As the Cambridge commentary observes, an act such as Jesus throwing Himself from the temple pinnacle would have been one where He sought “to glorify Himself…by a conspicuous miracle” rather than to glorify God through obedience. John Gill similarly notes that to neglect ordinary means and expect divine rescue is “not…trusting God… but a tempting of God”. Theologically, this distinction between faith and presumption has been echoed throughout Christian tradition: Augustine warned that “it is one thing to trust, another to tempt,” and Thomas Aquinas argued that tempting God involves demanding signs when sufficient revelation has already been given (Aquinas, Summa Theologiae, II–II, q.97). As we diligently listen to Yeshua today, fresh trust will surely arise in our heart!
