HH, Sir Godfrey Gregg D.Div

It is written: “But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” — Matthew 4:4

Jesus meets temptation as a man. Had he used divine power to destroy the tempter, his victory could neither guide our conduct nor inspire our hope. He fought as we may fight; he won as we may win. He never performed miracles for his own comfort. “It is written”—by this weapon, he conquered Satan in each conflict. “The sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God,” was his weapon.

On each occasion, he cites words from Deuteronomy. He found in this book, against which the critics are hurling their poisoned arrows, an armoury of defence. In opposing this book, rationalism tilts with divinity. Moses taught the people that God in giving manna was able to feed them with something other than bread; so Jesus teaches us faith in God’s power to help us by whatever he appoints. Jesus was a profound thinker; he went to the heart of truth. The man who tries to live on bread alone dies. A soul cannot eat wheat; earthly food feeds earthly life. But man is made to be a son of God; he is a child of eternity, a possible heir of heaven. His spiritual nature, as truly as his physical, must have its appropriate food. The heart is made for God; it cries out for him. A living soul needs a living God. A “thing” may be satisfied with things; a true man needs and must have as his portion the true and living God. This great truth is man’s highest glory. Happy they who turn from that which is not bread to eat of the true and “living bread which came down out of heaven.”