During the time when Jesus was hungry after fasting forty days and nights. The devil came to Him and said, 'If Thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread'. At a time of great need Jesus was tempted, not just to satisfy His physical appetite, but also to prove His physical power.
The words of our text are Jesus' reply. The point of it is that His real and inward satisfaction came from obeying God. Other things were of little significance and could certainly be endured for the joy of being faithful. Jesus quoted from the Old Testament. We now have it in the Old and the New. It was written in the Old Testament as a demonstration of the truth that, though the children of Israel were forty years in the wilderness, God had always fed them with manna (though there were so many of them) and the supply had not failed.
Further, it demonstrated that if God had promised to keep them in that specific way, even though the normal, regular earthly provision was withdrawn, then His promised provision will not fail in other, different circumstances. Whatever He promises, God will fulfil. Never is it more important to grasp this than when our earthly supply is failing.
I f our earthly life is ebbing away, then our life does not depend on our food, for which we may have no stomach, but on God's promises.
Is it not written, 'God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life'? That is food for the soul, though the body be dying. We digest such a word by thinking 'I am a believer. I should have perished. But on the authority of God's word, the believer does not perish but have everlasting life. Therefore I will inherit such life.
Perhaps there is a prior question. How do I know I am a believer? What constitutes saving faith? The Scripture says, 'Jesus is able to save them to the uttermost that come to God by Him. 'Have I approached God in such a way? Other Scriptures speak of the nature of Christ's work to make atonement for the guilty sinner, explaining the need to come to God by Him. Such is the way in which Scripture becomes our food. In searching the Scriptures we are pointed to Christ as the Saviour of our souls.
Our text assures us that we live by every word which proceeds from the mouth of God. Not just those portions of Scripture which are promises; but commands, statements and narratives all provide food for the soul. Every word presupposes that, as far as in us lies, we must labour to lay hold of the fullest understanding of the whole of Scripture time will allow.