Commentaries:
Robertson's Word Pictures (NT)
Cast thyself down (bale seauton katw). The appeal to hurl himself down into the abyss below would intensify the nervous dread that most people feel at such a height. The devil urged presumptuous reliance on God and quotes Scripture to support his view (Psalms 91:11 f.). So the devil quotes the Word of God, misinterprets it, omits a clause, and tries to trip the Son of God by the Word of God. It was a skilful thrust and would also be accepted by the populace as proof that Jesus was the Messiah if they should see him sailing down as if from heaven. This would be a sign from heaven in accord with popular Messianic expectation. The promise of the angels the devil thought would reassure Jesus. They would be a spiritual parachute for Christ.
Other Robertson's Word Pictures (NT) entries containing Matthew 4:6:
Mark 1:13
Luke 4:2
Luke 4:9
John 7:4
John 8:5
John 10:31
Romans 9:32
1 John 2:16
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