Jesus appeals to Deuteronomy 6:16 to show that we may not try to see how far we can go to test God’s promise. Jesus reminds the devil how Israel sinned at Massah, testing rather than trusting God.
He appeals to Deuteronomy 6:16 because that text clearly teaches that one may not tempt the Lord God, that is, it is not permissible to try to see how far one can go to test God’s promises. We ought rather to accept everything in faith and place our trust in God, knowing that he will graciously help us at exactly the right time.1
By appealing to this text, Jesus reminds the devil about what happened at Massah, where Yahweh warned the people of Israel not to put him to the test. God’s promises call upon us to trust him and forbids us from trying to test these promises through mistrust.2
7 Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’”