Why does Satan quote Scripture in Matthew 4:6, and what does this imply about its misuse? Text of Matthew 4:6 “and said, ‘If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written: “He will command His angels concerning You,” and, “On their hands they will lift You up, so that You will not strike Your foot against a stone.”’ ” --- Old Testament Passage Quoted (Psalm 91:11-12) “For He will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. They will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.” --- Why Does Satan Quote Scripture? 1. To authenticate a temptation with borrowed authority. Satan recognizes that nothing carries greater weight with Jesus than the written Word (Deuteronomy 8:3; Matthew 4:4). By citing Scripture, he masks rebellion with pious language. 2. To exploit acknowledged inspiration. The Adversary is fully aware that Psalm 91 is divinely breathed (2 Timothy 3:16). He concedes its authority in order to counterfeit obedience and lure Jesus into presumptuous sin. 3. To challenge Jesus’ messianic identity. The phrase “If You are the Son of God” seeks to provoke a public, spectacular proof contrary to the Father’s appointed path to the cross (Isaiah 53; John 12:27). 4. To demonstrate his own familiarity with Scripture. Knowledge without submission characterizes demonic belief (James 2:19). Even the serpent in Eden began, “Did God really say…?” (Genesis 3:1), proving that intimate acquaintance may coexist with utter hostility. --- Satan’s Hermeneutical Strategy: Selective Omission and Recontextualization • He omits Psalm 91:11b, “to guard you in all your ways.” The Psalm promises protection within the path of faithful obedience, not reckless self-display. • He ignores the larger Psalmic context, which presupposes trust, not testing, of God (Psalm 91:2, 9). • He transfers the promise from a sphere of danger faced in duty to a spectacle contrived for vanity. • He imports the text into a setting that contradicts Deuteronomy 6:16, “Do not test the LORD your God,” which Jesus immediately cites (Matthew 4:7). --- Implications for Misuse: Authority, Context, and Intent 1. Authority does not guarantee correct usage. Words divinely inspired can be wielded diabolically. 2. Context rules interpretation. A text torn from its literary and covenantal setting becomes a pretext (2 Peter 3:16). 3. Intent reveals fidelity. Scripture quoted to justify self-assertion, greed, or immorality is already perverted, regardless of textual accuracy. 4. Partial truth can serve total falsehood. The most potent lies are half-truths (cf. Genesis 3:4-5). --- Contrast with Jesus’ Use of Scripture • Jesus answers each temptation with “It is written” (Matthew 4:4, 7, 10), citing Deuteronomy in context, harmonizing texts rather than setting them in tension. • He demonstrates the “analogy of Scripture”: one passage clarifies another. • His method models proper exegesis: context, authorial intent, and submission to God’s purpose. --- Historical and Manuscript Considerations • Psalm 91 is preserved among the Dead Sea Scrolls (11QPsᵃ; 4QPsᵉ), dated c. 150-30 BC, virtually identical to the Masoretic text quoted in Matthew, underscoring textual stability. • Codex Sinaiticus (4th century), Codex Vaticanus (4th century), and P⁴ (early 3rd century fragment of Luke’s parallel, Luke 4:10-11) all attest the same wording, confirming transmission integrity. • Early Christian writers (e.g., Justin Martyr, Dial. 103) cite Psalm 91 in messianic contexts, showing that the promise was not obscure but well known, hence susceptible to abuse. --- Theological Implications: Authority of Scripture and Spiritual Warfare • Scripture remains objectively infallible even when misused; the fault lies with the interpreter, not the text. • Believers engage in warfare “not against flesh and blood” (Ephesians 6:12), requiring “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Ephesians 6:17) handled accurately (2 Timothy 2:15). • Satan’s tactic confirms Scripture’s power; counterfeiters do not mimic what lacks worth. --- Practical Applications for Believers 1. Master context: Read entire passages, not isolated verses. 2. Compare Scripture with Scripture: allow clearer texts to illuminate tougher ones. 3. Examine motives: ask whether a proposed interpretation advances God’s glory or self-interest. 4. Seek the Spirit’s illumination: the same Spirit who inspired the text guides understanding (1 Corinthians 2:12-14). 5. Cultivate accountability: interpret in fellowship with the historic and global church. 6. Watch for omission and exaggeration: errors often hide in what is left out or overstressed. --- Conclusion Satan quotes Scripture in Matthew 4:6 because he recognizes its divine authority and persuasive power, yet his selective, self-serving citation exemplifies ultimate misuse: wrenching God’s Word from its covenantal, Christ-centered context to promote rebellion. Proper interpretation demands full context, Christ-honoring intent, and humble submission—conditions Satan rejects but every believer must embrace. |
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