
Text -- Matthew 4:1-14 (NET)




Names, People and Places, Dictionary Themes and Topics



collapse allCommentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per phrase)
Robertson: Mat 4:1 - -- x1350 To be tempted of the devil ( peirasthēnai hupo tou diabolou ).
Matthew locates the temptation at a definite time, "then"(tote ) and place, "...
x1350 To be tempted of the devil (
Matthew locates the temptation at a definite time, "then"(

Robertson: Mat 4:2 - -- Had fasted ( nēsteusas ).
No perfunctory ceremonial fast, but of communion with the Father in complete abstention from food as in the case of Moses...
Had fasted (
No perfunctory ceremonial fast, but of communion with the Father in complete abstention from food as in the case of Moses during forty days and forty nights (Exo 34:28). "The period of the fast, as in the case of Moses was spent in a spiritual ecstasy, during which the wants of the natural body were suspended"(Alford). "He afterward hungered"and so at the close of the period of forty days.

Robertson: Mat 4:3 - -- If thou art the Son of God ( ei huios ei tou theou ).
More exactly, "If thou art Son of God,"for there is no article with "Son."The devil is alluding...
If thou art the Son of God (
More exactly, "If thou art Son of God,"for there is no article with "Son."The devil is alluding to the words of the Father to Jesus at the baptism: "This is my Son the Beloved."He challenges this address by a condition of the first class which assumes the condition to be true and deftly calls on Jesus to exercise his power as Son of God to appease his hunger and thus prove to himself and all that he really is what the Father called him.

Robertson: Mat 4:3 - -- Become bread ( artoi genōntai ).
Literally, "that these stones (round smooth stones which possibly the devil pointed to or even picked up and held)...
Become bread (
Literally, "that these stones (round smooth stones which possibly the devil pointed to or even picked up and held) become loaves"(each stone a loaf). It was all so simple, obvious, easy. It would satisfy the hunger of Christ and was quite within his power.

Robertson: Mat 4:3 - -- It is written ( gegraptai ).
Perfect passive indicative, stands written and is still in force. Each time Jesus quotes Deuteronomy to repel the subtle...
It is written (
Perfect passive indicative, stands written and is still in force. Each time Jesus quotes Deuteronomy to repel the subtle temptation of the devil. Here it is Deu 8:3 from the Septuagint. Bread is a mere detail (Bruce) in man’ s dependence upon God.

Robertson: Mat 4:5 - -- Then the devil taketh him ( tote paralambanei auton ho diabolos ).
Matthew is very fond of this temporal adverb (tote ). See note on Mat 2:7; note o...
Then the devil taketh him (
Matthew is very fond of this temporal adverb (

Robertson: Mat 4:5 - -- On the pinnacle of the temple ( epi to pterugion tou hierou ).
Literally "wing:"the English word "pinnacle"is from the Latin pinnaculum , a diminut...
On the pinnacle of the temple (
Literally "wing:"the English word "pinnacle"is from the Latin pinnaculum , a diminutive of pinna (wing). " The temple "(

Robertson: Mat 4:6 - -- Cast thyself down ( bale seauton katō ).
The appeal to hurl himself down into the abyss below would intensify the nervous dread that most people fe...
Cast thyself down (
The appeal to hurl himself down into the abyss below would intensify the nervous dread that most people feel at such a height. The devil urged presumptuous reliance on God and quotes Scripture to support his view (Psa 91:11.). So the devil quotes the Word of God, misinterprets it, omits a clause, and tries to trip the Son of God by the Word of God. It was a skilful thrust and would also be accepted by the populace as proof that Jesus was the Messiah if they should see him sailing down as if from heaven. This would be a sign from heaven in accord with popular Messianic expectation. The promise of the angels the devil thought would reassure Jesus. They would be a spiritual parachute for Christ.

Robertson: Mat 4:7 - -- Thou shall not tempt ( ouk ekpeiraseis ).
Jesus quotes Deuteronomy again (Deu 6:16) and shows that the devil has wholly misapplied God’ s promis...
Thou shall not tempt (
Jesus quotes Deuteronomy again (Deu 6:16) and shows that the devil has wholly misapplied God’ s promise of protection.

Robertson: Mat 4:8 - -- And showeth him ( kai deiknusin autōi ).
This wonderful panorama had to be partially mental and imaginative, since the devil caused to pass in revi...
And showeth him (
This wonderful panorama had to be partially mental and imaginative, since the devil caused to pass in review "all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them."But this fact does not prove that all phases of the temptations were subjective without any objective presence of the devil. Both could be true. Here again we have the vivid historical present (

Robertson: Mat 4:9 - -- All these things will I give thee ( tauta soi panta dōsō ).
The devil claims the rule of the world, not merely of Palestine or of the Roman Empir...
All these things will I give thee (
The devil claims the rule of the world, not merely of Palestine or of the Roman Empire. "The kingdoms of the cosmos"(Mat 4:8) were under his sway. This word for world brings out the orderly arrangement of the universe while

Robertson: Mat 4:10 - -- Get thee hence, Satan ( Hupage , Satanā ).
The words "behind me"(opisō mou ) belong to Mat 16:23, not here. "Begone"Christ says to Satan. This t...
Get thee hence, Satan (
The words "behind me"(

Robertson: Mat 4:11 - -- Then the devil leaveth him ( tote aphiēsin auton ho diabolos ).
Note the use of "then"(tote ) again and the historical present. The movement is sw...
Then the devil leaveth him (
Note the use of "then"(

Robertson: Mat 4:11 - -- Angels came ( aorist tense prosēlthon punctiliar action)
and were ministering (diēkonoun , picturesque imperfect, linear action) unto him ."T...
Angels came ( aorist tense
and were ministering (

Robertson: Mat 4:12 - -- Now when he heard ( akousas de ).
The reason for Christ’ s return to Galilee is given here to be that John had been delivered up into prison. Th...
Now when he heard (
The reason for Christ’ s return to Galilee is given here to be that John had been delivered up into prison. The Synoptic Gospels skip from the temptation of Jesus to the Galilean ministry, a whole year. But for John 1:19-3:36 we should know nothing of the "year of obscurity"(Stalker). John supplies items to help fill in the picture. Christ’ s work in Galilee began after the close of the active ministry of the Baptist who lingered on in prison for a year or more.

Robertson: Mat 4:13 - -- Dwelt in Capernaum ( Katōikēsen eis Kapharnaoum ).
He went first to Nazareth, his old home, but was rejected there (Luke 4:16-31). In Capernaum (...
Dwelt in Capernaum (
He went first to Nazareth, his old home, but was rejected there (Luke 4:16-31). In Capernaum (probably the modern
Vincent: Mat 4:1 - -- The Devil ( τοῦ διαβόλου )
The word means calumniator, slanderer. It is sometimes applied to men, as to Judas (Joh 6:70); in 1Ti...
The Devil (
The word means calumniator, slanderer. It is sometimes applied to men, as to Judas (Joh 6:70); in 1Ti 3:11 ( slanderers ) ; and in 2Ti 3:3, and Tit 2:3 ( false accusers ) . In such cases never with the article. The Devil, Satan, the god of this world (

Vincent: Mat 4:3 - -- The Son of God
By its position in the sentence Son is emphatic. " If thou standest to God in the relation of Son ."
The Son of God
By its position in the sentence Son is emphatic. " If thou standest to God in the relation of Son ."

Vincent: Mat 4:3 - -- Bread ( ἄπτοι )
Lit., loaves or cakes. So Wyc., loaves. These stones were perhaps those " silicious accretions," which assume the...
Bread (
Lit., loaves or cakes. So Wyc., loaves. These stones were perhaps those " silicious accretions," which assume the exact shape of little loaves of bread, and which were represented in legend as the petrified fruits of the cities of the plain. By a similar fancy certain crystallizations on Mount Carmel and near Bethlehem are called " Elijah's melons," and the " Virgin Mary's peas;" and the black and white stones found along the shores of the Lake of Galilee have been transformed into traces of the tears of Jacob in search of Joseph. The very appearance of these stones, like the bread for which the faint body hungered, may have added force to the temptation. This resemblance may have been present to Christ's mind in his words at Mat 7:9.

Vincent: Mat 4:4 - -- It is written ( γέγραπται )
The perfect tense. " It has been written, and stands written." The first recorded words of Jesus afte...
It is written (
The perfect tense. " It has been written, and stands written." The first recorded words of Jesus after this entrance upon his ministry are an assertion of the authority of scripture, and that though he had the fulness of the Spirit. When addressing man, our Lord seldom quoted scripture, but said, I say unto you. In answer to Satan he says, It is written.

Vincent: Mat 4:5 - -- Taketh ( παραλαμβάνει )
The preposition παρά ( with, by the side of ) , implies taketh along with himself, or conducteth....

Vincent: Mat 4:5 - -- The holy city
Matthew alone calls Jerusalem by this name, in accordance with the general intent of his gospel to connect the old economy with the...
The holy city
Matthew alone calls Jerusalem by this name, in accordance with the general intent of his gospel to connect the old economy with the new.

Vincent: Mat 4:5 - -- Pinnacle of the temple ( τὸ πτερέγιον τοῦἱροῦ )
Pinnacle, from the Latin pinnaculum, a diminutive of pinna or ...
Pinnacle of the temple (
Pinnacle, from the Latin pinnaculum, a diminutive of pinna or penna (a wing ) , is a literal translation of
The word temple (

Vincent: Mat 4:6 - -- In their hands ( ἐπὶ )
On their hands (so Rev.) is more correct, and gives a different picture from the A. V. in : lifted on their ha...
In their hands (
On their hands (so Rev.) is more correct, and gives a different picture from the A. V. in : lifted on their hands, as on a litter or platform.

Vincent: Mat 4:7 - -- Again ( πάλιν )
Emphatic, meaning on the other hand, with reference to Satan's it is written (Mat 4:6); as if he had said, " the promi...
Again (
Emphatic, meaning on the other hand, with reference to Satan's it is written (Mat 4:6); as if he had said, " the promise which you quote must be explained by another passage of scripture." Archbishop Trench aptly remarks, " In that ' It is written again of Christ, lies a great lesson, quite independent of that particular scripture which, on this occasion, he quotes, or of the use to which he turns it. There lies in it the secret of our safety and defence against all distorted use of isolated passages in holy scripture. Only as we enter into the unity of scripture, as it balances, completes, and explains itself, are we warned against error and delusion, excess or defect on this side or the other. Thus the retort, ' It is written again ,' must be of continual application; for indeed what very often are heresies but one-sided, exaggerated truths, truths rent away indeed from the body and complex of the truth, without the balance of the counter-truth, which should have kept them in their due place, co-ordinated with other truths or subordinated to them; and so, because all such checks are wanting, not truth any more, but error?

Vincent: Mat 4:12 - -- Was cast into prison ( παρεδόθη )
The verb means, first, to give, or hand over to another. So, to surrender a city or a person, o...
Was cast into prison (
The verb means, first, to give, or hand over to another. So, to surrender a city or a person, often with the accompanying notion of treachery. The Rev., therefore, rightly renders, was delivered up.
Wesley: Mat 4:1 - -- After this glorious evidence of his Father's love, he was completely armed for the combat. Thus after the clearest light and the strongest consolation...
After this glorious evidence of his Father's love, he was completely armed for the combat. Thus after the clearest light and the strongest consolation, let us expect the sharpest temptations.


Whereby doubtless he received more abundant spiritual strength from God.

As did Moses, the giver of the law, and Elijah, the great restorer of it.

And so prepared for the first temptation.

Wesley: Mat 4:3 - -- In a visible form; probably in a human shape, as one that desired to inquire farther into the evidences of his being the Messiah.
In a visible form; probably in a human shape, as one that desired to inquire farther into the evidences of his being the Messiah.

Thus Christ answered, and thus we may answer all the suggestions of the devil.

Wesley: Mat 4:4 - -- That is, by whatever God commands to sustain him. Therefore it is not needful I should work a miracle to procure bread, without any intimation of my F...
That is, by whatever God commands to sustain him. Therefore it is not needful I should work a miracle to procure bread, without any intimation of my Father's will. Deu 8:3.

Wesley: Mat 4:5 - -- So Jerusalem was commonly called, being the place God had peculiarly chosen for himself.
So Jerusalem was commonly called, being the place God had peculiarly chosen for himself.

Wesley: Mat 4:5 - -- Probably over the king's gallery, which was of such a prodigious height, that no one could look down from the top of it without making himself giddy.
Probably over the king's gallery, which was of such a prodigious height, that no one could look down from the top of it without making himself giddy.

Wesley: Mat 4:7 - -- By requiring farther evidence of what he hath already made sufficiently plain. Deu 6:16.
By requiring farther evidence of what he hath already made sufficiently plain. Deu 6:16.

Wesley: Mat 4:9 - -- Here Satan clearly shows who he was. Accordingly Christ answering this suggestion, calls him by his own name, which he had not done before.
Here Satan clearly shows who he was. Accordingly Christ answering this suggestion, calls him by his own name, which he had not done before.

Wesley: Mat 4:10 - -- Not, get thee behind me, that is, into thy proper place; as he said on a quite different occasion to Peter, speaking what was not expedient. Deu 6:13.
Not, get thee behind me, that is, into thy proper place; as he said on a quite different occasion to Peter, speaking what was not expedient. Deu 6:13.

Both to supply him with food, and to congratulate his victory.

Wesley: Mat 4:12 - -- This journey was not immediately after his temptation. He first went from Judea into Galilee, Joh 1:43; Joh 2:1. Then into Judea again, and celebrated...
This journey was not immediately after his temptation. He first went from Judea into Galilee, Joh 1:43; Joh 2:1. Then into Judea again, and celebrated the passover at Jerusalem, Joh 2:13. He baptized in Judea while John was baptizing at Enon, Joh 3:22-23. All this time John was at liberty, Joh 3:24. But the Pharisees being offended, Joh 4:1; and John put in prison, he then took this journey into Galilee. Mar 1:14.
JFB -> Mat 4:1; Mat 4:1; Mat 4:1; Mat 4:1; Mat 4:1; Mat 4:1; Mat 4:2; Mat 4:2; Mat 4:3; Mat 4:3; Mat 4:4; Mat 4:4; Mat 4:4; Mat 4:5; Mat 4:5; Mat 4:5; Mat 4:6; Mat 4:6; Mat 4:6; Mat 4:6; Mat 4:6; Mat 4:7; Mat 4:7; Mat 4:8; Mat 4:8; Mat 4:8; Mat 4:9; Mat 4:9; Mat 4:10; Mat 4:10; Mat 4:10; Mat 4:10; Mat 4:11; Mat 4:11; Mat 4:12; Mat 4:12; Mat 4:12; Mat 4:13; Mat 4:13; Mat 4:13; Mat 4:14; Mat 4:14
JFB: Mat 4:1 - -- An indefinite note of sequence. But Mark's word (Mar 1:12) fixes what we should have presumed was meant, that it was "immediately" after His baptism; ...

That is, from the low Jordan valley to some more elevated spot.

JFB: Mat 4:1 - -- That blessed Spirit immediately before spoken of as descending upon Him at His baptism, and abiding upon Him. Luke, connecting these two scenes, as if...
That blessed Spirit immediately before spoken of as descending upon Him at His baptism, and abiding upon Him. Luke, connecting these two scenes, as if the one were but the sequel of the other, says, "Jesus, being full of the Holy Ghost, returned from Jordan, and was led," &c. Mark's expression has a startling sharpness about it--"Immediately the Spirit driveth Him" (Mar 1:12), "putteth," or "hurrieth Him forth," or "impelleth Him." (See the same word in Mar 1:43; Mar 5:40; Mat 9:25; Mat 13:52; Joh 10:4). The thought thus strongly expressed is the mighty constraining impulse of the Spirit under which He went; while Matthew's more gentle expression, "was led up," intimates how purely voluntary on His own part this action was.

JFB: Mat 4:1 - -- Probably the wild Judean desert. The particular spot which tradition has fixed upon has hence got the name of Quarantana or Quarantaria, from the fort...
Probably the wild Judean desert. The particular spot which tradition has fixed upon has hence got the name of Quarantana or Quarantaria, from the forty days--"an almost perpendicular wall of rock twelve or fifteen hundred feet above the plain" [ROBINSON, Palestine]. The supposition of those who incline to place the temptation amongst the mountains of Moab is, we think, very improbable.

JFB: Mat 4:1 - -- The Greek word (peirazein) means simply to try or make proof of; and when ascribed to God in His dealings with men, it means, and can mean no more tha...
The Greek word (peirazein) means simply to try or make proof of; and when ascribed to God in His dealings with men, it means, and can mean no more than this. Thus, Gen 22:1, "It came to pass that God did tempt Abraham," or put his faith to a severe proof. (See Deu 8:2). But for the most part in Scripture the word is used in a bad sense, and means to entice, solicit, or provoke to sin. Hence the name here given to the wicked one--"the tempter" (Mat 4:3). Accordingly "to be tempted" here is to be understood both ways. The Spirit conducted Him into the wilderness simply to have His faith tried; but as the agent in this trial was to be the wicked one, whose whole object would be to seduce Him from His allegiance to God, it was a temptation in the bad sense of the term. The unworthy inference which some would draw from this is energetically repelled by an apostle (Jam 1:13-17).

JFB: Mat 4:1 - -- One who casts imputations upon another. Hence that other name given him (Rev 12:10), "The accuser of the brethren, who accuseth them before our God da...
One who casts imputations upon another. Hence that other name given him (Rev 12:10), "The accuser of the brethren, who accuseth them before our God day and night." Mark (Mar 1:13) says, "He was forty days tempted of Satan," a word signifying an adversary, one who lies in wait for, or sets himself in opposition to another. These and other names of the same fallen spirit point to different features in his character or operations. What was the high design of this? First, as we judge, to give our Lord a taste of what lay before Him in the work He had undertaken; next, to make trial of the glorious equipment for it which He had just received; further, to give Him encouragement, by the victory now to be won, to go forward spoiling principalities and powers, until at length He should make a show of them openly, triumphing over them in His cross: that the tempter, too, might get a taste, at the very outset, of the new kind of material in man which he would find he had here to deal with; finally, that He might acquire experimental ability "to succor them that are tempted" (Heb 2:18). The temptation evidently embraced two stages: the one continuing throughout the forty days' fast; the other, at the conclusion of that period.
FIRST STAGE:

JFB: Mat 4:2 - -- Evidently implying that the sensation of hunger was unfelt during all the forty days; coming on only at their close. So it was apparently with Moses (...
Evidently implying that the sensation of hunger was unfelt during all the forty days; coming on only at their close. So it was apparently with Moses (Exo 34:28) and Elijah (1Ki 19:8) for the same period. A supernatural power of endurance was of course imparted to the body, but this probably operated through a natural law--the absorption of the Redeemer's Spirit in the dread conflict with the tempter. (See on Act 9:9). Had we only this Gospel, we should suppose the temptation did not begin till after this. But it is clear, from Mark's statement, that "He was in the wilderness forty days tempted of Satan" (Mar 1:13), and Luke's, "being forty days tempted of the devil" (Luk 4:2), that there was a forty days' temptation before the three specific temptations afterwards recorded. And this is what we have called the First Stage. What the precise nature and object of the forty days' temptation were is not recorded. But two things seem plain enough. First, the tempter had utterly failed of his object, else it had not been renewed; and the terms in which he opens his second attack imply as much. But further, the tempter's whole object during the forty days evidently was to get Him to distrust the heavenly testimony borne to Him at His baptism as THE SON OF GOD--to persuade Him to regard it as but a splendid illusion--and, generally, to dislodge from His breast the consciousness of His Sonship. With what plausibility the events of His previous history from the beginning would be urged upon Him in support of this temptation it is easy to imagine. And it makes much in support of this view of the forty days' temptation that the particulars of it are not recorded; for how the details of such a purely internal struggle could be recorded it is hard to see. If this be correct, how naturally does the SECOND STAGE of the temptation open! In Mark's brief notice of the temptation there is one expressive particular not given either by Matthew or by Luke--that "He was with the wild beasts" (Mar 1:12), no doubt to add terror to solitude, and aggravate the horrors of the whole scene.

JFB: Mat 4:3 - -- Rather, "loaves," answering to "stones" in the plural; whereas Luke, having said, "Command this stone," in the singular, adds, "that it be made bread,...
Rather, "loaves," answering to "stones" in the plural; whereas Luke, having said, "Command this stone," in the singular, adds, "that it be made bread," in the singular (Luk 4:3). The sensation of hunger, unfelt during all the forty days, seems now to have come on in all its keenness--no doubt to open a door to the tempter, of which he is not slow to avail himself; "Thou still clingest to that vainglorious confidence that Thou art the Son of God, carried away by those illusory scenes at the Jordan. Thou wast born in a stable; but Thou art the Son of God! hurried off to Egypt for fear of Herod's wrath; but Thou art the Son of God! a carpenter's roof supplied Thee with a home, and in the obscurity of a despicable town of Galilee Thou hast spent thirty years, yet still Thou art the Son of God! and a voice from heaven, it seems, proclaimed it in Thine ears at the Jordan! Be it so; but after that, surely Thy days of obscurity and trial should have an end. Why linger for weeks in this desert, wandering among the wild beasts and craggy rocks, unhonored, unattended, unpitied, ready to starve for want of the necessaries of life? Is this befitting "the Son of God?" At the bidding of "the Son of God" surely those stones shall all be turned into loaves, and in a moment present an abundant repast."

More emphatically, as in the Greek, "Not by bread alone shall man live."

JFB: Mat 4:4 - -- Of all passages in Old Testament Scripture, none could have been pitched upon more apposite, perhaps not one so apposite, to our Lord's purpose. "The ...
Of all passages in Old Testament Scripture, none could have been pitched upon more apposite, perhaps not one so apposite, to our Lord's purpose. "The Lord . . . led thee (said Moses to Israel, at the close of their journeyings) these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep His commandments, or no. And He humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that He might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only," &c., "Now, if Israel spent, not forty days, but forty years in a waste, howling wilderness, where there were no means of human subsistence, not starving, but divinely provided for, on purpose to prove to every age that human support depends not upon bread, but upon God's unfailing word of promise and pledge of all needful providential care, am I, distrusting this word of God, and despairing of relief, to take the law into My own hand? True, the Son of God is able enough to turn stones into bread: but what the Son of God is able to do is not the present question, but what is man's duty under want of the necessaries of life. And as Israel's condition in the wilderness did not justify their unbelieving murmurings and frequent desperation, so neither would Mine warrant the exercise of the power of the Son of God in snatching despairingly at unwarranted relief. As man, therefore, I will await divine supply, nothing doubting that at the fitting time it will arrive." The second temptation in this Gospel is in Luke's the third. That Matthew's order is the right one will appear, we think, quite clearly in the sequel.

JFB: Mat 4:5 - -- So called (as in Isa 48:2; Neh 11:1) from its being "the city of the Great King," the seat of the temple, the metropolis of all Jewish worship.

JFB: Mat 4:5 - -- Rather, "the pinnacle"--a certain well-known projection. Whether this refers to the highest summit of the temple, which bristled with golden spikes [J...
Rather, "the pinnacle"--a certain well-known projection. Whether this refers to the highest summit of the temple, which bristled with golden spikes [JOSEPHUS, Antiquities, 5.5,6]; or whether it refers to another peak, on Herod's royal portico, overhanging the ravine of Kedron, at the valley of Hinnom--an immense tower built on the very edge of this precipice, from the top of which dizzy height JOSEPHUS says one could not look to the bottom [Antiquities, 15.11,5]--is not certain; but the latter is probably meant.

JFB: Mat 4:6 - -- As this temptation starts with the same point as the first--our Lord's determination not to be disputed out of His Sonship--it seems to us clear that ...
As this temptation starts with the same point as the first--our Lord's determination not to be disputed out of His Sonship--it seems to us clear that the one came directly after the other; and as the remaining temptation shows that the hope of carrying that point was abandoned, and all was staked upon a desperate venture, we think that remaining temptation is thus shown to be the last; as will appear still more when we come to it.

JFB: Mat 4:6 - -- (Psa 91:11-12). "But what is this I see?" exclaims stately BISHOP HALL. "Satan himself with a Bible under his arm and a text in his mouth!" Doubtless...
(Psa 91:11-12). "But what is this I see?" exclaims stately BISHOP HALL. "Satan himself with a Bible under his arm and a text in his mouth!" Doubtless the tempter, having felt the power of God's Word in the former temptation, was eager to try the effect of it from his own mouth (2Co 11:14).

JFB: Mat 4:6 - -- The quotation is, precisely as it stands in the Hebrew and the Septuagint, save that after the first clause the words, "to keep thee in all thy ways,"...
The quotation is, precisely as it stands in the Hebrew and the Septuagint, save that after the first clause the words, "to keep thee in all thy ways," are here omitted. Not a few good expositors have thought that this omission was intentional, to conceal the fact that this would not have been one of "His ways," that is, of duty. But as our Lord's reply makes no allusion to this, but seizes on the great principle involved in the promise quoted, so when we look at the promise itself, it is plain that the sense of it is precisely the same whether the clause in question be inserted or not.

JFB: Mat 4:7 - -- (Deu 6:16), as if he should say, "True, it is so written, and on that promise I implicitly rely; but in using it there is another Scripture which mus...
(Deu 6:16), as if he should say, "True, it is so written, and on that promise I implicitly rely; but in using it there is another Scripture which must not be forgotten."

JFB: Mat 4:7 - -- "Preservation in danger is divinely pledged: shall I then create danger, either to put the promised security skeptically to the proof, or wantonly to ...
"Preservation in danger is divinely pledged: shall I then create danger, either to put the promised security skeptically to the proof, or wantonly to demand a display of it? That were 'to tempt the Lord my God,' which, being expressly forbidden, would forfeit the right to expect preservation."

JFB: Mat 4:8 - -- Luke (Luk 4:5) adds the important clause, "in a moment of time"; a clause which seems to furnish a key to the true meaning. That a scene was presented...
Luke (Luk 4:5) adds the important clause, "in a moment of time"; a clause which seems to furnish a key to the true meaning. That a scene was presented to our Lord's natural eye seems plainly expressed. But to limit this to the most extensive scene which the natural eye could take in, is to give a sense to the expression, "all the kingdoms of the world," quite violent. It remains, then, to gather from the expression, "in a moment of time"-- which manifestly is intended to intimate some supernatural operation--that it was permitted to the tempter to extend preternaturally for a moment our Lord's range of vision, and throw a "glory" or glitter over the scene of vision: a thing not inconsistent with the analogy of other scriptural statements regarding the permitted operations of the wicked one. In this case, the "exceeding height" of the "mountain" from which this sight was beheld would favor the effect to be produced.

JFB: Mat 4:9 - -- "and the glory of them," adds Luke (Luk 4:6). But Matthew having already said that this was "showed Him," did not need to repeat it here. Luke (Luk 4:...
"and the glory of them," adds Luke (Luk 4:6). But Matthew having already said that this was "showed Him," did not need to repeat it here. Luke (Luk 4:6) adds these other very important clauses, here omitted--"for that is," or "has been," "delivered unto me, and to whomsoever I will I give it." Was this wholly false? That were not like Satan's unusual policy, which is to insinuate his lies under cover of some truth. What truth, then, is there here? We answer, Is not Satan thrice called by our Lord Himself, "the prince of this world" (Joh 12:31; Joh 14:30; Joh 16:11)? Does not the apostle call him "the god of this world" (2Co 4:4)? And still further, is it not said that Christ came to destroy by His death "him that hath the power of death, that is, the devil" (Heb 2:14)? No doubt these passages only express men's voluntary subjection to the rule of the wicked one while they live, and his power to surround death to them, when it comes, with all the terrors of the wages of sin. But as this is a real and terrible sway, so all Scripture represents men as righteously sold under it. In this sense he speaks what is not devoid of truth, when he says, "All this is delivered unto me." But how does he deliver this "to whomsoever he will?" As employing whomsoever he pleases of his willing subjects in keeping men under his power. In this case his offer to our Lord was that of a deputed supremacy commensurate with his own, though as his gift and for his ends.

JFB: Mat 4:9 - -- This was the sole but monstrous condition. No Scripture, it will be observed, is quoted now, because none could be found to support so blasphemous a c...
This was the sole but monstrous condition. No Scripture, it will be observed, is quoted now, because none could be found to support so blasphemous a claim. In fact, he has ceased now to present his temptations under the mask of piety, and he stands out unblushingly as the rival of God Himself in his claims on the homage of men. Despairing of success as an angel of light, he throws off all disguise, and with a splendid bribe solicits divine honor. This again shows that we are now at the last of the temptations, and that Matthew's order is the true one.

JFB: Mat 4:10 - -- Since the tempter has now thrown off the mask, and stands forth in his true character, our Lord no longer deals with him as a pretended friend and pio...
Since the tempter has now thrown off the mask, and stands forth in his true character, our Lord no longer deals with him as a pretended friend and pious counsellor, but calls him by his right name--His knowledge of which from the outset He had carefully concealed till now--and orders him off. This is the final and conclusive evidence, as we think, that Matthew's must be the right order of the temptations. For who can well conceive of the tempter's returning to the assault after this, in the pious character again, and hoping still to dislodge the consciousness of His Sonship, while our Lord must in that case be supposed to quote Scripture to one He had called the devil to his face--thus throwing His pearls before worse than swine?

JFB: Mat 4:10 - -- In the Hebrew and the Septuagint it is, "Thou shalt fear"; but as the sense is the same, so "worship" is here used to show emphatically that what the ...
In the Hebrew and the Septuagint it is, "Thou shalt fear"; but as the sense is the same, so "worship" is here used to show emphatically that what the tempter claimed was precisely what God had forbidden.

JFB: Mat 4:10 - -- The word "serve" in the second clause, is one never used by the Septuagint of any but religious service; and in this sense exclusively is it used in t...
The word "serve" in the second clause, is one never used by the Septuagint of any but religious service; and in this sense exclusively is it used in the New Testament, as we find it here. Once more the word "only," in the second clause--not expressed in the Hebrew and the Septuagint--is here added to bring out emphatically the negative and prohibitory feature of the command. (See Gal 3:10 for a similar supplement of the word "all" in a quotation from Deu 27:26).

JFB: Mat 4:11 - -- Luke says, "And when the devil had exhausted"--or "quite ended," as in Luk 4:2 --"every (mode of) temptation, he departed from him till a season." The...
Luke says, "And when the devil had exhausted"--or "quite ended," as in Luk 4:2 --"every (mode of) temptation, he departed from him till a season." The definite "season" here indicated is expressly referred to by our Lord in Joh 14:30; Luk 22:52-53.

JFB: Mat 4:11 - -- Or supplied Him with food, as the same expression means in Mar 1:31; Luk 8:3. Thus did angels to Elijah (1Ki 19:5-8). Excellent critics think that the...
Or supplied Him with food, as the same expression means in Mar 1:31; Luk 8:3. Thus did angels to Elijah (1Ki 19:5-8). Excellent critics think that they ministered, not food only, but supernatural support and cheer also. But this would be the natural effect rather than the direct object of the visit, which was plainly what we have expressed. And after having refused to claim the illegitimate ministration of angels in His behalf, oh, with what deep joy would He accept their services when sent, unasked, at the close of all this temptation, direct from Him whom He had so gloriously honored! What "angels' food" would this repast be to Him! and as He partook of it, might not a Voice from heaven be heard again, by any who could read the Father's mind, "Said I not well, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased?"

JFB: Mat 4:12 - -- More simply, "was delivered up," as recorded in Mat 14:3-5; Mar 6:17-20; Luk 3:19-20.
More simply, "was delivered up," as recorded in Mat 14:3-5; Mar 6:17-20; Luk 3:19-20.

JFB: Mat 4:13 - -- The prevalent opinion is that this refers to a first visit to Nazareth after His baptism, whose details are given by Luke (Luk 4:16, &c.); a second vi...
The prevalent opinion is that this refers to a first visit to Nazareth after His baptism, whose details are given by Luke (Luk 4:16, &c.); a second visit being that detailed by our Evangelist (Mat 13:54-58), and by Mark (Mar 6:1-6). But to us there seem all but insuperable difficulties in the supposition of two visits to Nazareth after His baptism; and on the grounds stated in Luk 4:16, &c., we think that the one only visit to Nazareth is that recorded by Matthew (Mat 13:53-58), Mark (Mar 6:1-6), and Luke (Luke 4:14-30). But how, in that case, are we to take the word "leaving Nazareth" here? We answer, just as the same word is used in Act 21:3, "Now when we had sighted Cyprus, and left it on the left, we sailed into Syria,"--that is, without entering Cyprus at all, but merely "sighting" it, as the nautical phrase is, they steered southeast of it, leaving it on the northwest. So here, what we understand the Evangelist to say is, that Jesus, on His return to Galilee, did not, as might have been expected, make Nazareth the place of His stated residence, but, "leaving for passing by Nazareth,"

JFB: Mat 4:13 - -- Maritime Capernaum, on the northwest shore of the Sea of Galilee; but the precise spot is unknown. (See on Mat 11:23). Our Lord seems to have chosen i...
Maritime Capernaum, on the northwest shore of the Sea of Galilee; but the precise spot is unknown. (See on Mat 11:23). Our Lord seems to have chosen it for several reasons. Four or five of the Twelve lived there; it had a considerable and mixed population, securing some freedom from that intense bigotry which even to this day characterizes all places where Jews in large numbers dwell nearly alone; it was centrical, so that not only on the approach of the annual festivals did large numbers pass through it or near it, but on any occasion multitudes could easily be collected about it; and for crossing and recrossing the lake, which our Lord had so often occasion to do, no place could be more convenient. But one other high reason for the choice of Capernaum remains to be mentioned, the only one specified by our Evangelist.

JFB: Mat 4:13 - -- The one lying to the west of the Sea of Galilee, the other to the north of it; but the precise boundaries cannot now be traced out.
The one lying to the west of the Sea of Galilee, the other to the north of it; but the precise boundaries cannot now be traced out.

Clarke: Mat 4:1 - -- Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit - This transaction appears to have taken place immediately after Christ’ s baptism; and this bringing up of...
Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit - This transaction appears to have taken place immediately after Christ’ s baptism; and this bringing up of Christ was through the influence of the Spirit of God; that Spirit which had rested upon him in his baptism

Clarke: Mat 4:1 - -- To be tempted - The first act of the ministry of Jesus Christ was a combat with Satan. Does not this receive light from Gen 3:17. I will put enmity ...
To be tempted - The first act of the ministry of Jesus Christ was a combat with Satan. Does not this receive light from Gen 3:17. I will put enmity between the woman’ s seed and thy seed: it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

Clarke: Mat 4:2 - -- And when he had fasted forty days - It is remarkable that Moses, the great lawgiver of the Jews, previously to his receiving the law from God, faste...
And when he had fasted forty days - It is remarkable that Moses, the great lawgiver of the Jews, previously to his receiving the law from God, fasted forty days in the mount; that Elijah, the chief of the prophets, fasted also forty days; and that Christ, the giver of the New Covenant, should act in the same way. Was not all this intended to show, that God’ s kingdom on earth was to be spiritual and Divine? - that it should not consist in meat and drink, but in righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost? Rom 14:17. Relative to the forty days’ fast of Moses, there is a beautiful saying in the Talmudists. "Is it possible that any man can fast forty days and forty nights? To which Rabbi Meir answered, When thou takest up thy abode in any particular city, thou must live according to its customs. Moses ascended to heaven, where they neither eat nor drink therefore he became assimilated to them. We are accustomed to eat and drink; and, when angels descend to us, they eat and drink also.
Moses, Elijah, and our blessed Lord could fast forty days and forty nights, because they were in communion with God, and living a heavenly life.

Clarke: Mat 4:3 - -- And when the tempter - This onset of Satan was made (speaking after the manner of men) judiciously: he came when Jesus, after having fasted forty da...
And when the tempter - This onset of Satan was made (speaking after the manner of men) judiciously: he came when Jesus, after having fasted forty days and forty nights, was hungry: now, as hunger naturally diminishes the strength of the body, the mind gets enfeebled, and becomes easily irritated; and if much watching and prayer be not employed, the uneasiness which is occasioned by a lack of food may soon produce impatience, and in this state of mind the tempter has great advantages. The following advice of an Arabian philosopher to his son is worthy of attention. "My son, never go out of the house in the morning, till thou hast eaten something: by so doing, thy mind will be more firm; and, shouldest thou be insulted by any person, thou wilt find thyself more disposed to suffer patiently: for hunger dries up and disorders the brain."Bibliot. Orient. Suppl. p. 449. The state of our bodily health and worldly circumstances may afford our adversary many opportunities of doing us immense mischief. In such cases, the sin to which we are tempted may be justly termed, as in Heb 12:1,

Clarke: Mat 4:3 - -- If thou be the Son of God - Or, a son of God, υιος του Θεου . υιος is here, and in Luk 4:3, written without the article; and there...
If thou be the Son of God - Or, a son of God,

Clarke: Mat 4:3 - -- Command that these stones - The meaning of this temptation is: "Distrust the Divine providence and support, and make use of illicit means to supply ...
Command that these stones - The meaning of this temptation is: "Distrust the Divine providence and support, and make use of illicit means to supply thy necessities."

Clarke: Mat 4:4 - -- But by (or, upon, επι ) every word - Ρημα, in Greek, answers to דבר dabar in Hebrew, which means not only a word spoken, but also thi...
But by (or, upon,

Clarke: Mat 4:5 - -- Pinnacle of the temple - It is very likely that this was what was called the στοα βασιλικη, the king’ s gallery; which, as Josephu...
Pinnacle of the temple - It is very likely that this was what was called the

Clarke: Mat 4:6 - -- Cast thyself down - Our Lord had repelled the first temptation by an act of confidence in the power and goodness of God; and now Satan solicits him ...
Cast thyself down - Our Lord had repelled the first temptation by an act of confidence in the power and goodness of God; and now Satan solicits him to make trial of it. Through the unparalleled subtlety of Satan, the very means we make use of to repel one temptation may he used by him as the groundwork of another. This method he often uses, in order to confound us in our confidence

Clarke: Mat 4:6 - -- He shall give his angels charge, etc. - This is a mutilated quotation of Psa 91:11. The clause, to keep thee in all thy ways, Satan chose to leave o...
He shall give his angels charge, etc. - This is a mutilated quotation of Psa 91:11. The clause, to keep thee in all thy ways, Satan chose to leave out, as quite unsuitable to his design. That God has promised to protect and support his servants, admits of no dispute; but, as the path of duty is the way of safety, they are entitled to no good when they walk out of it

Clarke: Mat 4:6 - -- In their hands they shall bear thee up - This quotation from Psa 91:11, is a metaphor taken from a nurse’ s management of her child: in teachin...
In their hands they shall bear thee up - This quotation from Psa 91:11, is a metaphor taken from a nurse’ s management of her child: in teaching it to walk, she guides it along plain ground; but, when stones or other obstacles occur, she lifts up the child, and carries it over them, and then sets it down to walk again. Thus she keeps it in all its ways, watching over, and guarding every step it takes. To this St. Paul seems also to allude, 1Th 2:7. We were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children. Thus the most merciful God deals with the children of men, ever guarding them by his eye, and defending them by his power.

Clarke: Mat 4:7 - -- Thou shalt not tempt - To expose myself to any danger naturally destructive, with the vain presumption that God will protect and defend me from the ...
Thou shalt not tempt - To expose myself to any danger naturally destructive, with the vain presumption that God will protect and defend me from the ruinous consequences of my imprudent conduct, is to tempt God.

Clarke: Mat 4:8 - -- An exceeding high mountain, and showeth him - If the words, all the kingdoms of the world, be taken in a literal sense, then this must have been a v...
An exceeding high mountain, and showeth him - If the words, all the kingdoms of the world, be taken in a literal sense, then this must have been a visionary representation, as the highest mountain on the face of the globe could not suffice to make evident even one hemisphere of the earth, and the other must of necessity be in darkness
But if we take the world to mean only the land of Judea, and some of the surrounding nations, as it appears sometimes to signify, (see on Luk 2:1 (note)), then the mountain described by the Abbe Mariti (Travels through Cyprus, etc). could have afforded the prospect in question. Speaking of it, he says, "Here we enjoyed the most beautiful prospect imaginable. This part of the mountain overlooks the mountains of Arabia, the country of Gilead, the country of the Amorites, the plains of Moab, the plains of Jericho, the river Jordan, and the whole extent of the Dead Sea. It was here that the devil said to the Son of God, All these kingdoms will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me."Probably St. Matthew, in the Hebrew original, wrote

Clarke: Mat 4:9 - -- If thou wilt fall down and worship me - As if he had said, "The whole of this land is now under my government; do me homage for it, and I will deliv...
If thou wilt fall down and worship me - As if he had said, "The whole of this land is now under my government; do me homage for it, and I will deliver it into thy hand."

Clarke: Mat 4:10 - -- Get thee hence - Or, behind me, οπισω μου . This is added by a multitude of the best MSS., Versions, and Fathers. This temptation savoring ...
Get thee hence - Or, behind me,
In the course of this trial, it appears that our blessed Lord was tempted
1st. To Distrust. Command these stones to become bread
2dly. To Presumption. Cast thyself down
3dly. To worldly Ambition. All these will I give
4thly. To Idolatry. Fall down and worship me, or do me homage. There is probably not a temptation of Satan, but is reducible to one or other of these four articles
From the whole we may learn
First. No man, howsoever holy, is exempted from temptation: for God manifested to the flesh was tempted by the devil
Secondly. That the best way to foil the adversary, is by the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, Eph 6:17
Thirdly. That to be tempted even to the greatest abominations (while a person resists) is not sin: for Christ was tempted to worship the Devil
Fourthly. That there is no temptation which is from its own nature, or favoring circumstances, irresistible. God has promised to bruise even Satan under our feet
As I wish to speak what I think most necessary on every subject, when I first meet it, and once for all, I would observe -
First, That the fear of being tempted may become a most dangerous snare
Secondly, That when God permits a temptation or trial to come he will give grace to bear or overcome it
Thirdly, That our spiritual interests shall be always advanced, in proportion to our trials and faithful resistance
Fourthly, That a more than ordinary measure of Divine consolation shall be the consequence of every victory.

Clarke: Mat 4:11 - -- Behold, angels came and ministered unto him - That is, brought that food which was necessary to support nature
The name given to Satan in the third ...
Behold, angels came and ministered unto him - That is, brought that food which was necessary to support nature
The name given to Satan in the third verse is very emphatic,
The quality and goodness of many things are proved by piercing or boring through; for this shows what is in the heart. Perhaps nothing tends so much to discover what we are, as trials either from men or devils
Shalt thou serve, or pay religious veneration,

Clarke: Mat 4:13 - -- And leaving Nazareth - Or, entirely leaving Nazareth, και ̀oºαταλιπων την Ναζαρετ, from κατα, intensive, and Δειπ...
And leaving Nazareth - Or, entirely leaving Nazareth,
Galilee was bounded by mount Lebanon on the north, by the river Jordan and the sea of Galilee on the east, by Chison on the south, and by the Mediterranean on the west
Nazareth, a little city in the tribe of Zebulon, in lower Galilee, with Tabor on the east, and Ptolemais on the west. It is supposed that this city was the usual residence of our Lord for the first thirty years of his life. It was here he became incarnate, lived in subjection to Joseph and Mary, and from which he took the name of a Nazorean
Capernaum, a city famous in the New Testament, but never mentioned in the Old. Probably it was one of those cities which the Jews built after their return from Babylon. It stood on the sea-coast of Galilee, on the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim, as mentioned in the text. This was called his own city, Mat 9:1, etc., and here, as a citizen, he paid the half shekel, Mat 17:24. Among the Jews, if a man became a resident in any city for twelve months, he thereby became a citizen, and paid his proportion of dues and taxes. See Lightfoot. Capernaum is well known to have been the principal scene of our Lord’ s miracles during the three years of his public ministry
Zabulon, the country of this tribe, in which Nazareth and Capernaum were situated, bordered on the lake of Gennesareth, stretching to the frontiers of Sidon, Gen 49:13. Nephthalim was contiguous to it, and both were on the east side of Jordan, Jos 19:34.
Calvin: Mat 4:1 - -- Mat 4:1.Then Jesus was led There were two reasons why Christ withdrew into the wilderness. The first was, that, after a fast of forty days, he might c...
Mat 4:1.Then Jesus was led There were two reasons why Christ withdrew into the wilderness. The first was, that, after a fast of forty days, he might come forth as a new man, or rather a heavenly man, to the discharge of his office. The next was, that he might be tried by temptation and undergo an apprenticeship, before he undertook an office so arduous, and so elevated. Let us therefore learn that, by the guidance of the Spirit, Christ withdrew from the crowd of men, in order that he might come forth as the highest teacher of the church, as the ambassador of God, — rather as sent from heaven, than as taken from some town, and from among the common people.
In the same way Moses, when God was about to employ him as his agent in publishing his law, was carried into Mount Sinai, withdrawn from the view of the people, and admitted, as it were, into a heavenly sanctuary, (Exo 24:12.) It was proper that Christ should be surrounded by marks of divine grace and power — at least equally illustrious with those which were bestowed on Moses, that the majesty of the Gospel might not be inferior to that of the Law. If God bestowed singular honor on a doctrine which was “the ministration of death,” (2Co 3:7,) how much more honor is due to the doctrine of life? And if a shadowy portrait of God had so much brightness, ought not his face, which appears in the Gospel, to shine with full splendor?
Such also was the design of the fasting: for Christ abstained from eating and drinking, not to give an example of temperance, but to acquire greater authority, by being separated from the ordinary condition of men, and coming forth, as an angel from heaven, not as a man from the earth. For what, pray, would have been that virtue of abstinence, in not tasting food, for which he had no more appetite than if he had not been clothed with flesh? 304 It is mere folly, therefore, to appoint a forty days’ fast, (as it is called,) in imitation of Christ. There is no more reason why we should follow the example of Christ in this matter, than there formerly was for the holy Prophets, and other Fathers under the law, to imitate the fast of Moses. But we are aware, that none of them thought of doing so; with the single exception of Elijah, who was employed by God in restoring the law, and who, for nearly the same reason with Moses, was kept in the mount fasting.
Those who fast daily, during all the forty days, pretend that they are imitators of Christ. But how? They stuff their belly so completely at dinner, that, when the hour of supper arrives, they have no difficulty in abstaining from food. What resemblance do they bear to the Son of God? The ancients practiced greater moderation: but even they had nothing that approached to Christ’s fasting, any more, in fact, than the abstinence of men approaches to the condition of angels, who do not eat at all. Besides, neither Christ nor Moses observed a solemn fast every year; but both of them observed it only once during their whole life. I wish we could say that they had only amused themselves, like apes, by such fooleries. It was a wicked and abominable mockery of Christ, to attempt, by this contrivance of fasting, to conform themselves to him as their model. 305 To believe that such fasting is a meritorious work, and that it is a part of godliness and of the worship of God, is a very base superstition.
But above all, it is an intolerable outrage on God, whose extraordinary miracle they throw into the shade; secondly, on Christ, whose distinctive badge they steal from him, that they may clothe themselves with his spoils; thirdly, on the Gospel, which loses not a little of its authority, if this fasting of Christ is not acknowledged to be his seal. God exhibited a singular miracle, when he relieved his Son from the necessity of eating and when they attempt the same thing by their own power, what is it but a mad and daring ambition to be equal with God? Christ’s fasting was a distinctive badge of the divine glory: and is it not to defraud him of his glory, and to reduce him to the ordinary rank of men, when mortals freely mix themselves with him as his companions? God appointed Christ’s fasting to seal the Gospel: and do those who apply it to a different purpose abate nothing from the dignity of the Gospel? Away, then, with that ridiculous imitation, 306 which overturns the purpose of God, and the whole order of his works. Let it be observed, that I do not speak of fastings in general, the practice of which I could wish were more general among us, provided it were pure.
But I must explain what was the object of Christ’s fasting. Satan availed himself of our Lord’s hunger as an occasion for tempting him, as will shortly be more fully stated. For the present, we must inquire generally, why was it the will of God that his Son should be tempted? That he was brought into this contest by a fixed purpose of God, is evident from the words of Matthew and Mark, who say, that for this reason he was led by the Spirit into the wilderness. God intended, I have no doubt, to exhibit in the person of his Son, as in a very bright mirror, how obstinately and perseveringly Satan opposes the salvation of men. For how comes it, that he attacks Christ more furiously, and directs all his power and forces against him, at the particular time mentioned by the Evangelists, but because he sees him preparing, at the command of the Father, to undertake the redemption of men? Our salvation, therefore, was attacked in the person of Christ, just as the ministers, whom Christ has authorized to proclaim his redemption, are the objects of Satan’s daily warfare.
It ought to be observed, at the same time, that the Son of God voluntarily endured the temptations, which we are now considering, and fought, as it were, in single combat with the devil, that, by his victory, he might obtain a triumph for us. Whenever we are called to encounter Satan, let us remember, that his attacks can, in no other way, be sustained and repelled, than by holding out this shield: for the Son of God undoubtedly allowed himself to be tempted, that he may be constantly before our minds, when Satan excites within us any contest of temptations. When he was leading a private life at home, we do not read that he was tempted; but when he was about to discharge the office of Redeemer, he then entered the field in the name of his whole church. But if Christ was tempted as the public representative of all believers, let us learn, that the temptations which befall us are not accidental, or regulated by the will of Satan, without God’s permission; but that the Spirit of God presides over our contests as an exercise of our faith. This will aid us in cherishing the assured hope, that God, who is the supreme judge and disposer of the combat, 307 will not be unmindful of us, but will fortify us against those distresses, which he sees that we are unable to meet.
There is a slight apparent difference in the words of Luke, that Jesus, full of the Holy Ghost, withdrew from Jordan They imply, that he was then more abundantly endued with the grace and power of the Spirit, in order that he might be more fortified for the battles which he had to fight: for it was not without a good reason that the Holy Spirit descended upon him in a visible shape. It has been already stated, that the grace of God shone in him the more brightly, as the necessity arising out of our salvation became greater. 308 But, at first sight, it appears strange, that Christ was liable to the temptations of the devil: for, when temptation falls on men, it must always be owing to sin and weakness. I reply: First, Christ took upon him our infirmity, but without sin, (Heb 4:15.) Secondly, it detracts no more from his glory, that he was exposed to temptations, than that he was clothed with our flesh: for he was made man on the condition that, along with our flesh, he should take upon him our feelings. But the whole difficulty lies in the first point. How was Christ surrounded by our weakness, so as to be capable of being tempted by Satan, and yet to be pure and free from all sin? The solution will not be difficult, if we recollect, that the nature of Adam, while it was still innocent, and reflected the brightness of the divine image, — was liable to temptations. All the bodily affections, that exist in man, are so many opportunities which Satan seizes to tempt him.
It is justly reckoned a weakness of human nature, that our senses are affected by external objects. But this weakness would not be sinful, were it not for the presence of corruption; in consequence of which Satan never attacks us, without doing some injury, or, at least, without inflicting a slight wound. Christ was separated from us, in this respect, by the perfection of his nature; though we must not imagine him to have existed in that intermediate condition, which belonged to Adam, to whom it was only granted, that it was possible for him not to sin. We know, that Christ was fortified by the Spirit with such power, that the darts of Satan could not pierce him. 309

Calvin: Mat 4:3 - -- Mat 4:3.And when he, who tempteth, had approached to him This name, ὁ πειράζων, the tempter, is given to Satan by the Spirit for the expr...
Mat 4:3.And when he, who tempteth, had approached to him This name,
That these stones may become loaves Here the ancients amused themselves with ingenious trifles. The first temptation, they said, was to gluttony; the second, to ambition; and the third, to covetousness. But it is absurd to suppose that it arises from the intemperance of gluttony, 310 when a hungry person desires food to satisfy nature. What luxury will they fancy themselves to have discovered in the use of bread, that one who satisfies himself, as we say, with dry bread, must be reckoned an epicure? But not to waste more words on that point, Christ’s answer alone is sufficient to show, that the design of Satan was altogether different. The Son of God was not such an unskillful or inexperienced antagonist, as not to know how he might ward off the strokes of his adversary, or idly to present his shield on the left hand when he was attacked on the right. If Satan had endeavored to allure him by the enticements of gluttony, 311 he had at hand passages of Scripture fitted to repel him. But he proposes nothing of this sort.

Calvin: Mat 4:4 - -- 4.Man shall not live by bread alone He quotes the statement, that men do not live by bread alone, but by the secret blessing of God. Hence we concl...
4.Man shall not live by bread alone He quotes the statement, that men do not live by bread alone, but by the secret blessing of God. Hence we conclude, that Satan made a direct attack on the faith of Christ, in the hope that, after destroying his faith, he would drive Christ to unlawful and wicked methods of procuring food. And certainly he presses us very hard, when he attempts to make us distrust God, and consult our own advantage in a way not authorized by his word. The meaning of the words, therefore, is: “When you see that you are forsaken by God, you are driven by necessity to attend to yourself. Provide then for yourself the food, with which God does not supply you.” Now, though 312 he holds out the divine power of Christ to turn the stones into loaves, yet the single object which he has in view, is to persuade Christ to depart from the word of God, and to follow the dictates of infidelity.
Christ’s reply, therefore, is appropriate: “Man shall not live by bread alone. You advise me to contrive some remedy, for obtaining relief in a different manner from what God permits. This would be to distrust God; and I have no reason to expect that he will support me in a different manner from what he has promised in his word. You, Satan, represent his favor as confined to bread: but Himself declares, that, though every kind of food were wanting, his blessing alone is sufficient for our nourishment.” Such was the kind of temptation which Satan employed, the same kind with which he assails us daily. The Son of God did not choose to undertake any contest of an unusual description, but to sustain assaults in common with us, that we might be furnished with the same armor, and might entertain no doubt as to achieving the victory.
It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone The first thing to be observed here is, that Christ uses Scripture as his shield: for this is the true way of fighting, if we wish to make ourselves sure of the victory. With good reason does Paul say, that, the sword of the Spirit is the word of God,” and enjoin us to “ take the shield of faiths” (Eph 6:16.) Hence also we conclude, that Papists, as if they had made a bargain with Satan, cruelly give up souls to be destroyed by him at his pleasure, when they wickedly withhold the Scripture from the people of God, and thus deprive them of their arms, by which alone their safety could be preserved. Those who voluntarily throw away that armor, and do not laboriously exercise themselves in the school of God, deserve to be strangled, at every instant, by Satan, into whose hands they give themselves up unarmed. No other reason can be assigned, why the fury of Satan meets with so little resistance, and why so many are everywhere carried away by him, but that God punishes their carelessness, and their contempt of his word.
We must now examine more closely the passage, which is quoted by Christ from Moses: that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord doth man live, (Deu 8:3.) There are some who torture it to a false meaning, as referring to spiritual life; as if our Lord had said, that souls are not nourished by visible bread, but by the word of God. The statement itself is, no doubt, true: but Moses had quite a different meaning. He reminds them that, when no bread could be obtained, God provided them with an extraordinary kind of nourishment in “manna, which they knew not, neither did their fathers know,” (Deu 8:3;) and that this was intended as an evident proof, in all time coming, that the life of man is not confined to bread, but depends on the will and good-pleasure of God. The word does not mean doctrine, but the purpose which God has made known, with regard to preserving the order of nature and the lives of his creatures. Having created men, he does not cease to care for them: but, as “he breathed into their nostrils the breath of life,” (Gen 2:7,) so he constantly preserves the life which he has bestowed. In like manner, the Apostle says, that he “upholdeth all things by his powerful word,” (Heb 1:3;) that is, the whole world is preserved, and every part of it keeps its place, by the will and decree of Him, whose power, above and below, is everywhere diffused. Though we live on bread, we must not ascribe the support of life to the power of bread, but to the secret kindness, by which God imparts to bread the quality of nourishing our bodies.
Hence, also, follows another statement: by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God shall men live. God, who now employs bread for our support, will enable us, whenever he pleases, to live by other means. This declaration of Moses condemns the stupidity of those, who reckon life to consist in luxury and abundance; while it reproves the distrust and inordinate anxiety which drives us to seek unlawful means. The precise object of Christ’s reply is this: We ought to trust in God for food, and for the other necessaries of the present life, in such a manner, that none of us may overleap the boundaries which he has prescribed. But if Christ did not consider himself to be at liberty to change stones into bread, without the command of God, much less is it lawful for us to procure food by fraud, or robbery, or violence, or murder.

Calvin: Mat 4:5 - -- Mat 4:5.Then the devil taketh him It is not of great importance, that Luke’s narrative makes that temptation to be the second, which Matthew places ...
Mat 4:5.Then the devil taketh him It is not of great importance, that Luke’s narrative makes that temptation to be the second, which Matthew places as the third: for it was not the intention of the Evangelists to arrange the history in such a manner, as to preserve on all occasions, the exact order of time, but to draw up an abridged narrative of the events, so as to present, as in a mirror or picture, those things which are most necessary to be known concerning Christ. Let it suffice for us to know that Christ was tempted in three ways. The question, which of these contests was the second, and which was the third, need not give us much trouble or uneasiness. In the exposition, I shall follow the text of Matthew.
Christ is said to have been placed on the pinnacle of the temple. It is asked, was he actually carried to this elevated spot, or was it done in vision? There are many, who obstinately assert, that the body was really and actually conveyed: for they consider it to be unworthy of Christ, that he should be supposed to be liable to the delusions of Satan. But it is easy to dispose of that objection. There is no absurdity in supposing, that this took place by the permission of God and the voluntary subjection of Christ; provided we hold that within, — that is, in his mind and souls, — he suffered no delusion. What is next added, that all the kingdoms of the world were placed in the view of Christ, — as well as what Luke relates, that he was carried to a great distance in one moment, — agrees better with the idea of a vision, than with any other supposition. In a matter that is doubtful, and where ignorance brings no risk, I choose rather to suspend my judgment, than to furnish contentious people with an occasion of debate. It is also possible, that the second temptation did not follow the first, nor the third the second, in immediate succession, but that some interval of time elapsed. This is even more probable, though the words of Luke might lead to the conclusion, that there was no long interval: for he says, that Christ obtained repose for a time.
But the main question for our consideration is, what was Satan’s object in this kind of temptation? That will be best determined, as I have lately hinted, by our Lord’s reply to Satan. To meet the stratagem of the enemy, and to repel his attack, Christ interposes, as a shield, these words: Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. Hence it is evident, that the stratagems of the enemy were intended to induce Christ to exalt himself unduly, and to rise, in a daring manner, against God. Satan had formerly attempted to drive Christ to despair, because he was destitute of food, and of the ordinary means of life. Now, he exhorts him to indulge a foolish and vain confidences, — to neglect the means which are in his powers, — to throw himself, without necessity, into manifest danger, — and, as we might say, to overleap all bounds. As it is not proper for us to be discouraged, when we are pressed by “the want of all things,” (Deu 28:57,) but to rely with confidence on God, neither are we at liberty to raise our crests, or ascend higher than God permits us. The design of Satan, we have now ascertained, was to induce Christ to make trial of his divinity, and to rise up, in foolish and wicked rashness, against God.

Calvin: Mat 4:6 - -- 6.He will charge his angels concerning thee We must observe this malice of Satan, in misapplying a quotation of Scripture, for the purpose of renderi...
6.He will charge his angels concerning thee We must observe this malice of Satan, in misapplying a quotation of Scripture, for the purpose of rendering life deadly to Christ, and of converting bread into poison. The same kind of stratagem he continues daily to employ; and the Son of God, who is the universal model of all the godly, chose to undergo this contest in his own person, that all may be industriously on their guard against being led, by a false application of Scripture, into the snares of Satan. And undoubtedly the Lord grants such a permission to our adversary, that we may not remain in indolent ease, but may be more careful to keep watch. Nor ought we to imitate the madness of those who throw away Scripture, as if it admitted of every kind of interpretation, because the devil misapplies it. For the same reason, we ought to abstain from food, to avoid the risk of being poisoned. Satan profanes the Word of God, and endeavors to torture it for our destruction. But it has been ordained by God for our salvation; and shall the purpose of God be frustrated, unless our indolence deprive his word of its saving effect?
We need not dispute long on these matters. Let us only inquire, what Christ enjoins on us by his example, which we ought to follow as a rule. When Satan wickedly tortures Scripture, does Christ give way to him? Does he allow him to seize and carry off the Scripture, with which he formerly armed himself? On the contrary, he quotes Scripture in his turn, and boldly refutes Satan’s wicked slander. Whenever Satan shall cover his deception by Scripture, and ungodly men shall labor to subvert our faith by the same means, let us borrow our armor exclusively from Scripture for the protection of our faith.
Though the promise, he will charge his angels concerning thee, (Psa 91:11,) relates to all believers, yet it belongs peculiarly to Christ, who is the Head of the whole Church, possesses authority over angels, and commits to them the charge of us. Satan is not wrong in proving from this passage, that angels have been given to Christ, to wait on him, to guard him, and to bear him on their hands. But the fallacy lies in this, that he assigns a wandering and uncertain course to that guardianship of angels, which is only promised to the children of God, when they keep themselves within their bounds, and walk in their ways. If there is any force in that expression, in all thy ways, (Psa 91:11,) the prophet’s meaning is wickedly corrupted and mutilated by Satan, when he applies it, in a violent and wild and confused manner, to extravagant and mistaken courses. God commands us to walk in our ways, and then declares that angels will be our guardians: Satan brings forward the guardianship of angels, for the purpose of advising Christ to put himself unnecessarily in danger, as if he would say: “If you expose yourself to death, contrary to the will of God, angels will protect your life.”

Calvin: Mat 4:7 - -- 7.It is written, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God The reply of Christ is most appropriate. There is no other way, in which we have a right to ex...
7.It is written, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God The reply of Christ is most appropriate. There is no other way, in which we have a right to expect the assistance promised in that passage, than when believers humbly submit themselves to his guidance: for we cannot rely on his promises, without obeying his commandments. God is tempted in many ways: but in this passage, the word tempt denotes the neglect of those means which he puts into our hands. Those who leave the means which God recommends, and resolve to make trial of his power and might, act as absurdly as if one were to cut off a man’s arms and hands, and then order him to work. In short, whoever desires to make an experiment of the divine power, when there is no necessity for it, tempts God by subjecting his promises to an unfair trial.

Calvin: Mat 4:8 - -- 8.The devil taketh him to a very high mountain We must keep in mind, what I have already stated, that it was not owing to any weakness of Christ’s ...
8.The devil taketh him to a very high mountain We must keep in mind, what I have already stated, that it was not owing to any weakness of Christ’s nature, but to a voluntary dispensation and permission, that Satan produced this effect upon his eyes. Again, while his senses were moved and powerfully affected by the glory of the kingdoms which was presented to them, no inward desire arose in his mind; whereas the lusts of the flesh, like wild beasts, are drawn, and hurry us along, to the objects which please us: for Christ had the same feelings with ourselves, but he had no irregular appetites. The kind of temptation here described was, that Christ should seek, in another manner than from God, the inheritance which he has promised to his children. And here the daring insolence of the devil is manifested, in robbing God of the government of the world, and claiming it for himself. All these things, says he, are mine, and it is only through me that they are obtained.
We have to contend every day with the same imposture: for every believer feels it in himself and it is still more clearly seen in the whole life of the ungodly. Though we are convinced, that all our support, and aid, and comfort, depend on the blessing of God, yet our senses allure and draw us away, to seek assistance from Satan, as if God alone were not enough. A considerable portion of mankind disbelieve the power and authority of God over the world, and imagine that every thing good is bestowed by Satan. For how comes it, that almost all resort to wicked contrivances, to robbery and to fraud, but because they ascribe to Satan what belongs to God, the power of enriching whom he pleases by his blessing? True, indeed, with the mouth they ask that God will give them daily bread, (Mat 6:11) but it is only with the mouth; for they make Satan the distributor of all the riches in the world.

Calvin: Mat 4:10 - -- 10.Depart, Satan Instead of this, Luke has, Depart behind me, Satan. There is no use for speculating about the phrase, behind me, which Christ ad...
10.Depart, Satan Instead of this, Luke has, Depart behind me, Satan. There is no use for speculating about the phrase, behind me, which Christ addressed to Peter, Go behind me, (Mat 16:23,) as if the same words had not been addressed to Satan. Christ simply bids him go away; 315 and now proceeds with the same kind of defense as before, employing Scripture as a shield, not of reeds, but of brass. He quotes a passage from the law, that God alone is to be adored and worshipped, (Deu 6:13.) From the application of that passage, and from the circumstances in which it is introduced, it is easy to conclude what is the design of adoration of God, and in what it consists.
Papists deny that God only ought to be adored; and evade this and similar passages by sophistical arguments. Latria , (
Scripture enjoins us to worship God alone: we must inquire, for what end? If a man takes any thing from his glory, and ascribes it to creatures, this is a heinous profanation of divine worship. But it is very evident that this is done, when we go to creatures, to receive from them those good things, of which God desired to be acknowledged as the only Author. Now, as religion is strictly spiritual, and the outward acknowledgment of it relates to the body, so not only the inward worship, but also the outward manifestation of it, is due to God alone. 316

Calvin: Mat 4:11 - -- 11.Then the devil leaveth him Luke expresses more: when all the temptation had been finished. This means, that no truce or relaxation was granted t...
11.Then the devil leaveth him Luke expresses more: when all the temptation had been finished. This means, that no truce or relaxation was granted to Christ, till he had been fully tried by every species of contest. He adds, that Christ was left for a season only. This is intended to inform us, that the rest of his life was not entirely free from temptations, but that God restrained the power of Satan, so that Christ was not unseasonably disturbed by him. In like manner, God usually acts towards all his people: for, after permitting them to be sharply tried, he abates, in some measure, the violence of the strife, that they may take breath for a little, and gather courage. What immediately follows, the angels waited on him, I understand as referring to comfort, that Christ might feel, that God the Father took care of him, and fortified him, by his powerful assistance, against Satan. For the very solitude might aggravate the dreariness of his condition, when he was deprived of the kind offices of men, and was with the wild beasts, — a circumstance which is expressly mentioned by Mark. And yet we must not suppose, that Christ was ever forsaken by the angels: but, in order to allow an opportunity for temptation, the grace of God, though it was present, was sometimes hidden from him, so far as respects the feeling of the flesh.

Calvin: Mat 4:12 - -- Mat 4:12.When Jesus had heard These words appear to be at variance with the narrative of the Evangelist John, who declares, that John and Christ disch...
Mat 4:12.When Jesus had heard These words appear to be at variance with the narrative of the Evangelist John, who declares, that John and Christ discharged the office of public teachers at the same time. But we have to observe, that our three Evangelists pass over in silence that short space of time, because John’s course was not yet completed, and because that course was intended to be a preparation for receiving the Gospel of Christ. And, in point of fact, though Christ discharged the office of teacher within that period, he did not, strictly speaking, begin to preach the Gospel, till he succeeded to John. Most properly, therefore, do the three Evangelists admit and declare, that the period, during which John prepared disciples for Christ, belonged to his ministry: for it amounts to this, that, when the dawn was passed, the sun arose. It is proper to observe the mode of expression employed by Luke, that Jesus came in the power, or, by the power, of the Spirit into Galilee: for it is of great consequence, that we do not imagine Christ to have any thing about him that is earthly or human, but that our minds be always occupied, and our feelings affected by his heavenly and divine power.

Calvin: Mat 4:13 - -- 13.And having left Nazareth I have thought it proper to introduce this passage of Matthew, immediately after Luke’s narrative, which we have just e...
13.And having left Nazareth I have thought it proper to introduce this passage of Matthew, immediately after Luke’s narrative, which we have just examined; because we may gather from the context that, as Christ had hitherto been wont to frequent the town of Nazareth, so, in order to avoid danger, he now bade a final adieu to it, and dwelt in Capernaum and the neighboring towns. There would be no difficulty in this history, were it not that there is some appearance, as if Matthew had put a wrong meaning on the quotation from the prophet. But if we attend to the true meaning of the prophet, it will appear to be properly and naturally accommodated to the present occasion. Isaiah, after having described a very heavy calamity of the nation, soothes their grief by a promise that, when the nation shall be reduced to extremity, a deliverance will immediately follow, which shall dispel the darkness, and restore the light of life.
The words are:
“Nevertheless, the dimness shall not be such as was in her vexation, when at the first he lightly afflicted the land of Zebulun, and the land of Naphtali, and afterward did more grievously afflict her by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, in Galilee of the nations. The people that walked in darkness shall see a great light” (Isa 9:1.)
The Israelites had been twice visited by a heavy calamity: first, when four tribes, or thereby, were carried away into banishment, by Tiglath-Pileser, (2Kg 15:29;) and, secondly, when Shalmaneser completed the destruction of the kingdom of Israel, (2Kg 18:9.) There remained a third desolation, which — the prophet had foretold towards the close of the eighth chapter — would be the most dreadful of all. And now follows, in the words which we have quoted, what is calculated to soothe their grief. God will stretch out his hand to his people, and, therefore, death will be more tolerable than the previous diseases were. “ Though the whole nation,” says he, “shall be destroyed, yet so brilliant shall be the light of grace, that there will be less dimness in this last destruction than in the two former instances, when the ten tribes were ruined.”
The promise ought to be extended, I have no doubt, to the whole body of the people, which might seem to be, to all appearance, lost and destroyed. It is very absurd in the Jews to confine it to the deliverance of the city of Jerusalem. as if the light of life had been restored to it, when the siege was raised by the flight of King Sennacherib, 331 (2Kg 19:36.) Certainly, it is evident from the context, that the prophet looks much farther; and, as he promises a universal restoration of the whole church, it follows that the land of Zebulun, and the land of Naphtali, and Galilee of the Gentiles, are included in the number of those, to whom the darkness of death would be changed into the light of life. The commencement of this light, and, as we might say, the dawn, was the return of the people from Babylon. At length, Christ, “ the Sun of Righteousness,” (Mal 4:2 ,) arose in full splendor, and, by his coming, utterly “abolished” (2Ti 1:10) the darkness of death.
In the same manner, Paul reminds us, that it was a fulfillment of what occurs in many passages of the prophets, “ Awake, thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead,” (Eph 5:14.) Now, we know that the kingdom of Christ is spiritual, and, therefore, the light of salvation which it brings, and all the assistance which we derive from it, must correspond to its nature. Hence it follows, that our souls are plunged in the darkness of everlasting death, till he enlightens them by his grace. The prophet’s discourse relates, no doubt, to the destruction of the nation, but presents to us, as in a mirror, what is the condition of mankind, until they are delivered by the grace of Christ. When those, who lay in darkness, are said to have seen a great light, a change so sudden and remarkable is intended to enlarge our views of the greatness of the divine salvation. Lower Galilee is called Galilee of the Gentiles, not only on account of its vicinity to Tyre and Sidon, but because its inhabitants were a mixture of Jews and Gentiles, particularly after that David had granted some cities to King Hiram. 332
Defender: Mat 4:1 - -- Jesus was God incarnate, and "God cannot be tempted with evil" (Jam 1:13). Although both Father and Son knew He could not sin, He must be "tested" (a ...
Jesus was God incarnate, and "God cannot be tempted with evil" (Jam 1:13). Although both Father and Son knew He could not sin, He must be "tested" (a better connotation of the Greek word than "tempted"), so that the world and the devil would also know.

Defender: Mat 4:1 - -- The devil had tempted Eve and (indirectly) Adam with a three-fold temptation: body, soul and spirit ("good for food, pleasant to the eyes, make one wi...
The devil had tempted Eve and (indirectly) Adam with a three-fold temptation: body, soul and spirit ("good for food, pleasant to the eyes, make one wise" - Gen 3:6), and they had failed the test. All other men would fail the same test, succumbing to "the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life" (1Jo 2:16). Jesus, as Son of Man, was subjected to the same three-fold testing and passed the test. Furthermore, He did it in His humanity, without recourse to His power as Son of God, and He did it - as can we - through believing and applying the resources of God's written word."

Defender: Mat 4:4 - -- Jesus quoted from Deu 8:3. This testing targeted His urgent physical need, the second (Mat 4:6) appealed to His human desire for recognition and appro...
Jesus quoted from Deu 8:3. This testing targeted His urgent physical need, the second (Mat 4:6) appealed to His human desire for recognition and approval, which He turned back by quoting Deu 6:16. Finally, the third testing (Mat 4:9) offered the immediate attainment of His spiritual goal of making the entire world His own kingdom of peace and love, but He refuted this by referring to Deu 10:20. It is noteworthy that in Matthew's gospel alone, Jesus quotes from the Old Testament at least 39 times."

Defender: Mat 4:6 - -- Satan also knows the Scriptures but he will attempt to distort them to his own ends. Here he quotes from Psa 91:11, Psa 91:12, but takes it out of con...

Defender: Mat 4:9 - -- Satan desires to displace God and receive the worship due only to Him. This was the occasion of his fall from heaven in the first place (Isa 14:12-15;...
Satan desires to displace God and receive the worship due only to Him. This was the occasion of his fall from heaven in the first place (Isa 14:12-15; Eze 28:11-19). He still harbors the delusion that this is possible, and has managed to delude Adam and Eve and countless others in similar fashion. But He was unable to deceive Jesus."

Defender: Mat 4:14 - -- The prophecy spoken of in Mat 4:15, Mat 4:16 is found in Isa 9:1, Isa 9:2, which provides the prophetic background for the name of Emmanuel "Wonderful...
The prophecy spoken of in Mat 4:15, Mat 4:16 is found in Isa 9:1, Isa 9:2, which provides the prophetic background for the name of Emmanuel "Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace" (Isa 9:6). Much of Jesus' early teaching ministry was carried out in Galilee, especially Capernaum, and at least His first six disciples came from there (Mat 4:18-22; John 1:35-51)."
TSK: Mat 4:1 - -- was : Mar 1:12, Mar 1:13-15; Luk 4:1-13; Rom 8:14
of the spirit : 1Ki 18:12; 2Ki 2:16; Eze 3:12, Eze 3:14, Eze 8:3, Eze 11:1, Eze 11:24, Eze 40:2, Eze...

TSK: Mat 4:2 - -- fasted : Exo 24:18, Exo 34:28; Deu 9:9, Deu 9:18, Deu 9:25, Deu 18:18; 1Ki 19:8; Luk 4:2
he was : Mat 21:18; Mar 11:12; Joh 4:6; Heb 2:14-17

TSK: Mat 4:3 - -- the tempter : Job 1:9-12, Job 2:4-7; Luk 22:31, Luk 22:32; 1Th 3:5; Rev 2:10, Rev 12:9-11
if : Mat 3:17; Luk 4:3, Luk 4:9
command : Gen 3:1-5, Gen 25:...
the tempter : Job 1:9-12, Job 2:4-7; Luk 22:31, Luk 22:32; 1Th 3:5; Rev 2:10, Rev 12:9-11
if : Mat 3:17; Luk 4:3, Luk 4:9
command : Gen 3:1-5, Gen 25:29-34; Exo 16:3; Num 11:4-6; Psa 78:17-20; Heb 12:16

TSK: Mat 4:4 - -- It is : Mat 4:7, Mat 4:10; Luk 4:4, Luk 4:8, Luk 4:12; Rom 15:4; Eph 6:17
Man : Deu 8:3; Luk 4:4
but : Mat 14:16-21; Exo 16:8, Exo 16:15, Exo 16:35, E...
It is : Mat 4:7, Mat 4:10; Luk 4:4, Luk 4:8, Luk 4:12; Rom 15:4; Eph 6:17
but : Mat 14:16-21; Exo 16:8, Exo 16:15, Exo 16:35, Exo 23:15; 1Ki 17:12-16; 2Ki 4:42-44, 2Ki 7:1, 2Ki 7:2; Hag 2:16-19; Mal 3:9-11; Mar 6:38-44, Mar 8:4-9; Joh 6:5-15, 6:31-59, Joh 6:63
but : That is, as Dr. Campbell renders, ""by every thing which God is pleased to appoint;""for

TSK: Mat 4:5 - -- taketh : Luk 4:9; Joh 19:11
the holy : Mat 27:53; Neh 11:1; Isa 48:2, Isa 52:1; Dan 9:16; Rev 11:2
on : 2Ch 3:4

TSK: Mat 4:6 - -- for : Mat 4:4; 2Co 11:14
He shall : Psa 91:11, Psa 91:12; Luk 4:9-12; Heb 1:14
lest : Job 1:10, Job 5:23; Psa 34:7, Psa 34:20

TSK: Mat 4:7 - -- It : Mat 4:4, Mat 4:10, Mat 21:16, Mat 21:42, Mat 22:31, Mat 22:32; Isa 8:20
Thou : Exo 17:2, Exo 17:7; Num 14:22; Deu 6:16; Psa 78:18, Psa 78:41, Psa...

TSK: Mat 4:8 - -- the devil : Mat 4:5; Luk 4:5-7
and showeth : Mat 16:26; Est 1:4, Est 5:11; Psa 49:16, Psa 49:17; Dan 4:30; Heb 11:24-26; 1Pe 1:24; 1Jo 2:15, 1Jo 2:16;...

TSK: Mat 4:9 - -- All : Mat 26:15; Joh 13:3
I give : 1Sa 2:7, 1Sa 2:8; Psa 72:11, Psa 113:7, Psa 113:8; Pro 8:15; Jer 27:5, Jer 27:6; Dan 2:37, Dan 2:38, Dan 4:32; Dan ...

TSK: Mat 4:10 - -- Get : Mat 16:23; Jam 4:7; 1Pe 5:9
Satan : 1Ch 21:1; Job 1:6, Job 1:12, Job 2:1; Psa 109:6; Zec 3:1, Zec 3:2
Thou shalt : Deu 6:13, Deu 6:14, Deu 10:20...

TSK: Mat 4:11 - -- the devil : Luk 4:13, Luk 22:53; Joh 14:30
behold : Mat 4:6, Mat 26:53, Mat 28:2-5; Mar 1:13; Luk 22:43; 1Ti 3:16; Heb 1:6, Heb 1:14; Rev 5:11, Rev 5:...

TSK: Mat 4:12 - -- when : Mar 1:14, Mar 6:17; Luk 3:20, Luk 4:14, Luk 4:31; Joh 4:43, Joh 4:54
cast : or, delivered up

TSK: Mat 4:13 - -- leaving : Luk 4:30,Luk 4:31
Capernaum : Mat 11:23, Mat 17:24; Mar 1:21; Joh 4:46, Joh 6:17, Joh 6:24, Joh 6:59
Zabulon : Jos 19:10-16, Zebulun
Nephtha...

TSK: Mat 4:14 - -- it : Mat 1:22, Mat 2:15, Mat 2:23, Mat 8:17, Mat 12:17-21, Mat 26:54, Mat 26:56; Luk 22:37, Luk 24:44; Joh 15:25; Joh 19:28, Joh 19:36, Joh 19:37
sayi...

collapse allCommentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per Verse)
Barnes: Mat 4:1 - -- Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit - Led up by the Spirit. Luke says Luk 4:1 that Jesus was "full of the Holy Spirit;"and it was by his influe...
Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit - Led up by the Spirit. Luke says Luk 4:1 that Jesus was "full of the Holy Spirit;"and it was by his influence, therefore, that he went into the desert to be tempted. It was not done by presumption on the part of Jesus, nor was it for a mere display of his power in resisting temptation; but it was evidently that it might be seen that his holiness was such that he could not be seduced from allegiance to God. When the first Adam was created he was subjected to the temptation of the devil, and he fell and involved the race in ruin: it was not improper that the second Adam - the Redeemer of the race - should be subjected to temptation, in order that it might be seen that there was no power that could alienate him from God; that there was a kind and a degree of holiness which no art or power could estrange from allegiance. Mark Mar 1:12 says that this occurred "immediately"after his baptism; that is, in his case, as not unfrequently happens, the great temptation followed immediately the remarkable manifestation of the divine approbation and favor. In the clearest manifestations of the divine favor to us we may not be far from most powerful temptations, and then may be the time when it is necessary to be most carefully on our guard.
Into the wilderness - See the notes at Mat 3:1.
To be tempted - The word "tempt,"in the original, means to try, to endeavor, to attempt to do a thing; then, to try the nature of a thing, as metals by fire; then, to test moral qualities by trying them, to see how they will endure; then, to endeavor to draw people away from virtue by suggesting motives to evil. This is the meaning here, and this is now the established sense of the word in the English language.
The devil - This word originally means an adversary, or an accuser; then, any one opposed to us; then, an enemy of any kind. It is given in the Scriptures, by way of eminence, to the leader of evil angels - a being characterized as full of subtlety, envy, art, and hatred of mankind. He is known, also, by the name Satan, Job 1:6-12; Mat 12:26; Beelzebub, Mat 12:24; the old Serpent, Rev 12:9; and the Prince of the power of the air, Eph 2:2. The name is once given to women 1Ti 3:11; "Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers;"in the original, devils.

Barnes: Mat 4:2 - -- Had fasted - Abstained from food. Forty days and forty nights - It has been questioned by some whether Christ abstained wholly from food,...
Had fasted - Abstained from food.
Forty days and forty nights - It has been questioned by some whether Christ abstained wholly from food, or only from the food to which he was accustomed. Luke says Luk 4:2 that he ate nothing. This settles the question. Mark says Mar 1:13 that angels came and ministered unto him. At first view this would seem to imply that he did eat during that time. But Mark does not mention the time when the angels performed this office of kindness, and we are at liberty to suppose that he means to say that it was done at the close of the 40 days; and the rather as Matthew, after giving an account of the temptation, says the same thing Mat 4:2. There are other instances of persons fasting 40 days recorded in the Scriptures. Thus, Moses fasted 40 days, Exo 34:28. Elijah also fasted the same length of time, 1Ki 19:8. In these cases they were no doubt miraculously supported.

Barnes: Mat 4:3 - -- The tempter - The devil, or Satan. See Mat 4:1. If thou be the Son of God - If thou art God’ s own Son, then thou hast power to work...
The tempter - The devil, or Satan. See Mat 4:1.
If thou be the Son of God - If thou art God’ s own Son, then thou hast power to work a miracle, and here is a suitable opportunity to try thy power, and show that thou art sent from God.
Command that these stones ... - The stones that were lying around him in the wilderness. No temptation could have been more plausible, or more likely to succeed, than this. He had just been declared to be the Son of God Mat 3:17, and here was an opportunity to show that he was really so. The circumstances were such as to make it appear plausible and proper to work this miracle. "Here you are,"was the language of Satan, "hungry, cast out, alone, needy, poor, and yet the Son of God! If you have this power, how easy could you satisfy your wants! How foolish is it, then, for the Son of God, having all power, to be starving in this manner, when by a word he could show his power and relieve his wants, and when in the thing itself there could be nothing wrong!"

Barnes: Mat 4:4 - -- But he answered and said ... - In reply to this artful temptation Christ answered by a quotation from the Old Testament. The passage is found i...
But he answered and said ... - In reply to this artful temptation Christ answered by a quotation from the Old Testament. The passage is found in Deu 8:3. In that place the discourse is respecting manna. Moses says that the Lord humbled the people, and fed them with manna, an unusual kind of food, that they might learn that man did not live by bread only, but that there were other things to support life, and that everything which God had commanded was proper for this. The term "word,"used in this place, means very often, in Hebrew, thing, and clearly in this place has that meaning. Neither Moses nor our Saviour had any reference to spiritual food, or to the doctrines necessary to support the faith of believers; but they simply meant that God could support life by other things than bread; that man was to live, not by that only, but by every other thing which proceeded out of his mouth; that is, which he chose to command people to eat. The substance of his answer, then, is: "It is not so imperiously necessary that I should have bread as to make a miracle proper to procure it. Life depends on the will of God. He can support it in other ways as well as by bread. He has created other things to be eaten, and man may live by everything that his Maker has commanded."And from this temptation we may learn:
1. That Satan often takes advantage of our circumstances and wants to tempt us. The poor, the hungry, and the naked he often tempts to repine and complain, and to be dishonest in order to supply their necessities.
2. Satan’ s temptations are often the strongest immediately after we have been remarkably favored. Jesus had just been called the Son of God, and Satan took this opportunity to try him. He often attempts to fill us with pride and vain self-conceit when we have been favored with any peace of mind, or any new view of God, and endeavors to urge us to do something which may bring us low and lead us to sin.
3. His temptations are plausible. They often seem to be only urging us to do what is good and proper. They seem even to urge us to promote the glory of God, and to honor him. We are not to think, therefore, that because a thing may seem to be good in itself, that therefore it is to be done. Some of the most powerful temptations of Satan occur when he seems to be urging us to do what shall be for the glory of God.
4. We are to meet the temptations of Satan, as the Saviour did, with the plain and positive declarations of Scripture. We are to inquire whether the thing is commanded, and whether, therefore, it is right to do it, and not trust to our own feelings, or even our wishes, in the matter.

Barnes: Mat 4:5 - -- Then the devil taketh him up - This does not mean that he bore him through the air; or that he compelled him to go against his will, or that he...
Then the devil taketh him up - This does not mean that he bore him through the air; or that he compelled him to go against his will, or that he performed a miracle in any way to place him there. There is no evidence that Satan had power to do any of these things, and the word translated taketh him Up does not imply any such thing. It means to conduct one; to lead one; to attend or accompany one; or to induce one to go. It is used in the following places in the same sense: Num 23:14; "And he (Balak) brought him (Balaam) into the field of Zophim,"etc. That is, he led him, or induced him to go there. Mat 17:1; "and after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James,"etc.; that is, led or conducted them - not by any means implying that he bore them by force. Mat 20:17; "Jesus, going to Jerusalem, took the twelve disciples apart,"etc. See also Mat 26:37; Mat 27:27; Mar 5:40. From these passages, and many more, it appears that all that is meant here is, that Satan conducted Jesus, or accompanied him; but not that this was done against the will of Jesus.
The holy city - Jerusalem, called holy because the temple was there, and because it was the place of religious solemnities.
Setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple - It is not perfectly certain to what part of the temple the sacred writer here refers. It has been supposed by some that he means the roof. But Josephus says that the roof was covered by spikes of gold, to prevent its being polluted by birds; and such a place would have been very inconvenient to stand upon. Others suppose that it was the top of the porch or entrance to the temple. But it is more than probable that the porch leading to the temple was not as high as the main building. It is more probable that he refers to that part of the sacred edifice which was called Solomon’ s Porch. The temple was built on the top of Mount Moriah. The temple itself, together with the courts and porches, occupied a large space of ground. See the notes at Mat 21:12. To secure a level spot sufficiently large, it was necessary to put up a high wall on the east. The temple was surrounded with porches or piazzas 50 feet broad and 75 feet high. The porch on the south side was, however, 67 feet broad and 150 high. From the top of this to the bottom of the valley below was more than 700 feet, and Josephus says that one could scarcely look down without dizziness. The word "pinnacle"does not quite express the force of the original. It is a word given usually to birds, and denotes wings, or anything in the form of wings, and was given to the roof of this porch because it resembled a bird dropping its wings. It was on this place, doubtless, that Christ was placed.

Barnes: Mat 4:6 - -- And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down - The temptation here was, that he should at once avail himself of the protect...
And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down - The temptation here was, that he should at once avail himself of the protection of a promise of safety made to him, and thus demonstrate that he was the Messiah. If he was the true Messiah he had a certain assurance of protection, a promise that no harm could befall him; and thus, by so surprising a miracle, and such a clear proof of the divine interposition, he could at once establish his claim to the Messiahship. How much more easy would this be than to engage in a slow work of years to establish that claim; to encounter fatigue, and want, and poverty, and persecution, before that claim would be admitted! And where could be a more suitable place for thus at once demonstrating that he was the Son of God, than on this pinnacle of the temple, in the very midst of Jerusalem, and perhaps in the presence of thousands who would see the wonderful performance? The temptation, therefore, in this case was, that by thus establishing his claim he would avoid all the obloquy, persecution, and suffering which he must otherwise endure if he attempted to prove that he was the Son of God by a life of toil and privation.
It is written - That is, there is a passage of Scripture which promises special protection in such a case, and on which you may rely. The argument was not, perhaps, that this applied exclusively to the Messiah, but that, if applicable in any case, it would be in this; if any one could plead this promise, assuredly he could who claimed to be the Son of God.
He shall give his angels charge concerning thee ... - That is, they shall protect thee.
And in their hands they shall bear thee up - They shall sustain thee, or hold thee up, so that thou shalt not be endangered by the fall.
Lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone - This would be especially appropriate in such a case. The promise, as Satan applied it, was that he should not be injured by the stones lying at the bottom of the wall or in the valley below. The case, therefore, seemed to be one that was especially contemplated by the promise.

Barnes: Mat 4:7 - -- Jesus said unto him, It is written again - Again the Saviour replied to Satan by a text of Scripture - a passage which expressly forbade an act...
Jesus said unto him, It is written again - Again the Saviour replied to Satan by a text of Scripture - a passage which expressly forbade an act like this.
Thou shall not tempt the Lord thy God - This is quoted literally from Deu 6:16. The meaning is, thou shalt not try him; or, thou shalt not, by throwing thyself into voluntary and uncommanded dangers, appeal to God for protection, or trifle with the promises made to those who are thrown into danger by his providence. It is true, indeed, that God aids those of his people who are placed by him in trial or danger; but it is not true that the promise was meant to extend to those who wantonly provoke him and trifle with the promised help. Thus, Satan, artfully using and perverting Scripture, was met and repelled by Scripture rightly applied.

Barnes: Mat 4:8 - -- An exceeding high mountain - It is not known what mountain this was. It was probably some elevated place in the vicinity of Jerusalem, from the...
An exceeding high mountain - It is not known what mountain this was. It was probably some elevated place in the vicinity of Jerusalem, from the top of which could be seen no small part of the land of Palestine. The Abbe Mariti speaks of a mountain on which he was, which answers to the description here. "This part of the mountain,"says he, "overlooks the mountains of Arabia, the country of Gilead, the country of the Amorites, the plains of Moab, the plains of Jericho, the River Jordan, and the whole extent of the Dead Sea."So Moses, before he died, went up into Mount Nebo, and from it God showed him "all the land of Gilead unto Dan, and all Naphtali, and the land of Ephraim and Manasseh, and all the land of Judah, unto the utmost sea, and the south, and the plain of the valley of Jericho, and the city of palm-trees, unto Zoar,"Deu 34:1-3. This shows that there were mountains from which no small part of the land of Canaan could be seen; and we need not suppose that there was any miracle when they were shown to the Saviour.
All the kingdoms of the world - It is not probable that anything more is intended here than the kingdoms of Palestine, or of the land of Canaan, and those in the immediate vicinity. Judea was divided into three parts, and those parts were called kingdoms; and the sons of Herod, who presided over them, were called kings. The term "world"is often used in this limited sense to denote a part or a large part of the world, particularly the land of Canaan. See Rom 4:13, where it means the land of Judah; also Luk 2:1, and the note on the place.
The glory of them - The riches, splendor, towns, cities, mountains, etc., of this beautiful land,

Barnes: Mat 4:9 - -- All these things ... - All these kingdoms. All these dominions Satan claimed a right to bestow on whom he pleased, and with considerable justic...
All these things ... - All these kingdoms. All these dominions Satan claimed a right to bestow on whom he pleased, and with considerable justice. They were excessively wicked; and with no small degree of propriety, therefore, he asserted his claim to give them away. This temptation had much plausibility. Satan regarded Jesus as the king of the Jews. As the Messiah he supposed he had come to take possession of all that country. He was poor, and unarmed, and without followers or armies. Satan proposed to put him in possession of it at once, without any difficulty, if he would acknowledge him as the proper lord and disposer of that country; if he would trust to him rather than to God.
Worship me - See the notes at Mat 2:2. The word here seems to mean, to acknowledge Satan as having a right to give these kingdoms to him; to acknowledge his dependence on him rather than God; that is, really to render religious homage. We may be surprised at his boldness. But he had been twice foiled. He supposed it was an object dear to the heart of the Messiah to obtain these kingdoms. He claimed a right over them; and he seemed not to be asking too much, if he gave them to Jesus, that Jesus should be willing to acknowledge the gift and express gratitude for it. So plausible are Satan’ s temptations, even when they are blasphemous; and so artfully does he present his allurements to the mind.

Barnes: Mat 4:10 - -- Get thee hence - These temptations, and this one especially, the Saviour met with a decided rebuke. This was a bolder attack than any which had...
Get thee hence - These temptations, and this one especially, the Saviour met with a decided rebuke. This was a bolder attack than any which had been made before. The other temptations had been founded on an appeal to his necessities, and an offer of the protection of God in great danger; in both cases plausible, and in neither a direct violation of the law of God. Here was a higher attempt, a more decided and deadly thrust at the piety of the Saviour. It was a proposition that the Son of God should worship the devil, instead of honoring and adoring Him who made heaven and earth; that he should bow down before the Prince of wickedness and give him homage.
It is written - In Deu 6:13. Satan asked him to worship him. This was expressly forbidden, and Jesus therefore drove him from his presence.

Barnes: Mat 4:11 - -- Then the devil leaveth him - He left him for a time, Luk 4:13. He intended to return again to the temptation, and, if possible, to seduce him y...
Then the devil leaveth him - He left him for a time, Luk 4:13. He intended to return again to the temptation, and, if possible, to seduce him yet from God. Compare Joh 14:30; Luk 22:53. See the notes at Heb 12:4.
The angels came and ministered - See the notes at Mat 1:20. They came and supplied his wants and comforted him. From this narrative we may learn:
(a) That no one is so holy as to be free from temptation, for even the Son of God was sorely tempted.
(b) That when God permits a temptation or trial to come upon us, he will, if we look to him, give us grace to resist and overcome it, 1Co 10:13.
© We see the art of the tempter. His temptations are adapted to times and circumstances. They are plausible. What could have been mere plausible than his suggestions to Christ? They were applicable to his circumstances. They had the appearance of much piety. They were backed by passages of Scripture misapplied, but still most artfully presented. Satan never comes boldly and tempts people to sin, telling them that they are committing sin. Such a mode would defeat his design. It would put people on their guard. He commences, therefore, artfully and plausibly, and the real purpose does not appear until he has prepared the mind for it. This is the way with all temptation. No wicked person would at once tempt another to be profane, to be drunk, to be an infidel, or to commit adultery. The principles are first corrupted. The confidence is secured. The affections are won. And then the allurement is little by little presented, until the victim falls. How everyone should be on his guard at the very first appearance of evil, at the first suggestion that may possibly lead to sin!
(d) One of the best ways of meeting temptation is by applying Scripture. So our Saviour did, and they will always best succeed who best wield the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, Eph 6:17.

Barnes: Mat 4:12 - -- John was cast into prison - For an account of the imprisonment of John see Mat 14:1-13. He departed into Galilee - See Mat 2:22. The reas...
John was cast into prison - For an account of the imprisonment of John see Mat 14:1-13.
He departed into Galilee - See Mat 2:22. The reasons why Jesus then went into Galilee were probably:
1. Because the attention of the people had been much excited by John’ s preaching, and things seemed to be favorable for success in his own ministry.
2. It appeared desirable to have some one to second John in the work of reformation.
3. It was less dangerous for him to commence his labors there than near Jerusalem. Judea was under the dominion of the scribes, and Pharisees, and priests. They would naturally look with envy on any one who set himself up for a public teacher, and who should attract much attention there. It was important, therefore, that the work of Jesus should begin in Galilee, and become somewhat established and known before he went to Jerusalem.

Barnes: Mat 4:13 - -- Leaving Nazareth - Because his townsmen cast him out, and rejected him. See Luke 4:14-30. Came and dwelt in Capernaum - This was a city o...
Leaving Nazareth - Because his townsmen cast him out, and rejected him. See Luke 4:14-30.
Came and dwelt in Capernaum - This was a city on the northwest corner of the Sea of Tiberias. It is not mentioned in the Old Testament, but is repeatedly referred to in the Gospels. Though it was once a city of renown, and the metropolis of all Galilee, the site it occupied is now uncertain. When Mr. Fisk, an American missionary, traveled in Syria in 1823, he found 20 or 30 uninhabited Arab huts occupying what are supposed to be the ruins of the once-celebrated city of Capernaum.
The exact site of this ancient city has been a question of much interest, and is not supposed to be as yet fully settled; perhaps it is not possible that it should be. Dr. Robinson ( Biblical Researches , iii. pp. 283, 284, 288-295) supposes that the site of the ancient city is a place now called Khan Minyeh. Dr. Thomson ( The Land and the Book , vol. ii. pp. 542-547) supposes that it was at a place now called Tell Hum. This place is a short distance north of Khan Minyeh, or the site supposed by Dr. Robinson to be Capernaum. It is at the northwest corner of the Sea of Tiberias.
In this place and its neighborhood Jesus spent no small part of the three years of his public ministry. It is hence called his own city, Mat 9:1. Here he healed the nobleman’ s son Joh 4:47; Peter’ s wife’ s mother Mat 8:14; the centurion’ s servant Mat 8:5-13; and the ruler’ s daughter Mat 9:23-25.
Upon the sea coast - The Sea of Tiberias.
In the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim - These were two tribes of the children of Israel which were located in this part of the land of Canaan, and constituted in the time of Christ a part of Galilee. Compare Gen 49:13; Jos 19:10, Jos 19:32. The word "borders"here means boundaries. Jesus came and lived in the boundaries or regions of Zabulon and Naphthali.

Barnes: Mat 4:14-16 - -- That it might be fulfilled ... - This place is recorded in Isa 9:1-2. Matthew has given the sense, but not the very words of the prophet. For t...
That it might be fulfilled ... - This place is recorded in Isa 9:1-2. Matthew has given the sense, but not the very words of the prophet. For the meaning of the passage as employed by Isaiah, see the notes at Isa 9:1-2.
By the way of the sea - Which is near to the sea, or in the vicinity of the sea.
Beyond Jordan - This does not mean to the east of Jordan, as the phrase sometimes denotes, but rather in the vicinity of the Jordan, or perhaps in the vicinity of the sources of the Jordan. See Deu 1:1; Deu 4:49.
Galilee of the Gentiles - Galilee was divided into upper and lower Galilee. Upper Galilee was called Galilee of the Gentiles, because it was occupied chiefly by Gentiles. It was in the neighborhood of Tyre, Sidon, etc. The word "Gentiles"includes in the Scriptures all who are not Jews. It means the same as nations, or, as we should say, the pagan nations.
The people which sat in darkness - This is an expression denoting great ignorance.
As in darkness or night we can see nothing, and know not where to go, so those who are ignorant of God and their duty are said to be in darkness. The instruction which removes this ignorance is called light. See Joh 3:19; 1Pe 2:9; 1Jo 1:5; 1Jo 2:8. As ignorance is often connected with crime and vice, so darkness is sometimes used to denote sin, 1Th 5:5; Eph 5:11; Luk 22:53.
Saw great light - That is, as the passage is employed by Matthew, the light under the Messiah would spring up among them. In that region he grew up, and in that region he preached a great part of his discourses and performed a great part of his miracles.
The region and shadow of death - This is a forcible and beautiful image, designed also to denote ignorance and sin. It is often used in the Bible, and is very expressive. A "shadow"is caused by an object coming between us and the sun. So the Hebrews imaged death as standing between us and the sun, and casting a long, dark, and baleful shadow abroad on the face of the nations, denoting their great ignorance, sin, and woe.. It denotes a dismal, gloomy, and dreadful shade, where death and sin reign, like the chills, damps, and horrors of the dwelling-place of the dead. See Job 10:21; Job 16:16; Job 34:22; Psa 23:4; Jer 2:6. See also the notes at Isa 9:2. These expressions denote that the country of Galilee was especially dark. We know that the people were proverbially ignorant and stupid. They were distinguished for a coarse, outlandish manner of speech Mar 14:70, and are represented as having been also distinguished by a general profligacy of morals and manners. It shows the great compassion of the Saviour, that he went to preach to such poor and despised sinners. Instead of seeking the rich and the learned, he chose to minister to the needy, the ignorant, and the contemned. His office is to enlighten the ignorant; his delight to guide the wandering, and to raise up those that are in the shadow of death. In doing this, Jesus set an example for all his followers. It is their duty to seek out those who are sitting in the shadow of death, and to send the gospel to them. No small part of the world is still lying in wickedness - as wicked and wretched as was the land of Zabulon and Naphthali in the time of Jesus. The Lord Jesus is able to enlighten them also, and every Christian should regard it a privilege, as well as a duty, to imitate his Saviour in this, and to be permitted to send to them the light of life. See Mat 28:19.
Poole: Mat 4:1 - -- Mat 4:1-11 Christ fasts forty days, is tempted of the devil, and
ministered unto by angels.
Mat 4:12-16 He dwelleth in Capernaum,
Mat 4:17 b...
Mat 4:1-11 Christ fasts forty days, is tempted of the devil, and
ministered unto by angels.
Mat 4:12-16 He dwelleth in Capernaum,
Mat 4:17 begins to preach,
Mat 4:18-20 calleth Peter and Andrew,
Mat 4:21,22 James and John,
Mat 4:23-25 teacheth in the synagogues, and healeth the diseased.
This is mentioned by two of the other evangelists, .Mar 1:12 Luk 4:1 Luke saith that, being full of the Holy Ghost, he returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit, & c. Mark saith, immediately the Spirit drove him. Great manifestations of Divine love are commonly followed with great temptations. Others observe, that temptations usually follow baptism, the beginnings of spiritual life, and covenants made with God. He
was led up: some think he was taken up; Mark useth the word
Of the Spirit the Holy Spirit, that lighted upon him as a dove.
Into the wilderness Mark’ s saying, Mar 1:13 , that he was there with wild beasts, lets us know that it was not such a wilderness as John began to preach in, Mat 3:1 ; but a howling wilderness full of wild beasts. The end is expressed in the last words,
to be tempted of the devil: thus his temptations are distinguished from Divine temptations, such as Abraham had, Gen 22:1 ; and by tempted here is meant solicited, or moved to sin, in which sense God tempteth no man, Jam 1:13 . The general notion of tempting is, making a trial; God makes a trial of his people for the proof and manifestation of their gracious habit. Satan, by moving to sin, makes a trial of corruption, which was the reason that, although Christ was tempted, that he might be able to succour those that are tempted, Heb 2:18 , and that he might taste all those evils to which we are exposed, and might overcome the devil; yet when the Prince of this world came, he could effect nothing against him, because he found nothing in him to comply with his motions.

Poole: Mat 4:2 - -- He was in the wilderness, a place of solitude, and so fitter for Satan’ s purpose, and he was
an hungred which was another advantage Satan ha...
He was in the wilderness, a place of solitude, and so fitter for Satan’ s purpose, and he was
an hungred which was another advantage Satan had. But he was not an hungred till he had fasted forty days and forty nights. Here was the Divine power miraculously seen, in upholding the human nature of Christ without any thing to eat: this was a miracle. The like did Moses before the law, Elijah under the law. Christ doth the same in the beginning of the gospel; nor did he fast as the Jews were wont, of whom we sometimes read that they kept fasts several days; they only fasted in the day time, but ate their food at night; or sometimes only forbare pleasant bread, as Daniel did, Dan 10:2,3 , for three full weeks. But Christ fasted from all food, and that not only forty days, but forty nights also; from whence may easily be gathered, how idly, if not impiously, the papists found their fasting forty days in Lent. Here all Christ’ s acts (most certainly his miraculous works) are not recorded for our imitation; some of them are only for our adoration; all his miraculous acts are so. There can be nothing more sottish than for us to think that because Christ (supported by the Divine nature) fasted forty days, therefore we are obliged to do it; and because we cannot fast forty days and forty nights, without eating something, therefore we may eat fish, though no flesh (when all know that to some palates there is no more delicate food than fish); or we are obliged to fast in the day time, though not at night. And because Christ once in his lifetime fasted forty days and forty nights, therefore we must do so every year; or that the church hath any power to enjoin any such thing. If papists think Christ’ s fast of forty days and forty nights obliges them to imitation, let them keep them as he did, (with such a fasting I mean), and try whether they be able to do it, or whether four days or nights, instead of forty, will not convince them of their folly. Christ fasted forty days and forty nights, and thereby showed he was God man, the Divine nature supported the human; afterward he was hungry, to show that he was truly man, touched with the feeling of our infirmities, in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin, Heb 4:15 .

Poole: Mat 4:3 - -- And when the tempter viz. Satan, the devil, as he is called, came unto him probably in some visible shape, he, forming an audible voice of the air, ...
And when the tempter viz. Satan, the devil, as he is called, came unto him probably in some visible shape, he, forming an audible voice of the air, said,
If thou be the Son of God ( not that he doubted it, which showed his horrible impudence),
command that these stones , ( this stone, saith Luke, Luk 4:3 ) be made bread The temptation plainly was to the use of means which God did not allow him, to relieve him in his distress of hunger, to distrust the providence of God in supporting of him. A temptation common to those who are the members of Christ, and enough to instruct us, that we ought to look upon all thoughts and motions to the use of means not allowed by God, in order to a lawful end, as temptations vel a carne, vel hoste, either from our own flesh, for every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust and enticed, Jam 1:14 , or from our grand adversary the devil. It is not much material for us to know from which, they being both what we ought to resist, though those from Satan are usually more violent and impetuous.

Poole: Mat 4:4 - -- So also Luk 4:4 . There is no better answering the tempter than by opposing the precepts of holy writ to his motions to sin. The word is called the...
So also Luk 4:4 . There is no better answering the tempter than by opposing the precepts of holy writ to his motions to sin. The word is called the sword of the Spirit, Eph 6:17 . The papists, therefore, denying people the use of the word, disarm them as to the spiritual combat.
It is written Deu 8:3 . Though man ordinarily liveth by common bread, such food as men usually eat, yet God’ s power is not restrained, he can uphold the life of man when that is wanting, as he supported the Israelites by manna (to which that text relates); nor is God obliged to create any extraordinary means, for his power, which is seen in creating such means, can produce the same effect without such means if it pleaseth him. His power must be seen in creating the means, and in upholding the proper power and faculty of the means, in order to their end; why cannot he by the same power produce the effect without any such means?

Poole: Mat 4:5 - -- By the holy city is meant Jerusalem, once a holy city, Dan 9:24 ; now, though a most impure and filthy city upon many accounts, yet, upon other ac...
By the holy city is meant Jerusalem, once a holy city, Dan 9:24 ; now, though a most impure and filthy city upon many accounts, yet, upon other accounts still a holy city, being the only city in the world which had then in it the true worship of the true God, and in which God doubtless, who in Ahab’ s time had seven thousand in Israel, had many holy people. How the devil took Christ into the holy city is variously argued and judged; the words used in the Greek are such as would incline us to think he was not carried by force, but followed the tempter willingly, and set upon a place on the top of the temple, higher than the other parts of it. The end of his being set there the next verse tells us.

Poole: Mat 4:6 - -- Before the devil had tempted our Lord to diffidence or distrust in God’ s providence, and the use of means not allowed by God to supply himself...
Before the devil had tempted our Lord to diffidence or distrust in God’ s providence, and the use of means not allowed by God to supply himself; here he tempts him to an unwarrantable presumption, and confidence of and concerning the Divine protection. In the former temptation the devil used no Scripture, but having been repelled in that assault by the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, Eph 6:17 , he here takes up the same weapon. The thing to which the tempter solicits our Saviour, was the throwing himself down from a precipice, a temptation, in effect, to destroy himself; which is one of those fiery darts which he commonly throws at the people of God in their hours of melancholy, or under great pressures of affliction; but the usual argument which he useth to them, is deliverance from their terrors, the preventing of want, or avoiding shame. The argument he useth to our Lord is quite of another nature, the special protection of God promised to God’ s people, Psa 91:11,12 . Herein he transforms himself into an angel of light, according to 2Co 11:14 , and lets us know that truth may be abused to the patronage of lies; and that there is no hook more dangerous to the members of Christ, than that which is baited with Scripture misinterpreted and misapplied, which holy writ always is when it is so interpreted or so applied as to be made an argument to sin. This portion of holy writ is both:
1. Falsely cited; and,
2. As ill applied.
a) In the quotation the tempter leaves out those words, in all thy ways. This was none of our Savour’ s ways, he had no call, no warrant from God to decline the stairs by which he might have gone down, and to throw himself down. God had never promised, nor ever given, any the protection of angels in sinful and forbidden ways.
b) He misapplies this text, using it not to instruct, but to deceive; dividing between man’ s duty and God’ s providence; making this word a promise to be fulfilled upon Christ’ s neglect of his duty; extending the promise of special providence as to dangers into which men voluntarily throw themselves; putting God upon working miracles to declare Christ to be his Son, where there was no need, and of which there was no use, mocking our Saviour’ s true use of Scripture, with Scripture abused, and many other ways: but he had to do with one not ignorant of his devices.

Poole: Mat 4:7 - -- This is written Deu 6:16 . To make an undue and unwarrantable trial of God, is to tempt God, whether the trial respecteth his power or his goodness;...
This is written Deu 6:16 . To make an undue and unwarrantable trial of God, is to tempt God, whether the trial respecteth his power or his goodness; thus the word is used, Num 14:22 Psa 78:18 Isa 7:12 Mat 16:1 . By this answer Christ lets the devil know that he abused Scripture in his quotation of it; such as casting of himself down, when he had a plain way to go down by the stairs, would not have been an act of faith, but presumption; not a trusting God upon his word, but a tempting of God, expressly contrary to his command, Deu 6:16 .

Poole: Mat 4:8-9 - -- Ver. 8,9. This is the third temptation by which the tempter solicits our Saviour to sin, and of all other the most impudent. For what can be more imp...
Ver. 8,9. This is the third temptation by which the tempter solicits our Saviour to sin, and of all other the most impudent. For what can be more impudent than for the creature to expect a homage to him from him who was his Creator. What mountain this was, and how our Saviour was taken up into it, are things not revealed, and of very little concern for us to know. The text tells us it was exceeding high, yet not high enough from whence one kingdom could be seen in the extent of it. It is therefore most probable that Dr. Lightfoot judgeth most truly, that
"the devil, being the prince of the power of the air, formed an airy horizon before the eyes of Christ, carrying such pompous and glorious appearance of kingdoms, states, and royalties in the face of it, as if he had seen those very kingdoms and states indeed."
Such things the devil can do, and doth do, by condensing the air first, then shaping and figuring, and lastly so colouring it, that it may represent what he intends. All these things he promised to give our Saviour, if he would fall down and worship him. The same eminent person well observes, that
"what Luke calls worshipping before the devil, Matthew calls worshipping the devil";
and concludes solidly,
"that if to worship before the devil be to worship the devil, worshipping before an image (as the papists do) must be worshipping the image."
The devil here arrogates to himself what was God’ s alone to give, and such ordinarily are the devil’ s promises of things, as to which he hath no power to fulfil what he promiseth.

Poole: Mat 4:10 - -- As this was of all the three the most impudent temptation, so our Lord receiveth it with the highest detestation, saying,
Get thee hence, Satan by...
As this was of all the three the most impudent temptation, so our Lord receiveth it with the highest detestation, saying,
Get thee hence, Satan by which words he doth not only show his detestation of this temptation, but also chides him off from any further tempting him. The sense is, Satan, I know better things, viz. that a religious adoration is not to be given unto any but unto God alone. Thou art a creature; no worship is due unto thee: to worship before thee (so Luke phrases it, Luk 4:7 ) is to worship thee. This is expressly contrary to the command of God, Deu 6:13 10:20 . It is also observable, that our Saviour opposeth this to the devil’ s words,
Thou shalt worship The term fear applied unto God, signifieth any act of religion, whether external or internal, and though the last words in Deuteronomy, thou shalt swear by his name, be not mentioned in Matthew, yet enough are quoted for our Saviour’ s purpose. Falling down and worshipping belongeth only to God, (saith our Saviour), not to thee; let me therefore hear of thee no more.

Poole: Mat 4:11 - -- Resist the devil, saith James, Jam 4:7 , and he shall flee from you. Thus he did from the Head, thus he shall do from the members: but as he di...
Resist the devil, saith James, Jam 4:7 , and he shall flee from you. Thus he did from the Head, thus he shall do from the members: but as he did not flee from Christ till commanded away, so neither till commanded off by God doth he leave the people of God; but upon our resistance God will command him off, that we may not be tempted above our strength. The evil angels leaving him, the good
angels came and ministered unto him whether by bringing him food, or bringing him off the mount, or otherwise executing his commands, is not expressed, and it is too much curiosity to inquire. God by this teacheth us, that our lives are to have their vicissitudes of temptations and consolations, and that our temptations shall have a happy issue, and that when ordinary means fail we may expect extraordinary influences and assistances. Luke saith, he departed from him for a season, to let us know, that though there was an end of his more eminent temptations, yet he was not afterward without Satan’ s assaults.

Poole: Mat 4:12 - -- John was some time after this cast into prison, for his free reproving Herod Antipas, the tetrarch of Galilee, for taking Herodias his brother Phili...
John was some time after this cast into prison, for his free reproving Herod Antipas, the tetrarch of Galilee, for taking Herodias his brother Philip’ s wife, and other evils, Mat 14:3,4 Mr 6:17 Luk 3:19,20 . Jesus heard of this accident, and
departed into Galilee There were many things happened between Christ’ s temptations and this his motion into Galilee, which are omitted by all the evangelists except John, and by him recorded in his four first chapters. Neither by Galilee must we understand the Nether Galilee, which was within the jurisdiction of Herod, but the Upper Galilee, called Galilee of the Gentiles, Mat 4:15 , in the borders of Zebulun and Naphtali, which was in the jurisdiction of Philip, a man of a less bloody disposition. Others make it under Herod’ s jurisdiction, but where the Pharisees had less to do than in Judea. Our Saviour doth not out of cowardice avoid danger, but he knew his time was not yet come. But some judicious interpreters think that our Saviour first went into the Lower Galilee, and from thence soon after into the Upper Galilee: that which makes this more probable is the next words, And leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum; so as it should seem he first went to Nazareth, which was in the Lower Galilee.

Poole: Mat 4:13 - -- By this (as was said before) it should seem that our Lord first went into the Nether Galilee, where Nazareth was, which after a time he left, and we...
By this (as was said before) it should seem that our Lord first went into the Nether Galilee, where Nazareth was, which after a time he left, and went to Capernaum; which Capernaum was a city near the sea, in the borders of Zebulun and Naphtali, whose lots in the land of Canaan were contiguous, and by the seaside, as appeareth by Jos 19:1-51 .

Poole: Mat 4:14-16 - -- Ver. 14-16. The text in Isa 9:1,2 , where the words are, Nevertheless the dimness shall not be such as was in her vexation, when at the first he lig...
Ver. 14-16. The text in Isa 9:1,2 , where the words are, Nevertheless the dimness shall not be such as was in her vexation, when at the first he lightly afflicted the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, and afterward did more grievously afflict her by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, in Galilee of the nations. The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined. The Jews make a great many objections against the application of this text unto Christ, as indeed they do against the application of all texts cited out of the Old Testament by the evangelists. Christians, believing that the evangelists being holy men, who wrote not from a private spirit private interpretations, have not any reason to regard what their interest leadeth them to object: but even Christian interpreters are divided in their sentiments whether these words are said to be fulfilled, in this motion of Christ unto Galilee, in a literal, or typical, or a more improper and analogical sense; nor is it any great matter with which of them we agree. For my own part, I see no reason why Isa 9:2 should not be literally understood of and applied unto Christ. There is nothing more ordinary in the prophets, than, after a threatening of judgment and captivity unto the people, to comfort such as feared God amongst them with promises of the Messiah, and the spiritual salvation which was to be brought in. The land of Zebulun and Naphtali suffered much by Benhadad, 1Ki 15:20 , and more by Tiglath-pileser, 2Ki 15:29 , before the general captivity of the ten tribes, 2Ki 17:6 . The Lord by the prophet, Isa 8:1-22 , had been threatening this general captivity; possibly the prophet might say the affliction of those parts should not be so great as the second mentioned, 2Ki 15:29 ; because by the story it seems they were generally carried into captivity before the more general destruction of the other tribes there. Saith he, This darkness shall be abundantly hereafter compensated, by the coming of the Messiah, and preaching amongst this people; who living at a great distance from Jerusalem, never had such a light as some other parts of Judea, and first drank of the cup of God’ s wrath in their captivity. It was called
Galilee of the Gentiles because it was near to the men of Tyre, who were Gentiles, and had doubtless in it a greater mixture of Gentiles than any other part of Canaan, ever since Solomon gave Hiram twenty cities in this Galilee, 1Ki 9:11 .
Lightfoot: Mat 4:1 - -- Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.  [He was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be...
Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.  
[He was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted, etc.] the war, proclaimed of old in Eden between the serpent, and the seed of the serpent, and the seed of the woman, Gen 3:15; now takes place; when that promised seed of the woman comes forth into the field (being initiated by baptism, and anointed by the Holy Ghost, unto the public office of his ministry) to fight with that old serpent, and at last to bruise his head. And, since the devil was always a most impudent spirit, now he takes upon him a more hardened boldness than ever, even of waging war with him whom he knew to be the Son of God, because from that ancient proclamation of this war he knew well enough that he should bruise his heel.  
The first scene or field of the combat was the 'desert of Judea,' which Luke intimates, when he saith, that "Jesus returned from Jordan, and that he was led by the Spirit into the wilderness"; that is, from the same coast or region of Jordan in which he had been baptized.  
The time of his temptations was from the middle of the month Tisri to the end of forty days; that is, from the beginning of our month of October to the middle of November, or thereabouts: so that he conflicted with cold, as well as want and Satan.  
The manner of his temptations was twofold. First, invisibly, as the devil is wont to tempt sinners; and this for forty days: while the tempter endeavoured with all his industry to throw in his suggestions, if possible, into the mind of Christ, as he does to mortal men. Which when he could not compass, because he found 'nothing in him' in which such a temptation might fix itself, Joh 14:30; he attempted another way, namely, by appearing to him in a visible shape, and conversing with him, and that in the form of an angel of light. Let the evangelists be compared. Mark saith, "he was tempted forty days": so also doth Luke: but Matthew, that "the tempter came to him after forty days"; that is, in a visible form.  
The matter of his temptations was very like the temptations of Eve. She fell by the "lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life": which are the heads of all sins, 1Jo 2:16.  
By "the lust of the eyes": for "she saw the fruit, that it was pleasant to the sight."  
By "the lust of the flesh": she lusted for it, because "it was desirable to be eaten."  
By "the pride of life"; not contented with the state of perfection wherein she was created, she affected a higher; and she "took of the fruit, and did eat," that she might become wiser by it.  
The same tempter set upon our Saviour with the same stratagems.  
I. As Eve was deceived by mistaking his person, supposing a good angel discoursed with her when it was a bad, so the devil in like manner puts on the good angel here, clothed with light and feigned glory.  
II. He endeavours to ensnare Christ by "the lust of the flesh"; "Command that these stones be made bread": by "the lust of the eye"; "All these things will I give thee, and the glory of them": by "the pride of life"; "'Throw thyself down,' and fly in the air, and be held up by angels."

Lightfoot: Mat 4:5 - -- Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple.  [Upon the pinnacle of the Temple.] Whether...
Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple.  
[Upon the pinnacle of the Temple.] Whether he placed him upon the Temple itself, or upon some building within the holy circuit, it is in vain to seek, because it cannot be found. If it were upon the Temple itself, I should reflect upon the top of the porch of the Temple; if upon some other building, I should reflect upon the royal gallery. The priests were wont sometimes to go up to the top of the Temple, stairs being made for this purpose, and described in the Talmudic book entitled Middoth; and they are said to have ascended hither, "When fire was first put to the Temple, and to have thrown up the keys of the chambers of the Temple towards heaven, with these words; 'O thou eternal Lord, because we are not worthy to keep these keys, to thee they are delivered.' And there came, as it were, the form of a hand out of heaven, and took them from them: and they leaped down, and fell into the fire."  
Above all other parts of the Temple the porch of the Temple; yea, the whole space before it; may not unfitly be called the wing of the Temple; because, like wings; it extended itself in breadth on each side, far beyond the breadth of the Temple: which we take notice of elsewhere.  
If, therefore, the devil had placed Christ in the very precipice of this part of the Temple, he may well be said to have placed him upon the wing of the Temple; both because this part was like a wing to the Temple itself, and that that precipice was the wing of this part.  
But if you suppose him placed upon the royal gallery; look upon it thus painted out by Josephus: "On the south part [of the court of the Gentiles] was the king's gallery; that deserves to be mentioned among the most magnificent things under the sun: for upon a huge depth of a valley, scarcely to be fathomed by the eye of him that stands above, Herod erected a gallery of a vast height; from the top of which if any looked down, he would grow dizzy, his eyes not being able to reach to so vast a depth."

Lightfoot: Mat 4:8 - -- Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and showeth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;  [...
Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and showeth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;  
[Showed him all the kingdoms of the world, etc.] that is, Rome with her empire and state. For, 1. That empire is called all the world; (which word Luke useth in this story), both in sacred and profane writers. 2. At this time all cities were of little account in comparison of Rome, nor did any part of the earth bear any vogue without that empire. 3. Rome was 'the seat of Satan,' Rev 13:2; and he granted to the beast of that city both it and the dominion. 4. This therefore seems to be that whereby he attempts to ensnare our Saviour in this object, namely, that he promiseth to give him the pomp and power of Caesar, and to deliver into his hand the highest empire of the world, that is, the Roman. This, antichrist afterward obtained.

Lightfoot: Mat 4:13 - -- And leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is upon the sea coast, in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim:  [And, lea...
And leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is upon the sea coast, in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim:  
[And, leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt at Capernaum.] Why he left Nazareth after he had passed six or seven-and-twenty years there, the reason appears, Luk 4:28; etc. We do not read that he returned thither again; and so, unhappy Nazareth, thou perishest by thine own folly and perverseness. Whether his father Joseph had any inheritance at Capernaum, which he possessed as his heir, or rather dwelt there in some hired house, we dispute not. This is certainly called his city, Mat 9:1; etc.; and here, as a citizen, he paid the half-shekel, Mat 17:24. Where it is worthy marking what is said by the Jews: How long does a man dwell in some city before he be as one of the citizens? Twelve months. The same is recited again elsewhere. The Jerusalem Gemara thus explains it; "If he tarry in the city thirty days, he becomes as one of the citizens in respect of the alms-chest; if six months, he becomes a citizen in respect of clothing; if twelve months, in respect of tributes and taxes." The Babylonian adds, "if nine months, in respect of burial." That is, if any abide in a city thirty days, they require of him alms for the poor; if six months, he is bound, with the other citizens, to clothe the poor; if nine months, to bury the dead poor; if twelve months, he is bound to undergo all other taxes with the rest of the citizens.
PBC -> Mat 4:1
PBC: Mat 4:1 - -- Jesus was led up of the Spirit into the wilderness. Mt 4:1 The Divine Person of the Holy Spirit had the right to direct and lead the Lord Jesus, and t...
Jesus was led up of the Spirit into the wilderness. Mt 4:1 The Divine Person of the Holy Spirit had the right to direct and lead the Lord Jesus, and to Whom Jesus submitted. In Joh 3:8, Jesus speaks of the Spirit’s sovereignty when He used the analogy between the wind and the operations of the Holy Spirit in regenerating the elected objects of His love.
See PBtop: THE DEITY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT A Brief Study
Haydock: Mat 4:1 - -- Jesus Christ was led by the Holy Ghost, immediately after his baptism, into the desert,[1] to prepare, by fasting and prayer, for his public ministry,...
Jesus Christ was led by the Holy Ghost, immediately after his baptism, into the desert,[1] to prepare, by fasting and prayer, for his public ministry, and to merit for us by his victory over the enemy of our salvation, force to conquer him also ourselves. By this conduct, he teaches all that were to be in future times called to his ministry, how they are to retire into solitude, in order to converse with God in prayer, and draw down the blessing of heaven upon themselves and their undertaking. What treasures of grace might we expect, if, as often as we receive any of the sacraments, we were to retire within ourselves, and shut out, for a time, the world and its cares. Then should we come prepared to withstand temptation, and should experience the divine assistance in every difficulty through life. The life of man is a warfare on earth. It was not given us, says St. Hilary, to spend it in indolence, but to wage a continual war against our spiritual enemies. In the greatest sanctity there are often the greatest and most incessant trials; for Satan wishes nothing so much as the fall of the saints. (Haydock) ---
By these trials, we learn the strength we have received from above, we are preserved from self-complacency and pride in the gifts of heaven; we confirm the renunciation we made in baptism of the devil, and all his works and pomps; we become stronger, and better prepared for future attacks, and are feelingly convinced of the dignity to which we have been raised, and of which the enemy of souls endeavours all he can to deprive us. St. John Chrysostom hom. xiii. Both St. John the Baptist and our divine Master, by retiring into the wilderness for contemplation, prayer, fasting and suffering, have given a sanction and an example to those holy men called hermits, who have taken shelter in their sanctified retreats against the dangers of the world. (Bristow)
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[BIBLIOGRAPHY]
St. Mark (chap. i, ver. 13) tells us, Christ was with wild beasts, eratque cum bestiis, Greek: meta ton therion.

Haydock: Mat 4:2 - -- Jesus wished to manifest a certain corporeal weakness, arising from his continued fast, that the devil might venture to tempt him; and after a fast of...
Jesus wished to manifest a certain corporeal weakness, arising from his continued fast, that the devil might venture to tempt him; and after a fast of 40 days and 40 nights he was hungry. (Haydock) ---
Christ was well acquainted with the thoughts of the wicked fiend, and his great desire of tempting or trying him. The devil had learnt that he was come into the world from the songs of the angels at his birth, and from the mouth of the shepherds and of St. John the Baptist. To fast 40 days without being hungry, was certainly far above the strength of man, but to be hungry at any time is inconsistent with God; for which reason our blessed Saviour, that he might not manifestly declare his divinity, was afterwards hungry. (St. Hilary) ---
On this example, as well as that of Moses and Elias, who also fasted 40 days, the fast of Lent was instituted by the apostles, and is of necessity to be observed according to the general consent of the ancient Fathers. St. Jerome (ep. liv. ad Marcel.) says, we fast 40 days, or make one Lent in a year, according to the tradition of the apostles. St. Augustine (serm. lxix.) says, by the due observance of Lent, the wicked are separated from the good, infidels from Christians, heretics from Catholics. Our Saviour fasted 40 days, not because he stood in need of it, as we do, to subject the unruly members of the body, which lust against the spirit, but to set an example for our imitation. (Haydock) ---
Another reason might be, to prevent the captious remarks of the Jews, who might object that he had not yet done what the founder of their law, Moses, and after him Elias, had done. (Palacius in Mat.)

Haydock: Mat 4:3 - -- "And the tempter coming," Greek: O peirazon, who looked upon this hunger as a favourable moment to tempt him, and to discover if he were truly the S...
"And the tempter coming," Greek: O peirazon, who looked upon this hunger as a favourable moment to tempt him, and to discover if he were truly the Son of God, as was declared at his baptism, desired Jesus to change by a miracle the stones into bread, to appease his hunger and to recover his strength. (Haydock) ---
By this we are taught, that amidst our greatest austerities and fasts, we are never free from temptation. But if your fasts, says St. Gregory, do not free you entirely from temptations, they will at least give you strength not to be overcome by them. (St. Thomas Aquinas.) The tempter is supposed to have appeared in a human form, and the whole temptation to have been merely external, like that which took place with our first parents in Paradise. It would have been beneath the perfection of Christ, to have allowed the devil the power of suggesting wicked thoughts to his mind. (Jansenius. p. 107) Had Jesus Christ converted the stones into bread, the devil, according to St. Jerome, would have thence inferred that he was God. But it was Christ's intention to overcome the proud fiend rather by humility than power. (St. Thomas Aquinas) Thus, if the first Adam fell from God by pride, the second Adam has effectually taught us how to overcome the devil by humility. (Haydock)

Haydock: Mat 4:4 - -- Man liveth not by bread only. The words were spoken of the manna. (Deuteronomy viii. 3.) The sense in this place is, that man's life may be suppor...
Man liveth not by bread only. The words were spoken of the manna. (Deuteronomy viii. 3.) The sense in this place is, that man's life may be supported by any thing, or in any manner, as it pleaseth God. (Witham) ---
St. Gregory upon this passage says: if our divine Redeemer, when tempted by the devil, answered in so mild a manner, when he could have buried the wicked tempter in the bottom of hell, out not man, when he suffers any thing from his fellow man, rather to improve it to his advantage, than to resent it to his own ruin. Man consists of soul and body; his body is supported by bread, his soul by the word of God; hence the saying, "Lex est cibus animæ." (Mat. Polus.)

Haydock: Mat 4:5 - -- In the text of St. Luke this temptation is the third: but most commentators follow the order of St. Matthew. In Palestine, all buildings had a flat ...
In the text of St. Luke this temptation is the third: but most commentators follow the order of St. Matthew. In Palestine, all buildings had a flat roof, with a balustrade or a parapet. It was probably upon the parapet that the devil conveyed Jesus. The three temptations comprise the three principal sources of sin: 1. sensuality; 2. pride; and 3. concupiscence. 1st epistle John ii. 16. We may hope to conquer the first by fasting and confidence in divine Providence; the second by humility; the third by despising all sublunary things, as unworthy of a Christian's solicitude. (Haydock) ---
the devil took him, &c.[2] If we ask in what manner this was done, St. Gregory answers, that Christ might permit himself to be taken up, and transported, and nailed to a cross by wicked men, who are members of the devil. Others think the devil only conducted him from place to place. The text of St. Luke favours this exposition, when it is said, the devil led him to Jerusalem, to a high mountain, &c. (Witham)
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[BIBLIOGRAPHY]
Assumpsit, Greek: paralambanei. statuit eum, Greek: istesin. St. Gregory, hom. 16. in Evang. t. 1. page. 1492. Ed. Ben. Quid mirum si se ab illo permisit in montem duci, qui se pertulit etiam a membris illius crucifigi?
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Haydock: Mat 4:6 - -- Heretics, says St. Augustine, quote Scriptures, as the devil does here, in a wrong and forced sense; the Church cites them, like Jesus Christ, in thei...
Heretics, says St. Augustine, quote Scriptures, as the devil does here, in a wrong and forced sense; the Church cites them, like Jesus Christ, in their true sense, and to confute their falsehood. (Cont. lit. Petil. lib. ii. chap. 51.) It is on this account, that the Catholic Church wishes persons who come to the study of the most mysterious and difficult book ever published, should bring with them some preparation of mind and heart; convinced that the abuse of the strongest and best food may be converted into deadly poison. The promoters of Bible societies have published in Ireland a tract to encourage the universal perusal of the Scriptures, as the sole rule of faith. In this they give not only a mutilated and corrupt version of the letter of his late Holiness Pius VI. to the now archbishop of Florence, (to be seen at the head of this edition of the Bible) but certain letters from German Jansenists, who are described as being good Catholics. (Haydock)

Haydock: Mat 4:8 - -- Shewed him all the kingdoms of the world, and their glory; and as St. Luke says, in a moment of time. We cannot comprehend how this could be done ...
Shewed him all the kingdoms of the world, and their glory; and as St. Luke says, in a moment of time. We cannot comprehend how this could be done from any mountain, or seen with human eyes. Therefore many think it was by some kind of representation; or that the devil shewing a part, by words set forth the rest. (Witham) ---
He shewed him the different climates in which each country was situated. (St. John Chrysostom)

Haydock: Mat 4:9 - -- All these will I give thee. The father of lies here promised what was not his to give. For though he be called the prince of this world, (John xii....
All these will I give thee. The father of lies here promised what was not his to give. For though he be called the prince of this world, (John xii. 31,) meaning of the wicked, who wilfully make themselves his slaves; yet so restrained is the devil's power, that he could not go into the swine till Christ permitted it. (Matthew viii. 31.) (Witham) ---
What arrogance! what pride! The devil promises earthly kingdoms, whilst Jesus promises a heavenly kingdom to his followers. (St. Remigius) Behold the pride of this heart; as he formerly wished to make himself God, so now he wishes to assume to himself divine honours. (St. Thomas Aquinas)

Haydock: Mat 4:10 - -- Jesus Christ does not here cite the words, but the substance of the text. (Deuteronomy v. 7. and 9; vi. 13; x. 20.) ---
It is remarkable that our Lo...
Jesus Christ does not here cite the words, but the substance of the text. (Deuteronomy v. 7. and 9; vi. 13; x. 20.) ---
It is remarkable that our Lord bore with the pride and insolence of the devil, till he assumed to himself the honour due to God alone. (St. John Chrysostom)

Haydock: Mat 4:11 - -- Then the devil having exhausted all his artifices, left hem for a time, as St. Luke remarks; whence we are to learn, that after we have resisted with ...
Then the devil having exhausted all his artifices, left hem for a time, as St. Luke remarks; whence we are to learn, that after we have resisted with success, we are not to think ourselves secure, but avail ourselves of the truce to return thank to God for the victory, and to prepare for fresh combats, especially by fortifying ourselves with the bread of angels in the holy communion. by example he has taught us how to fight and to conquer. The struggle may be painful; but angels, as well as God, witness our struggle, ready to crown our victory. (Haydock)

Haydock: Mat 4:12 - -- Jesus then left the wilderness, and passed a few day on the banks of the Jordan, affording his holy precursor an opportunity of bearing repeated testi...
Jesus then left the wilderness, and passed a few day on the banks of the Jordan, affording his holy precursor an opportunity of bearing repeated testimony of him and of his divine mission, as we read in the first chap. of St. John, and then retired into Upper Galilee to avoid the fury of the Jews. There were two Galilees, that of the Jews and that of the Gentiles; this latter was given by the king of Tyre to king Solomon. (St. Jerome) This conduct of Jesus Christ, shews that on some occasions it is not only lawful, but advisable, to flee from persecution. (St. John Chrysostom) ---
Jesus Christ enters more publicly on his mission, and about to occupy the place of his precursor, the baptist, he chooses Galilee for the first theatre of his ministry, the place assigned by the ancient prophets. The Pharisees had prevailed upon Herod to arrest the baptist, nor could their hatred be less to Jesus Christ, who drew a still greater concourse of disciples after him.

Haydock: Mat 4:13 - -- Nazareth was situated in Lower Galilee; and Capharnaum, a maritime town, in Higher Galilee. According to the historian, Josephus, it did not belong t...
Nazareth was situated in Lower Galilee; and Capharnaum, a maritime town, in Higher Galilee. According to the historian, Josephus, it did not belong to Herod, the tetrarch, who sent the baptist to confinement, but to Philip, the tetrarch, his brother. (Calmet) ---
He leaves Nazareth for good and all, and retires to Capharnaum, a very flourishing and much frequented emporium, both for the Jews and Gentiles. Here he makes his chief residence, a place well calculated for his preaching, being on the limits of both Galilee, although he made frequent excursions through Galilee to disseminate his doctrines. (Syn. crit.)
Gill: Mat 4:1 - -- Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit,.... The Evangelist having finished his account of John the Baptist, the forerunner of Christ; of his ministry and...
Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit,.... The Evangelist having finished his account of John the Baptist, the forerunner of Christ; of his ministry and baptism; and particularly of the baptism of Christ; when the Holy Ghost came down upon him in a visible and eminent manner; whereby he was anointed for his public work, according to Isa 61:1 proceeds to give a narration of his temptations by Satan, which immediately followed his baptism; and of those conflicts he had with the enemy of mankind before he entered on his public ministry. The occasion, nature, and success of these temptations are here related. The occasion of them, or the opportunity given to the tempter, is spoken of in this and the following verse. In this may be observed the action of the Spirit in and upon Christ; he
was led of the Spirit: by "the Spirit" is meant the same spirit of God, which had descended and lighted on him in a bodily shape, with the gifts and graces of which he was anointed, in an extraordinary manner, for public service; of which he was "full", Luk 4:1 not but that he was endowed with the Holy Ghost before which he received without measure from his Father; but now this more eminently and manifestly appeared and by this Spirit was he led; both the Syriac and the Persic versions read, "by the holy Spirit". Being "led" by him, denotes an internal impulse of the Spirit in him, stirring him up, and putting him upon going into the wilderness: and this impulse being very strong and vehement, another Evangelist thus expresses it; "the Spirit driveth him,
to be tempted of the devil: by "the devil" is meant "Satan" the prince of devils, the enemy of mankind, the old serpent, who has his name here from accusing and calumniating; so the Syriac calls him

Gill: Mat 4:2 - -- And when he had fasted forty days..... As Moses did, when he was about to deliver the law to the Israelites, Exo 34:28 and as Elijah did, when he bore...
And when he had fasted forty days..... As Moses did, when he was about to deliver the law to the Israelites, Exo 34:28 and as Elijah did, when he bore his testimony for the Lord of hosts, 1Ki 19:8 so did Christ, when he was about to publish the Gospel of his grace, and bear witness to the truth. "Forty nights" as well as days, are mentioned; partly to show that these were whole entire days, consisting of twenty four hours; and partly to distinguish this fast of Christ from the common fastings of the Jews, who used to eat in the night, though they fasted in the day: for according to their canons z, they might eat and drink as soon as it was dark, and that till cock crowing; and others say, till break of day. Maimonides a says, they might eat and drink at night, in all fasts, except the ninth of Ab. What is very surprising in this fasting of our Lord, which was made and recorded, not for our imitation, is, that during the whole time he should not be attended with hunger; for it is added,
he was afterwards an hungered; that is, as Luke says, "when" the "forty" days "were ended", Luk 4:2 which seized upon him, and is related, both to express the reality of his human nature, which though miraculously supported for so long a time without food, and insensible of hunger, yet at length had appetite for food; and also that very advantageous opportunity Satan had to attack him in the manner he did, with his first temptation.

Gill: Mat 4:3 - -- And when the tempter came to him..... By "the tempter", is meant the devil, see 1Th 3:5 so called, because it is his principal work and business, in w...
And when the tempter came to him..... By "the tempter", is meant the devil, see 1Th 3:5 so called, because it is his principal work and business, in which he employs himself, to solicit men to sin; and tempt them either to deny, or call in question the being of God, arraign his perfections, murmur at his providences, and disbelieve his promises. When he is here said to come to Christ at the end of forty days and nights, we are not to suppose, that he now first began to tempt him; for the other Evangelists expressly say, that he was tempted of him forty days, Mar 1:13 but he now appeared openly, and in a visible shape: all the forty days and nights before, he had been tempting him secretly and inwardly; suggesting things suitable to, and taking the advantage of the solitary and desolate condition he was in. But finding these suggestions and temptations unsuccessful, and observing him to be an hungered, he puts on a visible form, and with an articulate, audible voice, he said,
if thou be the Son of God; either doubting of his divine sonship, calling it in question, and putting him upon doing so too; wherefore it is no wonder that the children of God should be assaulted with the like temptation: or else arguing from it, "if", or "seeing thou art the Son of God"; for he must know that he was, by the voice which came from heaven, and declared it: and certain it is, that the devils both knew, and were obliged to confess that Jesus was the Son of God, Luk 4:41 by which is meant, not a good, or righteous man, or one dear to God, and in an office; but a divine person, one possessed of almighty power; and therefore, as a proof and demonstration of it, be urges him to
command that these stones be made bread, pointing to some which lay hard by;

Gill: Mat 4:4 - -- But he answered and said, it is written,.... The passage referred to, and cited, is in Deu 8:3 the manner of citing it is what was common and usual wi...
But he answered and said, it is written,.... The passage referred to, and cited, is in Deu 8:3 the manner of citing it is what was common and usual with the Jews; and is often to be met with in the Talmudic writings; who, when they produce any passage of scripture, say

Gill: Mat 4:5 - -- Then the devil taketh him up,.... This was done, not in a visionary way, but really and truly: Satan, by divine permission, and with the consent of Ch...
Then the devil taketh him up,.... This was done, not in a visionary way, but really and truly: Satan, by divine permission, and with the consent of Christ, which shows his great humiliation and condescension, had power over his body, to move it from place to place; in some such like manner as the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, Act 8:39 he took him up, raised him above ground, and carried him through the air, "into, the holy city": this was Jerusalem; for Luke expressly says,
he brought him to Jerusalem, Luk 4:9 called so, because of the presence, worship, and service of God, which had been in it, though then in a great measure gone; and according to the common notions of the Jews, who say b Jerusalem was more holy than any other cities in the land, and that because of the Shekinah. The inscription on one side of their shekels was
and setteth him upon a pinnacle, or "wing of the temple". In this place d the Jews set James, the brother of Christ, and from it cast him down headlong: this was the

Gill: Mat 4:6 - -- And saith unto him, if thou be the Son of God,.... He addresses him after the same manner as before; if, or seeing,
thou art the Son of God, show t...
And saith unto him, if thou be the Son of God,.... He addresses him after the same manner as before; if, or seeing,
thou art the Son of God, show thyself to be so; give proof of thy sonship before all the priests which are in and about the temple, and before all the inhabitants of Jerusalem;
cast thyself down that is, from the pinnacle of the temple: for since thou art the Son of God, no hurt will come to thee; thou wilt be in the utmost safety; and this will at once be a full demonstration to all the people, that thou art the Son of God: for hither Satan brought him, hoping to have got an advantage of him publicly; otherwise, had his view only been to have got him to cast himself down from any place of eminence, and so to have destroyed himself, he might have set him upon any other precipice; but he chose to have it done in the sight of the people, and in the holy city, and holy place. Let it be observed, that Satan did not offer to cast him down himself; for this was not in his power, nor within his permission, which reached only to tempt; and besides, would not have answered his end; for that would have been his own sin, and not Christ's: accordingly, we may observe, that when he seeks the lives of men, he does not attempt to destroy them himself, but always puts them upon doing it. To proceed, Satan not only argues from his divine power, as the Son of God, that he would be safe in casting himself down; but observing the advantageous use Christ made of the scriptures, transforms himself into an angel of light, and cites scripture too, to encourage him to this action; assuring him of the protection of angels. The passage cited is Psa 91:11 which expresses God's tender care and concern for his people, in charging the angels with the guardianship and preservation of them, in all their ways, that they might be secured from sin and danger. It does not appear that Satan was wrong in the application of this passage to Christ; for since it respects all the righteous in general, why not Christ as man? the head, as well as the members? And certain it is, that angels had the charge of him, did watch over him, and were a guard about him; the angels of God ascended, and descended on him; they were employed in preserving him from Herod's malice in his infancy; they ministered to him here in the wilderness, and attended him in his agony in the garden: but what Satan failed in, and that wilfully, and wickedly, was, in omitting that part of it,
to keep thee in all thy ways; which he saw was contrary to his purpose, and would have spoiled his design at once; and also in urging this passage, which only regards godly persons, in the way of their duty, to countenance actions which are out of the way of a man's calling, or which he is not called unto; and which are contrary to religion, and a tempting God. Satan before tempted Christ to distrust the providence of God, and now he tempts him to presume upon it: in like manner he deals with men, when he argues from the doctrines of predestination and providence to the disuse of means, for their good, either for this life, or that which is to come; and if he tempted the Son of God to destroy himself, it is no wonder that the saints should be sometimes harassed with this temptation.

Gill: Mat 4:7 - -- Jesus saith unto him, it is written again,.... Christ takes no notice of the false and wrong citation of scripture made by the devil, nor of any misap...
Jesus saith unto him, it is written again,.... Christ takes no notice of the false and wrong citation of scripture made by the devil, nor of any misapplication of it; but mildly replies, by opposing another passage of scripture to him, Deu 6:16
ye shall not tempt the Lord your God, thereby tacitly showing, that he had produced scripture to a very wrong purpose, since that could never contradict itself; and also, that for a person to neglect the ordinary means of safety, and to expect, that as God can, so he will, preserve without the use of such means, is a tempting him. The Hebrew word

Gill: Mat 4:8 - -- Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain,.... That is, he took him off from the pinnacle of the temple, and carried him through ...
Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain,.... That is, he took him off from the pinnacle of the temple, and carried him through the air, to one of the mountains which were round about Jerusalem; or to some very high mountain at a greater distance; but what mountain is not certain; nor can it be known; nor is it of any moment; it has been said g to be Mount Lebanon: here he
sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and glory of them. By "all the kingdoms of the world" are meant, not only the Roman empire, as Dr. Lightfoot thinks, though that was, to he sure, the greatest in the world at that time; but all the kingdoms in the whole world, which subsisted in any form, whether within, or independent of the Roman empire; or whether greater or lesser: and by "the glory of them", is meant, the riches, pomp, power, and grandeur of them. Now the view which Satan gave Christ of all this, was not by a representation of them in a picture, or in a map, or in any geographical tables, as h some have thought; since to do this there was no need to take him up into a mountain, and that an exceeding high one; for this might have been done in a valley, as well as in a mountain: and yet it could not be a true and real sight of these things he gave him; for there is no mountain in the world, from whence can be beheld anyone kingdom, much less all the kingdoms of the world; and still less the riches, glory, pomp, and power of them: but this was a fictitious, delusive representation, which Satan was permitted to make; to cover which, and that it might be thought to be real, he took Christ into an high mountain; where he proposed an object externally to his sight, and internally to his imagination, which represented, in appearance, the whole world, and all its glory. Xiphilinus i reports of Severus, that he dreamed, he was had by a certain person, to a place where he could look all around him, and from thence he beheld
in a moment of time, in the twinkling of an eye; as these two phrases are joined together, 1Co 15:52 or "in a point of time". The word

Gill: Mat 4:9 - -- And saith unto him, all these things will I give thee.... This is more fully and strongly expressed by the Evangelist Luke. Luk 4:6.
And the devil ...
And saith unto him, all these things will I give thee.... This is more fully and strongly expressed by the Evangelist Luke. Luk 4:6.
And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me, and to whomsoever I will, I give it--all shall be thine. In which words he sets up himself to be the God of this world, and the sovereign disposer of it: he pretends it was delivered to him by the true God, who had left it to his arbitrary disposal; and that he could invest Christ with the power and government of it, and put him in possession of all its glory, and make good and support his title to it, and interest in it. Never was such monstrous arrogance expressed as this; when this poor, proud, wretched creature, has not the disposal, at his pleasure, of anyone single thing; no not the least in the whole universe. He could not touch, neither Job's person, nor any of his substance, without divine permission; nor enter into an herd of swine without Christ's leave; and yet had the front to make an offer of the whole world, as if he had a despotic power over it; and that upon this horrid and blasphemous condition,
if thou wilt fall down and worship me. This was the highest degree of effrontery and impudence. The devil is not content to be worshipped by men, but seeks for adoration from the Son of God: this opens at once his proud, ambitious, and aspiring views, to be as God himself; for with nothing less can he be satisfied.

Gill: Mat 4:10 - -- Then saith Jesus to him, get thee hence, Satan..... In Luk 4:8 it is "get thee behind me": and so some copies read here, and is expressive of indignat...
Then saith Jesus to him, get thee hence, Satan..... In Luk 4:8 it is "get thee behind me": and so some copies read here, and is expressive of indignation and abhorrence; see Mat 16:23 rebuking his impudence, and detesting his impiety: he had borne his insults and temptations with great patience; he had answered him with mildness and gentleness; but now his behaviour to him was intolerable, which obliged him to show his resentment, exert his power and authority, and rid himself at once of so vile a creature; giving this reason for it;
for it is written, thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. The place referred to is in Deu 6:13
thou shalt fear the Lord thy God, and serve him: to fear the Lord, and to worship him, is the same thing. Worship includes both an internal and external reverence of God: the word "only" is not in the original text, but is added by our Lord; and that very justly; partly to express the emphasis which is on the word "him"; and in perfect agreement with the context, which requires it; since it follows,
ye shall not go after other Gods. Moreover, not to take notice of the Septuagint version, in which the word "only" is also added, Josephus q, the Jewish historian, referring to this law, says, because God is one,
and thou shalt swear by his name, uses the word "only"; and which indeed, of right, belongs to every clause in it. The meaning of our Lord in citing it is; that since the Lord God is the alone object of worship, it was horrid blasphemy in Satan to desire it might be given to him, and which could not be done without the greatest impiety.

Gill: Mat 4:11 - -- Then the devil leaveth him,.... In Luk 4:13 it says,
when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season, or until a sea...
Then the devil leaveth him,.... In Luk 4:13 it says,
when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season, or until a season. That is, having tempted him with all sorts of temptations, and tried him every way to no purpose; having gone through, and finished the whole scheme and course of temptations he had devised, without success; and having orders from Christ to depart, which he was obliged to obey, leaves him for a while, till another opportunity of tempting him in some other way should offer; or till the time came, when he should be so far able to get the advantage of him, as to bruise his heel, or bring him to the dust of death; see Joh 14:30 and when he was gone, better company came in his room;
behold, angels came and ministered to him. They came to him in a visible, human form, as they were used to do under the Old Testament dispensation, and that after the temptation was over; after Satan was foiled, and was gone; that it might appear that Christ alone had got the victory over him, without any help or assistance from them. When they were come, they "ministered to him"; that is, they brought him food of their own preparing and dressing, as they formerly did to Elijah, 1Ki 19:5 to satisfy his hunger, and refresh his animal spirits; which had underwent a very great fatigue during this length of time, in which he fasted, and was tempted by Satan. Thus, as the angels are ministring spirits to the heirs of salvation, both in a temporal and in a spiritual sense, Heb 1:14 so they were to Christ. Nothing is more frequent with the Jews than to call the angels

Gill: Mat 4:12 - -- Now, when Jesus had heard that John was cast into prison,.... John was cast into prison by Herod; the reason of it may be seen in Mat 14:3. The prison...
Now, when Jesus had heard that John was cast into prison,.... John was cast into prison by Herod; the reason of it may be seen in Mat 14:3. The prison into which he was cast, according to Josephus s, was the castle of Machaeras: here he continued some time before he was put to death; for from hence he sent two disciples to Jesus, to know if he was the Messiah, Mat 11:2. Now when Jesus heard of this his imprisonment,
he departed into Galilee; not so much on account of safety, or for fear of Herod, but to call his disciples, who lived in that country.

Gill: Mat 4:13 - -- And leaving Nazareth,.... Where he was educated, and had lived many years together; and where he preached first to the good liking of the people, who
...
And leaving Nazareth,.... Where he was educated, and had lived many years together; and where he preached first to the good liking of the people, who
wondered at the gracious words that proceeded out of his mouth: though afterwards they were so much displeased with him, that they thrust him out of their city; and intended to have destroyed him, by casting him down headlong from the brow of an hill; and which seems to be the reason of his leaving this city; see Luk 4:16
he came and dwelt in Capernaum a city of Galilee. Luk 4:31
which is upon the sea-coast by the sea of Tiberias, or Genesareth
in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim: it bordered on both these tribes; it signifies "the village of consolation" t; and so it was, whilst the consolation of Israel dwelt there. The Jews speak very evilly of it: no doubt because it was the dwelling place of Christ; and because there might be some in it who believed in him: they represent the inhabitants of it as very great sinners, heretics, and dealers in magic art. Chanina, the brother's son of R. Joshua, they say u, went to Capernaum, and the heretics did something to him; according to the gloss, they bewitched him: and elsewhere w explaining the words in Ecc 7:26
Who so pleaseth God,....; this, they say, is Chananiah, the brother's son of R. Joshua; and "the sinner"; these are the "children", or inhabitants of Capernaum. Thus they show their spite against the very place in which Christ dwelt.

Gill: Mat 4:14-15 - -- That it might be fulfilled which was spoken,.... Christ's dwelling in Capernaum accomplished a prophecy of the prophet Isa 9:1 and he went and dwelt t...
That it might be fulfilled which was spoken,.... Christ's dwelling in Capernaum accomplished a prophecy of the prophet Isa 9:1 and he went and dwelt there, that it might be fulfilled which he had spoken: the meaning of which prophecy is x, that as those parts of the land of Israel, there mentioned, had suffered much by Tiglathpileser, who had carried them captive, 2Ki 15:29 and is "the vexation" referred to; so they should be honoured, and made very glorious, by the presence and conversation of the Messiah among them, and which now had its literal fulfilment: for Christ now came and dwelt in Capernaum, which lay between the lands and upon the borders both of Zabulon and Nephthalim; was situated by the sea of Tiberias, beyond Jordan, and in, "Galilee of the nations"; the upper Galilee, which had in it people of other nations besides Jews. The ancient Jews expected the Messiah to make his first appearance in Galilee; which expectation must be grounded on this prophecy; for so they say y expressly,
"the king Messiah shall be revealed
And in another place z explaining Isa 2:19 they paraphrase it thus,
""for fear of the Lord"; this is the indignation of the whole world: and for the "glory of his majesty"; this is the Messiah; when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth, when he shall arise and be revealed
Here Jesus, the true Messiah, made his first appearance publicly; here he called his disciples, and began his ministry.

expand allCommentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes




NET Notes: Mat 4:5 The highest point of the temple probably refers to the point on the temple’s southeast corner where it looms directly over a cliff some 450 ft (...




NET Notes: Mat 4:9 Grk “if, falling down, you will worship.” BDAG 815 s.v. πίπτω 1.b.α.ב has “fall down, throw ones...

NET Notes: Mat 4:10 A quotation from Deut 6:13. The word “only” is an interpretive expansion not found in either the Hebrew or Greek (LXX) text of the OT.

NET Notes: Mat 4:11 Grk “and behold, angels.” The Greek word ἰδού (idou) has not been translated because it has no exact English equivale...



Geneva Bible: Mat 4:1 Then was ( 1 ) Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.
( 1 ) Christ is tempted in all manner of ways, and still ov...

Geneva Bible: Mat 4:2 And when he had fasted ( a ) forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.
( a ) A full forty days.

Geneva Bible: Mat 4:5 Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a ( b ) pinnacle of the temple,
( b ) The battlement which encompassed the flat r...

Geneva Bible: Mat 4:7 Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not ( c ) tempt the Lord thy God.
( c ) Literally, "Thou shalt not go on still in tempting."

Geneva Bible: Mat 4:12 ( 2 ) Now when Jesus had heard that John was cast into prison, he departed into Galilee;
( 2 ) When the Herald's mouth is stopped, the Lord reveals h...

Geneva Bible: Mat 4:13 And leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in ( d ) Capernaum, which is upon the sea coast, in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim:
( d ) Which was a ...

expand allCommentary -- Verse Range Notes
TSK Synopsis -> Mat 4:1-25
TSK Synopsis: Mat 4:1-25 - --1 Christ, fasting forty days, is tempted of the devil and ministered unto by angels.12 He dwells in Capernaum;17 begins to preach;18 calls Peter and A...
Maclaren -> Mat 4:1-11; Mat 4:12-16
Maclaren: Mat 4:1-11 - --The Victory Of The King
Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. 2. And when He had fasted forty days and ...

Maclaren: Mat 4:12-16 - --The Springing Of The Great Light
Now when Jesus had heard that John was cast into prison, He departed into Galilee; 13. And leaving Nazareth, He came...
MHCC -> Mat 4:1-11; Mat 4:12-17
MHCC: Mat 4:1-11 - --Concerning Christ's temptation, observe, that directly after he was declared to be the Son of God, and the Saviour of the world, he was tempted; great...

MHCC: Mat 4:12-17 - --It is just with God to take the gospel and the means of grace, from those that slight them and thrust them away. Christ will not stay long where he is...
Matthew Henry -> Mat 4:1-11; Mat 4:12-17
Matthew Henry: Mat 4:1-11 - -- We have here the story of a famous duel, fought hand to hand, between Michael and the dragon, the Seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent, nay...

Matthew Henry: Mat 4:12-17 - -- We have here an account of Christ's preaching in the synagogues of Galilee, for he came into the world to be a Preacher; the great salvation which h...
Barclay: Mat 4:1-11 - --Step by step Matthew unfolds the story of Jesus. He begins by showing us how Jesus was born into this world. He goes on to show us, at least by imp...

Barclay: Mat 4:1-11 - --There is one thing which we must carefully note right at the beginning of our study of the temptations of Jesus, and that is the meaning of the word ...

Barclay: Mat 4:1-11 - --There are certain further things we must note before we proceed to detailed study of the story of the temptations.
(i) All three gospel writers seem t...

Barclay: Mat 4:1-11 - --The tempter launched his attack against Jesus along three lines, and in every one of them there was a certain inevitability.
(i) There was the tempta...

Barclay: Mat 4:12-17 - --Before very long disaster came to John. He was arrested and imprisoned in the dungeons of the Castle of Machaerus by Herod the king. His crime was t...

Barclay: Mat 4:12-17 - --Before we leave this passage there are certain other things which we must note.
It was to the town of Capernaum that Jesus went. The correct form of ...
Constable: Mat 1:1--4:12 - --I. The introduction of the King 1:1--4:11
"Fundamentally, the purpose of this first part is to introduce the rea...

Constable: Mat 3:1--4:12 - --D. The King's preparation 3:1-4:11
Matthew passed over Jesus' childhood quickly to relate His preparatio...

Constable: Mat 4:1-11 - --3. Jesus' temptation 4:1-11 (cf. Mark 1:12-13; Luke 4:1-13)
Jesus' genealogy and virgin birth prove His legal human qualification as Israel's King. Hi...

Constable: Mat 4:12-25 - --A. The beginning of Jesus' ministry 4:12-25
Matthew gave much prominence to Jesus' teachings in his Gosp...

Constable: Mat 4:12-16 - --1. The setting of Jesus' ministry 4:12-16
Comparison of John's Gospel and Matthew's shows that Jesus ministered for about a year before John the Bapti...
College -> Mat 4:1-25
College: Mat 4:1-25 - --MATTHEW 4
F. THE TESTING OF THE SON (4:1-11)
1 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. 2 After fasting forty da...
McGarvey: Mat 4:1-11 - --
XIX.
JESUS TEMPTED IN THE WILDERNESS.
aMATT. IV. 1-11; bMARK I. 12, 13; cLUKE IV. 1-13.
c1 And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, ret...

McGarvey: Mat 4:12 - --
XXVI.
JESUS SETS OUT FROM JUDÆA FOR GALILEE.
Subdivision A.
REASONS FOR RETIRING TO GALILEE.
aMATT. IV. 12; bMARK I. 14; cLUKE III. 19, 20; dJOHN I...

McGarvey: Mat 4:13-16 - --
XXIX.
JESUS' TEMPORARY RESIDENCE AT CAPERNAUM.
aMATT. IV. 13-16.
a13 And leaving Nazareth [This expression means that Jesus now ce...
Lapide -> Mat 4:1-25; Mat 4:14-25
Lapide: Mat 4:1-25 - --CHAPTER 4
By the devil. Syriac, by the accuser, Gr. διάβολος, accuser, calumniator. For Satan is he who accuses men before God perpetually...

Lapide: Mat 4:14-25 - --The people that sat in darkness, &c. I have expounded this prophecy at length in Isa 9:1: which see.
From that time Jesus began, &c. This was the sum...

expand allCommentary -- Other
Critics Ask: Mat 4:5 MATTHEW 4:5-10 (cf. Luke 4:5-12 )—Is there a mistake in recording the wilderness temptation of Christ by Matthew or Luke? PROBLEM: According to...

Critics Ask: Mat 4:6 MATTHEW 4:5-10 (cf. Luke 4:5-12 )—Is there a mistake in recording the wilderness temptation of Christ by Matthew or Luke? PROBLEM: According to...

Critics Ask: Mat 4:7 MATTHEW 4:5-10 (cf. Luke 4:5-12 )—Is there a mistake in recording the wilderness temptation of Christ by Matthew or Luke? PROBLEM: According to...

Critics Ask: Mat 4:8 MATTHEW 4:5-10 (cf. Luke 4:5-12 )—Is there a mistake in recording the wilderness temptation of Christ by Matthew or Luke? PROBLEM: According to...

Critics Ask: Mat 4:9 MATTHEW 4:5-10 (cf. Luke 4:5-12 )—Is there a mistake in recording the wilderness temptation of Christ by Matthew or Luke? PROBLEM: According to...

Critics Ask: Mat 4:10 MATTHEW 4:5-10 (cf. Luke 4:5-12 )—Is there a mistake in recording the wilderness temptation of Christ by Matthew or Luke? PROBLEM: According to...

Critics Ask: Mat 4:14 MATTHEW 4:14-16 —Why does Matthew incorrectly quote Isaiah? PROBLEM: Matthew does not seem to quote Isaiah 9:1-2 accurately. Rather, he seems t...
Evidence: Mat 4:4 Archaeology and History Attest to the Reliability of the Bible By Richard M. Fales, Ph.D. No other ancient book is questioned or maligned like the Bi...

