Richard, not sure what reference you meant when you wrote Matthew 2-7 (Clarity) but looking at Matthew 4:1-11 one could argue that understanding the context of the quotations which Jesus uses when being tempted by the devil really provides some deeper meaning to what is being said.
So in 4:4, the quotation is from Deuteronomy 8:3 where Moses is talking at the end of the forty years in the wilderness. In both cases, a particular period had been completed successfully and they were looking forward to the future. Moses goes on to recount the things that God had done for them through their journey. Jesus would have been very familiar with the story of the wanderings in the desert and these verses – the context for his reference – serve as a reminder of God’s faithfulness and provision and the importance of putting God first. He would also have known how God provided for them as they moved into the next stage of their journey and he could well have been reminding the devil of this fact.
So I suggest that the OT context actually enriches our understanding of what the NT is saying.
With regards to Nehemiah 8:8 I would say that there was teaching that went with the reading to help people understand. There is a parallel (in a totally different context) in Acts 8:31. What's behind the question?
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