Luke 4:4 And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God. It is written of , that lying sick on his bed, he caused the seven penitential Psalms to be painted on the wall over against him, in great letters; that if after he should become speechless, yet he might point to every verse when the devil came to tempt him, and so confute him. "Blessed is he that hath his quiver full of such arrows, they shall not be ashamed." Blessed is he that hath the skill to choose out fit arrows for the purpose, as the fathers speak out of Isaiah 49:2. Christ saith affirmatively of the Scriptures, that "in them is eternal life" (John 5:39). Negatively, that the cause of error is the not knowing of them (Mark 12:24). David saith it was that that made him wiser than his enemies, than his teachers, and than the ancients (Psalm 119:98, 99, and 110). So the error of the former times was in yielding too far to the devil's policy, by sealing up the Scriptures, and locking the storehouse and armoury of the people. The like policy we read of (1 Samuel 13:19); when the Philistines had taken away all smiths and armour, then they thought they were safe. So in the time of darkness, the devil might let them do their good works, and what they list, and yet have them still under his lure, that he might offend them at his pleasure, that had no armour to resist him. All the children of God had a right and property in the law of God, as appeareth by Christ's words (John 10:34). He answered them, that is, the common people, "Is it not written in your law?" As though He should say, The Scripture is yours. (Bishop Andrewes.) Parallel Verses KJV: And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God. |
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