“For it is written, He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee:”
For it is written: he will command his angels concerning you to guard you carefully — the devil quotes Psalm 91:11–12, using Scripture as a tool of temptation. The Psalm's promise of angelic protection is invoked to justify a deliberate test of God's faithfulness. The use of Scripture by the tempter establishes that the criterion for discerning temptation is not whether Scripture is cited but whether the cited text is being applied in accordance with its original meaning and purpose.
Church Fathers on Luke 4:10
The next weapon he uses is that of boasting, which always causes the offender to fall down; for they who love to boast of the glory of their virtue descend from the stand and vantage ground of their good deeds. Hence it is said, And he led him to Jerusalem.
He followed evidently as a wrestler, gladly setting out to meet the temptation, and saying, as it were, Lead me where you will, and you will find me the stronger in every thing.
The devil entered not into a contest with God, (for he durst not, and therefore said, you are the Son of God,) but he contended with man whom once he had power to deceive.
Read all 21 entries in the readerCatena Aurea · St. Thomas Aquinas, tr. J. H. Newman · public domain
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