of admiration. All those who are carried away from God by the love of pomp, the gratification of mental taste, the pleasures of imagination, the gaieties of fashion, the enthusiasm for fame, and are induced to pervert for these objects powers given by God for rightful use, fall by this temptation. They tempt God by expending the powers he has given for ostentatious, wanton, selfish, and destructive purposes. The first temptation was animal, the second aesthetical.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

It is written again; i.e. in addition, not to our Lord"s previous quotation (ver. 4), in which case we should expect to lind palin in ver. 10, but to the devil"s appeal to Scripture. Bengel, "Scriptura per Scripturam interpretanda et concilianda" (cf. Art. XX, "Neither may it the Church so expound one place of Scripture that it be repugnant to another"). Thou shalt not tempt. (Deu_6:16, verbally from the LXX, and equivalent to the Hebrew, except that the Hebrew verb is in the plural) In Deuteronomy the sentence continues, "as ye tempted him in Massah;" i.e. ye shall not test the reality of his presence and the greatness of his power as ye did (Exo_17:1-7) at Rephidim. The act proposed to our Lord would have been precisely parallel to that sin of old. (cf. Judith"s words to the people of Bethulia that, by fixing a limit of days for God to deliver them, they in reality tempted God epeirasate ton RAPC Jdt 8:12: cf. also Psa_78:41) "In this refusal of Christ"s are implicitly condemned all who run before they are sent, who thrust themselves into perils to which they are not called; all who would fain be reformers, but whom God has not raised up and equipped for the work of reformation; and who therefore for the most part bring themselves and their cause together to shame, dishonour, and defeat; with all those who presumptuously draw drafts on the faithfulness of God, which they have no scriptural warrant to justify them in believing that He will honour" (Trench, "Studies," p. 43).

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God - By requiring farther evidence of what he hath already made sufficiently plain. Deut. vi, 16.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

This is implied in the answer of the Lord. Note that He does not even take the trouble of rebuking Satan for misquoting Scriptures:

v. 7. Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord, thy God.

He offers, not a contradiction, but a qualification, to emphasize the necessity of explaining Scripture through Scripture. A significant fact: Jesus quotes the passage to which He refers, Deu 6:16, in the singular, thus making application of its truth to Himself in this instance. The leap from the pinnacle just then would not only have meant seeking escape from the cross at the cost of duty, but it would have been a bold challenge of Providence upon false understanding of the Bible, and so sinful in itself. The Lord’s method of handling the situation must be that of every Christian. "Now, this is such a temptation as no one understands unless he has tried it. For just as the first drives to despair, so this one drives to presumption and to such works as surely do not have God’s word and command. There a Christian should choose the golden mean that he neither despair nor be bold, but remain simply with the Word in true trust and faith. Then shall the good angels be with him; otherwise not."

Paul E. Kretzmann, Popular Commentary of the Bible (1921–1924) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Observe here, Though the devil had wrested and abused scripture, yet still Christ alleges scripture. The abuse of the holy scriptures by heretics and seducers is no argument against the use of them. We must not throw away our Bibles because the devil quotes scripture: but as Christ here compares scripture with scripture, so should we, in order to find out the true sense and meaning of it; for scripture is the best interpreter of itself; scripture is nost clearly expounded by scripture . This Satan knew full well, and therefore dares not make any further reply.

William Burkitt's Expository Notes on the New Testament (1700–1703) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

7. Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. Again the Savior replies in the words of Scripture, this time quoting from Deut. 6:16. There is no argument, but a simple reply that shows what is asked is forbidden.

B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.

General Information:

In verse 7, Jesus rebukes Satan with another quotation from Deuteronomy.

Again it is written

It is understood that Jesus is quoting scripture again. This can be stated in active form. AT: "Again, I will tell you what Moses wrote in the scriptures" (See: Active or Passive and Ellipsis)

You must not test

Here "you" refers to anyone. AT: "One should not test" or "No person should test"

Again, the devil

"Next, the devil"

He said to him

"The devil said to Jesus"

All these things I will give you

"I will give you all these things." The tempter is emphasizing here that he will give "all these things," not just some of them.

fall down

"put your face near the ground." This was a common action to show that a person was worshiping. (See: Symbolic Action)

translationWords

test

lord

kingdom

splendor

worship

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

7. οὐκ ἐκπειράσεις κύριον τὸν θεόν σου. Deu 6:16. The verse ends ‘as ye tempted him in Massah.’ The reference to Massah (Num 20:7-12) shows the true meaning of the Saviour’s answer. Moses and Aaron displayed distrust in God when they tried to draw to themselves the glory of the miracle instead of ‘sanctifying the Lord.’ Jesus will not glorify Himself in the eyes of the Jews by a conspicuous miracle. His work as the Son of Man is to glorify the Father’s name through obedience. Cp. Joh 12:28.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

7. πάλιν] not ‘contra,’ which it never simply means, not even in Gal 5:3: 1Jn 2:8: but ‘rursus’ or ‘iterum,’ as the versions rightly render it. The addition of a second Scripture qualifies and interprets the first; but does not refute it.

Henry Alford, The Greek Testament (1849–1861) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

7. Jesus said to him, Again it is written, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.] Lk. has: “And Jesus answered and said to him that, It has been said,” etc. The quotation is from Deu 6:16 in the words of the LXX.

(X)

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Again [παλιν] . Emphatic, meaning on the other hand, with reference to Satan 's it is written (ver. 6); as if he had said, "the promise which you quote most be explained by another passage of scripture." Archbishop Trech aptly remarks, "In that 'It is written again' of Christ, lies a great lesson, quite independent of that particular scripture which, on this occasion, he quotes, or of the use to which he turns it. There lies in it the secret of our safety and defence against all distorted use of isolated passages in holy scripture. Only as we enter into the unity of scripture, as it balances, completes, and explains itself, are we warned against error and delusion, excess or defect on this side or the other. Thus the retort, 'It is written again, ' must be of continual application; for indeed what very often are heresies but one - sided, exaggerated truths, truths rent away indeed from the body and complex of the truth, without the balance of the counter - truth, which should have kept them in their due place, co - ordinated with other truths or subordinated to them; and so, because all such checks are wanting, not truth any more, but error."

Marvin R. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament (1887–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.