SEV Biblia, Chapter 4:3
Y llegndose a l el tentador, dijo: Si eres Hijo de Dios, di que estas piedras se conviertan en pan.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Matthew 4:3
Verse 3. And when the tempter] This onset of Satan was made (speaking after the manner of men) judiciously: he came when Jesus, after having fasted forty days and forty nights, was hungry: now, as hunger naturally diminishes the strength of the body, the mind gets enfeebled, and becomes easily irritated; and if much watching and prayer be not employed, the uneasiness which is occasioned by a lack of food may soon produce impatience, and in this state of mind the tempter has great advantages. The following advice of an Arabian philosopher to his son is worthy of attention. "My son, never go out of the house in the morning, till thou hast eaten something: by so doing, thy mind will be more firm; and, shouldest thou be insulted by any person, thou wilt find thyself more disposed to suffer patiently: for hunger dries up and disorders the brain." Bibliot. Orient. Suppl. p. 449. The state of our bodily health and worldly circumstances may afford our adversary many opportunities of doing us immense mischief. In such cases, the sin to which we are tempted may be justly termed, as in Heb. xii. 1, thn euperistaton amartian, the well circumstanced sin, because all the circumstances of time, place, and state of body and mind, are favourable to it. If thou be the Son of God] Or, a son of God, uiov tou qeou. uiov is here, and in Luke iv. 3, written without the article; and therefore should not be translated THE Son, as if it were o uiov, which is a phrase that is applicable to Christ as the Messiah: but it is certain, whatever Satan might suspect, he did not fully know that the person he tempted was the true Messiah. Perhaps one grand object of his temptation was to find this out.
Command that these stones] The meaning of this temptation is: "Distrust the Divine providence and support, and make use of illicit means to supply thy necessities."
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 3. And when the tempter came to him . etc.] By the tempter, is meant the devil, (see 1 Thessalonians 3:5) so called, because it is his principal work and business, in which he employs himself, to solicit men to sin; and tempt them either to deny, or call in question the being of God, arraign his perfections, murmur at his providences, and disbelieve his promises. When he is here said to come to Christ at the end of forty days and nights, we are not to suppose, that he now first began to tempt him; for the other Evangelists expressly say, that he was tempted of him forty days, ( Mark 1:13 Luke 4:2) but he now appeared openly, and in a visible shape: all the forty days and nights before, he had been tempting him secretly and inwardly; suggesting things suitable to, and taking the advantage of the solitary and desolate condition he was in. But finding these suggestions and temptations unsuccessful, and observing him to be an hungered, he puts on a visible form, and with an articulate, audible voice, he said, if thou be the Son of God ; either doubting of his divine sonship, calling it in question, and putting him upon doing so too; wherefore it is no wonder that the children of God should be assaulted with the like temptation: or else arguing from it, if, or seeing thou art the Son of God; for he must know that he was, by the voice which came from heaven, and declared it: and certain it is, that the devils both knew, and were obliged to confess that Jesus was the Son of God, ( Luke 4:41) by which is meant, not a good, or righteous man, or one dear to God, and in an office; but a divine person, one possessed of almighty power; and therefore, as a proof and demonstration of it, be urges him to command that these stones be made bread , pointing to some which lay hard by; eipe , say but the word, and it will be done. He did not doubt but he was able to do it, by a word speaking; but he would have had him to have done it at his motion, which would have been enough for his purpose; who wanted to have him obedient to him: and he might hope the rather to succeed in this temptation, because Christ was now an hungry; and because he had carried his point with our first parents, by tempting them to eat of the forbidden fruit.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-11 - Concerning Christ's temptation, observe, that directly after he wa declared to be the Son of God, and the Saviour of the world, he wa tempted; great privileges, and special tokens of Divine favour, wil not secure any from being tempted. But if the Holy Spirit witness to our being adopted as children of God, that will answer all the suggestions of the evil spirit. Christ was directed to the combat. I we presume upon our own strength, and tempt the devil to tempt us, we provoke God to leave us to ourselves. Others are tempted, when draw aside of their own lust, and enticed, Jas 1:14; but our Lord Jesus ha no corrupt nature, therefore he was tempted only by the devil. In the temptation of Christ it appears that our enemy is subtle, spiteful, an very daring; but he can be resisted. It is a comfort to us that Chris suffered, being tempted; for thus it appears that our temptations, is not yielded to, are not sins, they are afflictions only. Satan aimed in all his temptations, to bring Christ to sin against God. 1. He tempte him to despair of his Father's goodness, and to distrust his Father' care concerning him. It is one of the wiles of Satan to take advantag of our outward condition; and those who are brought into straits have need to double their guard. Christ answered all the temptations of Satan with "It is written;" to set us an example, he appealed to what was written in the Scriptures. This method we must take, when at an time we are tempted to sin. Let us learn not to take any wrong course for our supply, when our wants are ever so pressing: in some way of other the Lord will provide. 2. Satan tempted Christ to presume upo his Father's power and protection, in a point of safety. Nor are an extremes more dangerous than despair and presumption, especially in the affairs of our souls. Satan has no objection to holy places as the scene of his assaults. Let us not, in any place, be off our watch. The holy city is the place, where he does, with the greatest advantage tempt men to pride and presumption. All high places are slipper places; advancements in the world makes a man a mark for Satan to shoo his fiery darts at. Is Satan so well versed in Scripture as to be able to quote it readily? He is so. It is possible for a man to have his head full of Scripture notions, and his mouth full of Scriptur expressions, while his heart is full of bitter enmity to God and to all goodness. Satan misquoted the words. If we go out of our way, out of the way of our duty, we forfeit the promise, and put ourselves out of God's protection. This passage, De 8:3, made against the tempter therefore he left out part. This promise is firm and stands good. But shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? No. 3. Satan tempte Christ to idolatry with the offer of the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them. The glory of the world is the most charming temptatio to the unthinking and unwary; by that men are most easily imposed upon Christ was tempted to worship Satan. He rejected the proposal with abhorrence. "Get thee hence, Satan!" Some temptations are openl wicked; and they are not merely to be opposed, but rejected at once. It is good to be quick and firm in resisting temptation. If we resist the devil he will flee from us. But the soul that deliberates is almos overcome. We find but few who can decidedly reject such baits as Sata offers; yet what is a man profited if he gain the whole world, and los his own soul? Christ was succoured after the temptation, for his encouragement to go on in his undertaking, and for our encouragement to trust in him; for as he knew, by experience, what it was to suffer being tempted, so he knew what it was to be succoured, being tempted therefore we may expect, not only that he will feel for his tempte people, but that he will come to them with seasonable relief.
Greek Textus Receptus
και 2532 CONJ προσελθων 4334 5631 V-2AAP-NSM αυτω 846 P-DSM ο 3588 T-NSM πειραζων 3985 5723 V-PAP-NSM ειπεν 2036 5627 V-2AAI-3S ει 1487 COND υιος 5207 N-NSM ει 1488 5748 V-PXI-2S του 3588 T-GSM θεου 2316 N-GSM ειπε 2036 5628 V-2AAM-2S ινα 2443 CONJ οι 3588 T-NPM λιθοι 3037 N-NPM ουτοι 3778 D-NPM αρτοι 740 N-NPM γενωνται 1096 5638 V-2ADS-3P
Robertson's NT Word Studies
4:3 {If thou art the Son of God} (ei huios ei tou qeou). More exactly, "If thou art Son of God," for there is no article with "Son." The devil is alluding to the words of the Father to Jesus at the baptism: " this is my Son the Beloved." He challenges this address by a condition of the first class which assumes the condition to be true and deftly calls on Jesus to exercise his power as Son of God to appease his hunger and thus prove to himself and all that he really is what the Father called him. {Become bread} (artoi gen"ntai). Literally, "that these stones (round smooth stones which possibly the devil pointed to or even picked up and held) become loaves" (each stone a loaf). It was all so simple, obvious, easy. It would satisfy the hunger of Christ and was quite within his power. {It is written} (gegraptai). Perfect passive indicative, stands written and is still in force. Each time Jesus quotes Deuteronomy to repel the subtle temptation of the devil. Here it is #De 8:3 from the Septuagint. Bread is a mere detail (Bruce) in man's dependence upon God.
