And he said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down from here, for it is written: ‘He has commanded His angels concerning You, and they will lift You up on their hands, so that You will never strike Your foot against a stone’ (Ps. 90(91):11a, 12).”
Satan tries to tempt Jesus by distorting the word of Holy Scripture. He quotes Psalm 90(91):11a, 12, but with a twisted meaning, urging Jesus to prove His divinity through power and a showy miracle. Yet this quotation is torn from its context, because the Psalm speaks of God’s protection for those who walk in obedience in His ways, not for those who put themselves in danger in order to test God. To expose oneself to danger for display, or with the aim of testing God, is already a departure from God’s way. This temptation aims to discredit the essence of faith by turning it into a means of self-assertion. But at that moment, Jesus’ silence and His answer in the next verse show that true trust in God does not demand proofs, but is grounded in obedience and faithfulness.