Charles Ellicott Commentary Matthew 4:10

"Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve." — Matthew 4:10 (ASV)

Get thee hence, Satan.—Once more, the answer to the Tempter was found in the words of the Scriptures and the lessons of childhood. No evidence of power could change the eternal laws of duty. The old command, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, came to the Son of Man like an oracle from heaven. He took His stand on this, rather than attempting to refute Satan's claim of sovereignty.

Others dealing with the same temptation, like the writers of the Book of Job and Psalm 73, have discussed the apparent triumph of evil in the world's history. They have pointed to its ultimate downfall, to the sure though slow retribution that history records, and to the correction of this life's injustices in the life to come.

Here we have a truer and simpler answer. Even if they cannot solve the problem, the true wisdom for those who follow in Christ's footsteps is to recognize that their allegiance is due to God and to Him alone.

Here, once more, the truth affirmed in this moment reappears later. When the chief of the apostles sought to turn his Master from the appointed path of suffering, he was met with the very same words, as if he were renewing the temptation that had just been resisted. Even Peter had to hear himself rebuked with, Get thee behind me, Satan (Matthew 16:23).

The use of this formula here, for the first time in the conflict, is significant. It implies that in the previous temptations, evil had presented itself in disguise, making sins of distrust appear as acts of faith. Now, however, it showed itself in its naked and absolute opposition to the divine will.