When the devil quotes the Bible

[The devil said to Jesus] : ​​"If you are the Son of God, cast yourself down here ; for it is written, He will give orders to his angels concerning you, to keep you ; and : They will carry you on their hands, lest you strike your foot against a stone. Jesus answered him, It is said, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God." Luke 4. 9-12

Jesus and Satan are face to face with the desert. Twice already, Jesus responded to the devil's temptations with a verse from Scripture. Satan takes the initiative by placing himself on the ground of his opponent and borrowing his weapon : he quotes two verses from the Bible! The Lord answers him only by a word of scripture : "Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God." Confused, the devil is forced to move away from him.

This remarkable episode in the life of our Lord shows that Satan is quite capable of using the Bible against us. He disguises himself as an "angel of light" and his servants as "servants of righteousness" (2 Cor 11. 11, 15). If anyone quotes biblical verses, it does not prove that he is necessarily a servant of God and that the texts cited support his claims.

How to unmask an inappropriate use of Scripture and how to respond to it ?

First note that Satan takes the verses out of context. Psalm 91, of which he recounts verses 11 and 12, is a psalm of trust where the faithful receive the assurance of divine protection in danger because they make God their refuge (v.9). But, just after the verses quoted by the devil, the faithful receives the promise of "walking on the lion and the viper", two common images ... of the devil himself, which, of course, does not include this expression in his quote ! Before feeling destabilized, let us carefully examine the context of the verse quoted.

- Then all the verses of Scripture are not to be put on the same plane. Of course, all scripture is inspired, but some texts have a greater force than others, for example because they relate directly to God, like the one by which Jesus responds. Before being destabilized, let us rely on the clearest texts of the Bible concerning God, Jesus and His work of salvation on the cross.

Any biblical quote is not necessarily "gospel word" !

Source (pleasing the Lord)