The scriptures he quotes, yes. Context no.
“Jesus said to him: It is written again: Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.” This I agree with, but if without the context (which as you can tell I’m unaware of
) that just makes it seem like Satan tested him so Jesus could make a point to us
All of these quotes come from Deuteronomy, where Moses describes the times that Israel was tested in the wilderness. In each event, Moses is telling of Israel failing the test.
There’s a theme that Matthew is introducing in his Gospel, where Jesus is reliving the wilderness experience of Israel.
a) Israel crosses the Red Sea, is baptized into Moses (according to the author of Hebrews) and enters the wilderness for 40 years. Jesus goes to the River Jordan, is baptized, then goes into the wilderness for 40 days.
b) Israel is led into the wilderness by the Spirit of God (column of fire by night, column of smoke by day). Jesus is led by the Spirit into the Wilderness.
c) Israel is tested three times. Jesus is tested three times.
Satan’s 3 temptations and Christ’s responses:
- Satan in Luke 4:3: “‘If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to turn into a loaf.’ But Jesus replied, Scripture says: 'Human beings live not on bread alone*.’ *Jesus is quoting Deuteronomy 8:3: "He humbled you, he made you feel hunger, he fed you with manna which neither you nor your ancestors had ever known, to make you understand that human beings live not on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of Yahweh.’” In Deuteronomy 8:3 Moses reminds the people how God fed them manna in the wilderness but they can’t live on manna alone…Jesus who is the WORD Himself will give them better than the perishable manna…He will give the true manna, Himself, the living bread from heaven.
- Satan in Luke 4:6: “I will give you all this power and their splendor, for it has been handed over to me, for me to give it to anyone I choose, Do homage, then, to me, and it shall all be yours.’ But Jesus answered him, 'Scripture says: 'You must do homage to the Lord your God, him alone you must serve.’" Jesus is quoting from Deuteronomy 6:13. In 6:12-13 Moses tells the Children of Israel: "…be careful you do not forget Yahweh who has brought you out of Egypt, out of the place of slave-labor. Yahweh your God is the one you must fear, him alone you must serve, his is the name by which you must swear.’ " Moses is reminding the people how God brought them out of slavery in Egypt and how they must faithfully serve Him. Jesus will free the people from slavery to sin and He will establish a world-wide Kingdom for the people of the New Covenant in His name.
- Satan in Luke 4:9-10 “If you are Son of God,; he said to him, ‘throw yourself down from here, for Scripture says: He has given his angels orders about you, to guard you and again: They will carry you in their arms in case you trip over a stone.’ But Jesus answered him, 'Scripture says: 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’ " Satan quoted Psalms 91:10-12 to Jesus, but the next line to this verse that Satan failed to include is: “You will walk upon wild beast and adder, you will trample young lions and snakes.” Jesus’ reply is from Deuteronomy 6:16, a continuation of the passage He quoted in temptation #2: “Scripture says: Do not put the Lord your God to the test.” In verses 16-17 of Deuteronomy chapter 6, Moses reminds the people of the “rock” that miraculously gave them water in the wilderness when they tested God at Massah on the journey to Mt. Sinai [see Exodus 17:1-7]. Jesus is Himself the true Rock [1Corinthians 10:1-4] from whom will come the miracle of the “living water” of eternal life—the blood and water that will flow from His side on the Cross, symbolizing baptism and Eucharist–and He through this miraculous flow He will conquer the serpent!
Jesus is re-constituting Israel into Himself!! And each time that Israel failed, Jesus succeeds!
There are some further “coincidences” in Matthew’s accounting of the Gospel. But one last thing I’d like to point out. Later on in Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus will be tested three times - by the Pharisees, Sadducees and the Scribes. It looks like these groups are acting the part of the devil in these scenes.
