W. Robert Godfrey

It's interesting that this Hebrew word, live by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God, is actually a word that usually means commandment.

Every commandment that proceeds from the mouth of God is how we're to live.

A commandment has direction.

We're to be directed by God, not by the evil one.

That's the point that Jesus is making here.

And here we show how the Old Testament can be used so profitably, so helpfully to deepen our understanding of what the Lord is doing.

Some of you may have heard my lecture on Psalm 78, which is a reflection on Israel in the wilderness and then in the promised land.

What we see there is there are three great temptations that Israel faces.

Temptation about food, a temptation about power, and a temptation about worship.

And Israel fails all those temptations.

And those are exactly the same three temptations that Jesus faces in the wilderness.

One about food, one about power, throwing himself down from the temple.

One about worship, bow down and worship me.

And Jesus passes all those temptations because he lives by every commandment that proceeds from the mouth of God.

And so here is the direction that is being given to Israel in the Old Testament for their good, but direction that is really only fulfilled in Jesus and in the perfection of his life.

Jesus does not make a good effort.

Jesus pulls it off.

Jesus accomplishes it.

Jesus fulfills it.

And we see that being foreshadowed here.