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Matthew 4:4
But he answered, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of God's mouth.'"
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Interpretation

Jesus teaches a word of god that is worked out in family life in Matthew 4:4—look for "answered" and "written". Choose word of god in how we make amends—let wisdom become a road.

Context

Matthew speaks here as gospel narrative writing, developing word of god. Read in Matthew 4, its force becomes clearer. Listen for “answered” alongside “written”.

Authorship & Historical Background

Early sources associate Matthew with Matthew the disciple (a former tax collector). Critical study of Matthew often concludes: Anonymous in earliest copies; attributed to Matthew in later tradition; reflects Mark and a sayings source.. Date: AD 80–90. Matthew seems aimed at Jewish‑Christian community.. Kingdom teaching links ethics to identity. Catechetical structure appears in the discourse blocks.

More details
Traditional:Matthew the tax collector
Modern scholarship:Anonymous; attributed to Matthew; uses Mark + Q source.
Date:AD 80–90
Audience:Jewish‑Christian community.
Manuscripts & Textual Witnesses
The Greek text is preserved in thousands of manuscripts. Early papyri (P46, P66, P75) from the 2nd-3rd centuries, along with major uncials like Sinaiticus and Vaticanus (4th century), provide strong textual witness. Minor variants exist but do not change the overall sense.
Sources & witness notes
SinaiticusVaticanusP46