Study of Matthew 4:7. Can you help with any relevent Scriptures or comments ?

Question

Matthew 4:7....Jesus answered him, "It is also written: 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test

See Deuteronomy 6:16...Do not test the LORD your God as you did at Massah.

Luke 4:12....Jesus answered, "It says: 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test

1 Corinthians 10:9....We should not test the Lord, as some of them did—and were killed by snakes.

"'Do not put the Lord your God to the test" what does this mean Is Jesus saying he is God or do not test God (as in not himself ) ?

This is the 4th time it is written is used in Matthew 4 it would appear both Jesus & Satan know the OT ,is that fair to assume ?

What is 1 Corinthians 10:9 refering too where it say's "and were killed by snakes" ?

Have i missed any important points ?

Can you add any relevant scriptures or comments ?

Answer 1

The scripture Satan was referring to indicates that God will put a guard around His follower to stop him from taking a fall - not to protect him from jumping manfully off a tall building -- Satan was being illogical with scripture to try to twist the meaning to make a human do what the conscience says is irresponsible - God has limited our abilities and bodily strength with the laws of nature and we grow up knowing that we should not attempt miracles unless God is telling us to do something that would otherwise be harmful...

Answer 2

Yes, clearly Jesus here applies the Hebrew "YHVH" to HIMSELF. Deuteronomy is NOT saying that it is wrong for one person to test another, but it IS saying we shouldn't try to tempt YHVH. Since the CONTEXT involves Satan and Jesus, it seems apparent that Jesus is ALSO identified as "YHVH."

In the end of Matthew, (28:19) Jesus tells his apostles that Father, Son, and Holy Spirit SHARE ONE NAME. The only Biblically justifiable answer as to what that "name" might be is YHVH. Jesus applies this name to himself IN TRANSLATION some 24 times in John.

"Massah" refers to Exodus 17:1-7.  Massah means "trial, test, temptation" (Hebrew G/K Definitions, c. 2002, Zondervan) and that was the name given to the first place where God provided water for the people from a rock.

As to both knowing the scriptures, throughout his ministry, Jesus took people BACK TO THE ORIGINAL MEANING of the scriptures while Satan has always TWISTED God's words to suit his own desires of the moment.

"It is written" is NOT a simple "past tense" form, but a Greek PERFECT TENSE. This is a form which is commonly described as "a completed action WITH ENDURING EFFECT." The sense of the tense is often rather difficult to express in English. The fact that it is repeated several times within just a few sentences IS significant. Greek writers commonly repeated phrases to identify important aspects in their message.

For a moment, try to forget 2000 years of history and paint yourself into a first century church hearing this with those people who heard it for the first time centuries ago. (This is an ESSENTIAL part of PROPER Biblical interpretation.) WHAT IS the importance or significance Matthew wanted his readers to recognize in the text? Why is "it has been written..." repeated? I would assert that it was that they recognize that Satan (and his helpers/followers) can use the scriptures to SUPPOSEDLY JUSTIFY their position. The example seems to be that we should see if what we are being told FITS WITH ALL of scripture and is NOT a distortion of the scriptures.

"Killed by snakes" seems to refer specifically to the events recorded in Numbers 21 - the "bronze serpent."

Answer 3

You are correct to question the trinity .

Both Matt 4:7 & Luke 4:12 show Jesus does not think of himself as God .

Note  the words of Jesus in John 14:28

You heard me say, 'I am going away and I am coming back to you.' If you loved me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I.

Jesus himself again is expressing he is not equal to or even God.

Answer 4

In Matthew, he is talking to Satan who is tempting Him to get Him to sin.  It is important that Christ had no sin or He would not have been the perfect sacrifice.  

Look here:  http://bible.crosswalk.com/OnlineStudyBi...

click on the underlined words and you have the original Hebrew words written.  Here's Jesus:  ÃƒÂƒÃ‚Â…Ihsou'ß of Hebrew origin (03091)

Iesous   Definition Jesus = "Jehovah is salvation"  Jesus, the Son of God, the Saviour of mankind, God incarnate

In Matthew, He was directly telling satan that he is not to tempt Him, (satan's) God.  James 2:19 says:  You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe--and tremble!

In Matthew it is proving Jesus is God, not the opposite.  

Answer 5

God extends an invitation that you can personally respond to. Jehovah asks you to ‘test him out.’ Of course, no lowly human should dare put Jehovah to the test as if God were untrustworthy. (Hebrews 3:8-10) But you can humbly test him in a proper sense. How? He promised a blessing. When you obey him, you make a test of God, as if asking ‘Will he bless me?’ In response, he puts himself under obligation to do so, keeping his promise. Thus, God’s allowing you to ‘test him out’ underscores your conviction that he will bless you abundantly.

THIS invitation—to “taste and see that Jehovah is good”—was made by the Bible psalmist David. (Ps. 34:8) True, he made mistakes. But David had a heart desire to serve Jehovah, and he obediently put God’s will first in his life. This was not always easy for him to do. In fact, at times it exposed David to extreme danger.

There was the occasion when Israelite King Saul, because of jealousy, tried to kill David. So David was forced to flee into the enemy territory of the Philistines. There he disguised his sanity by acting crazily, and he was able to escape with his life. It was on this occasion, when his life was in great danger, that David composed Psalm 34. Note how an understanding of these circumstances gives added meaning to his words:

“I inquired of Jehovah, and he answered me, and out of all my frights he delivered me. The angel of Jehovah is camping all around those fearing him, and he rescues them. Taste and see that Jehovah is good, O you people; happy is the able-bodied man that takes refuge in him. Many are the calamities of the righteous one, but out of them all Jehovah delivers him.”—Ps. 34:4, 7, 8, 19, and superscription.

Serving Jehovah often exposes one to reproach and persecution—calamities—as David’s experiences illustrate. Since this is true, some persons may hesitate to offer themselves unreservedly in God’s service. But speaking from experience, David urges us to “taste and see that Jehovah is good.” Yes, David knew that, despite the difficulties that may be encountered, God’s servants would realize Jehovah’s mighty protective hand and the “peace of God that excels all thought.”—Phil. 4:7.

(1 Corinthians 10:9) Neither let us put Jehovah to the test, as some of them put [him] to the test, only to perish by the serpents. Refers to Numbers 21:” 6 So Jehovah sent poisonous serpents among the people, and they kept biting the people, so that many people of Israel died.

7 Finally the people came to Moses and said: “We have sinned, because we have spoken against Jehovah and against you. Intercede with Jehovah that he may remove the serpents from upon us.” And Moses went interceding in behalf of the people. 8 Then Jehovah said to Moses: “Make for yourself a fiery snake and place it upon a signal pole. And it must occur that when anyone has been bitten, he then has to look at it and so must keep alive.” 9 Moses at once made a serpent of copper and placed it upon the signal pole; and it did occur that if a serpent had bitten a man and he gazed at the copper serpent, he then kept alive. also you can take this to John 3:14  And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so the Son of man must be lifted up, 15 that everyone believing in him may have everlasting life.

Do you have The cd of the watchtower Library?