Matthew 4:7
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Jesus replied, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
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."
Open source ↗John Baptist said concerning Christ, He must increase, but I must decrease; and so it proved. For, after John had baptized Christ, and borne his testimony to him, we hear little more of his ministry; he had done what he came to do, and thenceforward there is as much talk of Jesus as ever there had been of John. As the rising Sun advances, the morning star disappears. Concerning Jesus Christ we have in this chapter, I. The temptation he underwent, the triple assault the tempter made upon him, and the repulse he gave to each assault (Mat 4:1-11). II. The teaching work he undertook, the places he preached in (Mat 4:12-16), and the subject he preached on (Mat 4:17). III. His calling of disciples, Peter and Andrew, James and John (Mat 4:18-22). IV. His curing diseases (Mat 4:23, Mat 4:24), and the great resort of the people to him, both to be taught and to be healed.
Open source ↗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.
Open source ↗Original language
The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).
Cross-references
Other passages the community most often connects to this one. Tap to read.
Do not test the LORD your God as you tested Him at Massah.
We should not test Christ, as some of them did, and were killed by snakes.
They willfully tested God by demanding the food they craved.
Again and again they tested God and provoked the Holy One of Israel.
where your fathers tested and tried Me, and for forty years saw My works.
So the people contended with Moses, “Give us water to drink.” “Why do you contend with me?” Moses replied. “Why do you test the LORD?”
He named the place Massah and Meribah because the Israelites quarreled, and because they tested the LORD, saying, “Is the LORD among us or not?”
“How could you agree to test the Spirit of the Lord?” Peter replied. “Look, the feet of the men who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out also.”
But they tested and disobeyed God Most High, for they did not keep His decrees.
They craved intensely in the wilderness and tested God in the desert.