Matthew 4:6

“It is by his prayer that Jesus vanquishes the tempter, both at the outset of his public mission and in the ultimate struggle of his agony.” — Catechism footnote: Cf. Mt 4:1-11; 26:36-44.

“Scripture witnesses to the disastrous influence of the one Jesus calls "a murderer from the beginning", who would even try to divert Jesus from the mission received from his Father.” — Catechism footnote: Jn 8:44; cf. Mt 4:1-11.

“Again: “If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down from hence; for it is written, He shall give His angels charge concerning thee”—referring no doubt, to the Father—“and in their hands they shall bear thee up, that thou hurt not thy foot against a stone.”” — editor's note: Ver. 6.

“Satan likewise knew Him to be this in his temptations: “Since Thou art the Son of God.”” — editor's note: Matt. iv. 3, 6.

“…this world as the Creator’s, since the apostle imputes ignorance to them, whereas even the devil according to our Gospel recognised Jesus in the temptation, and, according to the record which is common to both (Marcionites and ourselves) the evil spirit knew that Jesus was the Holy One of God, and that Jesus was…” — editor's note: Matt. iv. 1–11.

“…angels charge concerning Thee, to keep Thee in all Thy ways: and in their hands they shall bear Thee up, lest at any time Thou dash Thy foot against a stone,” by a skilful assumption on his part giving a turn to the precious sayings of Scripture and twisting them into a dangerous sense, the very opposite of their…” — editor's note: S. Matt. iv. 6; Ps. xc. 11, 12.

“In the one case he said “Ye shall be as gods;” in the other, “If Thou art the Son of God.”” — editor's note: Cf. Gen. iii. 5 with S. Matt. iv. 6, 8.

“…seek the power of the present life and the kingdoms of this world; the reasonable part when he said: “If Thou art the Son of God cast Thyself down from hence.”” — editor's note: S. Matt. iv. 3, 6.

“…by curiosity, where, from the pinnacle of the temple, He is advised to cast Himself down, for the sake of trying whether He would be borne up by Angels.” — editor's note: Matt. iv. 6.

“Hence our Lord fasted forty days, forty days He was tempted in the desert, and forty days He was with His disciples after His resurrection.” — editor's note: Matt. iv. 1–11.

“And so the account continues, until we come to the words, Then the devil left him: and, behold, angels came and ministered unto Him.”” — editor's note: Matt. iv. 1–11.

“By these three was the Lord tempted of the devil.” — editor's note: Matt iv. 1–10.

“…through every entrance to creep into His inward parts, was thrust out, having finished all his alluring temptation in the wilderness after the baptism; because, being dead in the spirit, he forced no entrance into Him who was alive in the spirit, he betook himself, through eagerness for the death of man in any…” — editor's note: Matt. iv. 1–11

“Perhaps too this friend of thine, because he sees thou art a Christian, wishes to persuade thee out of the Law to do what he thinks you ought to do.” — editor's note: Matt. iv. 6.

“But after that temptation, when, as Scripture says, He was ministered to by the angels who are good and holy, and therefore objects of terror to the impure spirits, He revealed more and more distinctly to the demons how great He…” — editor's note: Matt. iv. 3–11.

“For He thought it meet also to be tempted by the devil, by whom otherwise He would never have been tempted, just as, had He not been willing, He would never have suffered; and the answers He gave to the devil are such as thou also oughtest to use in times of temptation.” — editor's note: Matt. iv. 1–10.

“And this the devil said to Christ, “Cast Thyself down.” ( Matt. iv. 6.)” — the author cites it

““If Thou be Son of God, cast Thyself down; for it is written, He shall give His angels charge concerning Thee, and in their hands they shall bear Thee up.”” — editor's note: Matt. iv. 6.

“Our Lord did not give in to the devil when he bade Him throw Himself down, and when he had armed against Him the hands of the Jews by means of the scourge and the thorns and the nails, and the creature was urging Him to bring…” — editor's note: Matt. iv. 6

“…heavens cleft asunder, and witness borne to him by the Spirit That is of one nature with Him; you shall see Him tempted and conquering and served by Angels, and healing every sickness and every disease, and giving life to the dead (O that He would give life to you who are dead because of your heresy), and driving…” — editor's note: Ib. iv. 1–11.

“If he plot against you with vain glory (as he did against Christ when he led Him up to the pinnacle of the temple and said to Him, Cast Thyself down as a proof of Thy Godhead), be not overborne by elation.” — editor's note: Matt. iv. 6.

“The Devil said, “If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down;” [Matt 4:6] and they say now, “If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross.”” — the author cites it

“Took him,” not because the Lord was weak, but the enemy proud; he imputed to a necessity what the Saviour did willingly.

Jerusalem was called the Holy City, for in it was the Temple of God, the Holy of holies, and the worship of the one God according to the law of Moses.

This shews that the Devil lies in wait for Christ’s faithful people even in the sacred places.

Behold when it is said that this God was taken by the Devil into the holy city, pious ears tremble to hear, and yet the Devil is head and chief among the wicked; what wonder that He suffered Himself to be led up a…

The Devil places us on high places by exalting with pride, that he may dash us to the ground again.

The “pinnacle” is the seat of the doctors; for the temple had not a pointed roof like our houses, but was flat on the top after the manner of the country of Palestine, and in the temple were three stories. It should…

Observe here that all these things were done with bodily sense, and by careful comparison of the context it seems probable that the Devil appeared in human form.

Perhaps you may say, How could he in the sight of all place Him bodily upon the temple? Perhaps the Devil so took Him as though He were visible to all, while He, without the Devil being aware of it, made Himself…

He set Him on a pinnacle of the temple when he would tempt Him through ambition, because in this seat of the doctors he had before taken many through the same temptation, and therefore thought that when set in the…

In the several temptations the single aim of the Devil is to find if He be the Son of God, but he is so answered as at last to depart in doubt; He says, “Cast thyself,” because the voice of the Devil, which is always…

How does he expect to discover by this proposition whether He be the Son of God or not? For to fly through the air is not proper to the Divine nature, for it is not useful to any. If then any were to attempt to fly…

But as Satan transfigures himself into an Angel of light, and spreads a snare for the faithful, even from the divine Scriptures, so now he uses its texts, not to instruct but to deceive.

This verse we read in the ninetieth Psalm, [Ps 91:11] but that is a prophecy not of Christ, but of some holy man, so the Devil interprets Scripture amiss.

For the Son of God in truth is not borne of Angels, but Himself bears them, or if He be borne in their arms, it is not from weakness, lest He dash His foot against a stone, but for the honour. O thou Devil, thou hast…

Observe that Scripture is brought forward by the Lord only with an apt meaning, but by the Devil irreverently; for that where it is written, “He shall give his Angels charge over thee,” is not an exhortation to cast…

We must explain thus; Scripture says of any good man, that He has given it in charge to His Angels, that is to His ministering spirits, to bear him in their hands, i.e. by their aid to guard him that he dash not his…

It should be noted, that though our Saviour suffered Himself to be placed by the Devil on a pinnacle of the temple, yet refused to come down also at his command, giving us an example, that whosoever bids us ascend…

The false Scripture darts of the Devil He brands with the true shield of Scripture.

Thus beating down the efforts of the Devil, He professes Himself both God and Lord.

Yet He says not, Thou shalt not tempt me thy Lord God; but, “Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God;” which every man of God when tempted by the Devil might say; for whoso tempts a man of God, tempts God.

Otherwise, it was a suggestion to Him, as man, that He should seek by requiring some miracle to know the greatness of God’s power.

It is a part of sound doctrine, that when man has any other means, he should not tempt the Lord his God.

And it is to tempt God, in any thing to expose one’s self to danger without cause.

It should be noted, that the required texts are taken from the book of Deuteronomy only, that He might shew the sacraments of the second Law.

“For He conquered the adversary, as ye have heard, by quotations from the law, not by actual strength, that by this very thing He might do greater honour to man, and inflict a greater punishment on the adversary by conquering the enemy of the human race not now as God but as Man.” — editor's note: Ut audistis, viz. in the Gospel for Quadragesima, or the First Sunday in Lent then apparently as now S. Matt. iv. 1–11: cf. Serm. XL. 3.

Matthew 4:6 and Luke 4:11 share the same wording (15 words).

Cross-reference given by the World English Bible's translators.

Cited together in Against Praxeas Chapter 1.

Cited together in Conferences I–X I.20.

Cited together in Pseudo-Chrysostom on Matthew 27:39–44 (Catena Aurea).

Cited together in The City of God IX.20.

Cited together in Conferences I–X V.6.

Cited together in Catechism §394 and 1 other place.

Cited together in Against Praxeas Chapter 1.

Cited together in Catechism §394.

Cited together in Conferences I–X I.20.

Cited together in Conferences XVIII–XXIV XXIV.17.

Cited together in Conferences XVIII–XXIV XXIV.17.

Cited together in Conferences XVIII–XXIV XXIV.17.

Cited together in Conferences I–X I.20.

Cited together in Conferences I–X I.20.

Cited together in Conferences I–X I.20.

Cited together in Conferences I–X I.20.

Cited together in Conferences I–X I.20.

Cited together in Jerome on Matthew 4:5–7 (3) (Catena Aurea) and 1 other place.

Cited together in Conferences I–X I.20.

Cited together in Conferences I–X I.20.

Cited together in Conferences I–X I.20.

Cited together in Conferences I–X I.20.

Matthew 4:6 takes up the words of Psalm 91:12 (12 words in common).