“And Jesus answering said unto him, It is said, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.”
Jesus answered, it is said: do not put the Lord your God to the test — Deuteronomy 6:16 responds to the Psalm misapplication: testing the Lord is the sin of Massah (Exodus 17:2, 7) — demanding that God prove himself by performing on demand. Do not put the Lord your God to the test: the relationship between the Son and the Father is not one of demand and demonstration but of trust and obedience. The response to the scriptural temptation is a clearer scripture.
Church Fathers on Luke 4:12
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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