What is the meaning of Matthew 4:4? But Jesus answered • Jesus is facing the tempter in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1–3). Rather than debate, He immediately responds, showing that the believer’s first line of defense is God’s revealed truth (Ephesians 6:17). • By answering rather than arguing, He models James 4:7—“Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” • His reply also demonstrates Hebrews 4:15: He was “tempted in every way we are, yet without sin,” proving the sufficiency of Scripture for real-life trials. “It is written:” • With these three words Jesus anchors His authority in the written Word, quoting Deuteronomy 8:3. Scripture is not merely helpful; it is decisive. • The phrase reminds us of Psalm 119:89—“Forever, O LORD, Your word is settled in heaven”—underscoring its unchanging reliability. • Notice Jesus does not say, “I feel” or “I think.” He says, “It is written,” inviting us to adopt the same posture of settled confidence whenever God’s Word speaks (2 Timothy 3:16). “Man shall not live on bread alone” • Bread represents legitimate physical needs. Jesus does not deny hunger; He denies its supremacy. • Deuteronomy 8:3 recounts Israel’s wilderness experience: God let them hunger so they would learn dependence on Him, not on the manna itself. • This line exposes Satan’s tactic: to push believers to satisfy right desires in wrong ways or wrong times (Genesis 3:6; 1 John 2:16). • Key takeaway: physical provision, while important, is never ultimate. “but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” • Just as the body needs daily bread, the soul needs continual intake of God’s Word (Psalm 119:97; Jeremiah 15:16). • “Every word” speaks to the whole counsel of God, not selective sampling (Acts 20:27). • Jesus later affirms the same principle in John 4:34: “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me.” Obedience nourishes. • Job 23:12 mirrors the sentiment: “I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my daily bread.” • Practically, this means: – Regular, systematic reading and meditation. – Trusting God’s promises over visible circumstances (Matthew 6:31–33). – Applying Scripture immediately, for blessing lies in doing, not merely hearing (James 1:22). summary Matthew 4:4 teaches that life’s deepest sustenance is spiritual, supplied through every word God speaks. Jesus defeats temptation by esteeming Scripture above physical necessity, inviting us to live the same way—feeding on the totality of God’s Word, trusting its authority, and obeying it in daily life. |
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