6. And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God--As this temptation
starts with the same point as the first--our Lord's determination not to
be disputed out of His Sonship--it seems to us clear that the one came
directly after the other; and as the remaining temptation shows that the
hope of carrying that point was abandoned, and all was staked upon a
desperate venture, we think that remaining temptation is thus shown to
be the last; as will appear still more when we come to it.
cast thyself down--"from hence"
(Lu 4:9).
for it is written--
(Ps 91:11, 12).
"But what is this I see?" exclaims stately BISHOP
HALL. "Satan himself with a Bible under his arm
and a text in his mouth!" Doubtless the tempter, having felt the power
of God's Word in the former temptation, was eager to try the effect of
it from his own mouth
(2Co 11:14).
He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands--rather, "on their hands."
they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a
stone--The quotation is, precisely as it stands in the Hebrew and
the Septuagint, save that after the first clause the words, "to keep
thee in all thy ways," are here omitted. Not a few good expositors have
thought that this omission was intentional, to conceal the fact that
this would not have been one of "His ways," that is, of duty. But as
our Lord's reply makes no allusion to this, but seizes on the great
principle involved in the promise quoted, so when we look at the promise
itself, it is plain that the sense of it is precisely the same whether
the clause in question be inserted or not.
JFB.
Outline
1 The temptation of Jesus
13 Jesus dwells in Capernaum
17 Jesus begins to preach
18 Jesus calls Peter and Andrew, James and John
23 Jesus heals the sick
Drawing of the Temptation of Jesus Christ by Dore
Important Topics for Bible Study
Quick Reference Map
Map of Galilee and northern Israel
(Click to Enlarge)
Painted Illustration of Jesus Calling James and John
Ancient Customs
Geography
Capernaum
Galilee
Matthew Resources
The New Testament