Heinrich Meyer Commentary - Matthew 4:4 - 4:4

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Heinrich Meyer Commentary - Matthew 4:4 - 4:4


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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:

Mat_4:4. Deu_8:3, after the LXX., contains the words of Moses addressed to the Israelites, which have reference to the divinely-supplied manna. Note how Jesus repels each one of the three temptations, simply with the sword of the Spirit (Eph_6:17).

ἐπʼ ἄρτῳ ] the preservation of life does not depend upon bread alone. Examples of ζῆν ἐπί in Kypke, Obss. I. p. 14 f.; Markland, ad Max. Tyr. Diss. Mat_27:6; Bergler, ad Alciphr. p. 294, This construction is a common one in classical writers with ἐκ , ἀπό , or the simple dative.

ζήσεται ] The future tense designates in Deu_1:1, and in LXX. as well as here, simply the future, that which will happen, the case which will occur under given circumstances. So also in classical writers in general sentences. Dissen, ad Dem. de cor. p. 369.

ἄνθρωπος ] universal: Man. So in the original text and in the LXX.; there is the less reason to depart from this, and to explain it: de insigni illo homine, that is, Messiah (Fritzsche), as the application of the universal statement to Himself on the part of Jesus was a matter of course.

ῥήματι Word, in its proper sense. By every statement which proceeds from the mouth of God, that is, through every command which is uttered by God, by which the preservation of life is effected in an extraordinary, supernatural manner (without ἄρτος ).[388] Comp. Wis_16:26. ῥῆμα is not res ( øÌÈáÈø ), not even in Mat_18:16, Luk_2:15, Act_5:32, 1Ma_5:37, since ἘΚΠΟΡ . ΔΙᾺ ΣΤΟΜ . ΘΕΟῦ necessarily points to the meaning of word, declaration, which, however, is not to be explained, with Fritzscbe (comp. Usteri and Ullmann): omni mandato divino peragendo.

[388] Amongst the Israelites it was effected by means of the manna; therefore we must not say with Euth. Zigabenus: πᾶν ῥῆμα ἐκπορευόμενον διὰ στόματος θεοῦ ἐπὶ τὸν πεινῶντα δίκην τροφῆς συνέχει τὴν ζωὴν αὐτοῦ . Comp. Chrysostom: δύναται θεὸς καὶ ῥήματι θρέψαι τὸν πεινῶντα , Pfleiderer also refers it to the power of spiritual nourishment contained in the divine word; as also Calovius, who says: “Revocat a verbo potentiae, quo lapides erant in panem convertendi, ad verbum gratiae, cui adhaerentes vivent, etiamsi pane careant.”