Matthew 4

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EXPOSITORY SERMON CHAPTER FOUR

THREE TERRIFIC TEMPTATIONS (4:1-11)

Introduction: Importance of Jesus-’ temptations at this time in His life just before He began His ministry: He stood to gain or lose control of Himself, His miraculous ministry, His relation to the Father, and, finally, the world He had come to win. His temptations and His victories can teach us something about ourselves, our temptations and how to overcome. Let us see these three terrific temptations from three points of view:

I. AS SATAN PRESENTS THEM:

A. Self-interest: making provision for a personal passion, appeasing animal appetites, all that the body longs for. B. Sensational: satisfying a scriptural scruple by spectacular stunts, all that entices the eye. C. Success: the glittering glamor of gold and glory; the glamor of all that men think splendid.

II. AS JESUS EXPOSED THE TEMPTATIONS:

A. FAITHLESSNESS: a distrust of divine dependability which B. FOOLISHNESS: a presumption upon paternal protection. C. FORFEITURE AND FAILURE: fawning for fictitious favors

III. AS WE TOO MAY OVERCOME THEM: using Jesus-’ methods, we must conquer

A. By unwavering reliance upon God’s Word, for in it He has given

His revelation of Himself - His Nature, His Character, His Will.

His unfailing promises to bless and sustain us

His threatened punishment of sin

His provision of a Savior was nothing more than a rash recipe for rescue while ignoring the implications of idolatry.

By unhesitating refusals of the forbidden desire.

By so loving others that we cannot bring ourselves to sin against them. By loving not our own lives, pampering our desires or even seeking our own ends.

CONCLUSION: We ought not be taken in by any temptation. Why?

Because we have in G d - s Word the standard of truth by which we may measure every judgment in the world of personal relations, Such a measurement must render immediately clear the true and the false in every situation of life,

Because we have also seen the exceeding deceitfulness of sin. Hence, we should be morally armed by the knowledge of the strength of the enemy whom we must face.

Because we have Jesus- perfect example that proves for every man that Satan is not invincible.

Therefore, what we do with any temptation is clearly up to us. But our decision bears with it eternal consequences. Our only safeguard is constant loyalty to God, making use of His divinely-appointed means of combat.

DO YOU HAVE THE WORD IN YOUR HEART?

From your memory of the scripture text of Matthew’s first four Chapter s, locate, identify and explain the following passages. Give all the relevant facts, that is, tell who said it, when, where, to whom, why. Are there any Are there any parallels in the other Gospels? Are there any variant manuscript readings of this passage, or significantly different translations? Tell as exactly as possible the true meaning or intended point of each text. Tell at least the problems involved in trying to interpret and apply each passage, if there are any, and try to solve the problems.

It becometh us to fulfil all righteousness.

Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.

Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, And they shall call his name Immanuel.

Out of Egypt did I call my son.

Repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Bring forth therefore fruit worthy of repentance.

I. he shall baptize you in the Holy Spirit and in fire.

The people that sat in the darkness saw a great light. And to them that sat in the region and shadow of death to them did light spring up.

Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.

The voice of one crying in the wilderness.

Matthew 4:1-11

CHAPTER FOUR Section 7. JESUS IS TEMPTED BY THE DEVIL

(Parallels: Mark 1:12-13; Luke 4:1-13)

TEXT: 4:1-11

Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.

And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he afterward hungered.

And the tempter came and said unto him, If thou art the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.

And he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

Then the devil taketh him into the holy city; and he set him on the pinnacle of the temple,

and saith unto him, If thou art the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and, On their hands they shall bear thee up, Lest haply thou dash thy foot against a stone,

Jesus said unto him, Again it is written, Thou shalt not make trial of the Lord thy God,

Again, the devil taketh him unto an exceeding high mountain, and showeth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;

and he said unto him, ALL these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.

Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
Then the devil leaveth him; and behold, angels came and ministered unto him.

THOUGHT QUESTIONS

Why was Jesus led by the Holy Spirit to be tempted?

Why was it necessary for Jesus to be tempted in this way?

Why was it necessary for Him to be tempted at this time?

What was wrong with each of the devil’s proposals?

Do you think Jesus-’ temptations were like ours?

Is there any way in which Jesus-’ temptations do not represent all our temptations?

Do you think that Jesus really could have sinned? Why?

How much control does the devil really have over the world?

Can some attraction be a temptation to sin if you do not see the wrong in it?

What do you think is the real secret of Jesus-’ power amidst the attacks of Satan?

What is Matthew’s apparent aim in bringing up Jesus-’ temptations? Or, what do the temptations prove a h t Jesus?

How do you think the tempter came to Jesus? In person? Did he have a physical, visible body? Or did he communicate with Jesus by putting these suggestions into His mind? (Cf. Acts 5:3)

Do you think that the temptations of Jesus helped to develop His character or was the character that He already possessed merely tested by them, or both? Do temptations, as they are conquered or allowed to conquer, develop strength of character for good or for evil? Or, do they put to trial the character one already possesses?

PARAPHRASE AND HARMONY

Full of the Holy Spirit, Jesus returned from the Jordan and was immediately driven by the Spirit out into the wilderness to be put to the test by the devil. He was in the wilderness forty days, eating nothing. Afterward, when they were ended, He was starving. Further, during this period, His only companions were the wild animals of that area.

The tempter approached and said, If you are the Son of God, command these stones to becomes loaves of bread.

Jesus answered, It was once written and still stands: -Man cannot live on bread alone: he must depend upon every word that God utters. (Deuteronomy 8:3)

Next, the devil took Him to the holy city, Jerusalem, and causing Him to stand on the very highest ledge of the temple, said to Him, If you are God’s Son, throw yourself down from here, for you know what the Psalm (Psalms 91:11-12) says,

-He will give His angels charge of you to guard you, On their hands they will bear you up, Lest you should strike your foot against a stone.-'

Yes, retorted Jesus, but the Scripture also says (Deuteronomy 6:16), -You are not to put the Lord your God on trial,-'

The third time, Satan took Jesus to a very high mountain, and showing Him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor in a moment of time, suggested, I will give all this authority and glory to you, for it has been delivered unto me and I can give it to whom I choose. Now, if you will only fall down and worship me.,,

But Jesus countered, Get away from me, Satan! The Scripture still means what it said (Deuteronomy 6:13), -You shall worship the Lord your God and render service only to Him.-'

So when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from Jesus, biding his time until another opportunity arose to tempt Him again. Then angels came and took care of Jesus.

SUMMARY

The Spirit deliberately drove Jesus into the wilderness to be put to the test before the beginning of His ministry. Satan posed three deadly temptations: appetite, audacity and ambition. Jesus repulsed each with a perfect dependence upon God and His Word.

NOTES

Matthew 4:1 Jesus was led up into the wilderness from the scene of His baptism in the Jordan, which is below sea level, up to the rugged, desolate, barren highlands back of Jericho. The actual location of the temptations is unknown. During the forty days Jesus probably wandered a great deal. Inasmuch as the Jordan flows through a wilderness, the fact that Jesus was led into the wilderness must mean the deeper solitude of the rugged uninhabited region of the wilderness of Judea.

Only Jesus can be the original reporter of these trials which follow. It is not certain how He intends that we understand the account. Whether the temptations all took place in the wilderness, the three allurements being offered to the mind’s eye of Jesus, or whether Jesus left the wilderness to appear first in Jerusalem and then on the summit of a high mountain, we cannot know. Were these temptations offered to Jesus through mental images suggested to Him by Satan while yet in the desert, or was He literally transported from place to place for temptation in the presence of the physical images of the situations offered by Satan? With their characteristic, profound simplicity, the writers of the gospels narrate these inner conflicts of soul in story form, in order to render them accessible to all men. This is a real struggle, but how is it described?

Matthew and Luke both give the impression that they are narrating an event composed of actual facts just as they occurred.

However, they might be narrating a pictorial description through symbolic rather than literal facts, Foster (Introduction, 335) observes that the temptations might have been just as graphic and powerful if symbolic and presented from the depths of the wilderness.

While the first two temptations seem to be narrations of actual fact, the third temptation contains several elements that would require special interpretations if a literal view of the whole be taken. (See comments on Matthew 4:8)

Into the wilderness. Isolation from the world-’ is no insulation against temptations. Jesus was placed in this ascetically perfect monastery of the badlands of Judea. His loneliness increased the power and pull of each desire. Beware of the temptation to desire escape from the desires of the world, since you will be taking them along into your isolated retreat. (See special study on Desires)

Led by the Spirit. The passive verb in no way expresses a human shrinking from the ordeal that lay ahead of Jesus. The popular translation of Mar 1:12 seem to suggest that Jesus was somehow thrown out into the desert against His own will, according to the most obvious etymological meaning of ekballo (to throw out). Yet, there is evidence that ekballo can also be used without the connotation of force (Cf. Matthew 9:38; Luke 10:2; John 10:4; James 2:25; Acts 16:37). Matthew and Luke use words (ago and anago) which signify simply to lead, bring. Thus, rather than being reluctant to face the coming trials, Jesus willingly followed the Spirit-s direction. The will of God is clearly seen in the fact that this mighty battle shall be waged at this time and not later in Jesus-’ ministry. Human wisdom might have postponed this encounter, because it was to be so decisive. But Jesus did not either shrink from the battle nor rashly seek to be tempted. Rather, He sought to be led by God’s Spirit.

To be tempted. But why did the Spirit put Jesus in this position?

Jesus must be put to these extreme tests to develop that moral vigor and firmness that is only acquired through self-discipline under fire. (Cf. Hebrews 2:9-10; Hebrews 5:8-9) He must define for Himself and perfect those principles that would govern His ministry, those goals that He would always seek, those interests that would always control Him.

He must personally conquer Satan. It is impossible that Satan should not defend himself from the attacks of this One who is come to destroy everything that gave Satan control of this earth’s peoples, He must become our Savior from sin by this great victory which reached its climax in His glorious resurrection.

He must learn personally the full power of human desires in order to sympathize perfectly with lost tempted men and save them. Only he who has felt all of a temptation’s force and yet has stood firm can help those who have fallen. He must know fully what it is like to be a man, so as to qualify Himself to be our Priest and yet be our Sacrifice without blemish. (Cf. Hebrews 2:9-18; Philippians 2:7-8)

He must show His tempted followers how to overcome trials by His own impressive example. No apology need be made for Him! He has already faced our temptations and beaten them.

**By the devil. **Satan must have been fully aware of the impact of the outcome of this encounter: if he could vanquish Jesus, even by the smallest triumph conceivable, he could retain the world. But if he failed to subdue Him, then he must relinquish his sway over mankind and, trembling, await his final doom. Satan must have known also the demands of the perfect justice of God: Jesus must be an absolutely sinless sacrifice for sins. No marginal errors in the life of Jesus, once committed, could be corrected, offset or made good. The implication is inescapable that Satan knew that it would be possible for Jesus to sin. Thus, Satan was desperately determined to probe to the utmost this possibility for the moral corruption of God’s Champion. The devil had laughed in God’s face as, by one seduction or another, he had broken every man of God that had arisen since Adam. Before him now stood God’s Best. So this is God-s Messiah? I broke the first Adam and his race; I-’ll break the Second at once!

Matthew 4:2 He fasted forty days and forty nights. Luke’s terse comment, He ate nothing, may emphasize an absolute abstinence from all food, or perhaps may be taken relatively to mean He ate nothing but such as the desert provides, drinking water only. Compare similar expressions in Matthew 3:4 with Matthew 11:18; Luke 7:33. An absolute and total abstinence from all food and all drink is not physically impossible (Exodus 34:28; 2 Kings 19:8). Chronologically, these 40 days are wintry, cold and rainy. This is found by counting backward from the Passover in April, using the chronological notices in John 1:29-43; John 2:1-13. Fifty days to two months for the total calculation would push the time back to the beginning of February if not the end of January, depending upon whether the paschal moon occurred near the end of March or beginning of April. How these difficult weather conditions must have added to the Savior’s suffering in the wilderness! It was a period perfectly adapted to try the durability of anyone’s patient faith and physical endurance out in the wilds of that Judean wilderness. He fasted. There is no evidence that Jesus imposed upon Himself any unnecessary austerities. This fast is rather a necessity imposed by His situation in the wilderness, than a self-imposed observance of a law of fasting. (See notes on Matthew 6:16-18)

Afterward he hungered. He was so deeply engrossed in thought, prayer and planning of His short whirlwind ministry that lay ahead that He did not notice the effects of His fasting. Certainly, He felt normal hunger pains before; this is now starvation. The suggestion is made by some that the body of Jesus did not feel hunger of the forty-day fast until its conclusion, either because it was miraculously sustained during that period, or else because its power of endurance far exceeds ours since it was wholly unaffected by sin. Both views mistake both the nature of the body of Jesus and the will of God for His Son. God willed that Jesus should be made in every respect like mankind (Hebrews 2:14; Hebrews 2:17). To suppose special provisions and protections for Jesus is to create for Him that condition Satan desired: a compromise of His incarnation by using special means to sustain Himself. Further, moral freedom from sin does not give Jesus freedom from the same nature that man shares (Hebrews 2:9-10; Hebrews 2:14; Hebrews 2:17) or from the likeness of sinful flesh (Romans 8:2).

What was Jesus doing during this forty-day period? Probably He was wrestling with the great problems He must soon resolve: How shall He, as God-s Messiah, save a world that has fallen before Satan’s enticements? Will He measure up to the great expectations expressed by the Father at His baptism? How shall He perfect the plans of His heart? He knew the views and feelings of Israel, their expectations, their prejudices, their sins, If He submitted to the will of God by offering them a spiritual kingdom founded upon spiritual principles, He would have to stand practically alone against the whole nation. It would mean only helpless, hopeless suffering of all their misunderstandings, betrayals and their ultimate rejection. It would mean, finally, the lonely, bitter agonies of a cross. HOW could He hope to convince them? There are times when men must stop thinking and act; this is a time when Jesus must not act until He has thought through every move He must make, How often, after some great crisis in our experience, we regret that we made the move or said the words we did, or perhaps we see how the issue of that crisis could have been so much happier, had we reacted to it in some other fashion. So critical is every move, every speech, every attitude, t Jesus will have no room for misjudgment or error. Each day spent in that Judean desert only increased His sense of utter loneliness as He foresaw how difficult it would be to train those few disciples whose minds would be the most open. The seeming futility of such an endeavor as the proclaiming the good news of God’s kingdom must have weighed down upon Jesus with oppressive force as He grew physically weaker. It was then that the tempter came.

I. APPETITE

Matthew 4:3 The tempter came. Since both Mark and Luke declare that during His fast, Jesus was being tempted (present participle: peirazomenos), it would seem that the three temptations narrated were either extended over that forty-day period, or else they are selected by Jesus as typical of the whole range of sinful suggestions offered Him. It could also indicate that, though He was being tempted over the entire period, the intensity of the allurements has just been stepped up, The devil came in person. The outcome of this struggle was to be so decisive, the stakes so high, he could entrust this attack to no lesser agent. He must permit no bungling, no excuses for failure.

The Tempter: we have just as much evidence for believing that he exists as an evil personality as we have evidence for a personal God, for our knowledge of their existence rests upon the same testimony, that of Jesus. If Jesus merely accommodated His words to the popular error of those unenlightened times, then what He reveals about God loses its value to declare otherwise unknowable truth. since this too might be mere accommodation to popular error. Jesus has left no way for His interpreters to know when He might have been accommodating and when He was revealing unadulterated truth. He claimed to be the very revelation of God Himself and, unless He be charged with dishonesty, ignorance or insanity, then His words are to be accepted as stating the actual case. Further, He did not merely accommodate for only one or two occasions (if, in fact, He ever did), for He had much to reveal about the spirit world over which Satan is chief. (See Matthew 12:22-29; Matthew 13:19; Matthew 13:38-39; Matthew 25:41; Mark 3:22; Mark 4:15; Luke 8-12; Luke 10:18; Luke 11:14-23; Luke 13:16; Luke 22:31; John 8:44; John 12:41; John 13:2; John 13:27; John 14:30. Study also Acts 5:3; Acts 26:18; 2 Corinthians 2:11; 2 Corinthians 4:4; 2 Corinthians 11:14; 2 Corinthians 12:7; Ephesians 2:2; Ephesians 6:11; 1 Thessalonians 2:9; 1 Thessalonians 2:18; James 4:7; 1 Peter 5:8-9; 1 John 3:8; 1 John 3:10; Revelation 2:9; Revelation 3:9; Revelation 12:9; Revelation 20:2-3; Revelation 20:8; Revelation 20:10.)

If you are God’S Son could have two meanings, both of which serve the devil’s purposes:

There was no doubt in Satan’s mind but these words are intended to taunt Jesus, inciting Him to prostitute His divine powers to selfish purposes: No doubt you ARE God’s Son and thus equipped with miraculous powers that could at once feed your starving stomach. Admitted that you ARE His Beloved, are you not being unjustly deprived of something good? Should you, of all persons, suffer thus? And, YOU can do miracles! You could put an end to your present suffering and doubts about how to use your wonderful power. You will become the visible possessor of this power and the food will provide the strength to begin your life work. This is an invitation to doubt God’s goodness and providential care.

There was no doubt in Satan’s mind but these words are intended to incite doubt in Jesus: Has God really said, -You are my beloved Son, and then left you to starve? Were you REALLY God’s Son, as God seemed to suggest at your baptism, could such a Father be trusted who leaves His -well-beloved-’ out here in the wilderness to die? If you had such powers worthy of such a Son as God would claim, then you could furnish me proof and at the same time satisfy that gnawing hunger! Jesus could be tempted in this case to rebuke Satan by giving miraculous proof of His identity, but to have done so would have resulted in obedience to Satan-s sinful suggestion. This is the provocation to doubt God’s truthfulness,

The possibility that Satan doubted Jesus-’ Sonship is not too likely, else he would not have staked so much upon the conquest of Jesus. It is more likely that Satan tempted Jesus so thoroughly because he knew exactly who He was.

At the very heart of this suggestion lies the problem of the very existence of Jesus: He was alone in the wilderness and about to starve to death. Surely He had come from heaven for greater purposes than to perish unknown right there in the desert suffering such torture. A man must live, it is said, Did not Jesus have the right to live, even if it meant to create food miraculously for the sustenance of His life?

Matthew 4:4 It is written! Jesus-’ citations of Deuteronomy (Deuteronomy 6:13; Deuteronomy 6:16; Deuteronomy 8:3) demonstrate two tremendous conclusions:

Jesus Himself is choosing to control His desires by bringing them into -subjection to the will of God as revealed in His Word (Study the implications of the truth as applied to life, Romans 8)

Because Jesus is also God’s Anointed, sent to reveal God’s mind, His citation of Deuteronomy stamps the Pentateuch collection of the first five books of the Old Testament as the Word of God. Let those who are confused by the multitudinous and contradictory critical theories on the origin of those books hear the voice of Jesus!

Whatever the devil’s meaning in his equivocal phrase, If you are the Son of God, Jesus did not reply to it by direct demonstration of His identity either by miraculous proof that Satan had demanded or by enlightening debate sustaining the proposition, I am God’s Son. Rather, He reveals a more basic question involved, a problem that touches every man: What is the true ground of man-s being? Is it matter or spirit? Is it bread or the word of God? What really sustains man? (Cf. Psalms 19:7-11; Psalms 119; John 1:1-3; 1 John 2:17; Colossians 1:17; Hebrews 1:1-3; cf. word of God in 2 Peter 3:5; 2 Peter 3:7.) Jesus graphically declares the true foundation of man’s being to be anything God says.

If one is faced with the choice of a life compromised by sin, or a death for righteousness, he does not HAVE to live. A man may choose to starve to death. rather than steal food. On the anvil of this wilderness experience is hammered out Jesus-’ decision: My food is to do the will of Him who Sent me, and to accomplish His work. (John 4:34) It is far better to starve for sake of a right principle than to eat food misappropriated.

Here Jesus was fighting like a dying man as our Champion who faced this very real battle at His very weakest. Yet, if He is to save others, Himself He cannot save. Self-denial is the rule of His kingdom. Yes, even the Son of God will live as every other man, without special provision. He will not make an exception for Himself, for doing so would have compromised the purpose of His incarnation. He was made in all things like unto His brethren for the specific purpose of suffering being tempted and to help them that are tempted-’ (Hebrews 2:17-18; Hebrews 4:15). Therefore, He never utilized supernatural power to alleviate His hunger, thirst, weariness, pain or grief.

If Satan suggested that Jesus, as God’s Son, has a right to help Himself to miraculously-created bread, Jesus ignores this advice by revealing an even wider trust in God than that which one would expect in a miracle worker: Man, any man and not merely God’s Son, should trust God and live according to God’s Word, rather than according to their fleshly needs. God knows my hunger and He is completely trustworthy to provide in His own way. He will not give me stones when I need loaves! (Cf. Matthew 6:32; Matthew 7:9)

Further, Jesus depended upon His Bible for guidance, not upon special supernatural wisdom. He used the weapon against Satan, that is available to every man. (Cf. Ephesians 6:17) Jesus had learned these Scriptures. Only because He had stored His memory full with them, meditated their meaning and related them to the practical problems of life - only because He had so thoroughly saturated Him Self, in the same way in which any other man could learn God’s Word, only thus did these texts come to Him naturally. Here is written our condemnation: have we such a command of our Scriptures that we are able to expose Satan’s lies for what they are? Do we live in such daily contact with the truth that the false is immediately exposed because of the contrast?

If Jesus had miraculous power, whence came it? To whom did He owe it? Since He depended upon the Father even for this power (John 5:19-36), could the Father not be trusted for bread? Of course He can, So Jesus will show the trust of any true son of God. Though it is not immediately apparent from the circumstances how God will provide the food, yet Jesus will wait and trust Him. The context of the OT passage, on which Jesus-’ resolute refusal depends, makes His words ring the more truly. Read the whole eighth chapter of Deuteronomy to appreciate the full impact of Jesus-’ answer. Note that Jesus did not seek to change His circumstances. He could have wished that He had not been caught hungry, unknown and uncrowned, Rather, He dealt with the temptation exactly as it came to Him in that circumstance, It is yet another temptation to think when tempted that, were the circumstances different, the response would have been better, But the very purpose of God for letting men be tempted or tried is to produce men who will do God’s will under whatever circumstance.

Whether this temptation is messianically symbolic or not, certain results with messianic implications would have followed from Jesus-’ surrender to it. Had Jesus used His miraculous power to satisfy Himself in this one case, it would have been much easier to use it thus to relieve some of the stresses, strains and painful moments of His ministry.

How do we face this same temptation under other forms? Are we ever tempted to use what is in our power for our own selfish ends? What about the money we have earned? Our talents? Exists there a church that has never said to itself, I must build my cathedral before considering the needs for more evangelism, more Christian education and care for the old folks and orphans? Or, lives there a Christian anywhere who, during some crisis, has never wondered, Does God really know I exist, that I suffer thus? Does He really care?

II. AUDACITY

Matthew 4:5 Then the devil taketh him. The verb took is probably to be understood in the same sense in which the Spirit led Jesus up from the Jordan, since the Greek verbs are the same in both cases.

Matthew 4:1 uses anago; Luke 4:1; Luke 4:5; Luke 4:9 uses ago and anago, whereas in the parallel of Mat 4:5; Matthew 4:8 paralambano is substituted without apparent change in meaning.

Pinnacle of the temple in the holy city. In Jerusalem the most imposing height offering the longest fall would be the southeast corner of the temple court, a point which towered above the Kedron valley some 300-400 feet, depending upon where measurement was taken. Arndt-Gingrich define the word pterugion (pinnacle) as the tip, end, edge, extremity or summit of something. Edersheirl (Life, I, 244) describes a tower that was supposed to have been located on that corner, raising the height to 450 feet. Any point in the temple area so high that a fall from it would be fatal is probably all that is meant.

Matthew 4:6 Cast thyself down. One feature of this temptation might not be so apparent to us upon first reading of the text, for the temptation to presumption lies most directly upon the surface and easy to see without reflection. This is so because of Jesus-’ reply to Satan. Yet, any precipice in the desert would have sufficed for the mere physical of leaping from the heights to be safely, gently landed upon the ground borne upon the hands of the angels. But why, then, the temple’s pinnacle? Is the devil suggesting that the crowded courts or streets below would provide a fitting theatre onto which the Lord could leap to begin His marvelous ministry with a sign from heaven which would command the instant belief and loyal obedience of the Jews? Is he opening before Him the easy successes possible to a Superman, obscuring the lasting results that God sought through preaching, teaching and daily fellowship, however slow and difficult that latter way might be? If so, in succumbing to this suggestion, Jesus would be committing God to a course of action, forcing the Father to justify ever greater sensations, a course foredoomed to failure. Faith that would depend upon such signs is not the confident trust that God seeks.

If Satan is not placing before Jesus that allurement to descend, borne of angels into the midst of priests and people, but rather is trying to trap Jesus in His personal response to God, then this is a temptation to fanatic presumption. Satan could well know how prone human nature is to go to opposite extremes. Jesus had just demonstrated so beautiful a trust in the heavenly Father in answer to the first temptation, that the tempter now takes advantage of this human proneness to extremes by suggesting, ALL right, if you are going to trust God so much, show your faith by something more spectacular, more decisive than mere patient hunger! Put some specific promise of God to some clear-cut test. Psalms 91:11-12 promises you God’s protection for just such a case as this. So throw yourself down from this dizzy height to the solid rock below! By so doing, you can demonstrate your unquestioning faith in God, and show yourself to be the Messiah to those who see this thrilling sign from heaven!

What would be more justifiable than such a leap? Yet, Jesus-’ answer reveals the fallacy. The urge to hazard His life merely to prove His trust in God and demonstrate His Sonship, would really have meant to doubt God’s express declaration and presumptuously to put God on trial. Such a trial is the more presumptuous because God had already proved often enough that He keeps His Word. The devil’s suggestion deliberately obscures the weightier question whether God must yield to every unreasonable whim of those fanatics who, while protesting faith in God, demonstrate practical disbelief of His declarations by putting Him to a test.

He shall give His angels charge concerning thee. The Psalm (Psalms 91:11-12) that Satan quotes, when read in its entirety, fits the situation quite exactly. The whole Psalm depicts the security against various dangers, that is enjoyed by the man who trusts God. Hence, it applies to any son of God. Satan has merely invented a particular test to which God’s general promise may be put to see if He will keep His Word. The deception does not rest in a supposed misquotation of the verses by Satan (he left out to keep thee in all thy ways), because Jesus accepted the quotation as being substantially correct. The Psalm, however, does not teach that man may choose the path nor may he command God to act by rescuing him from the extremes of man’s follies, Rather, it means that in faith man must follow God, letting God be God. In this latter frame of reference, man will enjoy the blessed security of God’s providence. The trap is hidden in the phrase to see if He will keep His word.

Matthew 4:7 **Thou shalt not make trial of the Lord thy God. **Again Jesus shows that He will not run before God, but chooses rather to be led by Him. He clearly will not, of His own choice, create unnecessary dangers, but will avoid them unless they fall in the path of obedience to the Father’s will, He shows Himself to be a man of common sense, true sanity and genuine wisdom. Neither will He seek to place God under obligation to back His plans for His ministry. Though Satan had made it appear otherwise, it took more trust in God NOT to leap than to do so. Jesus answers simply, Testing is not trusting.

Study the disappointing but enlightening history of Israel for its examples of those who made trial of God: Exodus 14:10-12; Exodus 16:3; Exodus 17:1-7; Numbers 14:1-11; Numbers 21:4-5. Compare the divine commentary on these examples, offered in 1 Corinthians 10:6-11 and Hebrews 3:1 to Hebrews 4:11. Testing God not only involves disbelief of His promises but also may involve disobedience to His specific commands not to make trial of Him. The end result may be open rebellion. Falsifying in money matters is one way to try God (Acts 5:3-4; Acts 5:9). Changing the basis of salvation is called by Peter putting God on trial (Acts 15:10).

This question of forcing God to back up His Servant Jesus will come up again in Jesus-’ ministry, suggested by the impudent challenges of the Jews, demanding that He show a sign from heaven. (Matthew 12:38 f; Luke 11:16; Matthew 16:1-4) In their presence He could have called upon God to perform stupendous feats in nature. Hanging on the cross, He would have occasion to remember this moment, for other voices would jeer, He trusts in God; let God deliver Him now, if He desires Him; for He said, -I am the Son of God.-’ (Matthew 27:43)

Again, Jesus demonstrated that He knew His Bible. He corrected a common misuse of God’s promises by showing that the interpretation of those promises, which was offered by Satan, contradicted the clear command of God. (Deuteronomy 6:16)

III. AMBITION

Matthew 4:8 exceeding high mountain. If a literal view of these temptations be taken, this verse contains several elements that would require special interpretation:

An exceeding high mountain. Supernatural vision must be assumed, since no known mountain peak however high could provide such a literal panorama as the Evangelists describe.

He showed Him all the kingdoms of the world. If all the worlds kingdoms be taken in its absolute sense, some special vision is required. However, if it be taken in a relative sense to include only those visible to the naked eye as representative of all, then it is possible to take a literal view of the text, since vast panoramic views are afforded by a number of Palestinian peaks.

And the glory of them. This is a quality of those kingdoms not visible to any normal, naked eye; hence, the phrase must imply a miraculous, if not a mental, vision.

Luke adds in a moment of time (Matthew 4:5), apparently compressing the extent of such a vision into a few minutes.

There is no difficulty in assuming that Jesus had supernatural vision to see all that Satan offered or in assuming that Satan drew word pictures of all the world’s kingdoms and their glories, because, as a matter of fact, the Evangelists do not tell how lie showed Him all the kingdoms of the world,

Matthew 4:9 ALL these things will I give thee. Since Satan offered Jesus kingdoms, he must have known what question was keenly before His mind: how He would establish the kingdom of God. This fact made Jesus a particularly clear target for this attack, Note that the phrase, If you are God’s Son, is missing, Even to have mentioned Jesus-’ Sonship at this time would not have served the devil’s purposes to make Him relax His grip on the Father in order to worship the tempter.

Satan is desperately laying his trap, If Jesus is really a man of faith and common sense, surely He will take the shortest, most direct route to that universal control He is seeking. If I can just maneuver His natural desire for power and the normal wish to avoid difficulty and suffering, perhaps I can make him an offer He cannot refuse. Turning to Jesus, the tempter spoke, look, Jesus, look! What do you see? You see the grandeur of a thousand kingdoms passing before your eyes. look at that uncounted wealth and stunning beauty! It could be yours. Do you hear those sounds? They are the tramping feet of soldiers marching at your command. It is the busy hum of commerce and industry creating new wealth to pour at your feet in tribute, It is the shout of lusty voices proclaiming you universal ruler of the earth. As the prince of this world, I am in a position to offer you all this!

How much control does the devil really hold over the world? If Jesus knew that Satan were lying, then this would have been no great temptation. It is worthy of note that He did not call Satan a liar for saying that these kingdoms were his to give. However, if he is telling the truth. then the ambitions of Jesus could be realized in an instant and the inevitable cross could be avoided.

As stated, this was an apparently rational offer and a very desirable proposal. The kingdom of Satan is no figure of speech, because the Gospels contain constant reference to the power of Satan in the world as a reign opposed to God. (Cf. Matthew 12:25-28; Luke 11:17; see also Matthew 6:13; Matthew 13:19; Matthew 13:25; Matthew 13:39; Matthew 25:41; Luke 10:18; Luke 22:3; Luke 22:28; Luke 22:31; John 8:44; John 12:31; John 13:27; John 14:30; John 16:11.) Satan speaks as if he were the rightful ruler in complete control of the whole world (Luke 4:6). This is certainly false, because the fact that he so persistently seeks to tempt and master men proves that he does not yet completely possess them. Further, whatever authority he may possess is by usurpation,

Humanly speaking, Jesus needed everything that the devil was offering. He had no reputation, no formal religious education or degrees from accredited universities, no powerful friends who could exert their influence in His favor in a world where men advance their causes by treading upon each other. Yet, He is contemplating the advancing of His Father’s rule by spiritual methods and by the conversion of single individuals to His message of ideals. He well understood that this latter approach would be the slowest, most difficult, most discouraging and finally the most disappointing of the two choices.

Assuming that Satan is telling the truth. how could he really give all the human kingdoms to Jesus? Simply by fulfilling all of the most common Jewish conceptions of the messianic kingdom! Satan could rally the entire Jewish nation around Jesus, restore to Him the throne and glory of David, force the nations to bring all their wealth to Jerusalem and put every Jew on state payrolls. How often the echo of Satan’s whisper was heard! (Matthew 16:22; Luke 22:49 (?); John 6:14-15; John 7:3-4; John 12:32-34; John 18:36; Acts 1:6) Jesus could forget the hardships, the confusion, the rejection, the cross, and He could so much more simply establish His world dominion.

**If you will fall down and worship me. **These are Satan’s terms. He chooses his words carefully, because upon them depends his ultimate success. Satan is neither ignorant nor stupid. He knows that worship basically involves the acknowledgement of him as true Lord and rightful disposer of kingdoms. If he can entice Jesus into admitting His dependence upon him rather than God, then he will have tricked Jesus into transgressing the most basic commandment known (Deuteronomy 5:7-9; Deuteronomy 6:4; Deuteronomy 6:13) To the western ear, the word worship would immediately have warned of the idolatry involved. But Satan uses a general word (proskuneo, see note on Matthew 2:2) that may suggest no more than the obeisance rendered by an inferior to a superior among men. If only worship as if offered only to God were meant, Jesus would have immediately drawn back in holy horror with the result that, for Jesus, all of the enticement would be stricken from the temptation merely by stating it. Admittedly, Satan’s choice of words is admirable, because of the ambiguity.

By putting in the condition which demanded at least oriental obeisance, Satan subtly presses Jesus for a compromise. Perhaps he intends the compromising of Jesus-’ ideal of a kingdom not of this world in favor of a worldly kingdom, Jesus could still rule the world by using Satan’s methods: war, political intrigues, brute force. Satan presents this attractive offer as a real, immediate victory for Jesus, when in reality it would have been His real surrender. The transfer would be only an illusion. It is that old perennial lie: You may be your own king, do as you please, as long as you are my servant!

But has there ever existed a church or a Christian which has not surrendered to Satan Jesus-’ ideal, the kingdom of God, for a greater share of the control of the world’s kingdoms? Who has not, at one time or another, mistaken might for right and regimentation for regeneration? How often has ambition to rule conquered those who have conquered all else!

Matthew 4:10 High above this moving scene of glory and beauty which Satan paints before the eyes of Jesus, the Son of God can see another vision: the Kingdom of God in which men of every tribe, people, nation and tongue come streaming from afar, bringing all their wealth. glory, praise and service to lay them down in humble worship at His feet, He can see the day of His coronation at His Father’s right hand, enthroned to reign until all His enemies should be made the footstool of His feet, until every tongue confess to the glory of God that Jesus Christ is Lord! God had already promised His Son universal world control (Psalms 2:7-12). The offer of Satan is exposed for what it really is: a tarnishing glitter, a crumbling pile of stones, dying men, ashes and dust.

**Get thee hence, Satan. **This practical expression of idolatry that Satan has offered Jesus is too much, Satan has lost. He has no more to offer the Master. Jesus-’ shout clarifies the issues: Satan, the end never justifies the means. The kingdom that I desire has at its very heart the bringing of worship only to the Lord God, not the crowning of your original rebellion. I cannot divide my allegiance nor compromise God’s will even as a means to a holy end, for to do so would contaminate the result. Therefore, the means of establishing my kingdom must also be holy: teaching men to worship and serve only God! From this moment, the victory cry will continue to ring down through time, Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world! (John 16:33)

4: 11 Then the devil leaveth him, baffled and disappointed. Satan is not invincible. This smashing victory of Jesus and all the battles won by those who dare use Jesus-’ methods prove it. (1 Corinthians 10:13; Ephesians 6:10-18; 1 Peter 5:8-9) The conquest of Satan in these three temptations does not mean that Jesus was tempted by all possible temptations, for temptations come in infinite variations. But He was tempted at all points at which temptation can touch a soul. This is one of the world’s greatest moments. It has just been proved that one human being, reduced to his weakest physical extremity and seduced by Satan’s deadliest suggestions, by sheer trust in God, by unhesitating refusals and by unrelenting reliance upon God-s revelation, could resist temptation and refuse to sin. Jesus has just shown that it was possible for all men not to sin.

Luke notes (Luke 4:13) that the devil departed until other opportunities should present themselves for further attack. Further temptations came later (Mark 1:32-39; John 6:14-15; Matthew 16:23; Luke 22:28; Matthew 27:40-43).

Angels came and ministered unto him. He who would not have Satan’s satellites as His servants, is now served by God’s servants. (Matthew 26:53; John 1:51; Hebrews 1:6-14; cf. 2 Kings 19:5 ff) If they brought Him food, then His faith. which trusted God to the limit, is further justified in this significant way. (Cf. Matthew 4:3-4)

FACT QUESTIONS

List the temptations of Jesus, noting the differences in the various Gospel reports.

Tell why Jesus was tempted at each point, noting to what human characteristics Satan made his appeal each time.

How did Jesus meet each temptation? Be specific about each one.

What do Jesus-’ temptations mean to us?

Is there any connection between the temptations of Jesus and what was said about Him at the time of His baptism?

Why did Jesus go out into the wilderness?

What wilderness was it?

What was the Holy Spirit’s purpose in taking Jesus there?

Why was not Jesus hungry until after the fast? (Cf. Matthew 4:2)

How could Satan have shown Jesus all of the world’s kingdoms?
Explain what is meant by tempting God.
Did the world’s kingdoms really belong to Satan?
Did the temptations have any relation to Jesus-’ world mission? If so, what relationship?
What is the relationship between knowing the Word and will of God and resisting temptations?
What does Jesus-’ use of the OT as the final authority for His actions reveal about:

a. The OT as the progressive revelation given by God to a particular people? b. the application of the Bible in general to particular problems faced by the believer?

What are temptations? Wherein does their real power lie? Can they always be recognized? If so, under what circumstances? If not, why not? Why should we pray to avoid temptations (Matthew 6:13)? Why does God allow His Son and His children to be tempted? Is something a temptation if one cannot see the wrong in it?

SPECIAL STUDY: TEMPTATION

I. THE Lord’s LIABILITY TO ALLUREMENT.

A. Could Jesus be tempted so as to sin? Yes must be the unequivocal response, because His incarnation necessitates it. If we are to believe that Jesus was to be tempted in all respects in which a human being is tempted (Hebrews 4:15), then we are led to the realization that His subjection to every sort of human seduction must have begun long before the period forty days after His baptism. His birth was unique and miraculous, but His youth was normal in the human environment of Nazareth. His adult life indeed was marvellous, one-of-a-kind, yet fully human. It must be ever remembered that the Word was God before He became flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:1-14), but that fact must never be made to cast doubt upon the reality of the flesh in which He dwelt (Hebrews 2:14). With the Father He shares these characteristics:

He lived without sin (Hebrews 4:15; Hebrews 7:26; 1 Peter 1:19; 1 Peter 2:21; 1 Peter 3:18; John 8:46; 1 John 3:5; 2 Corinthians 5:21).

He faultlessly expressed God’s character and nature (2 Corinthians 4:4-6; John 8:29; John 10:30; John 12:45; Colossians 1:15-19; Colossians 2:9; Hebrews 1:1-3).

He fulfilled all of God’s purposes (John 10:17-18; John 10:36-38; John 12:27; John 15:10; Ephesians 1:3-11; 2 Corinthians 5:19).

He maintained that unique contact with God in a union unknown to all human experience and unshared by any other (John 1:1-14; John 10:30; John 5:19-20; John 12:49-50; John 14:10-11).

However, there are significant differences between the Father and the Son:

God cannot be tempted with evil, while Jesus was subject to all human temptations (James 1:13; Hebrews 2:14-18; Hebrews 4:15) although He did not surrender Himself to any.

God is not subject to spiritual growth (1 Peter 1:16 Matthew 5:48), while Jesus advanced toward spiritual maturity (Luke 2:40; Luke 2:52; Hebrews 2:10-18; Hebrews 5:7-9), qualifying Himself to be man’s Savior.

The Father was the object of Jesus-’ faith and the Hearer of His prayers (Hebrews 5:7; Matthew 11:25-26; John 11:41-42). Although Jesus was the Revealer of the mind of God, yet He received the Word of God as already revealed in the OT, putting His trust in it and obeying its precepts impeccably.

Jesus was born subject to law (Galatians 4:4); God was not. Born under law to Jesus meant responsibility for keeping or breaking it. If Jesus could not sin by breaking law, the law would be meaningless to Him.

The point of Jesus-’ assumption of human nature is that He might die for man’s sins (Hebrews 2:9; Hebrews 2:14-15); God could not die. (Cf. 1 Timothy 1:17; 1 Timothy 6:16)

Jesus was fully man (Romans 5:17-21; 1 Corinthians 15:21; Acts 17:31), a body for the dwelling of all the fullness of Deity (Colossians 1:19; Colossians 2:9)

The incarnation is the unique experience of Jesus only. He was thoroughly man and thoroughly deity. Human ignorance and personal lack of experience of this verity does not militate against its historicity. It is to be received on the strength of Jesus-’ truthfulness and His authority to reveal it.

There are several consequences that follow from believing that He could not actually be tempted to sin. Rejection of all that the Scriptures say regarding His human nature is serious enough, for that blames God for condemning man without knowing what being a man is really like, Further, if Jesus did not genuinely share all our human desires, His victory over Satan is a hollow, meaningless conquest as far as it concerns our facing of temptations. In that case, He could not provide us a true example that would help us to overcome, since there would always remain in us the suspicion that Jesus was some sort of angelic machine which could not be touched with the feeling of our weaknesses,

But the Scripture evidences the fact that Jesus could sin by surrender to the devil’s enticements. Out of this truth flow exciting conclusions.

Jesus has felt the fullest intensity of every temptation to sin, because He did not yield. It is not the man who is allured before feeling the last full measure of temptation who fully understands that seduction before which he has fallen, nor can he be perfectly sympathetic with other sinners in their trials, for he sinned before knowing the full power of the enticement. Only the sinless Jesus, who has resisted the pull of the desire clear to its end, can effectively come to the aid of those who have fallen.

Jesus conquered Satan, not as God but as man, any man, could have repelled the tempter. By using no special defences available only to the Son of God, He wrestled sin’s mightiest champion as would any son of God - and won! But by doing this, He strikes from our mouths all of the lame excuses we offer for our sins. By risking all of Jesus-’ purity, and consequently, the world’s salvation, on the outcome of such temptations as those in the wilderness, God shows for all eternity the inexcusability of human sin. Were there any question before, now no doubt is left as to why God is justified in sending the whole human race to hell, (Romans 3:9; Romans 3:19-20; Romans 3:23; Romans 11:32; Galatians 3:22)

B. Wherein was Jesus tempted? The hesitation to admit the liability of our Lord to temptation is probably traceable to defective views of His nature. These arise out of a natural tendency to over-emphasize either His deity or His manhood. Also the feebleness of human language to express such majestic truth as the incarnation of God in 25 words or less, often cripples the truth rather than strengthens or clarifies it. May we generalize just to this extent: if the baptismal event of Jesus says to the world that this Man was God, then the temptation experience proclaims to all ages that this God also became Man. It is from this latter point of view that we study His temptations.

Jesus was perfectly sinless before and after the temptations, but He was a perfectly sinless human with all the desires that characterize life in the human body. Incarnation brings with it the characteristics of the carnis, flesh, one of which is temptability.

But what is temptation?

A temptation is anything that throws the character into the crisis of choice. This is done by an incitement of natural desires to go beyond the limits set. Temptation is also a conflict of loyalties, a putting other good things above one’s first loyalties. (Cf. Matthew 10:36 with Mark 3:21; John 12:27) The power of temptation lies in human desires. These are created by God in the makeup of the human personality, but may all be stimulated by Satan to thwart God’s purpose for those desires. The Greeks had one word for these God-given desires (epithumia), a word which they used to describe right desires or longings as well as desires for something forbidden. The complex of desires in the human personality, as God designed it, is like a powerful rocket which can hurl an astronaut into space to explore the universe and advance man’s knowledge, or it can hurl a nuclear warhead at other men to destroy lives. The rocket has the capacity for both operations. What it actually does depends upon who determines its use and controls it. The desires in our personality serve as fuel and power for the rocket, while our conscience is the guidance system. Thus, what we do depends upon the orientation data fed into our conscience, which, in turn, controls our desires. But, unlike the electronic brain in the rocket, our conscience can be affected by our desires, and it is exactly at these desires that temptations make their attack. If so, then Jesus, who was tempted in all points like as we are (kata panta kath homoioteta), felt the stress and strain of His basic human desires. But what are these desires? We shall see them more clearly as we are led to understand.

II. OUR SUSCEPTIBILITY TO SINFUL SUGGESTION.

A. A Matter of Desire. The Christian view of personal desires is expressed by James: Each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desires. (James 1:14 RSV) The following passages clarify this view. The Greek words, which are used to express the desire, are included in parenthesis for further comparison. Note that the passages are arranged into two groups: those expressions of right and proper desires, and those expressions that degenerate human desire into passion and lust. The more significant passages are printed in italic type.

GOOD, PROPER EXPRESSIONS OF DESIRE

DESIRE AS LUST, PASSION

(epithumia, epithumeo)

Matthew 13:17; Luke 15:16; Luke 16:21; Luke 17:22; Luke 22:15; Galatians 5:17, Philippians 1:23; 1 Thessalonians 2:17; 1 Timothy 3:1;

Hebrews 6:11; 1 Peter 1:12; 1 John 2:15-17 f?)

(epithumia, epithumeo)

Matthew 5:28; Mark 4:19; John 8:44; Acts 20:33-34; Romans 1:24; Romans 6:12; Romans 7:7 f; Romans 13:9; Romans 13:14, 1 Corinthians 10:6; Galatians 5:16-17; Galatians 5:24; Ephesians 2:3; Ephesians 4:22; Colossians 3:5; 1 Thessalonians 4:5; 1 Timothy 6:9; 2 Timothy 2:22; 2 Timothy 3:6; 2 Timothy 4:3; Titus 2:12; Titus 3:3; James 1:14; James 4:2; 1 Peter 1:14; 1 Peter 2:11; 1 Peter 4:2-3; 2 Peter 1:4; 2 Peter 2:10; 2 Peter 3:3; 1 John 2:15-17: Jude 1:16; Jude 1:18; Revelation 9:6

(epipotheo)

Romans 1:11; Philippians 1:8; Philippians 2:26; 2 Corinthians 5:2; 2 Corinthians 7:7; 2 Corinthians 7:11; 2 Corinthians 9:14; 1 Thessalonians 5:6; 2 Timothy 1:4; 1Pe. 2:-2

(zeloo)

1 Corinthians 12:31; 1 Corinthians 14:1; 1 Corinthians 14:39; 2 Corinthians 11:22; Galatians 4:18 (?)

(zeloo)

1 Corinthians 13:4

(thelo)

Matthew 16:24; Matthew 19:21; Matthew 26:39: Mark 10:43-44; Mark 14:36; John 7:17; John 15:7; John 12:21;* Romans 7:15; Romans 7:18-19

(thelo)

Matthew 16:25;* John 5:40; John 6:67; John 8:44; 1 Thessalonians 3:10

*(zeteo)

Matthew 6:21; Matthew 6:33; Luke 12:31; Luke 12:34; John 5:30; John 5:44; John 7:18; John 8:50; Romans 2:7 :

Colossians 3:1 ff,* 2 Corinthians 12:14

*(epizeteo)

Hebrews 13:14

(oregomai)

Hebrews 11:16

(eudokia)

Romans 10:1; Th. Matthew 1:11 *

Some OT examples of good desires are the following: Psalms 21:2; Psalms 27:4; Psalms 37:4; Psalms 145:19; Proverbs 10:24; Proverbs 11:23; 2 Chronicles 15:15; Isaiah 26:8)

The following is a list of desires common to every man. As you respond to their force in your life, who or what governs what you will do about their demands?

The desire to PRESERVE SELF: satisfying body needs for food, clothing, shelter; self-defence by flight or fighting; repulsion.

MATING desires: sex; care for family; the appeal of one’s young.

SOCIAL desires; gregariousness; companionship; approval; self-assertion; pride; ambition; competition.

Desires to SUBMIT: tendency to imitate heroes; conform to law; to regard higher powers with respect.

ACQUISITIVE desires: joy of ownership.

CREATIVE desires: pleasure of being a power or a cause capable of creating or destroying.

AESTHETIC desires: enjoyment of the beautiful.

Though God has integrated these desires into our personality, yet they are the very targets of Satan’s keenest temptations. Let it never be thought that Jesus, as Man, did not experience every one of these desires. Certainly, the incitements to sin came to Jesus from without; nevertheless, appeal was made to what truly existed within Him. It seems that the tempter can pit one or two of these desires against each other and against other desires in such an unshakeable combination that we become confused about which way is right! (See Romans 7:13-25)

How often perfectly good attitudes and desires are so close to sinful desires and a godless mentality! Here is another reason why we have such difficulty steering a straight course through life. Compare the following short list of good traits that Satan can twist into vices:

Caution and prudence is so often close to cowardice and indecision.

Belief taken without sufficient evidence becomes credulity.

Agreeableness and tact are often mistaken for compromise and false hood. Concentration of one’s devotion may become just bigotry or fanaticism. Confidence may swell into cocksureness and presumption. Contentment oversleeps into self-satisfaction and appeasement. Frugality and farsightedness struggles with miserliness and greed, Humility could devolve into blind submissiveness. Righteousness when praised nurtures hypocrisy. Tolerance of too much becomes indiscrimination. Curiosity about the affairs of others becomes meddling and nosiness. An inquiring mind, when it refuses to know, becomes agnostic. Broad-mindedness is close to spinelessness, too often without strong convictions. But resolution is near to stubbornness. And bravery or fearlessness is nigh unto folly and foolishness.

By taking advantage of the natural needs expressed by human desires, Satan makes his allurements appear harmless. What often makes a temptation so attractive is the list of apparently excellent reams for going along with it. The only true safeguard against this confusion is to seek to know and obey God as our deepest desire and highest joy. Perhaps the most enlightening spiritual exercise to discover our vulnerability to temptation is simply to ask ourselves what we desire. Here are some problems for reflection that will help one see himself as temptation’s target:

What is the ONE compelling loyalty, interest or desire of my life?

What one goal am I seeking to accomplish with my life?

What or where is the true treasure of my heart? For what do I spend the most of my money? my leisure time? my conversation among friends?

How do all my other basic desires align themselves with the one basic motivation for my life? Or, how may these be subordinated to it when conflicts arise?

In my social relationships, whose praise do I seek?

Other questions might be helpful. But, in the light of these suggested, it is seen that the problems in resisting temptations and solving conflicts of interest involve all that makes us men. This is why sin is not a single act unrelated to what we are. This is also the reason why conversion to Jesus cannot be reduced to a mechanical five-point ritual, but must mean the commitment of every thought and desire to obedience to Him:

B. Some Lessons to be Learned:

There are two viewpoints to every trial or temptation.

Temptation by allurement for evil purpose to ensnare in evil;

Putting character to the test for the purpose of proving its mettle. (Study the following passages to see how both viewpoints can be very closely interwoven into the fabric of the same temptation, even if one or the other viewpoint will be more clearly in evidence: Matthew 6:13; Luke 8:13; John 6:6; Acts 20:19; 1 Corinthians 10:9-13; 2 Corinthians 13:5; Galatians 6:1; 1 Thessalonians 3:5; 1 Timothy 6:9; Hebrews 11:17; Hebrews 11:37; James 1:2; James 1:12-14; 1 Peter 1:6; 2 Peter 2:9.)

How temptations are offered or presented. Just as the temptations of Jesus were many-pronged, appealing to the fleshly appetites, to His moral character and to His spiritual perception, even so our daily allurements will be many-sided, attacking at once the body and soul by driving one to the limit of endurance, while keeping the other off balance by uneven stresses and strains. Satan is not so stupid as to put people on their guard by coming to them boldly and telling them that what he is about to suggest will be sin. Rather, he begins subtly and reasonably to prepare the mind for seduction. He must first corrupt the principles before his real purpose can be made clear. Once the confidence of the victim is gained and his desires excited, the enticement is presented in its most appealing form to that particular person. Satan repeats his approach, varying his emphasis, until the victim falls.
Why man must be tried or tempted. If there were no choice, no power nor pressures to do evil, we could not have any moral victory over evil, nor would we have that proof of character that is obtained only by self-control under fire, We must win the victory over Satan, not by never having fought him during temptations, but by overcoming him in actual combat. Precious promises are offered to those who overcome (Revelation 2:7; Revelation 2:10-11; Revelation 2:17; Revelation 2:26-28; Revelation 3:5; Revelation 3:11-12; Revelation 3:21) and victories the order of the day for the people of God (1 John 2:13-14; 1 John 4:4; 1 John 5:4-5; 2 Corinthians 2:4).

The dangerous deceitfulness of temptations. The inability to see the sinful implications hidden under pages of good reasons for our indulgence of any desire does not remove that sinfulness. It is the devil’s most practiced art to present wrong as right, pleasant, popular. He can also raise so many doubts about right actions as to make them appear to be wrong and worthy of all condemnation, The most frequent problem to solve as one faces temptation is to recognize it as a temptation. If he does not see what could be wrong about a particular action, he may justify that act for himself and be satisfied with his justifications. However, failure to sense wrong in a thing does not change God’s condemnation of the sin involved. Since temptations, in their very essence, are/wrong courses of action deceitfully disguised as right actions, we must learn to recognize them for what they are. How? We must avail ourselves of God’s means.

The way to victory over temptation:

a. Jesus conquered by COMPLETE RELIANCE UPON GOD’S WORD. God has given revelation of great principles which govern ALL of our basic decisions, although He has not revealed specific prohibitions of every minute misdeed we might dream up. Our responsibility is to h o w these principles (2 Timothy 2:15; 2 Timothy 2:25-26; 2 Timothy 3:14-15), practice them by daily meditation and actual experience, in order that, when specific temptations call us to violate these great, far-reaching principles, our first and almost automatic reaction would be, How can I do this great wickedness and sin against God? (I cannot!) (Genesis 39:9 b)

b. By UNHESITATING REFUSALS, If we wish to be done with temptations, we must get rid of the tempter! Jesus fought him honorably and victoriously, then commanded him to leave. Likewise, we must put up a stiff fight, but in the same way as did Jesus. Satan is no match for the firepower available to one man who trusts God! (See James 4:7; 1 Peter 5:8-9; Ephesians 6:10-18) We must reject without hesitation any evil suggestion. Sometimes flight is just as honorable as fight (1 Timothy 6:11; 2 Timothy 2:22-23; 1 Corinthians 6:18; 1 Corinthians 10:13-14), as in the case of Joseph (Genesis 39:12), if flight means resistance to temptation by refusing any longer to listen to the tempter’s appeals to our desires. It may also mean choosing, by means of a strategic retreat, the ground upon which the battle shall be fought. Some men need to stop facing a particular temptation until they have fled to the Father’s side for instruction, encouragement, warning and strength. before continuing the battle.

Contrast the reasons given for the failure of those who are overcome by temptations. They turned away from listening to the truth. choosing teachers that suit their desires (2 Timothy 4:3-4). Ever listening to anybody, they can never arrive at a secure knowledge of truth (2 Timothy 3:7). ALL along they have been following their own desires which they let deceive them into thinking they possessed the true, happy life (2 Peter 3:3; Jude 1:16; Jude 1:18).

We are not the only ones tempted. Just as Jesus did not wrestle with Satan to gain the mastery only for Himself, but also for us, even so we must keep our mind on others in our striving against sin in ourselves. This will help us to be wary of our own susceptibility to sin, when we reach out to help those who are sorely tempted (Galatians 6:1-2). Further, our God-given freedom to do many things that some would consider wrong or forbidden might tempt them to join us in the enjoyment of those freedoms which their conscience does not permit them. In this case, their conscience is violated, since they had doubts. Thus, they are condemned for sinning against their conscience and it is our fault! (Cf. Matthew 18:1-14; Romans 14:1 to Romans 15:7; 1 Corinthians 8; 1 Corinthians 10:23-33) We are, with every one of our fellow men, waging this warfare against Satan, so let us not Le their devil to tempt them by what we do (cf. Matthew 16:23) but, rather, let us provoke them to love, faith and good works! (Hebrews 10:23-25)

EXPOSITORY SERMON CHAPTER FOUR

THREE TERRIFIC TEMPTATIONS (4:1-11)

I. AS SATAN PRESENTS THEM:

II. AS JESUS EXPOSED THE TEMPTATIONS:

A. FAITHLESSNESS: a distrust of divine dependability which B. FOOLISHNESS: a presumption upon paternal protection. C. FORFEITURE AND FAILURE: fawning for fictitious favors

III. AS WE TOO MAY OVERCOME THEM: using Jesus-’ methods, we must conquer

A. By unwavering reliance upon God’s Word, for in it He has given

His revelation of Himself - His Nature, His Character, His Will.

His unfailing promises to bless and sustain us

His threatened punishment of sin

His provision of a Savior was nothing more than a rash recipe for rescue while ignoring the implications of idolatry.

By unhesitating refusals of the forbidden desire.

By so loving others that we cannot bring ourselves to sin against them. By loving not our own lives, pampering our desires or even seeking our own ends.

CONCLUSION: We ought not be taken in by any temptation. Why?

Because we have also seen the exceeding deceitfulness of sin. Hence, we should be morally armed by the knowledge of the strength of the enemy whom we must face.

Because we have Jesus- perfect example that proves for every man that Satan is not invincible.

DO YOU HAVE THE WORD IN YOUR HEART?

It becometh us to fulfil all righteousness.

Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.

Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, And they shall call his name Immanuel.

Out of Egypt did I call my son.

Repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Bring forth therefore fruit worthy of repentance.

I. he shall baptize you in the Holy Spirit and in fire.

The people that sat in the darkness saw a great light. And to them that sat in the region and shadow of death to them did light spring up.

Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.

The voice of one crying in the wilderness.

Matthew 4:12-17

Section 8. JESUS PREACHES IN GALILEE

(Parallels: Mark 1:14-15; Luke 4:14 to Luke 5:1; John 4:1-45)

TEXT: 4:12-17

Now when he heard that John was delivered up, he withdrew into Galilee;
and leaving Nazareth. he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the borders of Zebulun and Naphtali:
that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through Isaiah the prophet, saying,
The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, Toward the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles,
The people that sat in darkness saw a great light, And to them that sat in the region and shadow of death. To them did light spring up.
From that time began Jesus to preach, and to say, Repent ye; for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

THOUGHT QUESTIONS

What influence does human activity or human weakness have upon the plan of God, as realized in the ministry of Jesus? (Cf. Matthew 4:12; Matthew 8:34; Matthew 13:58; Mark 1:45)

Why do you suppose Jesus left Nazareth and dwelt in Capernaum at this time? Why should He choose to leave His own hometown?

In what sense is the ministry of Jesus to this area the bringing of light to them? How were they sitting in darkness?

What is the essence of the kingdom of God?

What does Jesus mean by repent?

PARAPHRASE AND HARMONY

Now after John was arrested and imprisoned by Herod, the report of the incident reached the ears of Jesus. Another factor enters to account for what follows: when the Lord knew that the Pharisees were aware of His ministry and that He was making and His disciples were baptizing more followers than John, Jesus left Judea. He returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee. Jesus decided that He had to pass through Samaria. Coming to Sychar, He declared Himself to be Messiah to a Samaritan woman at Jacobs well. She, in turn, called the attention of the entire city to Him. That two-day revival in Samaria caused many Samaritans to conclude that Jesus was indeed the Savior of the world. (John 4:5-42)

After the two days, Jesus departed for Galilee. At this point, He Himself testified that a prophet is not appreciated by His own people. But when He came to Galilee, the Galileans welcomed Him, for they had seen all that Jesus had done in Jerusalem at the feast, since they too were there. Jesus-’ reputation spread through all the surrounding country. He taught in their synagogues to the great admiration of everyone.

Next, Jesus came again to Cana in Galilee where He healed the son of a Capernaum nobleman by remote control. (John 4:46-54) From Cana He went to Nazareth where He had been brought up. On the sabbath. He went into the synagogue, as was His practice. There He read Isaiah 61:1-2 and preached a sermon on that text, that got Him thrown out of the synagogue and of Nazareth. (Luke 4:16-30)

Leaving Nazareth. Jesus settled down at Capernaum, a lakeside town located on the north western shore of Lake Galilee in the ancient territorial divisions of the tribes of Zebulun and Naphtali. Jesus-’ move to Capernaum resulted in the fulfilment of Isa 9:1-2, which reads thus:

Land of Zebulun and Land of Naphtali, The Land of the Road by the Sea, and beyond the Jordan, With Galilee of the Gentiles- The people that were living in darkness

Have seen a great Light,

And, for those who were living in the land of the shadow of death.

A Light has dawned.

It was from this period that Jesus began to proclaim the message of

God’s good news, saying, This is the time: the kingdom of God is almost upon us! You must repent and believe the good news!

NOTES

I. GOD’S GRACE GIVEN TO GALILEE

Upon first reading of Mat 4:11-12, the distinct impression is received that Jesus-’ withdrawal into Galilee follows hard upon His victory over the tempter in the wilderness. However, let it be remembered that Matthew does not pretend precise chronological order for his narration, and it will not be surprising to learn that the following succession of events carries the full story:

Ministry of John the Baptist: Matthew 3:1-12; Mark 1:2-8; Luke 3:1-18; John 1

Baptism of Jesus: Matthew 3:13-17; Mark 1:9-11; Luke 3:21-23

Temptation of Jesus: Matthew 4:1-11; Mark 1:12-13; Luke 4:1-13

First Acquaintance with early disciples at Jordan: John 1:35-51

Wedding Feast at Cana in Galilee: John 2:1-11

Change of Residence to Capernaum: John 2:12

Cleansing of the Temple in Jerusalem at Passover: John 2:13-22

Early Judean Ministry-miracles, teaching, baptizing: John 3:22; John 4:1-2

Teaching Nicodemus in Judea: John 3:1-21

Arrest of John the Baptist: Matthew 4:12; Mark 1:14 a; Luke 3:19-20
Departure for Galilee through Famaria 8 or 9 months later: Matthew 4:12; Mark 1:14 a; Luke 4:14 a; John 4:3-4
Samaritan Woman and Samaritan Revival: John 4:5-43
Beginning of Galilean Campaign: Matthew 4:12; Mark 1:14 a; Luke 4:14-15; John 4:44-45
Nobleman’s Son of Capernaum healed, Jesus at Cana: John 4:46-54
First Rejection at Nazareth: Luke 4:16-30
Return to Capernaum: Matthew 4:13-17; Mark 1:14-15; Luke 4:31
Call of Four Fishermen: Matthew 4:18-22; Mark 1:16-20; Luke 5:1-11

With this chronologically harmonized outline for comparison of the Gospel accounts, it becomes much more comprehensible why Jesus should decide to withdraw into Galilee at this time.

John the Baptist had unmasked the Pharisees and Sadducees for the hypocrites they really were. His popular appeal galled them at first, then, alarmed them. Then came this Jesus of Nazareth into their stronghold, the temple, challenging their position. He drove out of the temple courts their profitable sources of revenue and He openly questioned their righteousness. Besides these attacks, He wrought many miracles in the Jerusalem area (John 2:23; John 3:2), and began gathering such a following (John 2:23) that the more intimate disciples of John began to fear for their master’s waning glory in the light of the ascendant popularity of Jesus (John 3:26). What the hierarchy had perhaps secretly hoped would be a temporary manifestation of religious fervor is no longer to be regarded with disdain but genuine alarm. The movement seems to be growing to revolutionary proportions: Judea is excited.

At just this moment in the tension-charged atmosphere of Judea, one of John’s sermons struck home to the tetrarch of Galilee and Perea, Herod Antipas. John openly rebuked this petty king’s flagrant immorality and gross violation of God’s laws. (Cf. Matthew 14:3-5; Mark 6:17-20; Luke 3:19-20) Herod could not tolerate this accusing finger pointed at his sins, nor could he permit this ground-swell of public sentiment to rise into a crescendo of national revolution (Josephus, Ant. XVIII, 5, 2). Perhaps John was handed over to Herod (delivered up, see paradidomi in Matthew 4:12; Mark 1:14 a) by the Pharisees themselves. (Cf. Matthew 17:12; John 4:1.). At this crisis, i.e. when Jesus heard that John was delivered up, He made His move north.

He withdrew from what or whom? Anachoreo may be translated go away, return, withdraw, retire, take refuge (Arndt-Gingrich). If Jesus is seeking to avoid some impending danger, what is it? Certainly, Jesus could not hope for escape from a similar fate as that of John by His deliberate entrance into the political jurisdiction of Herod Antipas himself. Apparently, Herod’s informants had not yet singled out Jesus as the new Leader of the growing reform movement, or else, Jesus had not yet launched the same condemnation as had John, and thus would not have been noticed and apprehended. Jesus could foresee those who would be His real enemies and so chose not to bring matters to a show-down at this time, for such a crisis could d y end in a premature cross. Thus, rather than seek at once the fullest notoriety in the heart of Jewish world and provoke thereby the wrath of the religious hierarchy at Jerusalem (John 4:1-3), Jesus chose the out-district of Galilee as the training and testing ground for those disciples who would establish the Church, He must yet train them in evangelism, Their false concepts of the Messiah and God’s Kingdom must be corrected, The crisis of the cross must indeed come, but not yet, He must preach to the rest of the nation first, Thus, Jesus left Judea for several reasons:

John was imprisoned and Jesus wanted to maintain the momentum of John’s labor and gather around Him John’s lost, leaderless disciples.

The growing anxiety of the Pharisees needed to be cooled,

He already had a large following in Galilee (John 2:23; John 4:45).

Therefore, Jesus took the shortest, quickest route to Galilee, spending only two days in Samaria (John 4:4; John 4:40; John 4:43).

Jesus came to Galilee: what genius! Though Galilee was not large, it had been uniquely prepared for His arrival. Galilee is that territory located in northern Palestine, bordered on the north by the heathen Syrians and Phoenicians; on the west by the plain of Accho and Mount Carmel; on the south by the half-breed Samaritans; and on the east by the Jordan River and Lake Galilee. The land area thus circumscribed was approximately that of modern Israel, north of Mount Carmel: about 60 miles long by 40 miles wide,

Josephus (Wars, III, 3, 3) describes Jesus-’ countrymen thus:

The Galileans are inured to war from their infancy, and have always been very numerous; nor hath the country ever been destitute of men of courage, nor wanted a numerous set of them. Their soil is uniformly rich and fruitful and full of plantations of trees of all sorts, insomuch that it invites the most slothful to take pains in its cultivation, by its fruitfulness: accordingly it is cultivated by its inhabitants and no part of it lies idle. Moreover, the cities lie here very thick, and the very many villages there are here are everywhere so full of people, by the richness of their soil, that the very least of them contain above fifteen thousand inhabitants.

Jesus-’ tactical genius is seen in His choice of Galilee, Galilee’s geographic and social relations as well as its religious history rendered it particularly open to the reception of new ideas. The Galileans, because of their constant contact with the outside world of Rome, Syria, Phoenicia, could not be expected to be such sticklers for traditional orthodoxy as the Judeans. These inborn characteristics of the Galileans created particularly fertile soil for the new message of Jesus.

Jesus came to Galilee: what mercy and grace! He chose to labor among these despised Galileans of mixed ancestry, corrupted from purer Judaism by the liberalizing habits of surrounding heathenism. Before Jesus arrived, life seemed to be dominated by evil. Men existed without genuine hope or exalted purposes. ALL of religion seemed to be solely the possession of a few Judean Pharisees. But Jesus-’ entrance into Galilee shouts the joyful news to the mixed fragments of ancient Israel: God’s Kingdom is almost upon you! Evil is not the ultimate force in the universe; despair is not the final meaning to life; nor is death the last word! Thus, God’s grace was extended even to Galilee.

Matthew 4:13 and leaving Nazareth. Though kataleipo (leave) may be neutral, meaning simply a departure from a place, yet it has the predominant flavor of leaving behind something or someone (Arndt-Gingrich). Had Matthew intended merely departure, he had a wealth of words to say so (aperchomai, metairo, aphiemi, poreuomai, anachoreo, chorizo, exeimi, choreo, or* metabaino). Jesus left Nazareth behind.* Although the words Nazareth and Capernaum are obviously geographical place names, yet Jesus-’ move is not without symbolical significance, and, considered the complete story of this move, these names suggest also the people who dwelt there. While Matthew does not spell out the reason for this seemingly normal change of residence to Capernaum (katoikeo), Luke tells the story behind it (Luke 4:16-30). Jesus left Nazareth. thus, is no empty phrase, for He had faced the hard reality that a prophet is not without honor except in His own country, (Luke 4:24). Nevertheless, He had endeavored to speak to His own townspeople, but the more He revealed of His true identity, the more difficult they found it to believe Him. He did return later for one last time to try again to convince Nazareth. but she thought she knew too much to believe His claims (Matthew 13:53-58; Mark 6:1-6). But, He must leave behind His hometown for now. This is another early intimation of the tragedy that will culminate in Calvary, It was at Nazareth of Galilee that the Light had shined in the darkness, but the darkness could neither master it by comprehending, learning or understanding it, nor seize it with hostile intent to destroy it. (John 1:9 f) He came and dwelt in Capernaum. Even if Nazareth rejected her great opportunity to enjoy the great Light come to her and was content to sit in her darkness, yet other cities would receive the Light, The loss of Nazareth meant the gain of Capernaum. Jesus had already moved from Nazareth to Capernaum earlier (John 2:12), but now He makes the latter city His headquarters for the Galilean campaign. That earlier move to Capernaum suggests that Jesus had already foreseen the Nazareth rejection and had already planned His ministry in Galilee long before going south to Judea for the Passover (John 2:12-13). Then the events in Judea merely triggered His plan.

**Capernaum which is by the Sea. **The ruins of Tell Hum, now generally identified as the site of Capernaum, lie on the north shore of the Lake. Borders of Zebulun and Naphtali: Capernaum actually lay in the ancient tribal territory of Naphtali (Joshua 19:32 f), and near that of Zebulun (Joshua 19:10 f): however, these old boundary lines had long ceased to divide the territories. Matthew uses these lines to draw attention to the prophecy which finds fulfilment in chis zone which roughly corresponds to Galilee, (Study the following passages to appreciate the intimacy of Jesus-’ connection with Capernaum, that date from this move: Matthew 8:5; Matthew 11:23; Matthew 17:24; Mark 1:21; Mark 2:1; Mark 9:33; Luke 4:23; Luke 4:31; Luke 7:1; Luke 10:15; John 4:46; John 6:17; John 6:24; John 6:59,)

II. GLADDENING GLORY GRANTED TO THOSE GROPING IN GLOOM

Matthew 4:14 that it might be fulfilled. Jesus-’ beginning to evangelize Galilee was not with the malicious intent to produce a mechanical correspondence between His actions and the glorious prophetic predictions concerning the age of the Messiah. Jesus came north. not to fulfil messianic prophecy, but to save people. His move was prompted by loving mercy, by personal familiarity with Galilee and its people, and by events in Judea. As a result of His transfer to Galilee, the -great messianic prediction of Isa 9:1-7 was fulfilled. Jesus, the Light of the world (John 1:9; John 8:12) completely fulfilled the prophecy as no prophet either before or after Him could have done. (Cf. John 7:52 and Luke 1:78-79).

Isaiah-s intention was to present a well-grounded hope to these provinces of Israel that, because of their geographical position as buffer-states, had suffered the greatest affliction and spiritual degradation. This people had suffered because of their false religious orientation begun when Jerob caused Israel to sin, because they corrupted themselves by imitation of the practices of their more civilized neighbors, because they trusted false gods and the false hopes these latter could offer, and because no complete return to whole-hearted worship of the true God, Jehovah, ever came about. Add to this religious tragedy the constant unrest that accompanies almost incessant war with the Syrians and the Assyrians. To this situation Isaiah addressed these words of hope. The geographic terms:

**The land of Zebulun and Naphtali: **see above on Matthew 4:13.
**Toward the sea: **(hodon thalases) may be translated, following a Hebrew idiom contrary to Greek usage, toward the sea (Arndt-Gingrich). Literally, it is the road by the sea (Delitzsch, Isaiah, I, 244), and speaks of that tract of land on the western shore of the Galilean Lake.
**Beyond the Jordan: **Perea, as viewed from the west side of Jordan.
**Galilee of the Gentiles: **see above on Matthew 4:12.

In Jewish thinking, the only fitting place for the beginning of the glorious reign would be Judea with His capital at Jerusalem. The concept of a Galilean Messiah was to them a self-contradiction. (See John 7:52. P 66 has the article the, thus making reference to the prophet i.e. the Messiah.) Galilee was the last place on earth a Jew of that period would choose for a similar purpose. The whole area was, according to the opinion of enlightened Jerusalem, quite in the dark-’ intellectually, morally and culturally. This latter was a position based upon quite unjustified personal pride on the part of the Judeans, whereas the language of Isaiah truly describes the actual position of the Galileans: they sat in darkness and in the region and shadow of death. The context of Isaiah (Isaiah 5:30; Isaiah 8:21-22) proves that this sad plight was self-inflicted, indicating the greater need for light. To Jesus, these were just good reasons why He should labor in Galilee! While this passage is a graphic description of the conditions among the Galileans, it may also describe all men who try to live without God. Compare Paul’s masterful analyses: Romans 1:18-32; Ephesians 4:17-19.

Other passages which develop the theme of light and darkness: Matthew 5:14-16; Matthew 6:23; Luke 2:52; Luke 8:16; Luke 11:34-36; John 1:4-9; John 3:19-21; John 8:12; John 9:5; John 11:9-10; John 12:35-36; John 12:46; Acts 26:18; Acts 26:23; Romans 2:19; 2 Corinthians 6:14; Ephesians 5:8; Ephesians 5:13; 1 Thessalonians 5:5; 1 Timothy 6:16; James 1:17; 1 Peter 2:9; 1 John 1:5; 1 John 1:7; 1 John 2:8-10; Revelation 22:5.

III. THE GIST AND GENIUS OF THE GOVERNMENT OF GOD

Matthew 4:17 From that time is to be taken with reference to Jesus-’ return to Galilee, Jesus now begins the thorough evangelization of Galilee, Matthew cannot mean that He is beginning for the first time to preach anywhere, for Jesus is just returning from Judea where He taught and wrought miracles (John 2:13 to John 4:3). Likewise, He passed through Samaria (John 4:4-45) where He openly declared Himself to be the Messiah as well as where He accepted the open appraisal of His teaching as those of the Savior of the world (John 4:42). Rather, Matthew intends only what he states: that when Jesus withdrew into Galilee, from that time He began to preach in Galilee. Prior to this time Jesus had not evangelized there; now He launches His Great Galilean Campaign, Jesus-’ fame as a preacher dates from this campaign (Acts 10:37), and His complete identification with Galilee from this move (cf. Luke 23:5-7; John 7:41; John 7:52).

Repent ye; for the kingdom-’ of heaven is at hand. This is certainly Matthew’s summary statement that boils down into a very few words hours of preaching and teaching done in Galilee. Yet, Matthew has not omitted anything essential:

With reference to God Himself, the GIST of His Government is His unquestionable right to command repentance of sinful I rebels. Objectively, the gist of His government, or kingdom, is the inclination of men’s repentant hearts to do His will. (See on Matthew 3:15)
he GENIUS of God’s Kingdom that corrects all the failures of every human reign is the fact that it begins with the willing choice of the subject to be entirely transformed by His King, In God’s Kingdom there must be no unwilling subjects.

Upon the imprisonment of John, Jesus sounds the same challenge and call to repentance that had been the heart of the Baptist’s message (Matthew 3:2). Jesus does this partly to maintain the continuity of the movement which John had started, but not only so, for such a call for surrender to God’s will is ever timely. To this well-known message Jesus adds a joyful, gladdening ring: The messianic times are here! Repent and believe the good news! (Mark 1:15) Is it any wonder that the attention of all Galilee was riveted upon this Jesus of Nazareth? The ancient prophecies describing the nature of the messianic kingdom had kept the kingdom-idea before the people of Israel. John the Baptist had electrified the nation by announcing the nearness of this long-awaited era. Jesus took up the same cry, and, profiting from the keen current interest in the kingdom, successfully launched His great preaching ministry in Galilee.

FACT QUESTIONS

List all of the events that occur between Jesus-’ temptations and His return to Galilee upon His hearing of the imprisonment of John. In other words, what happened between Matthew 4:11 and Matthew 4:12?

Does Matthew say that Jesus-’ return to Galilee immediately followed His temptation?

What are the two major causes for Jesus-’ sudden move to Galilee?

Where had Jesus been when He withdrew into Galilee?

What had He been doing there?

About how long had He been gone from Galilee?

Describe Galilee: its geographical position, size, sociological character, its probable religious preparation for Jesus-’ message.

What factors probably caused Jesus-’ transfer of residence from Nazareth to Capernaum?

In what ancient tribal area is Capernaum located?

Show the relationship between the prophecy quoted by Matthew and his use made of it: what is the context of the prophecy and how did it offer hope to the people originally addressed? How did Jesus fulfil it?
What was the content of Jesus-’ preaching at this time?
What do these expressions mean:

Sit in darkness?

The region and shadow of death?

Great light did spring up?

Matthew 4:18-22

CHAPTER FOUR Section 9. JESUS CALLS FOUR FISHERMEN

(Parallels: Mark 1:16-21; Luke 5:1-11)

TEXT: 4:18-22

And walking by the sea of Galilee, he saw two brethren, Simon who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishers.
And he saith unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you fishers of men.
And they straightway left the nets, and followed him.
And going on from thence he saw two other brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them,
And they straightway left the boat and their father, and followed him.

THOUGHT QUESTIONS

How long do you suppose these four fishermen had known Jesus before He called them to be fishermen of men?

What does Jesus mean by calling them to be fishers of men? What does He want them to do in that capacity?

Why do you think Matthew emphasizes the immediacy of their response? (straightway of Mat 4:20 and Matthew 4:22)

How are the families of these working men to be supported if these four bread-winners leave their occupations to follow this itinerate rabbi over the countryside? Very likely, someone asked this question that day. How would you answer it?

Vigorous efforts are being made to enlist the most capable young men for hundreds of promising vocations. Such efforts and the procedures used are generally approved or at least expected by the parents of these young men. Yet, when efforts are made to encourage these same young people to enlist themselves in the Christian ministry, their parents sometimes object strenuously to the pressure being put on their children. What is your reaction to the problem?

Apparently, Zebedee made no effort to hinder his sons-’ entering What kind of man does this seem to the discipleship of Jesus. indicate him to have been?

PARAPHRASE AND HARMONY

One morning while Jesus was walking beside the Lake of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon, also known as Peter, and his brother, Andrew, throwing their cast-net into the sea, for fishing was their occupation.

On this same day, the people were crowding closely around Jesus to hear God’s message. As He stood on the shore, He noticed that the fishermen had given up their fishing and had beached their boats, leaving them there while they washed their nets. Jesus boarded Simon’s boat and asked him to push off a little from the shore. Then Jesus sat down and continued His teaching the crowds from His seat in the boat.

When He had finished speaking, He addressed Simon, Put out into deep water and all of you let down your nets for a catch.

But Simon argued, But, Sir, we have been hard at work all

night and caught nothing at all. But if you say so, I will lower the nets.

They did so and caught an enormous shoal of fish-so big that the nets began to break! So they signaled to their fellows in the other b a t to come and help them. This they did, loading both boats so full of fish that they rode so low in the water that they almost sank. When Peter saw what had happened, he threw himself down at Jesus-’ knees, exclaiming, Master, leave me, for I-’m a sinful man! For Peter and his companions, James and John, Zebedee’s sons who were Simon’s partners, were staggered at the haul of fish which they had taken. Jesus replied to Simon, Do not be afraid, Simon. From now on your catch will be men.

So they brought the boats to shore at different parts of the beach. As Jesus stepped from Peter’s boat, He invited Peter and Andrew, Follow me and I will teach you how to take men alive! They left their nets at once and followed Jesus.

Going on up the beach a little further from there, Jesus saw James and John aboard their boat with their father Zebedee, repairing the nets broken in places by the recent catch. Immediately He called them and, just as quickly, they left the boat, their father Zebedee, the hired servants-everything, and followed Him.

NOTES

I. THE MEMOIRS OF THE CALL.

In the PARAPHRASE/HARMONY it is assumed that the incidents recorded in the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew 4:18-22; Mark 1:16-21; Luke 5:1-11) are basically the same event told from two quite different points of view. A simple comparison of the first two Gospels will indicate very slight variations in wording, whereas Luke describes a miraculous catch of fish, an event which concludes with the call of Peter and several fishermen to leave all to follow Jesus. It is quite possible that what is described in two ways is really two stories of two separate events. Matthew, according to his topical arrangement, places the call of the four fishermen in a general relationship of Jesus-’ entrance into Galilee; Mark does the same (Mark 1:14-20). However, Mark makes the event precede the busy day of miracles (Mark 1:21-38), whereas Luke (Luke 4:31 to Luke 5:11) lists the call of the fishermen after it. Yet, Luke is not too precise about the time element, although his tendency is to follow chronological sequences. For this latter reason, it might well be asked whether Luke intends to tell the same basic event as the other two. Resolving this question involves letting the witnesses tell their story and our attempting to harmonize the facts they present, without our being able to cross-examine the witnesses. The importance of trying to solve the problem lies in the determination whether we have all the available materials at hand before beginning to interpret the passage, or whether we have too much material, putting together two separate events as if they were one.

There are at least two ways to harmonize the facts, if the story be one told from two viewpoints:

First, the call; second, the miraculous catch. Edersheim (Life, I, 476) argues for the first view, showing Peter’s need for such a demonstration of Jesus-’ power to make him truly a fisher of men. Peter heard it all in the boat, as he sat close by, in the shadow of His Majesty. Then, this was the teaching of which he had become a disciple; this, the net and the fishing to which he was just called. How utterly miserable, in one respect, must it have made him. Could such an one as he ever hope, with whatever toil, to be a successful fisher?. Presently it shall all be brought to light; not only that it may be made clear, but that, alike, the lesson and the help may be seen.

First, the miraculous catch; second, the call of the fishermen. There is good psychological reason for placing the miraculous catch first. In this case, Jesus is pictured as wanting to impress upon the minds of these fishermen the majestic authority of this One with whom they were to serve. In addition, providing them with such a large catch which they, in turn, could sell for no small sum, he could help them to justify their absence from home and business for a time. Further, the force of this miracle would not be lost on the people at home either, for their reluctance to permit these able-bodied bread-winners to forsake their occupation would disappear in the same confidence in Jesus to provide in the future, even as He did on this occasion of their call.

Therefore, the notes which follow take the general view that the Synoptics provide here merely two views of the same event. The sequence of action suggested here is that of the PARAPHRASE/ HARMONY. The exact relation of the accounts in Matthew and Mark to that of Luke, however, must remain in doubt, inasmuch as the essentials are tenuous or missing.

II. THE MEN WHO WERE CALLED

Matthew 4:18 Walking by the sea. Where Jesus has been, cannot be known with surety, due to the chronological problems in harmonizing the accounts. Perhaps this call of the four fishermen is the first intention of Jesus as He returns to Capernaum from Nazareth; however, His fame precedes Him and a crowd gathers, following Him to the beach. Accordingly, although He saw the fishermen first, He taught the crowd before commanding these men to haul in the miraculous catch. Sea of Galilee is only a large lake, being only 6 miles wide by 12 miles long. It has probably been called a number of names by men caught out upon its boiling surface during one of its notoriously sudden, furious storms. The official names, however, have been Sea of Chinnereth (Joshua 12:2-7) probably from a fortified city that stood near its western shore (Joshua 19:35); Waters of Gennesar (1Ma. 11:67) or Lake Gennesaret (Luke 5:1) from the small plain on its western side (Matthew 14:34); Sea of Tiberias was the name drawn from the prominent city of the NT period, located on its western shore (John 6:1; John 21:1). For further description, see on Matthew 8:23 ff. The waters of this lake teemed with fish, thus providing food and employment for these commercial fishermen.

He saw two brethren. fishers. But what really did Jesus see? He saw men whose principle distinguishing characteristics were their being undistinguished in practically every regard. Any other’s eye might not have seen in these men the sterling qualities that Jesus could discern there and later develop:

They were accustomed to hardship, Because of their experiences with the hard life, they were well-seasoned men.

They were humble men, capable of being taught, There heads were not completely jammed with rabbinic foolishness to the point they would rather argue than listen and learn from Jesus.

They were diligent, working men, not ashamed of honest toil nor seeking the easy life.

They were already His disciples. logically, Jesus sought for apostle-material among those who were already aware of some of His teachings, character and mission. Such a call as He would address to them could not have been made, unless they had something of this understanding. (See on Matthew 4:19)

Casting a net into the sea. Three modes of fishing are mentioned

in the Scriptures:

Hook: Matthew 17:27; Job 41:1-2

Spears: Job 41:7

Nets, of which there are two principle types:

The Cast-net (amphiblestron) is a circular net which is thrown out over the water and allowed to settle down in the water, weighted down by lead weights fixed to its perimeter. The fish are thus entrapped in the center under the net as the fishermen tread down the net and draw the bottom edges together. Obviously, such a net would be that used by the men when Jesus first saw them near the beach (Matthew 4:18; Mark 1:16).

The Dragnet (sagene) or also (diktuon) is a long net, leaded on one edge with floats on the other edge which make it literally stand up’’ in the water, producing a fence which fishermen may use to surround a school of fish by extending the net between two boats which bring it close enough to shore that fishermen may land the catch in the shallows. If the water is deep, the boats can bring the ends slowly together to form a circle. A diver closes the bottom of the net and the entrapped fish are hauled out of the water and loaded into the boats. Jesus ordered the men to lower this net for the great catch. (Luke 5:2; Luke 5:4-6)

The nets (Matthew 4:20-21: ta diktua) probably indicates a general expression for all nets of whatever type.

III. THE MOMENT OF THE CALL

Matthew 4:19 And he saith unto them, Come ye after me. The events which preceded this call and the circumstances in which it was given help to explain both what Jesus meant by what He said, as well as the reaction of the men to whom it was directed:

These fishermen had already been personally acquainted with Jesus for at least eight or nine months (John 1-4), having both heard His teaching and seen some miracles.

The call came after Jesus-’ first open break with traditional religious authority and after the beginning of the persecution of Jesus by the Jews (John 2:13-22; John 4:1). Thus, Jesus challenged these men to enter into a formal fellowship with Him and His strained rapport with formal Judaism.

The miraculous catch of fish is also suggested as preceding this call. Plummet notes (145) that it frequently happens that one experience touches a man, when many similar experiences fail to do so. Yet, without being realized, they prepared the heart for that one experience that changed the man’s life. These disciples had already seen some of Jesus-’ miracles, but this one struck home to them personally. The striking feature about this one was its relation to their daily toil: it was done with their nets and their boats. It is natural that it should make such an impression upon them.

IV. THE MEANING OF THE CALL

Matthew 4:19 **Come ye after me, and I will make you fishers of men. **What did Jesus intend these fishermen to understand by this invitation?

What Jesus did not mean:

This is not a call to become His disciples, for that they were already. He is calling them to learn evangelism.
This is not a call to worldly glory, for they were still to be, in some way, fishermen, What compensation did He offer them to leave all and follow Him? Apparently, He promised them nothing but the joy of righteousness and the satisfaction of servants of the Messiah, (Cf. Matthew 19:27) Only at the Last Supper did Jesus announce positions of honor in His kingdom in terms that approximated even remotely the language of compensation expected by self-seeking disciples, (Luke 22:28)
Jesus is not causing them to vow never again to touch their nets, for they could certainly, without prejudice to their devoted acceptance of this call, earn a little occasionally at their old work, And they probably went fishing whenever Jesus remained in Capernaum. They still had to eat and support families. (Cf. John 21:1 ff)
This is not merely a call to learn more doctrine or better practice of already known truth. but a call to begin a completely new life of discipleship on a higher, vaster level than ever before realized in their acquaintance with Jesus.

B. What Jesus did mean:

Come ye after me. He wanted these disciples to be with Him! He wanted them to learn His spirit. His message, His ways. They had listened to Him before. They had seen Him in action. Until now they were relatively uncommitted to the movement He represented. But in this moment there came to them this challenge to throw in their lot with Him. Such a call could not come too soon, for these four and others were to be His witnesses. It would be their specific task to give to the world a trustworthy record of the Master’s message and deeds. They must represent His character and mirror His spirit accurately. But to do this, their impressions of Him must be formed over long periods and under many, diverse conditions. But their following Jesus must also mean the habitual abandonment of their former occupations and earthly ties whereinsofar these interfered with their acceptance of this call.

I will make you. They who become apostles of Jesus are not to be self-made men. He calls them to learn to evangelize by practical experiences, both by watching Jesus and by doing it themselves. Bales (166) quotes Weigle’s beautiful description of Jesus-’ method of teaching:

His training of the twelve was by life with them and for them.. Not content merely to teach them by word of mouth. He bade them follow Him. He gave Himself to them, and gave them work to do for Him. They went with Him in His journeys; they dwelt constantly in His presence. They helped Him preach His kingdom; they too worked miracles. He even sent them out for themselves, to travel throughout the land teaching and healing. He was preparing them to take His place and to carry on His work; and He prepared them thoroughly. They learned by doing. They caught His spirit by association with Him. Through knowledge, friendship and work He brought them to spiritual maturity. He was Himself the Ideal that He sought to teach.

What sheer, matchless courage Jesus must possess to speak these words to any man! He knew that the next few years would be spent not only in the public eye but under the closest scrutiny of these whom He calls to be His most intimate personal associates. Bales (ibid.) cites Stalker’s observation: To the Twelve the most valuable part of their connection with Christ was simply the privilege of being with Him - of seeing that marvellous life day by day, and daily receiving the silent, almost unobserved impress of His character. St. John, reflecting on His three years-’ experience long afterwards, summed it up by saying, -We beheld His glory!-’. No eyes are so keen as those of students. If admitted close to a man, they take immediate stock of his resources. They are hero-worshippers when they believe in a professor, but their scorn is unmeasured if they disbelieve in him, They can be dazzled by a reputation; but only massiveness of character and thoroughness of attainment can be sure of permanently impressing them, How desperately they needed that molding which would be provided in the instruction and example of Jesus is best seen by contrasting what they were when Jesus called them with what they must be when He left them to return to the Father. The preachers of the Christian Gospel would have to have greater hearts than narrow, Jewish provincialism, freer consciences than those bound by traditional religion, greater intellectual attainment than that represented by the conventional learning of the day. They must learn to rejoice and triumph in the stumbling-block and foolishness of the cross. They must be willing to bear a cross themselves. But at the moment of their call to service what were they? They were the products of an environment made up of people who ultimately rejected and crucified Jesus. Obviously, they had much to learn and more to unlearn. They, like us, were slow to do both. But the confidence of Jesus in His words, I will make you, is contagious! Although there are some who will betray our trust, there are others who would respond to our confidence in them. How much more Jesus would be able to get out of His men simply because He showed them that, for all their weaknesses and failures, He could still trust them to the important task to which He called them! If Peter, for instance, feels the expanse of distance between Christ and himself as a sinful man, because of a new sense of the Lord-s holiness and majesty, he must have heard these confident, comforting words of Jesus as great encouragement to believe that the result of his ministry and life was in the hands of Jesus.

**Fishers of men. **Out of these three words grows that magnificent task which forms the book of Acts! He was calling them to the glorious honor of saving souls from death and establishing a Church that would march across the Mediterranean world conquering men’s hearts and which would endure to the end of time.

V. MOBILIZATION TO THE CALL

Matthew 4:20; Matthew 4:22 And they straightway left the nets. the boat and their father, and followed him. Did not these stalwart brothers comprehend the implications of this call to their family, friends and acquaintances? Yes, Peter later expresses the clean break that they had made, lo, we have left everything and followed you. (Matthew 19:27 a) But who would take care of Peter’s family in his absence? Possibly a near relative, too old to attempt active campaigning with Jesus, could handle the fishing business well enough to justify the absence of Peter’s hands at the nets. Hired servants stepped into the place of James and John (Mark 1:20).

But, why did they follow Jesus that day? A. B. Bruce (Training, 16) rightly denies that these men were either idle, discontent with their former lot, or ambitious:

Ambition needs a temptation: it does not join a cause which is obscure and struggling, and whose success is doubtful: it strikes when success is assured, and when the movement it patronizes is on the eve of its glorification.-’-'

Considering how little they really understood of the nature of the King in whose service they were enrolling themselves, or of the kingdom that they would proclaim, one would say that they were enthusiasts. For the moment, at least until Jesus could teach them better, their heads were pounding with visions of a glorious messianic kingdom about to be set up with Jesus wearing David-s crown. These visions, immature and ill-conceived as they might have been, drove them from their families and occupations to go into the service of Jesus. Though it appeared that they left on a fool’s errand, yet, with all their misconceptions and ignorance, it was into JESUS-’ hands that they placed their strength. their influence, their lives. They were just ordinary folk who gave themselves to Him and He can do anything with people like that! What faith to follow the unknown Jesus of Nazareth!

Whatever became of those men and that enthusiastic decision? look up these passages, for they tell the heart-warming story of their discipleship: Peter and Andrew: Matthew 8:14; Matthew 10:2; Matthew 14:28-29; Matthew 15:15; Matthew 16:16-23; Matthew 17:18; Matthew 17:24 ff; Matthew 18:21; Matthew 19:27; Matthew 26:33-75; Mark 5:37; Mark 11:21; Mark 13:3; Mark 14:29-72; Mark 16:7; Luke 8:45-51; Luke 22:8; John 1:40-44; John 6:8; John 6:68; John 12:22; John 13:6-9; John 13:24; John 13:36; John 18:10-27; John 20:2-6; John 21:2-21; Acts 1-15; Galatians 1:18; Galatians 2:7-14; I, II Peter. James and John: Matthew 10:2; Matthew 17:1 f; Mark 1:29; Mark 5:37 f; Mark 9:33; Mark 10:35 f; Mark 13:3; Mark 14:33; Luke 5:10; Luke 9:54; Luke 22:8; Acts 1:13; Acts 3:4; Acts 8:14; Acts 12:2; Galatians 2:9; Revelation 1:1; Revelation 1:9; Revelation 22:8; the Gospel of John, I, II, III John and Revelation.

Behold the glorious, surpassing wisdom of Jesus. He chose fishermen to change the world! He ever chooses the foolish to confound the wise. (1 Corinthians 1:18-31, esp. 1 Corinthians 1:26-28) If Jesus can make such everlasting good use of such humble instruments as these four fishermen, dear friend, what can He do with your life when surrendered to Him?

FACT QUESTIONS

Name the four fishermen.

The father of James and John was ___; the father of Peter and Andrew was ___.

Did Peter and Andrew live in Capernaum? (Cf. John 1:44)

What were the fishermen doing when Jesus first saw them?

At what time of day approximately did Jesus approach them?

What did Jesus ask Simon to do?

Why did Simon do it?

Had these men known Jesus before? If so, when or how long?

What did Jesus ask all the four fishermen to do?

What did He promise or predict concerning them?
What inducement did Jesus offer them to justify their leaving all to follow him? Did Jesus mention any compensations What was the motivation that caused this sudden, clean break with one occupation to take up that of following Jesus?
The four forsook all and followed their Master. (Luke 5:11) Did the all in any case include wife or children?
Tell all you know about each of the lives of the four fishermen, their past, their work with Jesus, their families, their service as leaders in the early church, and, if possible, their death.
What is the significance or importance of Jesus’ calling these and other disciples to be with Him from this point of time on? Or, why must the choice of certain disciples to be with Jesus be made early in His work? (Cf. Acts 1:21-22)
Describe a typical fishing trip of the four fishermen, telling how they used’ their boats, nets, their hours for fishing, their methods.

Matthew 4:23-25

Section 10. JESUS PREACHES AND HEALS IN GALILEE

(Parallels: Mark 1:35-39; Luke 4:42-44)

TEXT: 4:23-25

And Jesus went about in all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of disease and all manner of sickness among the people.
And the report of him went forth into all Syria: and they brought unto him all that were sick, holden with divers diseases and torments, possessed with demons, and epileptic, and palsied; and he healed them.
And there followed him great multitudes from Galilee and Decapolis and Jerusalem and Judaea and from beyond the Jordan.

THOUGHT QUESTIONS

Why do you suppose Matthew introduces this obviously general summary into his account at this point?

What does this section indicate about the nature of Jesus’ popular ministry?

If Jesus wanted to start a new religion, why did He begin in the Jewish synagogue? What good could be accomplished by beginning this way? What is the connection, if any, between classic Judaism and religion of Jesus?

PARAPHRASE AND HARMONY

Then Jesus went all over Galilee, as He continued teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of God’s approaching reign, curing every disease or malady that was among the people. His reputation spread even throughout the whole territory of Syria. Sufferers from every kind of illness or torturing disease, racked with pain, those possessed with demons, the epileptics, the paralyzed - they were all brought to Him and He healed them! Countless crowds of people followed Him from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea and from Transjordan.

NOTES

I. THE EVANGELISTIC EFFORT

Matthew 4:23 And Jesus went about in all Galilee. With these three verses Matthew summarizes the first general tour of Galilee, of which the Chapter s that follow may be specific incidents. Jesus apparently made three such evangelistic tours of Galilee in the effort to win its populace: this one, another after the onset of unbelief (Luke 8:1-3), and a third just before the collapse of His popularity (Matthew 9:35 to Matthew 11:1).

Though Matthew does not record it, Mark (Mark 1:35-39) and Luke (Luke 4:42-44) both tell what significant preparation Jesus made before embarking upon His first great evangelistic campaign. After a busy day of great popularity, preaching and prodigies, Jesus arose early the next morning to pray alone. Peter’s words of rebuke and anxiety only served to heighten the temptation to satisfy all the wants of His townspeople at Capernaum, Everyone is looking for you. A synagogue full of expectant and admiring people eager to listen might have satisfied the ambition of many a rabbi. Yet Jesus has other plans and goals to reach: Let us go elsewhere into the other towns that I may preach the good news of the kingdom of God there also: for that is why I was sent. Jesus-’ eye was on the nation, not upon that small-town excitement which had turned the heads of His disciples. His mission was not mainly or simply humanitarian! His mission was redemption! His was not to one small city, but to the whole flock of the lost sheep of the house of Israel. The natural compassion of God within Him for suffering humanity caused Jesus to minister to their bodies. But His miracles were intended to point the mind beyond the acts themselves. He intended that these miracles should function as signs of His identity and prepare their minds for His message (John 5:20; John 10:24-25; John 14:10-14). They must see that through this Man God is compassionately and mercifully working in their midst and that the message of this One was that of God! How often these signs were misunderstood may be gathered from outstanding examples such as Capernaum, who, ironically, here wishes to keep Him from leaving her (cf. Matthew 11:20-24).

Teaching in their synagogues. For a full treatment of the subject synagogue, see under standard Bible reference works, especially Edersheim’s detailed descriptions (Life, I, chap. X). Jesus could not have chosen a more logical approach to the Jewish people than through the synagogue, for this was the most important institution in the life of His people, with the only single exception of the temple. Though some teaching was possible in the temple (see, for example: John 5:14 ff; John 7:14 to John 10:18, John 10:22-39; Luke 19:47-48), yet the synagogue was unquestionably the institution essentially adapted for teaching. Further, the liturgy of the synagogue was such that it furnished Him the opportunity that He could best utilize for starting His formal public teaching. The ruler or president of the synagogue could invite to speak any person whom he judged to be qualified. Thus, at least at the first, there was an open door to Jesus in any town large enough to have a synagogue. Then, after Jesus had taught a particular lesson, there would have been time for discussion of the new doctrine He brought, for questions, for talk and fellowship with Him. (Illustrations: Luke 4:16-37; Mark 1:21-28; Matthew 12:9-14)

Those Christians who tend to reject various human inventions as unworthy of Christian practice or consideration on the ground that they are without divine approval should ponder our Lord-s acceptance and use of the synagogue. The synagogue has no proven origin prior to the Babylonian captivity in which it arose out of a felt need for worship of God in a strange land. Certainly, true worship had to be rendered Jehovah at Jerusalem in the temple and at the stated feast-days and hours and in the appointed way. Yet the more devout Jews, living in captivity and having no sanctuary, altar or priesthood, felt the need to hear the word of God and pray together. And even after their return from exile, they continued their synagogue practice even in Jerusalem where stood first Zerubbabel’s temple and later Herod-s temple at which all the Mosaic sacrifices were offered (Acts 6:9; John 2:13-20) and where all the services were kept. The synagogue as an institution served mainly for a local tribunal as well as school house for elementary education. However, worship, in the sense of prayers and reading of the Scriptures, developed into a regular service or liturgy before the time of Jesus. In this human invention, brought into being without demonstrable divine sanction or prohibition, Jesus and His apostles participated by using to the full the opportunity it provided not only for proclaiming the coming of the Kingdom, but also for their own personal worship. Obviously, they would continue this latter only as long as their good relationship to Judaism remained intact. With the gradual disintegration of those ties that began during Jesus-’ ministry and continued until the ultimately necessary mutual separation of Judaism and Christianity as well as the establishment of a distinct, Christian worship, the frequenting of the synagogues became less and less.

While Jesus knew that at Jerusalem was the place where men ought to worship God (John 4:19-22; cf. Deuteronomy 12:1-14), yet, by His apparent approval and usage of the synagogue, He indicates that the mere fact that a thing-a project, a tool, an aid, an instrument, a means-has no particular divine sanction or prohibition, is no good argument against its use, He ever laid the emphasis on the manner and motives for which a thing is used. The synagogue could NEVER be used as a substitute for the temple. The two existed side by side in Jesus’ day and He worshiped BOTH at the temple at the stated feasts AND at the synagogue, (Cf. Luke 4:16) For Him the synagogue did not pose a choice between itself and the temple, for worship at the temple was God’s clear command. At the same time, He worshipped and taught in the synagogue, because it was a most logical and practical means of giving witness to His reliance upon the law and the prophets and His example taught the importance of practical, weekly devotion to God by praying with God’s people.

Further, the influence of the synagogue-plan upon the formation of the Christian congregation after Pentecost cannot be overlooked. Inasmuch as the synagogue had been so much a part of the culture of the apostles, it should not be at all surprising that they should utilize its basic form of worship and government when they established the Church. Rather, it perhaps would have been more surprising had they not done so, although Jesus could have instructed them in a completely different form of worship and government. The fact that He did not should cause His disciples to reevaluate their acceptance or rejection of things not either prohibited or sanctioned in God’s word.

For more direct information on the synagogue, see standard reference works and the following suggestive scriptures: Matthew 6:2-5; Matthew 10:17; Matthew 12:9; Matthew 13:54; Matthew 23:6; Matthew 23:34; Mark 1:21-29; Mark 1:39; Mark 3:1; Mark 5:22-38; Mark 6:2; Luke 4:15-38; Luke 4:44; Luke 6:6; Luke 7:5; Luke 8:41; Luke 11:43; Luke 12:11; Luke 13:10; Luke 20:46; Luke 21:12; John 6:59; John 9:22; John 12:42; John 16:2; John 18:20; Acts 6:9; Acts 9:2; Acts 9:20; Acts 13:5; Acts 13:14; Acts 15:21; Acts 17:1-17; Acts 18:4-26.

Preaching the gospel of the kingdom and healing. Matthew summarized Jesus’ activities in such a way as to express perfectly His true purposes, as declared by the Lord Himself (Mark 1:38; Luke 4:43):

Jesus came to reveal the MIND of God. He defeated man’s ignorance and corrected his misunderstandings.

Not about the universe or the world in general, for man could learn this on his own, given enough time.

But about the true knowledge of God, man was in gross ignorance. Jesus came to reveal what man could not have found out by himself. Decisively He puts an end to all groping and guessing about God by revealing Him!

And man had a lot to learn about the true nature of himself. Man is at his very best as servant of God, as a subject of God’s kingdom: this is that for which God planned man, not for self-rule or self-satisfaction. He revealed God’s will for man.

Jesus came to reveal the HEART of God. He conquered man’s heart by demonstrating the Almighty’s loving concern for man, by healing his diseases. This was very important:

Man, writhing in pain or tortured by a lingering illness, finds sermons about high morality and noble ideals quite unconnected with his personal, painful reality. He might ask himself, What does God care if I waste away here on this bed of affliction?

Then, Jesus mercifully touches the man’s affliction, heals his body and opens the man’s grateful heart to the message of the kingdom. Now the man is ready to listen and respond to Jesus.

Matthew lays a proper emphasis on this healing ministry by mentioning both the great variety of healings that Jesus accomplished as well as the widely scattered areas from which people came to be healed.

II. THE EXTENSIVE EFFECTIVENESS

Matthew 4:24 The report about Him went forth into all Syria. It is not easy to establish the exact bounds of Syria in Jesus-’ time nor the exact use Matthew may make of the term. In OT times Syria had been the small country just north of Palestine. But following the conquests of Alexander the Great and the Maccabean period, Syria had come to mean the whole area from Egypt clear up to the Orontes River and Antioch.

Note how Luke in the parallel (Luke 4:44) uses the word Judea, not in the sense of the area around Jerusalem, but in the sense of the whole country of the Jews or Palestine. He often does this. (Cf. Luke 1:5; Luke 7:17; Luke 23:5; Acts 2:9; Acts 10:37)

Even if Matthew intends the smaller region, obviously the fame of Jesus is travelling like a prairie fire, Certainly there were Jews living in Damascus (Acts 9:2; Acts 9:20-22) and in Antioch (Acts 11:19), whose business and family connections kept them in touch with Palestine. Besides, the regular caravan routes from Babylon to Egypt passed directly through Galilee and carried all the most interesting gossip great distances.

They brought unto him all those who were sick. Because of the mixed population of Galilee and the certainly Gentile population of Syria, it is incompatible with the merciful love of Jesus to think that non-Jews brought to Him should be turned away. (Cf. Matthew 8:5-13; Matthew 15:21-28; Luke 17:11-18) Sick with various diseases: for specific cases, see Matthew 8:1-17; Matthew 9:18-31. Those possessed with demons: for examples, note Matthew 8:28-34; Matthew 9:32-34. For discussion of demons and demoniacs, see comments on Matthew 8:28 ff. Epileptic, a later case: Matthew 17:15. Paralytic means any lame or partially or totally paralyzed person; specific case: Matthew 9:1-8. And He healed them! What glorious, unfailing power! There were none sent away, rejected due to failure: there were no incurable cases, There was no anxious waiting for weeks when Jesus touched those bodies.

III. THE ELECTRIFYING EFFECT

Matthew 4:25 Great multitudes followed Him. What an eager, excited audience to whom His earth-shaking messages could be preached! He has their attention: their hearts are open. But where did these crowds come from? From all over Palestine, says Matthew. (See map)

Decapolis, is a name meaning ten cities, which refers to the federation of ten independent city-states located all but one (Scythopolis/ Beth-Shan) on the east side of the Jordan Valley. They were inhabited mostly by Greeks or Romans. Because they were completely independent of local rule, Matthew rightly separates them from the area beyond the Jordan, although, logically and geographically, Decapolis was also beyond the Jordan.

ET CETERA

The sheer generality of this passage draws our attention to the all-sufficiency of Jesus. He can meet man at any point of his human experience, at any physical crisis, at any spiritual condition, and save him! Matthew’s swift summary also gives another impression: Jesus is keenly interested and especially drawn to the et ceteras of human existence. Without doubt there were in these vast assemblages individual wrecks who had lost all hope, all self-esteem, all love. Yet, Jesus had time to deal gently with each one! Whether they were strangers, foreigners and sinners of every sort mattered not to Jesus, for he loved them and mercifully welcomed each one. To Jesus, the nobody was really somebody whom He could love, heal and save. Thank God for such mercy! Most of us are nobodies, but in Jesus-’ eyes we have value, Who would dare fail to respond to such a Master as He?

FACT QUESTIONS

What is meant by the following words or phrases in the text:

holden

divers diseases

torments

d. demon possession e.

epileptic

palsied

What events are recorded in the parallel passages as having occurred just prior to this first general tour of Galilee?

According to the parallels, how did Jesus prepare Himself for this extensive evangelistic effort?

Of what value was the Jewish synagogue to the ministry of Jesus? What opportunities did it provide Him?

Tell something of the nature and use the Jews made of their synagogues.

What was the obvious purpose for which Jesus was sent, as revealed in this text and its parallels?

What effect did this evangelistic tour have upon the nation?

Locate the different areas whence people came to be healed by Jesus.

Old Green Commentaries

The College Press Bible Study Textbook Series — 59 volumes by 25 authors, published between 1961 and 1992 and affectionately known as the 'old green' commentaries for their green hardback bindings. Each volume is a commentary, workbook and teaching manual in one, written by Restoration Movement …

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