Matthew 4:4

Matthew 4:4. It is written. ‘It has been and still is written,' is the full meaning of this phrase. Each suggestion was answered by a passage from Scripture. A hint to honor the Old Testament, which is rendered emphatic by this particular quotation. Jesus, who was fulfilling the law, answers Satan from the law (Deuteronomy 8:3). The connection is strikingly appropriate: ‘Jehovah suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live,' etc. The quotation is very slightly varied from the Greek of the Septuagint

Man. Feeling so keenly His human needs, our Lord does not exert his Divine power, nor assert His Divine dignity, but overcomes the temptation by identifying Himself with ‘man,' conquering Satan for us men.

By, lit., ‘upon,' bread alone, i.e., ordinary bread procured in the ordinary way, but by every word, etc. Many authorities read ‘in.' Accepting this, we explain: we live ordinarily ‘upon bread,' but one who lives upon what God provides, lives ‘in' it, as an atmosphere. Whoso depends on the mouth of God, his mouth shall not want bread, and thus depending, most truly lives. ‘Outward means cannot sustain us, but God by outward means.' Some have taken ‘word ‘as meaning ‘thing,' because it is not expressed in the Hebrew (Deuteronomy 8:3), but this is not strictly correct. The ‘word' may be a promise, command, which results in the thing needed. The reference is not to spiritual food. The simple meaning is: Man is ordinarily sustained by bread, but if it pleases God, under whose Providential care he stands, to sustain him by other means, this will be done, and was done for Israel in the desert, all done according to the word proceeding out of the mouth of God. Thus the temptation was overcome. The needed supply doubtless came, and the hungering nature was satisfied, without the miracle the tempter suggested. We are here taught to overcome Satan with Scripture; to trust God for extraordinary help in extraordinary circumstances; as He suffered thus, sharing our needs, we may believe that we can triumph thus, partaking of His fulness.