Jesus was a man of firmness

JESUS WAS A MAN OF FIRMNESS
EDITED BY GLENN PEASE
Matthew 16:23 23Jesusturned and said to Peter, "Get
behind me, Satan!You are a stumbling block to me;
you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but
merely human concerns."
New Living Translation
Jesus turned to Peter and said, “Get away from me,
Satan! You are a dangerous trap to me. You are seeing
things merely from a human point of view, not from
God’s.”
THE FIRMNESS OF JESUS
"Getthee behind me, Satan."
— Matthew xvi : 23.

Let us think to-night of the firmness of Jesus.
Of his tenderness we think often, and also of his
gentleness andgradousness. To these lovelygraces
the heart is jo)rf ully responsive, and in dwelling upon
them we are likely to overlook othertraits no less
beautiful and praiseworthy. Gentleness ofnature
is not a virtue but a defectimless it is accompanied
by tenacity of will. Sweetnessofdisposition is not
enough to make a man useful and noble. Along
with the sweetnessthere must go strength, and under-
neath the moods soft as velvet there must lie a reso-
luteness hard as steel.
The weakness ofmen under the play of social
forces is one of the outstanding tragedies of history.
To build a will strong enough to resistand control
these forces is the central and crucialtask of educa-
tion. It is an ancient adage that evil companionships
corrupt goodmorals. All men are more or less
moulded by the societyof which they form a part.
The child yields readily to the ideas and habits of
his fellows, and no matter what his ancestrymay

189
I90 CHARACTER OF JESUS
have been, his environment if corrupt may bring
him speedily to ruin. This impressionability is not
a trait peculiar to childhood, but is carried with us
through every stage of life. The young man in
college is powerfully influenced by those of his
classmateswho are the nearestto him, and some-
times a few bold, masterful spirits will set the pace
for a thousand men. Business men are as sus-
ceptible as college students and )deld in crowds to
the influence of a few dominating minds. The
slavery of the socialworldhas long been a theme
for moralists and satirists. He is indeed a strong
characterwho dares nm counter to the traditions
and fashions of the world in which he moves. Even
the strongestand most independent often bow down
before standards againstwhich consciencerevolts
and submit to customs againstwhich the heart

protests. Humanity goes in crowds and droves,
and no bondage is too absurd or galling to be sub-
mitted to. The majority of mortals are not strong
enough to be themselves:they become echoes of
their neighbors and walk in paths marked out by
others. There is a spirit of the age which leaves its
impress on every mind. Even the mightiest men
cannot free themselves entirely from it. As Lowell
says, "Everyman is the prisoner of his date.'*
We apologize for Cromwelland Calvin and Luther
and Hildebrand and Augustine, saying, " Remember
the times in which they lived !"
But when we come to Jesus ofNazareth we are
HIS FIRMNESS191
in the presence ofa man whom nobody swervedor
dominated, who is so free from the bias of his race
and so cleanof the spirit of his age that he seems
to belong to all races and all ages. He is not the Son
of David but the Son of Man, just genuinely, su-

premely hiunan. He is not a citizen of the first
century only, but the contemporaryof eachsucceed-
ing generation. Immersed in an oceanof mighty
forces which beat upon him furiously through every
hour of his career, he resistedthem all successfully
by the indomitable energy of a victorious will, living
a life unique in its beauty and achieving a work
immarred by the limitations either of time or place.
That he was not insensible to the dominant forces
of his time, he himself has told us in the story of the
temptation. His coimtrymen had formed definite
ideas of the Messiah. He was to be a wonder worker
and the manifestations of his powerwere to be
spectacularand overwhelming. He was to trample
opposing forces under his feetand make Palestine
the centre of the world. This was the dream, this
was the expectation. The best men expected this,
as did also the worst men. It is a dangerous thing
to baffie popular expectations. It is almostcruel
to extinguish the fire of a nation's hope. Goodand
greatmen have foimd no difficulty in every land and
generationin bringing themselves to yield, at least
up to a certainpoint, to the wishes and demands

of their countrymen. It all seems plausible enough.
The argument is familiar, for we have heard it even
192 CHARACTER OF JESUS
in the present generation. Who is a man that he
should sethimself againstthe expressedwish of a
nation? Is it not through the people that God
makes his wishes known, and what is it but egotism
or insanity which would lead an individual to set his
judgment againstthe judgment of the people ? This
is the argument whose sharp edge many a leader
has felt, and Jesus ofNazarethfelt it too. Wherever
he went he heard the people clamoring for a king, a
king who should rise to supremacy over the wrecked
empire of Csesar. The nationwas ripe for revolu-
tion. A word from him would, like a spark, have
kindled a mighty conflagration. Expectationshad
been built up by men anointed by Jehovah, and these
expectations were glowing hot, and how could Jesus
hope to win the attention of his people or control

the current of their life xmless he fell in with their
ideals and attempted to carry out the program on
which their hearts were set? It was a greattempta-
tion, so terrific that he told his apostles allabout it.
He assuredthem that in this temptation he had been
wrestling with the very prince of infernal powers,
but that notwithstanding repeatedassaults he had
come out of the conflictvictorious. In choosing the
road which led to supremacy by way of Gethsem-
ane and Golgotha, he renoimced the ideals of his
coimtrymen and disappointed their dearestexpecta-
tions, but so firm was he that the hosts of hell speak-
ing through God's chosenpeople could not move
him from his place. The nation hurled itself with
HIS FIRMNESS193
frantic force againsthim, but he did not budge.
He was the Rock ofAges.
When we study his life with attentive eyes we see

it was one long resistance to the forces ofhis age.
He was a patriot, but he could not go with his
countrymen in any of their patriotic programs or
expectations. He was a churchman, but he could
not go with the members of the Jewishchurch in
their favorite teachings and ceremonies. The re-
ligious teachers taughtdoctrines of the Sabbath
which he could not accept. Theypresentedforms
of worship which he could not submit to. They
laid down lines of separationwhich it was impossible
for him to observe. It is not easyto nm counter
to the deep-seatedfeelings ofthe most religious
people of one's day, or to cut across the grain of
the prejudices of the most conscientious menin the
town. There were many reasons why Jesus should
have conformed to the ideas and customs of the
church, but he firmly resistedall the voices which
urged him toward conformity, standing out alone
in defiance of what the best men were doing and
saying, notwithstanding his nonconformity seemedto
the majority impiety and to many blasphemy. For a
godly man to be classedamong blasphemers is one of
the bitterest experiences whichthe heart canknow.

But Jesus paid the price and continued firm.
Men of light and leading have an influence sur-
passing that of ordinary men. There were men in
Palestine who by learning and position had won
the confidence and esteemof their countrymen. As
leaders and teachers of the people they had their plans
and systems and into these they attempted to work
this yoimg man from Galilee. They recognizedin
liim a man of force, and to manipulate him and
make use of him was a natural ambition. No man
with a noble cause to promote will lightly antagonize
the most influential men of his day. He will bend
to them so far as he is able, he will 3deld to their
whims and caprices so far as consciencewill permit,
he will go with them so far as this is possible ; but
if he is a man of strength, he will not compromise his
principles, and he will never jeopardize the victory
of his cause by playing into the hands of men whose
faces are towarda different goal. Jesus couldnot

be manipulated. He refused to be used. One
party after another tried to work him into its scheme,
but he was incorrigibly intractable and went on his
way independent, unshackled, free. All the seduc-
tions offered by the men who saton thrones could not
swerve him from his course, and although his stead-
fastness made him enemies and finally nailed him
to the cross, he was everywhere and always a man
who could not be moved.
There are men who are too strong to be manipu-
lated by their foes, but in the hands of their friends
they are plastic as wax. Jesus couldnot be manipu-
lated even by his friends. He had many friends
in Nazareth, but he never gave up his principles
to please them. They had their prejudices and
HIS FIRMNESS195
superstitions, but he never surrendered to them.
He knew their bigotry and narrowness, and so in his

opening sermon he read the story of God's com-
passionon a S3Tianleper, and also on a Sidonian
widow. His sermon raisedthe storm which he had
anticipated, but he bore the fury of it without
flinching. He would not keepsilence when he
knew he ought to speak, nor would he turn aside
from the path he knew he ought to travel even though
by sticking to the path he made himself a lifelong
exile. The respectand good-willof neighbors are
sweetindeed, but these must not be bought by
bending.
But probably no neighbor in Nazarethwas ever
so near to Jesus'heart as his dear friend Simon
Peter. At a crisis in Jesus'life Peterdid his best
to dissuade him from a certain course, but the loyal
and loving friend succeededno better than the most
hostile Pharisee. This man of Nazareth could not
be moved by friend or foe. It was his Father's
business he was attending to, and therefore all
efforts to draw him aside were made in vain. " Get
thee behind me, Satan," he said to the astonished
Peter, recognizing in him the same evil spirit he

had contendedwith years before in the desert. To
defy the threats of powerful enemies is hard, but to
turn a deaf earto the expostulations of loving friends
is harder still. Only a man of unconquerable will
is equal to a testso taxing. Jesus met it and did not
faU.
It was a test he facedin his own home. His
brothers did not understand him. Their lack of
imderstanding curtailed their sympathy with him.
From their standpoint he often did the injudicious
thing, and refusedto do the thing which would have
forwarded his reputation. They were always ready
with advice. He could not take it. They urged
him to go to Jerusalemata time when he could not
go. They exhorted him to go home at a time when
his duty was to be somewhere else.Only a man
who has been driven by conscience to go contrary
to the wishes of members of his ownfamily can

enter into the experience which Jesus sufferedor
can measure the strength of will which one must
have to resistsuccessfullythe importunities of
love.
This test of will powerreachedits climax in Jesus'
conflict with his mother. She loved him and he
loved her, but he could not always carry out her
wishes. There comes a time in many a man's life
when even his own mother's exhortations must go
imheeded in order to obey a higher call. Such an
experience came to Jesus. It was a swordthrough
Mary's heart, and it was a sword also through
the heart of Jesus. The painful experience in the
Temple at the age oftwelve was probably not the
first of the kind in Jesus'life, and it was certainly
not the last. The ties to Mary were not so deep as
the ties which boimd Jesus to the heavenly Father,
and when Mary's wish conflictedwith the Father's
HIS FIRMNESS197

will, the wish of the woman was pushed aside to
make room for the will of God.
Here, then, we have a situation which is distressing
indeed. The most tender and gracious and obliging
of men is compelled to resistnot only the prayers of
his countrymen but the wishes of his family and
friends. He stands like a rock in the midst of a
troubled sea, and all its billows dash themselves
againsthis feet in vain. There was something
inflexible in his will, something granitic in his soul.
When he found a man whom he thought worthy to
be the first member of his church he calledhim
" rock." Are we to infer from this that it is the rock-
like quality which is indispensable in the building
of an institution which shall endure? It is certain
that Jesus lovedstability in others, and what he
loved in others he had superabundantly in himself.
Firm himself, he loved men who could not be
moved. Unconquerable himself, he intrusted his
Gospelto men who would endure and never flinch.
Men who having put their hand to the plough looked

back were not men he could make use of in the saving
of a world. Men who started to build a tower and
then gave up the undertaking were only objects of
mirth and mockery. Salvationcould not be offered
to any one who did not endure to the end.
It is in this tenacity of will that we find an indis-
pensable element of Christian character. Menare
to resistexterior forces and form their life from
within. They are not to be swayedby current
opinion, but by the spirit of the Eternal in their
heart. They are not to listen to the voices of time,
but to live and work for eternity. We like this
steadfastness in human character, and we also crave
it in God. Men have always loved to think of Him
as the imchanging and the unchangeable, the one
"with whom canbe no variation, neither shadow
that is castby turning." And what we desire in God

we find in Jesus ofNazareth. He also is unchang-
ing and unchangeable A writer of the first centiuy
encouragesthe hearts of his readers by reminding
them that '* Jesus Christ is the same yesterdayand
to-day, yea and forever.'Jesus never calledhim-
self the Rock, but the Christian heart soongave him
that appellation, and few hymns have proved so
popular in the English-speaking worldas —
''Rock of Ages, deft for me I
Let me hide myself in thee."
What Jesus was in Palestine he is to-day and shall
be for evermore. All his promises stand unshaken,
all his warnings remain unchanged. His attitude
to sinners is to-day what it has been from the be-
ginning and what it will be to the end. You cannot
discourage him by your ingratitude, you cannot
make him other than he is by your disobedience.
He is not broken down by human folly or driven
from his plan by human perversity. From age to
age he is about his Father's business, and in the
midst of all nations and kindreds and tongues he

goes aboutdomg good.
BIBLEHUB RESOURCES
Matthew 16:23 But he turned, and saidto Peter, Getyou behind me, Satan:
you are an offense to me: for you mind not the things that be of God, but those
that be of men.
COMMENTARIES
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers
(23) He turned, and said to Peter.—St. Mark adds, significantly, “when He
had turned about and lookedon His disciples.” They, we may believe, stood
behind, watching the effectof the remonstrance which Peterhad uttered as
their spokesman, andtherefore, the Lord reading their thoughts, the rebuke,
though addressedto him, was spokenso that they too might hear.
Get thee behind me, Satan.—The sharpness ofthe words indicates a strong
and intense emotion. The chief of the Apostles was addressedin the self-same
terms as those which had been spokento the Tempter (see Note on Matthew
4:10). It was, indeed, nothing less than a renewalof the same temptation. In
this suggestion, that He might gain the crown without the cross, and attain a
kingdom of this world as the princes of the world obtain their kingdoms, the
Christ saw the recurrence of the temptation which had offered Him the glory
of those kingdoms on condition of His drawing back from the path which the
Father had appointed for Him, with the associations that had gathered round
its original.

Thou art an offence unto me.—The Greek wordis, of course, to be taken as
meaning a stumbling block, an impediment. So taken, it presents a suggestive
contrastto the previous promise. Peteris still a stone, but it is as “a stone of
stumbling and a rock of offence” (Isaiah8:14;1Peter2:8). He is hindering,
not forwarding his Master’s work. Forone who loved his Lord as Peter did—
his very love in this instance prompting the rash words—this was at once the
sharpestand yet the tenderest, and therefore the most effective, rebuke that
could have been uttered.
Thou savourestnot the things that be of God.—The verb, though found in all
English versions from Wiclif downwards, and suggestedby the sapis of the
Vulgate, was never a very happy one, and is now so archaic as to be
misleading. It may help us to understand it, to remember that our savour and
the Frenchsavoir are both forms derived from the Latin sapere, and that the
translators were so far justified in using it to describe a mental state, or rather
act. Elsewhere the word is rendered “mind,” or “setaffectionon,” as, e.g.,
“mind the things of the flesh,” or “ofthe spirit” (Romans 8:5), and “setyour
affectionon things above” (Colossians 3:2); and this is obviously a more
satisfactoryrendering. Peter’s sin lay in the factthat his mind was seton the
things of earth, its outward pomp and pageantry, measuring the future by a
human not a divine standard.
It is hardly a needless divergence from the work of mere interpretation to
suggestthat the weaknessofPeterhas been againand againreproduced in the
history of Christendom at large, mostconspicuouslyin the history of the
Church which rests its claims on the greatness ofthe Apostle’s name. The
annals of the Papacy, from the colossalsovereignty, whichformed the ideal of
Hildebrand, down to the laststruggle for temporal power, is but the recordof
the zealnot according to knowledge ofthose who “savourednot the things
that be of God, but those that be of man.” So far as this was so, they were
working, though they knew it not, for evil and not for good, even as the chief
of the Apostles when he thus became of one mind with the spirit of the world,
which is also the spirit of the Tempter, placedhimself for the moment on a
level with the disciple whom our Lord had hinted at as a “devil,” because the
seeds oftreachery and greedof gain were already working in his soul (John
6:70).

BensonCommentary
Matthew 16:23. But he turned and saidunto Peter — Mark reads, When he
had turned about and lookedon his disciples, (who by the air of their
countenances, probably, seemedto approve what they had heard Peter sayto
him,) he rebuked Peter, saying, Get thee behind me, Satan— That is, out of
my sight. “He lookedat him,” says Baxter, “with displeasure, and said, I say
to thee as I did to the devil when he tempted me, Getthee behind me, for thou
doestthe work of Satan, the adversary, in tempting me, for self-preservation,
to violate my Father’s command, and my undertaking, and to forsake the
work of man’s redemption and salvation. As thy counselsavourethnot the
things that be of God, (namely, his will, work, and glory,) but the things that
be of men, (or the love of the body and this present life,) so it signifies what is
in thy heart; take heed lest this carnality prevail.” Our Lord is not recordedto
have given so sharp a reproof to any other of his apostles, onany occasion. He
saw it was needful for the pride of Peter’s heart, puffed up with the
commendation lately given him. Perhaps the term Satan may not barely
mean, Thou art my enemy, while thou fanciestthyself most my friend; but
also, Thou art acting the very part of Satan, both by endeavouring to hinder
the redemption of mankind, and by giving me the most deadly advice that can
ever spring from the pit of hell. Thou savourestnot — Dostnot relish or
desire. We may learn from hence, 1st, that whosoeversays to us in such a case,
Favour thyself is acting the part of the devil: 2d, that the proper answerto
such an adviser is, Get thee behind me: 3d, that otherwise he will be an
offence to us, an occasionof our stumbling, if not falling: 4th, that this advice
always proceeds from the not relishing the things of God, but the things of
men. Yea, so far is this advice, Favour thyself, from being fit for a Christian
either to give or take, that if any man will come after Christ, his very first step
is, To deny or renounce himself: in the room of his own will, to substitute the
will of God, as his one principle of action. We see in this example of Peter, how
soona person favoured with the peculiar approbation of the Lord Jesus may,
through pride and self-confidence, fallunder his heavy displeasure, and incur
a severe rebuke from him. “Our Lord, immediately after pronouncing Peter
blessed, on accountof his faith and the noble confessionwhichhe made of it,

and after conferring on him the high dignity before mentioned, did openly, in
the hearing of all the disciples, callhim Satan, or adversary, and declare that
he had then no relish for the divine appointments, but was influenced merely
by human views and expectations of worldly interest. If the papists rightly
attended to this passageofthe history, they would see their fancies about the
primacy of Peter, which they build upon it, in a better light than they now
seemto do.”
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary
16:21-23 Christ reveals his mind to his people gradually. From that time,
when the apostles had made the full confessionofChrist, that he was the Son
of God, he began to show them of his sufferings. He spake this to setright the
mistakes ofhis disciples about the outward pomp and power of his kingdom.
Those that follow Christ, must not expectgreator high things in this world.
Peterwould have Christ to dread suffering as much as he did; but we mistake,
if we measure Christ's love and patience by our own. We do not read of any
thing said or done by any of his disciples, at any time, that Christ resentedso
much as this. Whoevertakes us from that which is good, and would make us
fear to do too much for God, speaks Satan's language. Whateverappears to be
a temptation to sin, must be resistedwith abhorrence, and not be parleyed
with. Those that decline suffering for Christ, savour more of the things of man
than of the things of God.
Barnes'Notes on the Bible
Get thee behind me, Satan - The word "Satan" literally means "an
adversary," or one who opposes us in the accomplishmentof our designs.
It is applied to the devil commonly, as the opposeror adversary of man; but
there is no evidence that the Lord Jesus meant to apply this term to Peter, as
signifying that he was Satanor the devil, or that he used the term in anger. He
may have used it in the generalsense whichthe word bore as an adversaryor
opposer;and the meaning may be, that such sentiments as Peter expressed
then were opposedto him and his plans. His interference was improper. His
views and feelings stoodin the way of the accomplishmentof the Saviour's
designs. There was, undoubtedly, a rebuke in this language, forthe conduct of

Peterwas improper; but the idea which is commonly attachedto it, and
which, perhaps, our translation conveys, implies a more severe and harsh
rebuke than the Saviour intended, and than the language which he used would
express.
Thou art an offence - That is, a stumbling-block. Your advice and wishes are
in my way. If followed, they would prevent the very thing for which Icame.
Thou savourestnot - Literally, thou thinkest not upon; or your language and
spirit are not such as spring from a supreme regard to the will of God, or
from proper views of him, but such as spring from the common views
entertained by people. You think that those things should not be done which
God wishes to be done. You judge of this matter as people do who are desirous
of honor; and not as God, who sees it best that I should die, to promote the
greatinterests of mankind.
Jamieson-Fausset-BrownBible Commentary
23. But he turned, and said—in the hearing of the rest;for Mark (Mr 8:33)
expresslysays, "When He had turned about and lookedon His disciples, He
rebuked Peter";perceiving that he had but boldly uttered what others felt,
and that the check was neededby them also.
Get thee behind me, Satan—the same words as He had addressedto the
Tempter (Lu 4:8); for He felt in it a satanic lure, a whisper from hell, to move
Him from His purpose to suffer. So He shook off the Serpent, then coiling
around Him, and "felt no harm" (Ac 28:5). How quickly has the "rock"
turned to a devil! The fruit of divine teaching the Lord delighted to honor in
Peter;but the mouthpiece of hell, which he had in a moment of forgetfulness
become, the Lord shook off with horror.
thou art an offence—a stumbling-block.
unto me—"Thouplayest the Tempter, casting a stumbling-block in My way to
the Cross. Couldit succeed, where wertthou? and how should the Serpent's
head be bruised?"
for thou savourestnot—thou thinkest not.

the things that be of God, but those that be of men—"Thou art carried away
by human views of the way of setting up Messiah's kingdom, quite contrary to
those of God." This was kindly said, not to take off the sharp edge of the
rebuke, but to explain and justify it, as it was evident Peterknew not what
was in the bosomof his rash speech.
Matthew Poole's Commentary
Peter, thou thinkest that by this discourse thou showestsome kindness unto
me, like a friend, but thou art in this an adversaryto me; for so the word
Satandoth signify, and is therefore ordinarily applied to the devil, who is the
grand adversary of mankind.
Get thee behind me, I abominate such advice. I told thee I must suffer. It was
the determinate counselof God; it is my Father’s will. He is mine enemy that
dissuades me from a free and cheerful obedience to it. I will hear no more
such discourse.
For thou savourestnot the things that be of God, but those that be of men.
The word is froneiv, and, it may be, were better translated, Thou thinkest not
of, or thou understandest not, the things that be of God, that is, the counsels of
God in this matter, as to the redemption of mankind: thou considerestme
only as thy Masterand thy Friend, and wouldst have no harm come to me;
thou dost not mind or think of me as the Saviour of the world, or the
Redeemerof mankind, which cannot be redeemed otherwise than by my
death. Though by thy intemperate affectionto me thou wouldst hinder the
redemption of mankind, this is not in this thing to mind, think on, or savour
the things of God, but to suffer thyself to be seducedby thy carnal affection. It
is a mistakenkindness to our friends, to persuade them, for our personal
advantage, to do what they cannot do in consistencywith their obedience to
the will of God.
Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

But he turned,.... Either to Peter, changing his countenance, and looking
sternly upon him, or rather to the disciples;for Mark says, "whenhe had
turned about and lookedon his disciples, he rebuked Peter":Peterhad took
him aside, and was arguing the case privately with him; but what he said was
so offensive to him, that he chose to reprove him publicly before the disciples;
and therefore turned himself from him to them, in a wayof resentment,
and said unto Peter;in their hearing, and before them all,
get thee behind me, Satan. The Persic versionrenders it, O infidel! as he was
at present, with respectto the sufferings, death, and resurrectionof Christ:
some take the word Satan, to be a generalname for an adversary, or enemy,
as it is used in 2 Samuel 19:22 and think that Christ calls Peterby this name,
because he was againsthim, and opposedhim in this point; which sense abates
the harshness ofthis expression. But it seems rather to mean the devil, who
took the advantage ofPeter's weakness andignorance;and put him upon
dissuading Christ from suffering, for the salvation of his people: though it
should be known, that the word Satan, is used by the, Jews (w), to signify the
vitiosity and corruption of nature; of which they say, , this is Satan;so the
messenger, orangelSatan, 2 Corinthians 12:7 may be thought to be the same;
See Gill on 2 Corinthians 12:7 And then our Lord's sense is, be gone from me,
I cannot bear the sight of thee; thou art under the influence of the corruption
of thy heart, and nature; thou talkestlike a carnal, and not like a spiritual
man; and therefore Christ denominates him from his carnality, Satan, one of
the names of the vitiosity of nature, whom a little before he had pronounced
blessed;being then under the influence of another spirit, as appearedfrom the
noble confessionofhis faith in Christ: this change shows the weakness of
human nature, the strength of corruption, the inconstancyand ficklenessof
frames, and the imperfection of grace in the best of saints.
Thou art an offence unto me; or a stumbling block to me, a cause of stumbling
and failing; not that he really was, but he endeavouredto be, and was as much
as in him lay; and had he given heed unto him, would have been so. It may be
observed, that nothing was more offensive to Christ, than to endeavour to
divert him from the work his farther called him to; he had agreedto do; what
he came into this world for, and his heart was so much set upon; namely, to

suffer and die in the room of his people, in order to obtain salvationfor them:
never were such words uttered by him, and such resentment shown to any,
but to the devil himself, when he tempted him to worship him.
For thou savourestnot the things that be of God; meaning his sufferings and
death, which were the appointment of God, the counselof his will, the
provision of his covenant; what he foretold in the prophecies of the Old
Testament, and what he had an hand in, and in which the glory of his grace,
power, and justice, was concerned, and were the end of the mission of his Son
into this world; which things were out of sight and mind, and were not
regardedby the apostle at this time;
but those that be of men: he thought of nothing but worldly grandeur in the
kingdom of the Messiah, as a temporal prince and Saviour; and of the
continuance of Christ's natural life, for his own carnal and worldly
advantage;which showedhim to be, at this time, greatlyunder the influence
of corrupt nature. So, though the blood, righteousness,sacrifice, anddeath of
Christ, are savoury things, things to be savoured, minded, and regardedby
believers, and accountedprecious;and they do mind them, so the word
signifies, Romans 8:5 when being blessedwith a spiritual and experimental
knowledge, andapplication of them to themselves, they exercise faith, hope,
and love upon Christ, with respectunto them; when they remember them
aright in the ordinance of the supper, the love from whence they spring, and
the benefits that come hereby; and when they discern the Lord's body in it, a
crucified Jesus, and the blessings of grace which come by him, and ascribe
their whole salvation to his sufferings and death, and taste the sweetnessthere
is in these things, eating his flesh and drinking his blood by faith; yet being
left to themselves, they do not savour, mind, and regard these things, but
carnalthings, and human schemes;as when they are dilatory to profess a
crucified Christ, and submit to those ordinances of his, which setforth his
sufferings and death; or are negligentin their attendance on them, their place
being often empty at supper time; or if they do attend, their hearts go after
other things.
(w) T. Bab. Bava Bathra, fol. 16. 1. Tzeror Hammor, fol. 6. 2, 3. & passim.

Geneva Study Bible
{9} But he turned, and said unto Peter, Getthee behind me, {r} Satan:thou
art an offence unto me: for thou {s} savourestnot the things that be of God,
but those that be of men.
(9) Against a preposterous zeal.
(r) The Hebrews call him Satan, that is to say an adversary, whom the Greeks
call diabolos, that is to say, slanderer, or tempter: but it is spokenof them,
that either of malice, as Judas, Joh 6:70, or of lightness and pride resistthe
will of God.
(s) By this word we are taught that Petersinned through a false persuasionof
himself.
EXEGETICAL(ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)
Meyer's NT Commentary
Matthew 16:23. Στραφείς] He turned away, by way of indicating His horror.
ὕπαγε ὀπίσω μου]See note on Matthew 4:10.
σατανᾶ]Satan! A term of reproach, springing out of the intense displeasure
with which He now saw Peterstriving, like Satan, againstthat purpose of God
of which he was so profoundly conscious.Not“moralvexation” (Keim), but
moral displeasure. Comp. John 6:70. Seeing that Peter’s feelings have
changed, it was proper that the testimony of Jesus regarding him should
undergo a corresponding change (Augustine), although without prejudice to
the high position just promised to him by Jesus;for this distinction neither
excludes the idea of there being still a strong carnal element in Peter’s
character, nor does it imply that he was beyond the need of correction;
consequently, the evasive interpretation of Catholic expositors who, in this
instance, take σατανᾶ as an appellative (adversarius; so Maldonatus, Jansen,
Arnoldi), is utterly groundless.

σκάνδ. μου εἶ] ἐμπόδιόνμου νῦν ὑπάρχεις, ἀντικείμενος τῷ ἐμῷ θελήματι,
Euth. Zigabenus.
φρονεῖς] thou, hastin thy mind; indicating the direction of his aims, the bent
of the practicalreason. Comp. note on Romans 8:5.
τὰ τοῦ θεοῦ] matters of divine interest; because Godis to be understood as
having ordained the sufferings of Jesus for the purpose of carrying out the
plan of redemption.
τὰ τῶν ἀνθρώπων] who are concernedabout having as their Messiaha mere
earthly hero and prince.
Expositor's Greek Testament
Matthew 16:23. ὕπαγε ὀ. μ. Σ.: tremendous crushing reply of the Master,
showing how much He felt the temptation; calm on the surface, deepdown in
the soula very real struggle. Some of the Fathers (Origen, Jerome)strive to
softenthe severity of the utterance by taking Satanas as an appellative =
ἀντικείμενος, adversarius, contrarius, and pointing out that in the Temptation
in the wilderness Jesus says to Satansimply ὔπαγε = depart, but to Peterὔπ.
ὀπίσω μου = take thy place behind me and be follower, not leader. But these
refinements only weakenthe effect of a word which shows that Jesus
recogniseshere His old enemy in a new and even more dangerous form. For
none are more formidable instruments of temptation than well-meaning
friends, who care more for our comfort than for our character.—σκάνδαλον:
not “offensive to me,” but “a temptation to me to offend,” to do wrong; a
virtual apologyfor using the strong word Σατανᾶ.—οὐφρονεῖς τὰ, etc.,
indicates the point of temptation = non stas a Dei partibus (Wolf), or φρονεῖν,
etc. = studere rebus, etc. (Kypke), to be on God’s side, or to study the Divine
interest instead of the human. The important question is: What preciselyare

the two interests? They must be so conceivedas not entirely to cancelthe
eulogium on Peter’s faith, which was declaredto be not of man but of God.
Meyer’s comment on τὰ τ. ἀ.—concernedabouthaving for Messiaha mere
earthly hero and prince (so Weiss also)—is too wide. We must restrict the
phrase to the instinct of self-preservation= save your life at all hazards. From
Christ’s point of view that was the import of Peter’s suggestion;preference of
natural life to duty = God’s interest. Peterhimself did not see that these were
the alternatives;he thought the two opposite interests compatible, and both
attainable.
Cambridge Bible for Schools andColleges
23. Get thee behind me, Satan] Petertakes the place of the tempter, and
argues for the false kingdom instead of for the true. If the words of the
tempter are in Peter’s mouth he is addressedas the tempter; when he speaks
the words of truth he is the foundation-stone of the Church.
an offence unto me] Literally, my stumblingblock; by suggesting visions of
earthly pride.
thou savourestnot the things that be of God] The Greek word, literally, to
think, is often used of political partisanship, “to take a side,” “thou art not on
God’s side but on man’s.” The English“savourest” is connectedwith Lat.
sapere through the French savoir.
Bengel's Gnomen
Matthew 16:23. Ὕπαγε, depart) It is not your place to take hold of and rebuke
Me. By how much the more He had declaredPeterblessed, by so much the
more does He now reprove him who was previously prepared by faith to
digestthe reproof, in order that He may both correcthim and preserve the
other disciples; see Matthew 16:24.—ὀπίσωΜου, behind Me[761])out of My
sight. He had commanded Satan to do the same;see ch. Matthew 4:10.—
Σατανᾶ, Satan)an appellative. Cf. John 6:70, where our Lord says,

concerning Judas Iscariot, καὶ ἐξ ὑμῶν εἷς διάβολός ἐστιν, and one of you is a
devil.—But cf. Gnomon on Revelation12:9.—Peterthought himself very kind
when he saidἵλεως, κ.τ.λ., but yet he is called Satanfor so doing. Cf. 2 Samuel
19:22, where ‫ןטש‬ signifies one who puts himself in the way as a
hinderance.[762]—σκάνδαλόνΜου, My stumbling-block[763])i.e. thou dost
not only stumble or take offence at My words, but, if it were possible, thou
wouldst furnish Me with a hurtful stumbling-block by thy words. This is said
with the utmost force, and declares the reason of our Lord’s swift severity
towards Peter.[764]If anything could have been able to touch the soul of
Jesus, the words of the disciple would have been more dangerous than the
assaults ofthe tempter, mentioned in the fourth chapter of this Gospel. Cf.
Gnomon on Hebrews 4:15.—Rock andstumbling-block (LAPIS offensionis,
lit. stumbling STONE)are put antithetically. Our Lord sends away behind
Him the stumbling-block placedbefore His feet.—τὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ, the things of
God) sc. the precious word of the Cross. The perceptionof Jesus is always
divine.[765]—τῶνἀνθρώπων of men) the same as flesh and blood in Matthew
16:17.
[761]It becomes thee not to be My adviser, but My follower[ὀπίσω Μου].—V.
g.
[762]Where David so calls the sons of Zeruiah.—(I. B.)
[763]E. V. “An offence unto Me.”—(I. B.)
[764]In this way the Saviour repelled, at the very moment of their approach,
all things whatevermight have been a stumbling-block or offence, just as fire
repels water which approaches very close to it, but which cannot possibly mix
with it.—V. g.

[765]The Cross is a stumbling-block to the world: the things which are
opposedto the Cross were a stumbling-block (offence)to Christ. This feeling
and perception concerning the ‘suffering’ of Christ, and of those who belong
to Christ, and concerning the ‘glory’ which follows thereupon [1 Peter1:11],
Petercherished at a subsequent time, as his own first Epistle abundantly
testifies.—V. g.
Pulpit Commentary
Verse 23. - He turned. Peterand the rest were following Christ, as he walked
onward. Now Jesus stops, turns, and faces them. Get thee behind me, Satan.
Jesus uses nearly the same words in rebuking Peterthat he had used to the
devil in his temptation (Matthew 4:10); and justly, because the apostle was
acting the adversary's part, by opposing the Divine economy, and
endeavouring to persuade Jesus that the way he proposedwas wholly
unnecessary. The lively stone has became a very Satan in opposing the Divine
will; hence the sharpness of the rebuke administered to him. An offence unto
me (σκάνδαλονἐμοῦ);my stumbling block. Petros, the stone, to maintain the
metaphor, is now "a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence" (1 Peter 2:8).
He stood in the Saviour's way, and impeded his onward progress in the course
ordained. He who would turn him aside from Calvary is the enemy of man's
salvation, which was to be won there. Thou savourest(φρονεῖς)not; mindest
not (as Romans 8:5); thy taste is not for the Divine plans, but for human
considerations;thou art not promoting the great purpose of God, but
worldliness and self-pleasing. "Peter," saysSt. Chrysostom, "examining the
matter by human and earthly reasoning, accountedit disgracefulto him
[Christ] and an unmeet thing. Touching him therefore sharply, he saith, 'My
Passionis not an unmeet thing, but thou givest this sentence with a carnal
mind; whereas if thou hadst hearkenedto my sayings in a godly manner,
disengaging thyself from thy carnal understanding, thou wouldst know that
this of all things most becomethme. For thou indeed supposestthat to suffer is
unworthy of me; but I say unto thee, that for me not to suffer is of the devil's
mind;' by the contrary statements repressing his alarm" (Oxford transl.).
Vincent's Word Studies

Turned (στραφεὶς)
Not towardPeter, but awayfrom him.
Get thee behind me
See Matthew 4:10.
Offence (σκάνδαλον)
Rev., better, stumbling-block. See on Matthew 5:29. Not, thou art offensive,
but thou art in my way. Dr. Morison, "Thouart not, as before, a noble block,
lying in its right position as a massive foundation-stone. On the contrary, thou
art like a stone quite out of its proper place, and lying right across the road in
which I must go - lying as a stone of stumbling."
Savourestnot (οὐ φρονεῖς)
Rev., better, mindest not. Thy thoughts and intents are not of God, but of
men. Savourestfollows the Vulgate sapis, from sapere, which means 1st, to
have a taste or flavor of: 2d, to have sense or discernment. Hence used here as
the rendering of φρονεῖν, to be minded. Thus Wyc., 1 Corinthians 13:11,
"When I was a child I savoured (ἐφρόνουν) as a child." The idea is, strictly, to
partake of the quality or nature of.
The Firmness Of Jesus
I. NoahWebster’s 1828 dictionarydefines “firmness” as “someone or
something that is fixed; steady; constant;stable; unshaken;not easilymoved;
or steadfast.
- Mark 4:16-17 - "And in a similar way these are the ones on whom seedwas
sownon the rockyplaces, who, when they hear the word, immediately receive

it with joy; and they have no firm root in themselves, but are only temporary;
then, when affliction or persecutionarises because ofthe word, immediately
they fall away.”
- 1 Corinthians 15:58 - “So then, my dear brothers, stand firm and steady.
Keep busy always in your work for the Lord, since you know that nothing you
do in the Lord's service is everuseless.”TEV
- 1 Corinthians 16:13 - “Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men,
be strong.”
- Ephesians 6:11 - “Put on the full armor of God, that you may be able to
stand firm againstthe schemes of the devil.”
- Philippians 1:27-28 - “Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the
gospelof Christ; so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I may
hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving
togetherfor the faith of the gospel;in no way alarmed by your opponents--
which is a signof destruction for them, but of salvationfor you.”
A. In light of this scriptures, I want to look at the “firmness of Jesus.”
1. When you think of Jesus you usually think of His gentleness and
graciousness,in dwelling upon these we have a tendency to overlook other
traits that are just as praiseworthy.
a. Gentleness ofnature is not a virtue unless it is accompaniedby a tenacity of
will.
b. Sweetness ofdispositionis not enough to make a man useful and noble.
1) Strength must always accompanya sweetdisposition. 2) Underneath soft
moods must lie a resolutenessthat is as hard as steel.
2. The inability of men to stand firm in the midst of socialand spiritual forces
is one of the outstanding tragedies ofhistory.
a. All men are more or less molded by the societyofwhich they form a part.

b. Impressionability is not a trait peculiar to childhood, but is carried with
you through every stage oflife.
1) 1 Corinthians 15:33 - “Do not be fooled. Bad companions ruin good
character.” “Donot be deceived. Goodcharacteris marred by evil company.”
2) Proverbs 13:20 - “Keepcompany with the wise and you will become wise. If
you make friends with stupid people, you will be ruined.”
c. Businessmenare as susceptible as college students to peer pressure.
Last week, Alan Greenspancame up with a new term, “infectious greed.” He
said, “An infectious greedhas gripped much of our business community.
Incentives createdby poorly designed stock options have overcome the good
judgment of too many corporate managers.It is not that humans have become
any more greedythan in generations past. It is just the avenues to express
that greedhave grown so enormously.”
d. Humanity goes with the crowdin droves and no bondage is too absurd or
galling to be submitted to.
1) The majority of people are not strong enoughto be themselves. 2) They
become echoes oftheir neighbors and walk paths marked out by others.
B. In Jesus we are in the presence of a man whom nobody pressuredor
dominated.
1. Immersed in an oceanofmighty forces which beat upon Him furiously
through every hour of His life, He resistedthem all successfullyby His
indomitable will.
2. His countrymen had formed definite ideas of what the Messiahwouldsound
and look like.
a. He was to be a wonder workerwith manifestations of power.
b. But He was also to be a conqueror by trampling the opposing forces of
Rome and making Jerusalemthe center of the world.

c. This was the dream, this was the expectationof both the best of men and the
worstof men.
3. It is a dangerous thing to baffle and go againstpopular expectations.
a. Everywhere He went, He heard the people clamoring for a king.
b. The nation was ripe for revolution. A word from Him would, like a spark,
would have kindled and started this revolution.
4. To fall in with their ideals was a greattemptation.
a. But He chose the road that led to Golgotha and not the one that would have
led to Rome.
b. By doing so He renounced the ideals of His countrymen and disappointed
their dearestexpectations.
c. The nation then turned on Him with a murderous force, but He did not
budge, He stoodfirm.
5. Notonly did He go againsttheir ideas of what the Messiahshouldbe like,
He also went againsttheir ideas of what a prophet of God should be like.
a. He loved the nation of Israeland He loved the Israelites, but He could not
and would not allowedthem to dictate to Him what a man of God should be
like.
1) The religious teachers taught doctrines of the Sabbath which He could not
accept.
2) They presented forms of worship which He could not submit to.
3) They laid down lines of separationwhich it was impossible for Him to
observe.
b. There were many reasons why He should have conformed to the ideas and
customs of the church, but He firmly resistedall the voices which urged Him
toward conformity.
1) He stoodout alone in defiance of what the best men were doing and saying.

2) His nonconformity seemedto the majority to be blasphemous.
3) For a godly man to be classedamong blasphemers is one of the bitterest
experiences whichthe heart can know.
4) But Jesus paid the price and continued firm.
C. Jesus was firm with influential and powerful people.
1. The influential and powerful people of Jesus day, recognizedin Him a man
of force, and were wanting to manipulate and make use of Him.
2. No man with a noble cause to promote will lightly antagonize the most
influential and powerful men of his day.
a. Jesus is a man of strength and will not compromise His principles in order
to gain some temporary success.
b. He will never jeopardize the victory of His cause by playing into the hands
of men whose faces are towarda different goal.
D. Jesus was firm with His friends.
1. There are men who are too strong to be manipulated by their foes, but are
very susceptible to influence of their friends.
2. Jesus had many friends, but He never gave up His principles to please them.
a. His disciples had their prejudices and superstitions, but He never
surrendered to them.
b. He knew of their bigotry and narrowness but never humored them. Mark
8:32-33 - Luke 9:52-56
c. To defy the threats of powerful enemies is hard, but to turn a deaf ear to the
dissuasions ofloving friends is harder still.
E. Jesus was firm with His family.
1. His siblings did not understand Him.

a. From their standpoint He often did the injudicious thing and refused to do
the thing which would have forward His cause and reputation.
b. They were always ready with advice He could not take - John 7:3-8.
2. This testof willpowerreachedits climax when He stoodfirm againstHis
own mother. Luke 2:48-50 - Luke 8:19-21
a. His ties to His mother were not so deep as His ties with the Fathers will.
b. When His mothers wish conflictedwith the Fathers will, the wish of the
woman was put aside to make room for the will of God.
Men are to resistexterior forces and form their life from within. They are not
to be swayedby current opinion, but by the Spirit of the Eternal in their
heart. They are not to listen to the voices of time, but to live and work for
eternity. http://www.outwardfocused.org/PDFs/thefirmnessofjesusI.pdf
What does the Bible say about being a man?
Question:"What does the Bible sayabout being a man?"
Answer: The world offers conflicting views of what being a man is all about.
Some say that being a man requires grit, square-jaweddetermination, a
working knowledge ofweaponry, and, preferably, rock-solidabs. Others say
that manliness is about getting in touch with one’s feelings, caring for the less
fortunate, and being sensitive. Still others would include leadership skills, a
goodwork ethic, physical stature, riches, or sexualprowess. Canthese things
truly define masculinity, or is there another standard?

To know what a true man is, you need look no further than the life of Jesus
Christ. As the Son of Man, Jesus is the epitome of manhood, the perfect
example of what true maturity looks like. Jesus was full of the Holy Spirit and
lived in complete dependence on and obedience to the will of God. Christ fully
displayed the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). A true man of God will
show evidence of these works ofthe Spirit as well.
A true man, like Jesus, is obedient to the Father’s will and is about His
Father’s business (Hebrews 10:9). Like Christ, the godly man will shun sin
and follow after righteousness. He will, in the power of the Spirit, seek to keep
God’s law and live in God’s will. He will evince a determination to accomplish
God’s will, whateverthe cost(Isaiah50:7). He will endure opposition and
never lose heart (Hebrews 12:3). He will be a man of the Word, using
Scripture to overcome temptation (Matthew 4:1-10). He will be a man of
prayer (Mark 1:35). He will be a man of love and sacrifice (John 13:1).
“Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage;be strong. Do
everything in love” (1 Corinthians 16:13-14). According to these verses, a true
man is vigilant againstdanger, faithful to the truth, brave in the face of
opposition, persistent through trials, and, above all, loving.
The Bible’s qualifications for elders and deacons also containa good
description of a godly man: “Now the overseermust be above reproach, the
husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable,
able to teach, not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not
quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own family well. . . .
He must also have a goodreputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall
into disgrace and into the devil’s trap” (1Timothy 3:2-4, 7).

“Deacons,likewise, are to be men worthy of respect, sincere, notindulging in
much wine, and not pursuing dishonestgain. They must keephold of the deep
truths of the faith with a clearconscience” (1 Timothy 3:8-9).
A true man is someone who has “put awaychildish things” (1 Corinthians
13:11, NLT). A true man knows whatis right and stands firm in the right. A
true man is a godly man. He loves the Lord, he loves life, and he loves those
whom the Lord has entrusted to his care.
https://www.gotquestions.org/being-a-man.html
Messagefor THE LORD’S DAY EVENING, April 7, 2013 MESSAGE 12 in
“Getting Ready To MeetJesus” Series (Iand II THESSALONIANS)
Christian Hope Church of Christ, Plymouth, North Carolina by Reggie A.
Braziel, Minister
How To Stand Firm Till Jesus Comes Message 12
in “Getting Ready To MeetJesus” SermonSeries (A Study
of I and II Thessalonians) II Thessalonians 2:13-17
(NKJV)
Tonight as we resume our series of messagesfrom I and II Thessalonians, let’s
turn in our Bibles to II Thessalonians chaptertwo II Thessalonianschapter
two II Thessalonians chaptertwo II Thessalonians chaptertwo.

2 Thessalonians 2:13 2 Thessalonians2:13 2 Thessalonians2:13 2
Thessalonians 2:13--17 (N 17 (N 17 (N 17 (NKJV) KJV) KJV) KJV)
13 But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren
beloved by the Lord, because Godfrom the beginning chose you for
salvationthrough sanctificationby the Spirit and belief in the truth,
14 to which He calledyou by our gospel, for the obtaining of the
glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
15 Therefore, brethren, stand fastand hold the traditions which you
were taught, whether by word or our epistle.
16 Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and our God and Father,
who has loved us and given us everlasting consolationand good
hope by grace,
17 comfort your hearts and establishyou in every goodword and
work.
P R A Y E R P R A Y E R P R A Y E R P R A Y E R
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Introduction Introduction Introduction Introduction
Forthe secondtime in about four months, the Thessalonians had gatheredto
hear a public reading of a letter sent to them by the apostle Paul.
They had just heard about some dreadful time in the future when there is
going to be “a greatapostasy” or“a great falling away” from the truth. And

they had just learned that some diabolical human being called “the man of
sin” or “the son of perdition” is going to rise up and deceive masses of
people all across the world with his lies and deceptive miracles.
Upon hearing this deeply disturbing news, the Thessalonians are
wondering how soonthese dreadful things will come to pass; and if it
should happen in their lifetime, will their faith be strong enough to
endure.
As the reader continues with the verses we are looking at in tonight’s message,
Paul suddenly brings the Thessaloniansback from the future into the present.
The tone now changes from the unsettling news of what lies in store for the
unbelievers, to the comforting news of what lies in store for the believers.
_______________T R A N S I T I O N _______________
Now let’s come into our present. We are now almost2,000 years closerto “th
tthh the great apostasye greatapostasye greatapostasye greatapostasy”
Paul talkedabout. The seductionof false teachers andfalse teachings false
teachers and false teachings false teachers andfalse teachings false teachers
and false teachings is all around us. People are abandoning the truth of God‘s
word for lies in droves.. And we are closerto the revelationof “the man of
sin” revelationof “the man of sin” revelationof “the man of sin” revelation of
“the man of sin” than ever before.
In VERSES 13-17 the apostle Paul reminds the Thessalonians ofthree
wonderful truths that will help them “StandFirm Till Jesus Comes.” These
three truths will help you and me do the same.

Truth #1: We Are Truth #1: We Are Truth #1: We Are Truth #1: We
Are SAVED SAVED SAVED SAVED By The By The By The By The
GRACE GRACE GRACE GRACE of of of of GOD GOD GOD GOD
(v.13) (v.13) (v.13) (v.13)
13 But we are bound to give
thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the
Lord, because Godfrom the beginning chose you for
salvationthrough sanctificationby the Spirit and belief in
the truth,
1. Way back before you and I were ever born GOD LOVED US! In
fact, God loved us so much He already had a plan in place to save our
souls, and that plan was to send Jesus Christ, His only begottenSon here
to die on the cross to save us from our sins.
2. We know the definition of “grace”and that is “it is God’s
UNMERITED orUNDESERVED favortowards us.”

And we know that we have been savedby God’s grace. Ephesians
2:8,9 (NKJV)
8 Forby grace you have been savedthrough faith, and that
not of yourselves;it is the gift of God,
9 not of works, lestanyone should boast.
3. But I’m not sure many of us fully understand or appreciate how
the grace ofGod helps us in our every day lives.
Look at verse 13 againvery carefully………..
13 But we are bound to give thanks to God always for
you, brethren belovedby the Lord, because Godfrom the
beginning chose you for salvationthrough sanctificationby
the Spirit and belief in the truth,

4. God’s grace didn’t just save us on the day we gave our lives to
Christ, God’s grace continues to work in our lives every day through the
sanctificationof the Holy Spirit.
That word “sanctification” means to be “setAPART as
holy.” Remember we learned in one of our earliermessages in
this series that sanctificationis not a one-time event, it is a life-long
process.
In other words, God continues His sanctifying work of grace
through His Holy Spirit throughout the remainder of our earthly lives.
5. One way God’s grace continues to work in you and me is that the
Holy Spirit gives us the POWER to overcome SIN in our lives.
You and I cannotovercome sin by our own strength and
will-power, but we canovercome sin by the powerof the Holy
Spirit. That is sanctification! That is God’s grace atwork in our
lives every single day.
6. Another way God’s grace continues to work in our lives is that it
STRENGTHENSus in our times of trial!
Remember in II Corinthians 12 when the apostle Paul
askedthe Lord to “remove his thorn-in-the- flesh” and the Lord
said, “Mygrace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made
perfect in weakness.”

Brothers and sisters, God’s grace isn’t just sufficient to help you
and me endure our sufferings in this life, His grace is sufficient to help us
rise above our sufferings so that God’s strength is revealedin our
weakness.
“Through many dangers, toils and snares I have alreadycome. Tis
grace hath brought me safe thus far, and grace will lead me home!”
6. Oh brothers and sisters don’t miss this powerful truth:
If God’s grace is sufficient to save our souls…….and God’s grace
is sufficient to sanctify us by His Holy Spirit………and God’s grace is
sufficient enough to give us the victory over sin……….andGod’s grace
is sufficient enough to help us endure life’s trials…….. then we
must believe GOD’S GRACE IS SUFFIC GOD’S GRACE IS SUFFIC GOD’S
GRACE IS SUFFIC GOD’S GRACE IS SUFFICIENT IENT IENT IENT
ENOUGH TO HELP US STAND FIRM TILL JESUS COMES!
Now here’s……..

Are SUSTAINED SUSTAINED SUSTAINED SUSTAINEDByThe By The
By The By The GOSPELGOSPELGOSPELGOSPELofooff of
GOD GOD GOD GOD (vs. 13b
(vs. 13b (vs. 13b (vs. 13b--15)15)15) 15)
13b God from the beginning chose
you for salvation through sanctificationby the Spirit and
belief in the truth,
14 to which He calledyou by our gospel, for the obtaining
of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
15 Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions
which you were taught, whether by word or our epistle.
1. The same God who SAVED US BY HIS GRACE, SUSTAINS SAVED
US BY HIS GRACE, SUSTAINS SAVED US BY HIS GRACE, SUSTAINS
SAVED US BY HIS GRACE, SUSTAINS
US BY HIS GOSPEL! US BY HIS GOSPEL! US BY HIS
GOSPEL! US BY HIS GOSPEL!
2. I want you to pay particular attention to those two admonitions in
verse 15, “standfast” and “hold.”

Let’s considerwhat these two admonitions meant to the
Thessalonians and what they mean to us today.
(A) “STAND FAST!” (A) “STAND FAST!” (A) “STAND FAST!” (A)
“STAND FAST!”
Paul admonished the Thessalonians to…….
-STAND FAST STAND FAST STAND FAST STAND FAST because ofthe
current persecutionthey were going through. (II Thess.
1:4)
-STAND FAST STAND FAST STAND FAST STAND
FAST because of the coming judgment upon this world.
(II Thess. 1:8)
FAST because of the coming apostasy. (II Thess. 2:9)
FAST because of your glorious destiny. (II Thess. 2:14)
Likewise, you and I must…….

FAST because the “days are evil.”
FAST because many are falling awayfrom the truth.
FAST because the love of many has turned cold.
FAST because there are more false teachers and false
teachings than ever before in the 2,000 year history of
the Church!
STAND FAST! DON’T MOVE! DON’T BE SHAKEN!
How do we do that? Notice Paul’s secondadmonition in verse
15.…..
(B) “HO “HO “HO “HOLD THE TRADITIONS WHICH YOU WERE
TAUGHT.” LD THE TRADITIONS WHICH YOU WERE TAUGHT.” LD
THE TRADITIONS WHICH YOU WERE TAUGHT.” LD THE
TRADITIONS WHICH YOU WERE TAUGHT.”
Brothers and sisters, this is not the time for us to
“getitching ears” and“forsake the truth of God’s word……….this

is the time for us to HOLD ON TO this is the time for us to HOLD ON TO
this is the time for us to HOLD ON TO this is the time for us to HOLD ON
TO
THE WORD OF GOD MORE TIGHTLY THAN EVER!
THE WORD OF GOD MORE TIGHTLY THAN EVER! THE
WORD OF GOD MORE TIGHTLY THAN EVER! THE WORD OF
GOD MORE TIGHTLY THAN EVER!
This is NOT the time for us
to stop studying the word of God, this is the time for us to study the
word of God more diligently than we ever have before!
This is NOT the time for us to be “ashamedof the
gospelof Jesus Christ,” this is the time for us to boldly stand up
and declare the gospelof Christ as the only hope of man’s
salvation!
The late A.B. Simpson once said…….
“The gospeltells rebellious man that God is reconciled……that
justice is satisfied…..that sinhas been atoned for……that the

judgment of the guilty may be revoked…..thatthe condemnation of
the sinner has been cancelled……the curse ofthe Law has been
blotted out…..the gates of hell have been closed…..the portals of
heaven have been opened…..the powerof sin has been
subdued……..Satanhas been defeated…….deathhas been
conquered……..andthe curse of the fall has been lifted!
How can you and I “STAND FIRM TILL JESUS COMES?”
We must believe with all our heart that WE ARE WE ARE WE ARE WE
ARE SAVED SAVED SAVED SAVED BY THE BY THE BY THE BY THE
GRACE GRACE GRACE GRACE OF GO OF GO OF GO OF GOD…….
D……. D……. D…….and that WE ARE WE ARE WE ARE WE ARE
SUSTAINED SUSTAINED SUSTAINED SUSTAINED BYTHE BY THE
BY THE BY THE
Are STRENGTHENEDSTRENGTHENED STRENGTHENED
STRENGTHENED ByThe By The By The By The GLORY GLORY
GLORY GLORY
of of of of GOD GOD GOD
GOD (vs.16 (vs.16 (vs.16 (vs.16--17)17)17)17)
16 Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and our God
and Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting

consolationand goodhope by grace,
17 comfort your hearts and establishyou in every good
word and work.
1. Its not enough for us to just read and study the word of God, we
must OBEY it and PRACTICE it in our daily lives.
2. The difference betweenthe Wise and Foolishbuilders in Matthew
7 was that the Wise man HEARD the word and OBEYED, while the
FoolishMan HEARD but did not OBEY.
3. Also in Matthew 7 Jesus says, “Noteveryone who says to Me,
“Lord , Lord” shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but only but only but only
but only
he who does the will of My Father in heaven.” he who does the will
of My Fatherin heaven.” he who does the will of My Father in heaven.”
he who does the will of My Father in heaven.”
4. When we obey God’s word and practice God’s word, God’s
GLORY GLORY GLORY GLORY is upon our lives. That means God is
WELL WELL WELL WELL --

PLEASED PLEASED PLEASED PLEASED with
our lives. It means God APPROVES APPROVES APPROVESAPPROVES
of our lives……..His divine BLESSINGS BLESSINGSBLESSINGS
BLESSINGS are upon our lives.
5. How does God’s glory help us to “standfirm till Jesus comes?”
It gives us the confident ASSURANCE that we are walking in the
LIGHT as He is in the light and therefore everyday we enjoy sweet
FELLOWSHIP with God.
C O N C L U S I O N
When we see how our faith is being attackedon all sides and we witness the
moral decay of our country that is happening right before our very eyes, it is
easyto grow discouragedand start believing that all is lost.
We must realize the Lord said these things must come to pass as the time of
His return draws near. We must STAND FIRM realizing that we are one day
closerto the return of Christ than we’ve ever been before………weare one
day closerto home than we have ever been before!
Knowing that………WE ARE SAVED BY WE ARE SAVED BY WE ARE
SAVED BY WE ARE SAVED BY THE GRACE OF GOD! AND WE ARE
THE GRACE OF GOD! AND WE ARE THE GRACE OF GOD! AND WE
ARE THE GRACE OF GOD! AND WE ARE SUSTAINED BY THE
GOSPELOF GOD! AND WE ARE STRENGTHENED BYTHE

SUSTAINED BY THE GOSPELOF GOD! AND WE ARE
STRENGTHENED BYTHE SUSTAINED BY THE GOSPELOF GOD!
AND WE ARE STRENGTHENED BYTHE SUSTAINED BY THE GOSPEL
OF GOD! AND WE ARE STRENGTHENEDBY THE GLORY OF GOD!
LET US “STAND FIRM
JESUS:The Firmness Of Jesus, by Hubert van Zeller
To Be In Christ
Postedon April 6, 2017
From To Be In Christ
Following what has been said about Jesus accepting his place in the pattern of
life willed for him by the Father, we should not forget how forthright he was
in laying down the principles which it was his mission to teach. Where truth,
love, morality, the Father’s glory were concerned, he did not yield an inch to
the prevailing pressures. In fact he went beyond the acceptedmoral
standards of the Law. You have heard that it was saidto them of old, ‘Thou
shalt not kill,’ but I sayto you whosoeveris angry with his brother…. You
have heard that it was said to them of old, ‘Thou shalt not commit adultery,’
but I sayto you whosoevershalllook on a woman to lust after her…. This, “I
say to you,” was repeatedwhen bringing up the question of swearing by
sacredthings, of lending and retaliation, of loving enemies, and of practicing
generosity. Moreover, whathe told his hearers about the right wayto pray
and the right way to fast must have seemeda new way indeed of looking at
these things. Jesus was teaching as one having powerand not as the scribes
and Pharisees. Youcannot serve God and mammon. There was no
compromise here.

Nor could his audiences have seenin Jesus’s preaching either the humanist
reformer’s high moral purpose or the blazing idealism of the fanatic.
Whether they believed in his divinity or not, whether they believed he had
been sent by God or not, they recognizedhis authoritative religious voice. As
they listened to him over the years of his public ministry they were witnesses
of his intransigence. In fact it was his obstinate tenacity which earnedhim his
condemnation and crucifixion. Contemporary culture, Jewishand Roman
alike, observeda much more flexible code than that which Jesus proclaimed.
Influenced by the hymnal image of Jesus “meek and mild,” we adjust
awkwardlyto the Jesus who could be violent enough to fling the money
changers out of the Temple. We almost make excuses for his anger, citing the
theologicalterm “pro-passion,” but whether he was fighting abuses or the
Pharisees,he was showing a side of his nature which is shared by all of us, and
without apology. One wonders if he was not nearerto the Boanerges, the sons
of thunder, than is generallysupposed. In charging his disciples with lack of
faith he could equally have chargedthem with lack of spirit, and it was only
after they had receivedhis Holy Spirit at Pentecostthat they took a strong
line. Saint Peter’s experience in Pilate’s court shows us the need for moral
courage – an aspectof moral courage which trust in God’s grace canalone
guarantee.
Mostof us practicing Christians are firm enough in our convictions but are
we firm enough in bearing witness to our convictions? We have not only to
keepthe faith but to give an accountof it and defend it. The faith is not
something which it can be left to the catechiststo put across in instructions to
children and prospective converts. It is something which we promulgate by
the firmness of our commitment. It requires both moral courage and
perseverance to build a city seatedupon a hill. If we are to be the salt of the
earth and the light of the world, we may not hide behind an appellative
Christianity and hope for the best. Truth demands the evidence of those who
hold the truth. If our Lord did not water down what he had said in the
Sermon on the Mount, his followers may not either.
https://thevalueofsparrows.com/2017/04/06/jesus-the-firmness-of-jesus-by-
hubert-van-zeller/

Matthew 4:4 But Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man
shall not liveon bread alone, but on every word that
comes from the mouth of God.'"
BIBLEHUB RESOURCES
Pulpit Commentary Homiletics
The True FoodOf A Spiritual Being
Matthew 4:4
R. Tuck
Man shall not live by bread alone. Observing the original connectionof the
words quoted, we find an illustration of the fact that God could sustain life by
other means than ordinary food. "Suchan answermust have peculiar force
and meaning, as it comes from the lips of Christ. He tells Satan that obedience
to God is better than bread; that if either is to be given up there cannot be a
doubt, there can hardly be a difficulty, about the decisionSimply as men, we
all, the poorestand the greatestofus all together, needthe life of obedience,
and any sacrifice ofthe flesh is cheap that wins it for us" (Brooks).
I. MAN AS A SPIRITUAL BEING. The older division of the human being
was into "body" and "soul;" it is now more preciselydivided into "body,"
"animal life," and "spirit;" sarx, psyche, pneuma. Body and life we have in
common with the animals; and we share with them all the common
experiences and needs. But man is a spirit, an immortal spirit, dwelling in and
using the animated body. We are spirits, and have bodies. It is true that we

are variously affectedby our bodily relations; but even as the eternal Spirit
dwells in, and controls, the material sphere, so man, the spirit, dwells in, and
controls, the limited sphere of his body. Then the claims of the spirit which
man is must always stand before the claims of the body, of which he has only a
temporary occupancy.
II. THE FOOD FOR MAN AS A SPIRITUAL BEING. Complicationarises in
considering this matter, because the food for the spirit has to come mainly
through the bodily faculties and receptivities. But there is a cleardistinction
betweenthe food which simply supplies bodily hunger, the indulgence that
satisfies bodily appetite, and the food which nourishes emotion and affection,
and cultures the conscienceand the will. Take the sensualman and the
spiritual man, and show how differently they stand related to daily food for
body and mind. The food of a spiritual being is spiritual. It goes into the term
"obedience,"whichincludes submissions, humilities, affections, communings,
service, praise, devotion, etc. Let a man first feed his soul, and the fed soulwill
put into safe and wise regulation all feedings of the bodily appetite. - R.T.
Biblical Illustrator
It is written.
Matthew 4:4
The infallible book
C. H. Spurgeon.
The uses to which it may be put. Christ used it: —
1. To defend His Sonship;
2. To defeat temptation;
3. As a direction to His way;
4. Formaintaining His own Spirit.How to handle the word: —

1. With deepestreverence.
2. Have it always ready.
3. Understand its meaning.
4. Learn to appropriate Scripture to yourself.
5. Stand by the Scriptures, whatever they may costyou.
(C. H. Spurgeon.)
The Bible a moral defence
J. Vaughan, M. A.
We read that Oliver Cromwellhad in his army one regiment — a fine, strong
regiment — called" The Ironsides." They were very religious men. And it was
quite the customfor almost every soldierto carry his Bible to battle with him.
They used to carry their Bible under their dress; and more than once, in a
battle, the soldierwould have been ,shotthrough the heart but for his Bible.
The bullet went through his Bible, or it would have gone through his heart.
The Bible savedthe heart!
(J. Vaughan, M. A.)
The Bible a victorious power
Hacket.
This is the sickle whichcuts down all the tares which Satansows among the
goodwheat; this is the ark of God before which all the idols of the Philistines
fail fiat to the ground; this is the trumpet of Joshua whose noise overturneth
the walls of Jericho.
(Hacket.)

Breadalone.
The bread of life
E. H. Chaplin.
I. There is THAT CONDITION OF BEING IN WHICH MAN LIVES BY
BREAD.
1. It represents man as utterly subservient to material necessities.The springs
of man's noblestlife are planted in necessity. How beautiful is this requisition
for labour! A consequence ofthis law of effort is mutual service. An awful
thing when man is reduced to a mere machine for getting bread. The
wickednessofsystems which tend to intensify such a condition. Such a man
lives for something outside himself — for some interestwhich bread
represents. Living by bread alone he estimates everything by the bread
standard.
II. Let me URGE UPON YOU THE HIGHER LIFE. "Every word that
proceedethout of the mouth of God." "I have bread to eatthat ye know not
off"
1. Every goodman does not live by bread alone, but by that God from whom
it comes.
2. He realizes that he is not a mere instrument, but an end in himself.
3. He has a different standard of valuation from that of the mere bread
standard. He thinks of utilities in a larger and nobler sense than other men.
He values the true in the light of its truth, and not of its profit.
4. How we live upon traditions, upon the mere say-so of other people, the
current of popular conviction, instead of coming and taking the word out of
the mouth of God!
III. The point of the most fearful temptation is WHEN MEN ARE TEMPTED
TO SACRIFICE THE INTERESTSOF THE HIGHER LIFE TO THE
CLAIMS OF THE LOWER. You may lose fortune but gain goodness;you are
made one with Christ.

(E. H. Chaplin.)
Literally true that man does not live by bread alone
E. H. Chaplin.
Do we think of the bread alone when it is placed on our tables? Are we not
reminded from whence it comes — what wondrous mysteries have conspired
to bring it there — the fair sunlight that shone upon the soil — the heavenly
dew that moistenedthe earth — the mysterious processesofnature that
brought forth, "first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the
ear?" Does manlive by bread alone, or by Divine wisdom, power, and
goodness,whichconspire in the wondrous loom of nature to weave the result
and form the agencyby which we get that bread?
(E. H. Chaplin.)
Mentally, man does not live by "bread" alone
E. H. Chaplin.
Sometimes people go to a rich man's house and wonder that he pays so much
money for a picture. The money they think might bring in interest or might be
applied to purposes of utility, and they considerit a waste to expend five or
ten thousand dollars for a work of art. Little do they imagine how that picture
enriches and refines that man's soul, elevating it to a higher conceptionof all
beauty; how it enables him to understand why the swamp mists become
festoons and upholsteries of glory before the setting sun; why the grass is
green, the heavens blue, and the rolling waves of the sea are interlaced with
threads of sunlight; because, viewing them as proceeding out of the mouth of
God, he comprehends them, and says, "The money that I have given for it,
that could not make me richer, because it perfects me, and helps form me for
an end."
(E. H. Chaplin.)

The poverty of the "bread" standard of life
E. H. Chaplin.
He discerns as much the glory of God in the miniature world revealedin a
single drop of water, as in a greatplanet. One man is overawedby the solemn
aspectof the mountain, and the glory of the forestwaving with the breath of
the summer breeze. Another wonders how many hundred acres of land there
are and how much timber in it. That is all the universe is to him. So the
characters ofmen are revealedaccording to their standard of valuation; and,
I repeat, if a man's life is wholly down to the bread standard of life, he sees
merely the material interests of this world.
(E. H. Chaplin.)
Life in nature needs varied elements for sustenance
Phillips Brooks.
It is like saying that a tree cannot live merely upon water. It needs other
elements which the rich earth must give.
(Phillips Brooks.)
Every word
Man's spiritual food
Studies for the pulpit.
I. Man has a spiritual as well as a corporealnature — a spiritual nature which
requires food.
II. The Word of God is the true food of the soul of man. It is spiritual food
adapted to man's spiritual nature, and also to its condition as guilty and
impure.

(Studies for the pulpit.)
Word of God comparedto food
Dr. Burns.
1. The PROPRIETYofthe metaphor. As it is essentialto the life of the soul,
and the source of strength.
II. Its peculiar CHARACTERISTICS. Heavenlyand Divine, superabundant,
endless variety, gratuitous bestowment, universal communication.
III. Our DUTY WITH RESPECTTO IT. We should thankfully receive it,
believingly feed upon it, grow and improve by it, constantlyapply it.
(Dr. Burns.)
COMMENTARIES
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers
(4) It is written.—The words of all the three answers to the Tempter come
from two chapters of Deuteronomy, one of which (Deuteronomy 6) supplied
one of the passages(6:4-9)for the phylacteries or frontlets worn by devout
Jews. The factis every waysuggestive. A prominence was thus given to that
portion of the book, which made it an essentialpart of the education of every
Israelite. The words which our Lord now uses had, we must believe, been
familiar to Him from His childhood, and He had read their meaning rightly.
With them He may have sustainedthe faith of others in the struggles of the
Nazarethhome with poverty and want. And now He finds in them a truth
which belongs to His high calling as well as to His life of lowliness. “Notby
bread only doth man live, but by the word, i.e., the will, of God.” He canleave
His life and all that belongs to it in His Father’s hands. In so losing His life, if

that should be the issue, He is certainthat He shall save it. If His Father has
given Him a work to do, He will enable Him to fulfil it. As this act of faith
throws us back on the training of the childhood, so we trace its echoes in the
after-teaching of the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 6:25-32), of Matthew
10:39, yet more in that of John 6. The experience of the wilderness clothedthe
history of the bread from heaven with a new significance.
BensonCommentary
Matthew 4:4. It is written — There is no better way of answering the tempter,
than by opposing the word of God to his temptations. This is that swordof the
Spirit that must put him to flight. The Church of Rome, therefore, by taking
from the people the word of God, disarm them as to the spiritual combat.
Man shall not live by bread alone — These words are quoted from
Deuteronomy 8:3, and signify that bread, or ordinary sustenance,is not
necessaryto support the life of man; that God can feedand sustain him by
other means: but by every word that proceedethout of the mouth of God shall
man live — That is, by whatsoeverhe shall appoint for his sustenance;or even
by his bare word. Therefore, it is not needful that I should work a miracle to
procure bread, without any intimation of my Father’s will. He can support me
without bread, as he fed the Israelites in the wilderness;and, on the other
hand, even bread itself, if these stones were turned into it, could not nourish
me without his blessing;which I could not expect, were I to attempt a miracle
of this kind merely in compliance with thy suggestions.Here we are taught, in
imitation of Christ, always to maintain such an humble dependance on the
divine blessing, as never to venture out of the way of it, be our necessityever
so urgent.
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary
4:1-11 Concerning Christ's temptation, observe, that directly after he was
declaredto be the Son of God, and the Saviour of the world, he was tempted;
greatprivileges, and specialtokens ofDivine favour, will not secure any from
being tempted. But if the Holy Spirit witness to our being adopted as children
of God, that will answerall the suggestionsofthe evil spirit. Christ was

directed to the combat. If 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 drawn aside of their own lust, and enticed, Jas 1:14; but our
Lord Jesus had no corrupt nature, therefore he was tempted only by the devil.
In the temptation of Christ it appears that our enemy is subtle, spiteful, and
very daring; but he canbe resisted. It is a comfort to us that Christ suffered,
being tempted; for thus it appears that our temptations, if not yielded to, are
not sins, they are afflictions only. Satanaimed in all his temptations, to bring
Christ to sin againstGod. 1. He tempted him to despair of his Father's
goodness,and to distrust his Father's care concerning him. It is one of the
wiles of Satan to take advantage of our outward condition; and those who are
brought into straits have need to double their guard. Christ answeredall 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 any
time we are tempted to sin. Let us learn not to take any wrong courses for our
supply, when our wants are ever so pressing: in some way or other the Lord
will provide. 2. Satantempted Christ to presume upon his Father's powerand
protection, in a point of safety. Nor are any extremes more dangerous than
despair and presumption, especiallyin the affairs of our souls. Satanhas no
objectionto holy places as the scene ofhis assaults. Letus 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 slippery
places;advancements in the world makes a man a mark for Satanto shoot his
fiery darts at. Is Satan so well versedin 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 Scripture expressions, while his heart is full of
bitter enmity to God and to all goodness. Satanmisquotedthe 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 againstthe
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. Satantempted 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 temptation to the unthinking and
unwary; by that men are most easilyimposed upon. Christ was tempted to
worship Satan. He rejectedthe proposalwith abhorrence. Getthee hence,

Satan! Some temptations are openly wicked;and they are not merely to be
opposed, but rejectedat once. It is good to be quick and firm in resisting
temptation. If we resistthe devil he will flee from us. But the soul that
deliberates is almost overcome. We find but few who can decidedly reject such
baits as Satan offers;yet what is a man profited if he gain the whole world,
and lose his own soul? Christ was succouredafterthe temptation, for his
encouragementto go on in his undertaking, and for our encouragementto
trust in him; for as he knew, by experience, whatit 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 tempted people, but that he will
come to them with seasonable relief.
Barnes'Notes on the Bible
But he answeredand said ... - In reply to this artful temptation Christ
answeredby a quotation from the Old Testament. The passageis found in
Deuteronomy 8:3. In that place the discourse is respecting manna. Moses says
that the Lord humbled the people, and fed them with manna, an unusual kind
of food, that they might learn that man did not live by bread only, but that
there were other things to support life, and that everything which God had
commanded was proper for this. The term "word," used in this place, means
very often, in Hebrew, thing, and clearly in this place has that meaning.
Neither Moses norour Saviour had any reference to spiritual food, or to the
doctrines necessaryto support the faith of believers;but they simply meant
that God could support life by other things than bread; that man was to live,
not by that only, but by every other thing which proceededout of his mouth;
that is, which he chose to command people to eat. The substance of his answer,
then, is: "It is not so imperiously necessarythat I should have bread as to
make a miracle proper to procure it. Life depends on the will of God. He can
support it in other ways as well as by bread. He has createdother things to be
eaten, and man may live by everything that his Makerhas commanded." And
from this temptation we may learn:
1. That Satanoften takes advantage ofour circumstances andwants to tempt
us. The poor, the hungry, and the nakedhe often tempts to repine and
complain, and to be dishonest in order to supply their necessities.

2. Satan's temptations are often the strongestimmediately after we have been
remarkably favored. Jesus had just been called the Son of God, and Satan
took this opportunity to try him. He often attempts to fill us with pride and
vain self-conceitwhenwe have been favored with any peace of mind, or any
new view of God, and endeavors to urge us to do something which may bring
us low and lead us to sin.
3. His temptations are plausible. They often seemto be only urging us to do
what is goodand proper. They seemeven to urge us to promote the glory of
God, and to honor him. We are not to think, therefore, that because a thing
may seemto be goodin itself, that therefore it is to be done. Some of the most
powerful temptations of Satanoccurwhen he seems to be urging us to do
what shall be for the glory of God.
4. We are to meet the temptations of Satan, as the Saviour did, with the plain
and positive declarations ofScripture. We are to inquire whether the thing is
commanded, and whether, therefore, it is right to do it, and not trust to our
own feelings, or even our wishes, in the matter.
Jamieson-Fausset-BrownBible Commentary
4. But he answeredand said, It is written—(De 8:3).
Man shall not live by bread alone—more emphatically, as in the Greek, "Not
by bread alone shall man live."
but by every word that proceedethout of the mouth of God—Of all passages
in Old TestamentScripture, none could have been pitched upon more
apposite, perhaps not one so apposite, to our Lord's purpose. "The Lord …
led thee (said Moses to Israel, at the close oftheir journeyings) these forty
years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was
in thine heart, whether thou wouldestkeep His commandments, or no. And
He humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna,
which thou knewestnot, neither did thy fathers know; that He might make
thee know that man doth not live by bread only," &c., "Now, if Israelspent,
not forty days, but forty years in a waste, howling wilderness, where there
were no means of human subsistence, notstarving, but divinely provided for,

on purpose to prove to every age that human support depends not upon
bread, but upon God's unfailing word of promise and pledge of all needful
providential care, am I, distrusting this word of God, and despairing of relief,
to take the law into My own hand? True, the Sonof Godis able enough to
turn stones into bread: but what the Son of God is able to do is not the present
question, but what is man's duty under want of the necessaries oflife. And as
Israel's condition in the wilderness did not justify their unbelieving
murmurings and frequent desperation, so neither would Mine warrant the
exercise ofthe powerof the Son of God in snatching despairingly at
unwarranted relief. As man, therefore, I will awaitdivine supply, nothing
doubting that at the fitting time it will arrive." The secondtemptation in this
Gospelis in Luke's the third. That Matthew's order is the right one will
appear, we think, quite clearlyin the sequel.
Matthew Poole's Commentary
So also Luke 4:4. There is no better answering the tempter than by opposing
the precepts of holy writ to his motions to sin. The word is calledthe swordof
the Spirit, Ephesians 6:17. The papists, therefore, denying people the use of
the word, disarm them as to the spiritual combat.
It is written Deu 8:3. Though man ordinarily liveth by common bread, such
food as men usually eat, yet God’s poweris not restrained, he can uphold the
life of man when that is wanting, as he supported the Israelites by manna (to
which that text relates);nor is God obligedto create any extraordinary
means, for his power, which is seenin creating such means, can produce the
same effectwithout such means if it pleasethhim. His powermust be seenin
creating the means, and in upholding the proper powerand faculty of the
means, in order to their end; why cannothe by the same powerproduce the
effectwithout any such means?
Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible
But he answeredand said, it is written,.... The passagereferredto, and cited,
is in Deuteronomy 8:3 the manner of citing it is what was common and usual

with the Jews;and is often to be met with in the Talmudic writings; who,
when they produce any passageofscripture, say "as it is written". The
meaning of this scripture is; not that as the body lives by bread, so the soul
lives by the word of God, and doctrines of the Gospel;though this is a certain
truth: or that man lives by obedience to the commands of God, as was
promised to the Israelites in the wilderness, and in the land of Canaan; but
that God, in satisfying man's hunger, and in supporting and preserving his
life, is not tied to bread only, but canmake use of other means, and order
whateverhe pleases to answerthese ends; as, by raining manna from heaven,
which is mentioned in the passagecited;and therefore there was no occasion
to change the nature of things, to turn stones into bread; since that was not so
absolutely necessaryto the sustenance oflife, as that it could not be
maintained without it. Our Lord hereby expresses his strong faith and
confidence in God, that he was able to support him, and would do it, though in
a wilderness, and destitute of supply; whereby he overcame this temptation of
Satan. Christ, in this, and some following citations, bears a testimony to, and
establishes the authority of the sacredwritings; and though he was full of the
Holy Ghost, makes them the rule of his conduct; which ought to be observed
againstthose, who, under a pretence of the Spirit, deny the scriptures to be
the only rule of faith and practice and at the same time points out to us the
safestand best method of opposing Satan's temptations; namely, by applying
to, and making use of the word of God.
Geneva Study Bible
But he answeredand said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but
by every word that proceedethout of the mouth of God.
EXEGETICAL(ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)
Meyer's NT Commentary
Matthew 4:4. Deuteronomy 8:3, after the LXX., contains the words of Moses
addressedto the Israelites, which have reference to the divinely-supplied
manna. Note how Jesus repels eachone of the three temptations, simply with
the swordof the Spirit (Ephesians 6:17).

ἐπʼ ἄρτῳ] the preservation of life does not depend upon bread alone.
Examples of ζῆν ἐπί in Kypke, Obss. I. p. 14 f.; Markland, ad Max. Tyr. Diss.
Matthew 27:6; Bergler, ad Alciphr. p. 294, This constructionis a common one
in classicalwriters with ἐκ, ἀπό, or the simple dative.
ζήσεται]The future tense designates inDeuteronomy 1:1, and in LXX. as well
as here, simply the future, that which will happen, the case whichwill occur
under given circumstances.So also in classicalwriters in generalsentences.
Dissen, ad Dem. de cor. p. 369.
ὁ ἄνθρωπος] universal: Man. So in the original text and in the LXX.; there is
the less reasonto depart from this, and to explain it: de insigni illo homine,
that is, Messiah(Fritzsche), as the application of the universal statementto
Himself on the part of Jesus was a matter of course.
ῥήματι Word, in its proper sense. Byevery statement which proceeds from
the mouth of God, that is, through every command which is uttered by God,
by which the preservation of life is effectedin an extraordinary, supernatural
manner (without ἄρτος).[388]Comp. Wis 16:26. ῥῆμα is not res (‫ר‬ ָּ‫ב‬ ָּ‫,)ר‬ not
even in Matthew 18:16, Luke 2:15, Acts 5:32, 1Ma 5:37, since ἘΚΠΟΡ. ΔΙᾺ
ΣΤΟΜ. ΘΕΟῦ necessarilypoints to the meaning of word, declaration, which,
however, is not to be explained, with Fritzscbe (comp. Usteri and Ullmann):
omni mandato divino peragendo.
[388]Amongst the Israelites it was effectedby means of the manna; therefore
we must not say with Euth. Zigabenus:πᾶν ῥῆμα ἐκπορευόμενονδιὰ στόματος
θεοῦ ἐπὶ τὸν πεινῶντα δίκην τροφῆς συνέχει τὴν ζωὴν αὐτοῦ. Comp.
Chrysostom:δύναται ὁ θεὸς καὶ ῥήματι θρέψαι τὸν πεινῶντα, Pfleidereralso
refers it to the power of spiritual nourishment contained in the divine word;

as also Calovius, who says:“Revocata verbo potentiae, quo lapides erant in
panem convertendi, ad verbum gratiae, cui adhaerentes vivent, etiamsi pane
careant.”
Expositor's Greek Testament
Matthew 4:4. ὁ δὲ ἀποκ. εἶπεν: Christ’s reply in this case as in the others is
takenfrom Deuteronomy (Matthew 8:3, Sept[14]), which seems to have been
one of His favourite books. Its humane spirit, with laws even for protecting
the animals, would commend it to His mind. The word quoted means, man is
to live a life of faith in and dependence on God. Breadis a mere detail in that
life, not necessarythough usually given, and sure to be supplied somehow, as
long as it is desirable. Ζῆν ἐπὶ is unusual, but goodGreek (De Wette).
[14] Septuagint.
Cambridge Bible for Schools andColleges
4. Jesus answersby a quotation from Deuteronomy8:3. The chapter sets forth
the teaching of the wilderness. The forty years were to the Jews whatthe forty
days are to Jesus. The Lord God proved Israel “to know what was in thine
heart, whether thou wouldestkeep his commandments or no. And he humbled
thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna … that he might
make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every [word,
omitted in Hebr.] that proceedethout of the mouth of the Lord doth man
live.”
Christ’s test of sonship is obedience and entire trust in God who alone is the
giver of every goodgift. The devil’s test of sonship is supply of bodily wants,
external prosperity, &c.
Bengel's Gnomen
Matthew 4:4. Γέγραπται, it is written) Jesus does not appealto the Voice from
heaven: He does not reply to the arguments of the Tempter: againstthose

arguments He employs the Scripture alone, and simply cites its assertions.He
declines to state whether He be the Sonof God or not. When addressing
mankind, our Lord seldomquoted Scripture, but said, “I sayunto you.” He
says that only in answerto Satan, “It is written;” i.e., “WhoeverI am, I
assuredlykeepto that which is written.” All the statements winch He thus
advancedwere in themselves indisputable: and yet He keeps to that, “it is
written.” By doing which, He declares that He is the DestinedOne who should
fulfil Scripture; and at the same time shows the high authority of Scripture
itself, irrefragable even to Satan.—οὐκἐπʼ ἄρτῳ μόνῳ ζήσεται ἄνθρωτος,
αλλʼ ἐπὶ παντὶ ῥήματι ἐκπορευομένῳ διὰ στόματος Θεοῦ, Manshallnot live
by bread alone, but by every word that proceedethout of the mouth of God)
The LXX. (Deuteronomy8:3) prefix the definite article ὁ to ἄνθρωπος (man),
and repeatafter Θεου (of God) ζήσεται ὁ ἄνθρωπος (shall man live). Even in
the wilderness, the Israelites had felt the force of these words. The sixth
chapter of the same book is cited in Matthew 4:7; Matthew 4:10 : so that the
two paraschae,[135]‫ןנחתאו‬ and‫,בקע‬ contain the three sayings propounded to
the Israelites in the wilderness, and in the wilderness employed by Christ as a
swordagainstthe tempter. At the same seasonofthe year[136]atwhich
Moses haduttered them, Jesus employedthese sayings againstthe tempter.—
ζήσεται, shall live, etc.)Jesus had experiencedthis during these forty days. It
is equally easyto live without bread, or to make bread out of stone. This is
truly αὐτάρκεια,[137]constanttranquillity of mind (prœsens animi quies), to
require nothing besides life. Jesus knew that He should live.—ἄνθρωπος, man.
He does not reply to the tempter with reference to the appellation, “Sonof
God,” but speaks as if one of many, who were bound to the Written Word.
And already in the time of Moses,Divine Wisdom had expressedall this
testimony in those words with which the Saviour was to smite the tempter.
Jerome says, “Propositumerat Domino humilitate Diabolum vincere, non
potentiâ,”—“The Lordhad determined to overcome the Devil, not by power,
but by humility.”—ἐτὶ παντὶ ῥήματι ἐκπορευομὲνῳ διὰ στόματος Θεοῦ, by
every word that proceedethout through the mouth of God) Thus in Psalms
89(88):34, the LXX. have, concerning a Divine promise, τὰ ἐκπορευόμενα διὰ
τῶν χειλέων Μου—the things which proceedout through My lips. Cf.
concerning vows:S. V. of Numbers 30:13, and Deuteronomy 23:23 : Cf. also
Jeremiah17:16, and Numbers 32:24.—Thatwhich goethforth out of the

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