Deuteronomy 6:16

Tempt. Literally, “test,” “try,” “prove.” Here it does not have the modern concept of enticing to sin. The same word is used of God’s “proving” or “testing” men, to develop their character and to strengthen their faith and loyalty to Him (see Gen. 22:1; Ex. 20:20; Deut. 8:2, 16; Dan. 1:14). The English word probation is from the same Latin root as the word prove. A period of probation is a period of testing or proving. At Massah, Israel reversed the process and defiantly put God to the test (Ex. 17:2, 7). When Satan challenged Christ to jump down from the cornice of the Temple, Christ quoted from Deut. 6:16 (Matt. 4:7). For Christ to have acceded to the suggestion would have demonstrated presumption rather than faith. Presumption is the counterfeit of faith.