Word Pictures in the New Testament - David Cox

Word Pictures in the NT [Matthew: Chapter 4].
"Son." The devil is alluding to the words of the Father to Jesus
at the baptism: "This is my Son the Beloved." He challenges this
address by a condition of the first class which assumes the
condition to be true and deftly calls on Jesus to exercise his
power as Son of God to appease his hunger and thus prove to
himself and all that he really is what the Father called him.
{Become bread} (\artoi gen•ntai\). Literally, "that these stones
(round smooth stones which possibly the devil pointed to or even
picked up and held) become loaves" (each stone a loaf). It was
all so simple, obvious, easy. It would satisfy the hunger of
Christ and was quite within his power. {It is written}
(\gegraptai\). Perfect passive indicative, stands written and is
still in force. Each time Jesus quotes Deuteronomy to repel the
subtle temptation of the devil. Here it is De 8:3 from the
Septuagint. Bread is a mere detail (Bruce) in man's dependence
upon God.
4:5 {Then the devil taketh him} (\tote paralambanei auton ho
diabolos\). Matthew is very fond of this temporal adverb
(\tote\). See already 2:7; 3:13; 4:1,5. Note historic present
with vivid picturesqueness. Luke puts this temptation third, the
geographical order. But was the person of Christ allowed to be at
the disposal of the devil during these temptations? Alford so
holds. {On the pinnacle of the temple} (\epi to pterugion tou
hierou\). Literally "wing:" the English word "pinnacle" is from
the Latin _pinnaculum_, a diminutive of _pinna_ (wing). "_The
temple_" (\tou hierou\) here includes the whole temple area, not
just the sanctuary (\ho naos\), the Holy Place and Most Holy
Place. It is not clear what place is meant by "wing." It may
refer to Herod's royal portico which overhung the Kedron Valley
and looked down some four hundred and fifty feet, a dizzy height
(Josephus, _Ant_. XV. xi. 5). This was on the south of the temple
court. Hegesippus says that James the Lord's brother was later
placed on the wing of the temple and thrown down therefrom.
4:6 {Cast thyself down} (\bale seauton kat•\). The appeal to hurl
himself down into the abyss below would intensify the nervous
dread that most people feel at such a height. The devil urged
presumptuous reliance on God and quotes Scripture to support his
view (Ps 91:11f.). So the devil quotes the Word of God,
misinterprets it, omits a clause, and tries to trip the Son of
God by the Word of God. It was a skilful thrust and would also be
accepted by the populace as proof that Jesus was the Messiah if
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