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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.comRobertson Word Pictures - Matthew 4:3 - 4:3
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If thou art the Son of God (ei huios ei tou theou). More exactly, “If thou art Son of God,” for there is no article with “Son.” The devil is alluding to the words of the Father to Jesus at the baptism: “This is my Son the Beloved.” He challenges this address by a condition of the first class which assumes the condition to be true and deftly calls on Jesus to exercise his power as Son of God to appease his hunger and thus prove to himself and all that he really is what the Father called him.
Become bread (artoi genōntai). Literally, “that these stones (round smooth stones which possibly the devil pointed to or even picked up and held) become loaves” (each stone a loaf). It was all so simple, obvious, easy. It would satisfy the hunger of Christ and was quite within his power.
It is written (gegraptai). Perfect passive indicative, stands written and is still in force. Each time Jesus quotes Deuteronomy to repel the subtle temptation of the devil. Here it is Deu 8:3 from the Septuagint. Bread is a mere detail (Bruce) in man’s dependence upon God.