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Our Daily Bread

“Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4)

This statement of truth by Jesus, to the devil, the father of lies, is one of the many wonderful ‘words of wisdom’ to be found in the Gospel. It is far better than Shakespeare in its many meanings, the many layers of teaching within it.

Taking the first half of the sentence, we have a statement of medical fact. If someone tries to live off just bread they will suffer from malnourishment. However, the second part of the sentence makes it clear that he is saying that it is God’s will that will keep him alive during his forty day fast and temptation, not eating bread.

What if he had turned the stones into bread? This would have been an act of disobedience towards the will of the Father and a lack of trust in the Father. By resisting he remained obedient, trusting and showed the greater importance of the soul over the flesh. “I have come from heaven, not to do my own will, but to do the will of the one who sent me.” (John 6:38) What the flesh loses, the soul gains and vice versa.

If we look at the previous verse, the devil does not say “ You look hungry. Why don’t you have something to eat?” but rather “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to turn into loaves.” He tried to use the sin of pride. “ If you are the Son of God … ” implying that if he doesn’t do as he says he isn’t the Son of God. “ Assert yourself” is a modern-day phrase with the same temptation within it. “Show who’s boss.” But Jesus humbly stated that this was not necessary. “Mine is not a kingdom of this world.” (John 18:36) “Get behind me Satan! You are an obstacle in my path, because the way you think is not God’s way, but man’s.” (Matthew 16:23)

With this temptation we see the difference between God’s view on life and the devil’s/man’s. By encouraging Jesus to think of just his immediate needs, he (the devil) is trying to get Jesus to neglect his (Jesus’) long-term plans and goals. Instead Jesus refuses to let a short moment of pleasure destroy his future.

“O wisest love! that flesh and blood
which did in Adam fail, should strive afresh against the foe, should strive and should prevail.”

(From the hymn "Praise to the Holiest in the height", by John Henry Newman)

Does this situation of a moment’s pleasure resulting in much longer suffering not sound familiar to us? Notice how the devil has encouraged Jesus to “live for the moment.” But Jesus wisely performs the inverse: a moment’s pain resulting in long-lasting happiness. True happiness does not result from selfish behaviour, but rather from selfless behaviour.

“Think of God’s mercy, my brothers, and worship him, I beg you, in a way that is worthy of thinking beings, by offering your living bodies as a holy sacrifice, truly pleasing to God. Do not model yourselves on the behaviour of the world around you, but let your behaviour change, modelled by your new mind. This is the only way to discover the will of God and know what is good, what it is that God wants, what is the perfect thing to do.”

(Romans 12:1–2)

Abstinence from the pleasures of the flesh is for your own good, as well as in conformity with the will of God. Returning and linking in with the original theme, true life involves not just satisfying the flesh, but rather by satisfying one’s soul with adherence to the Word of God.

Michael Puljic

Last modified: 25th November 2005