Matthew 4

Matthew 4 “THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW”

Chapter Four Following His baptism, Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness where He fasted for forty days and overcame temptation by the devil (Matthew 4:1-11). Returning to Galilee and moving from Nazareth to Capernaum, Jesus began His Galilean ministry preaching the same message of the kingdom of heaven as that of John the Baptist. After selecting four disciples, Jesus went about Galilee teaching in the synagogues and healing all kinds of sickness and disease. Soon great multitudes from surrounding regions began to follow Him (Matthew 4:12-25).

POINTS TO PONDER

• How Jesus overcame His temptation by the devil

• The beginning of His ministry in Galilee, His message and methods

• The call of Peter, Andrew, James, and John to discipleship

REVIEW

1. What are the main points of this chapter?

• The temptation of Jesus - Matthew 4:1-11- The beginning of Jesus’ Galilean ministry - Matthew 4:12-25

2. With what three temptations did Satan challenge Jesus? (Matthew 4:3; Matthew 4:6; Matthew 4:9)

• “If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.”
• “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down (from the pinnacle of the temple).”
• “All these things (kingdoms of the world) I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.”

3. How did Jesus respond to each of the three temptations? (Matthew 4:4; Matthew 4:7; Matthew 4:10)

• With the Word of God (“It is written…”)

4. Where did Jesus begin His public ministry? Fulfilling what prophecy? (12-16)

• The region of Galilee; as prophesied by Isaiah (Isaiah 9:1-2)

5. What was the theme of Jesus’ preaching? (Matthew 4:17)

• “The kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

6. Who were the four fishermen called to follow Jesus? (Matthew 4:18-22)

• Peter and Andrew, James and John 7) How did Jesus conduct His ministry in Galilee? (Matthew 4:23-24)
• Teaching in the synagogues
• Healing all kinds of disease and sickness, including demon possession

8. Where did people come from to follow Jesus? (Matthew 4:25)

• Galilee, Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond the Jordan

Matthew 4:1-25 Verse 1Matthew 4 Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. (Matthew 4:1) Led up of the Spirit … does not mean that the Spirit provided the temptation, because God does not tempt any man (James 1:13). However, the Holy Spirit did desire that Jesus’ temptation should take place at this particular time. Jesus’ two great temptations were this one in the wilderness and that in the Garden of Gethsemane (Luke 22:42; Matthew 26:39); but he was tempted at other times (Luke 4:13), and perhaps at ALL times (Hebrews 2:18). Into the wilderness … Dummelow saw in this wilderness temptation a contrast to the temptation of the first Adam. “The temptation of the first Adam took place in a garden … the temptation of the second Adam took place in a wilderness."[1] The fruits and flowers of Eden contrast with the wild beasts and the disorder of the howling wilderness. Thus, the victory of Christ was made more wonderful. To be tempted of the devil … The identity and person of Satan have long afforded fruitful fields for conjecture; although, in the present generation, there is a widespread tendency to reduce Satan to the status of a mere influence, or personification of evil.[2] However, it is plainly declared in the Holy Scriptures that Satan is actually a person, a being higher in the order of creation than man, but fallen from his first estate (Jude 1:1-16). Satan is held in awe even by angels and appears to have been cast out of his domain because of conceit and ambition (1 Timothy 3:6). Satan is the enemy that sows tares (Matthew 13:28); snatches the word out of men’s hearts (Matthew 13:19); and, by means of countless snares and devices, takes men captive to do the devil’s will (2 Timothy 2:26). Nevertheless, Satan is restricted and limited. He does not share control of the universe with God and may not even tempt one little child of God more than the child is able to bear (1 Corinthians 10:13). Temptation is in itself no sin. This is implicit in the fact that Christ was tempted. The oft-repeated lie of Satan that it is as wrong to desire to do evil as it is actually to do evil is frustrated by this passage. It is not temptation to do wrong that constitutes sin, but to that temptation. [1] J. R. Dummelow, One Volume Commentary (New York: The Macmillan Company, 1937), p. 632. [2] H. Leo Boles, Commentary on Matthew (Nashville, Tennessee: The Gospel Advocate Company, 1961), p. 96.

Verse 2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he afterward hungered. Fasted forty days, etc. … In this, Christ appears as “that prophet” like unto Moses (Deuteronomy 18:15). In fact, two Old Testament types of Christ carried out 40-day fasts, namely, Moses and Elijah (Exodus 34:28; 1 Kings 19:8). Afterward hungered … Out of that hunger rose the first of Jesus’ great temptations. More than an ordinary call of the appetite is seen in this. Christ was in the wilderness, sufficiently removed from society as to jeopardize his earthly life. He MUST eat, but HOW? Satan was ready with an illegal plan to meet the situation.

Verse 3 And the tempter came and said unto him, If thou art the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.This “if” is characteristic of Satan. He always cast a doubt if possible. Satan himself had no doubt that Christ was indeed the Messiah; but the devil tried to raise a doubt in the heart of Christ himself! The tempter appeared in this passage as the Lord’s antagonist in three different guises, giving rise to the impression that Satan too has a triune nature. Three names characterize Satan in the book of Revelation. He is called the devil, the beast, and the false prophet (Revelation 20:10).

He appears in three guises: as a serpent (Revelation 20:2), as a lion (1 Peter 5:8), and as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14). This same triple pattern is seen in the temptation of Adam and Eve, through the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the vain-glory of life (1 John 2:16). It is noteworthy that the temptation of Christ followed this same three-phase pattern. Command that these stones become bread … This was the first temptation, and it struck through the basic hunger of the body. Hunger is the body’s great passion. Every other appetite or desire may be and has been subordinated to this instinctive need. The outstanding example of how this is so terribly true is seen in the tragic behavior of Jerusalem mothers (2 Kings 6:28). Hunger is the first and the last appetite of the body.

By pressing the attack in this quarter, Satan attempted to steal into our Lord’s heart as a serpent. Much more than mere physical hunger entered into this temptation, although the hunger itself must have been very great. Like all temptations, this one had reference to filling a genuine need, legitimate enough in itself. Christ surely required food that he could be strengthened and returned to the thousands who would attend his ministry. Christ did not know at that point how his need would be met. Satan’s proposal was sinful because it would have involved Jesus in the use of supernatural powers for the ease and comfort of his own body.

Also, it would have shown a lack of trust on Jesus’ part if he should have taken things into his own hands and performed a miracle in order to eat.

Verse 4 But 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.Jesus’ answer to temptation was, “It is written … it is written … and again, it is written!” Fortunate are the Lord’s followers when they are able to meet every crucial test of life with a like response. This places the highest stamp of approval upon the Bible. It is simply unthinkable that the Christ of God would have relied upon a merely human and fallible book in his encounter with the Prince of Evil. Jesus’ use of the Scriptures in this situation plainly marks them as the words OF GOD! Indeed, in this very verse, this principle is dogmatically asserted, “every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” Man shall not live by bread alone, etc. … This has a wealth of significance. Mere physical existence apart from the true life of the spirit is not really LIFE (John 10:10). The quotation Jesus used in this reply is from Deuteronomy 8:3. The Christian should receive as his never-to-be-rejected authority in spiritual matters, the word of God, the word only (Matthew 8:8), every word (Matthew 4:4), and nothing but the word (Matthew 15:9). Note the three places of these temptations, the wilderness, the temple, and the high mountain.

The extremes were employed by Satan in a strong effort to win this encounter. Having lost the first round, Satan switched both the scene and the approach. Since Christ trusted the Father, Satan would try to make that very trust the basis of sin, presumptuous sin. The scene is also changed from the roaring wilderness to the sacred precincts of the temple, indicating that there are peculiar temptations to sin in close proximity to faith.

Verse 5 Then the devil taketh him into the holy city; and he set him on the pinnacle of the temple.The expression “holy city” is peculiar to Matthew and shows his love and affection for Jerusalem. The exact location of the pinnacle of the temple is not determined; but the context indicates that it was of sufficient height that only a miracle could prevent death to anyone who leaped from it.

Verse 6 And he 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.Note the same employment of doubt as an instrument in temptation. “IF” is a big word in Satan’s weaponry of deceit. A paraphrase of this second temptation is as follows: “Since you have so much faith in God, that is fine; just call all the people together in the temple and perform an outstanding miracle in the sight of all. For example, you could leap from the pinnacle of the temple unhurt, and the people would instantly hail you as the Messiah. You can see that this is a genuine time-saver, a shortcut that will enable you to achieve the necessary recognition without the time-consuming labor and pains of teaching and preaching.” For it is written, He shall give his angels charge, … Satan reinforces the temptation with a plausible appeal to Scripture itself, quoting in this place from Psalms 91:11-12. Christ did not charge Satan with misquotation or misapplication of the Scripture. As a matter of fact, the words do apply to Christ. Christ rejected the temptation, not on the grounds that Satan had misused the word of God, but on the grounds that it would have constituted an unnecessary presumption and would have, in fact, been making trial of God. Christ instantly cited the Scripture forbidding such presumption, Deuteronomy 6:16.

Verse 7 Jesus said unto him, Again it is written, Thou shalt not make trial of the Lord thy God. Again it is written … This is the key to the Scriptures! Every passage of the word of God is to be understood in the light of other passages bearing on the same subject. No isolated, proof-text method of interpreting the Scriptures is valid. God’s will on any subject is to be understood in the light of ALL that is written. Christ made that principle clear in his words to the disciples on the road to Emmaus when he said, “O foolish men, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken” (Luke 24:25).

Nevertheless, the devil likes to quote Scripture. “Take a little wine for thy stomach’s sake!” “Be not overly righteous!” “Eat, drink and be merry!” - who has not heard Satan quoting such passages as these? Satan’s purpose in quoting Scripture is not to heed God’s word but to circumvent it. May the child of God have the grace to answer, over and over, in all of life’s confusing situations, “It is written … it is written … and again, it is written.” This was Jesus’ method, and he won the day. So shall his disciples win the contest if they use his method! Thou shalt not make trial of the Lord thy God … Jesus did not argue with Satan but simply announced the word of God forbidding the thing Satan suggested. In this temptation, Satan appears as an angel of light, quoting the word of God, pretending to be interested in a “shortcut” victory for Christ. This was a dramatic change from the subtle insinuation of the first temptation. Failing in both maneuvers, Satan changed again; and, in the following temptation, attempted to overpower Christ, appearing before him as a roaring lion, arrogant, overbearing, and pretending to have world dominion.

Verse 8 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.The mystery of how Satan could do such a thing remains unknown. McGarvey is doubtless correct in pointing out the imagination as a key factor in this temptation. No literal mountain answers the specifications here. Christ, in some way unknown to us, was transported through Satanic power to a great eminence where the devil made all the kingdoms of the world to pass in review, as it were, before the mind of Jesus. As McGarvey expressed it, “If they were presented only to his mental vision, it might have been accomplished by a vivid description, such as Satan is capable of, aided by the excited imagination of Jesus as he looked abroad from the top of the exceeding high mountain."[3] All these things will I give thee … What did Satan mean by that? Did the devil propose a union of his forces with the powers of Jesus for the purpose of establishing a world dominion with Christ as the nominal head but with Satan as the real ruler? Or was Satan’s proposition an unqualified lie? This commentator recognizes that many distinguished students of the word of God are of a contrary opinion; nevertheless, it is the conviction of a lifetime that Satan lied to Jesus Christ in this third temptation. McGarvey saw no unwarranted assumption of power in the devil’s claim to control over all the kingdoms of the world.[4] Also, H.

Leo Boles believed that Satan could have delivered on his promise to Jesus, if Christ had yielded.[5] However, Satan is a liar and the father of lies (John 8:44). The Bible specifically refutes the idea that Satan has at his disposal all the world kingdoms.

Nebuchadnezzar was compelled to eat grass with the beasts of the field until seven times had passed over him; and WHY? Only that he might learn a simple truth, namely, “That the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men and giveth it to whomsoever he will” (Daniel 4:25). It is impossible to suppose that Christ was ignorant of the truth mentioned in Daniel or that he was in any sense ignorant of the falsity of Satan’s claims. How, then, could he have been tempted? Any tempted saint can answer that Satan’s lies have the power to seduce even when they are known to be lies. No sinner ever did wrong but Satan promised him pleasure, but no sinner ever got what he expected. “The wages of sin is death,” not pleasure.

Here, therefore, in the temptation of our Lord was the handiwork of that original artificer of the phenomenon that flowered in Nazi Germany under Adolph Hitler, the strategy of THE BIG LIE. It must be admitted that in this case, Satan told such a big lie that God-fearing men still believe it, nearly two thousand years after the fact!

Face the truth: If Christ had yielded to Satan, Christ would not have won the kingdoms of this world; Satan would have won them, and God’s redemptive work would have failed. [3] J. W. McGarvey, Commentary on Matthew (Delight, Arkansas: The Gospel Light Publishing Company), p. 42. [4] Ibid., p. 43. [5] H. Leo Boles, op. cit., p. 103.

Verse 10 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.Christ rejected Satan’s proposal without regard to its truth or falsity. Satan’s promise, whether true or false, had no bearing on the conduct of the Lord which was regulated altogether by the word of God, not by Satan’s words. Christ quoted from Deuteronomy 6:13. Significantly, Christ applied that Old Testament passage to include devil worship. The prohibition is, in fact, against all worship except the worship of Almighty God through Jesus Christ. It is sinful to worship the devil, or angels (Revelation 19:10), or a man (Acts 10:26), or any object or being other than the Infinite God through Christ. It will be recalled that the wise men worshipped, not Mary, but Jesus (Matthew 2:11).

Verse 11 Then the devil leaveth him, and behold angels came and ministered unto him.Christ won the encounter. In the third temptation, no less than in the other two, Satan was vanquished. As the roaring lion, he audaciously demanded that the Son of God fall down and worship the devil! There is a bold arrogance without precedent. As a serpent, as an angel, or as a lion, Satan brought all his cunning into play against the Christ, but to no avail. “Thanks be to God who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:57). Then the devil leaveth him … This, of course, was not the end of Christ’s temptations which were to continue without abatement until the cross itself appeared upon Golgotha. And yet, there is a devilish cunning in the Satanic method of leaving, for a season, and returning in full force another day. Luke indicated that this is what Satan did (Luke 4:13). Satan always seeks the opportune time to exert his evil power. He blows softly with the south wind to entice the unwary ship out of its haven and then to smite with the fury of Eraquilo! (Acts 27:13-14). Angels came and ministered unto him … Thus, God did not leave Christ to die in the wilderness, after all. He was fed of angels. Satan’s proposal to change stones into bread was as unnecessary as it was sinful. Christ, who is introduced in the New Testament’s very first verse as “the son of Abraham,” found in dire extremity the same truth uttered by Abraham on Mount Moriah, “Jehovah-Jireh!” “The Lord will provide!” (Genesis 22:14).

Verse 12 III OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD; AND OF ITS OF AND LAWSMat_4:12-25; Matthew 5:1-48; Matthew 6:1-34; Matthew 7:1-29; Matthew 8:1-34; Matthew 9:1-38; Matthew 10:1-42; Matthew 11:1-30; Matthew 12:1-50; Matthew 13:1-52 Now when he heard that John was delivered up, he withdrew into Galilee. (Matthew 4:12)Delivered up refers to the imprisonment of John the Baptist by Herod. Christ’s withdrawal into Galilee was precautionary, to avoid an untimely martyrdom, and to set his disciples an example for staying out of trouble with authorities, provided it can be avoided honorably. Christ’s withdrawal into Galilee gave occasion for the Master’s Galilean ministry, all of which Matthew omits, probably because Matthew was not an eye-witness of the events of that ministry. The following summary of the events of the Galilean ministry is given by Johnson:[6] Christ returns to Bethabara (John 1:15-17) He returns to Galilee, miracle at Cana (John 2:1-11) The first Passover and the cleansing of temple (John 2:14-25) The interview with Nicodemus (John 3:1-21) Jesus’ ministry in Judaea (John 4:2) Jesus leaves Galilee, via Samaria, and has a conversation at Sychar with the woman at the well (John 4:4-52) He heals the nobleman’s son (John 4:46-54) Jesus miracle at Bethesda (John 5:1-47) ENDNOTE:[6] B. W. Johnson, The People’s New Testament (St. Louis, Missouri: Christian Board of Publication, 1891), p. 32.

Verse 13 And leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the borders of Zebulun and Naphtali.Between the last words of Mat 4:12 and the first words of Mat 4:13 there was an interval of at least one year’s time. LEAVING is a reference to the rejection at Nazareth by the townspeople of that village who despised him because of what they supposed to be his humble origin and environment. The choice of Capernaum as his residence may have been due to the fact that it was the chief city of Galilee, the site of a Jewish synagogue, a Roman tax station, and the headquarters for a Roman garrison. At least five of the Twelve resided there: Peter, Andrew, James, John, and Matthew. Capernaum also rejected Christ and was denounced by him (Matthew 11:23). Which is by the sea … is the body of water usually called the Sea of Galilee, but also known as Lake Gennesaret (Luke 5:1), the Sea of Chinnereth (Numbers 34:11), Chinneroth (Joshua 11:2), and Tiberius (John 6:1). This remarkable body of water is actually an extension of the Jordan River, lying 700 feet below sea level, and extends some twelve miles in length and six miles in width. In the borders of Zebulun and Naphtali … Capernaum was located in the territory of Zebulun near the border with Naphtali, and Matthew quickly saw in this a fulfillment of the great prophecy of Isa 9:1-2, which is quoted here, not verbatim but nearly so. The thought which impressed Matthew is that from the contemptuous borders of these minor tribes should arise the Light of all nations, a fact clearly prophesied by Isaiah.

Verse 14 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken through Isaiah the prophet, saying:As always, Matthew made it clear that Isaiah was not the speaker, but only the prophet through whom God spoke. Matthew, who doubtless had a thorough knowledge of the Hebrew prophecies, quoted the passage from Isaiah:

Verse 15 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. Beyond the Jordan … Jesus fulfilled this prophecy by crossing the sea many times. The trans-Jordan territory was called “Perea” by the Romans. Galilee of the Gentiles is a proverb emphasizing the low estate of those people in Galilee. Gentile customs, morals, and culture prevailed; and these were far lower than those of Jerusalem; and thus, the wretched and despised state of the citizens of Galilee, and especially of Nazareth, was proverbial. The people that sat in darkness … is a reference to the spiritual poverty and ignorance of Galilee. Boles said, “The language expresses a symbol of hopeless gloom."[7] It was a peculiar providence of God that those who were in such gross darkness enjoyed the amazing benefit of our Lord’s earthly residence in their midst. How marvelous are God’s ways! Darkness has ever been a symbol of moral destitution and spiritual blindness. All people must remain in darkness until the Light shines in their hearts through faith. In the shadow of death … is an expression that occurs a number of times in the Old Testament (Job 10:21; Psalms 23:4; Jeremiah 2:6, etc.). In this place it is only a further reference to the moral and spiritual condition of the people of Galilee. ENDNOTE:[7] H. Leo Boles, op. cit., p. 110.

Verse 17 And from that time began Jesus to preach, and to say, Repent ye; for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.Christ’s first preaching has a ring similar to that of John the Baptist (Matthew 3:2). Repentance was the prime need of that generation. People had grown hard and indifferent to spiritual values. John’s great call to repentance had been heeded by many, but significantly the leaders of the people despised John and set his teachings at naught. Christ’s first move was to place the endorsement of God squarely upon John’s clarion call for repentance. Repentance is still the prime need of this age and of every age.

There must be repentance, even before the true life in Christ can begin. Christ’s indication in this place that the kingdom of heaven was at hand is important. Moffatt translated this place: “Repent, the reign of heaven is near.”

Verse 18 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.Jesus called BUSY men to follow him. Dummelow noted that “He called them while actually at their work, as he called Matthew (Matthew 9:9), in order to show that no idle or useless person can be a Christian."[8] It is wrong to think that these men were of an ordinary or degraded social position. True they were not members of the aristocracy; but Luke shows these four men, including James and John, to have been partners in a business (Luke 5:7); Mark mentions two hired servants in the boat (Mark 1:20); and it is evident from John 18:16 that John was favorably known to the high priest. Such considerations make it imperative to think of these men as far above ordinary persons. Socially, they were of the stable middle class which constituted at that time, and perhaps in every time, the solid portion of the entire social order. Reference to the apostles as “unlearned and ignorant” men (Acts 4:13) should be understood in a relative sense when they were contrasted with the sophisticated doctors of religion, and also as the usual taunt expressed by intellectuals against those who disagree with them. Simon who is called Peter … This apostle was also called “Cephas” or “Stone” by our Lord (John 1:42; 1 Corinthians 1:12; 1 Corinthians 15:5; Galatians 2:9). And Andrew his brother … Peter is always mentioned first in the New Testament references to the apostles, although his brother Andrew was a follower before Peter. Matthew telescoped many events, chronologically, in arriving so quickly at the call of these fishermen. All these men had been present at Cana of Galilee where Jesus performed his first miracle and had been faithful followers of Christ for at least a year. The significance of the call mentioned in this passage is that, henceforth, these men were to forsake all and follow Christ to the exclusion of every earthly interest (Matthew 19:27). This they had not previously been called upon to do. For they were fishers … Augustine said, “They did not lay aside their nets but changed them!” Certainly, Christ did indicate a similarity between fishing and soul winning. Following are some of the similarities: skill is required; patience is essential; cooperation is helpful; methods vary with conditions; results cannot be accurately predicted; and, under some situations, an attractive bait is absolutely necessary. Ministers should ever strive to make the kingdom of God as attractive to men as possible, though never by a compromise of its principles. Just as a skilled fisherman provides an attractive lure for the fish, a gospel preacher should seek to entice the attention of men with as attractive and intelligent a presentation of truth as is humanly possible. One may well wonder if, at times, the very opposite procedure has been followed. A few have so flagrantly violated this principle as to bait the end of the pole, cast the naked hook into the water, and dare the fish to come out on the bank and fight! ENDNOTE:[8] J. R. Dummelow, op. cit., p. 634.

Verse 19 And he saith unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you fishers of men. After me … That is, after Christ, is every disciple’s true place. The place of every disciple is behind his Lord, as a follower. Later, Peter was to forsake this place and be rebuked by Christ who said, “Get thee behind me, Satan!”

Verse 20 And they straightway left the nets and followed him.We have already noted that these men had been unofficial followers of Christ for a year or more. Matthew, in this place, records the bold facts without regard to many of the details some might have considered pertinent. It is a characteristic of the Scriptural writings that some events are sensationally abbreviated, while others, seemingly inconsequential, are elaborately detailed.

Verse 21 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.James was the first apostle to suffer martyrdom, and John was the last to die. These extremes suggest a mystical fulfillment of the request their mother made of Jesus that one of them should sit on the right hand and one on the left hand in his kingdom (Matthew 20:21). Both James and John belonged to that inner circle within the Twelve who were permitted in the bed chamber when Jairus’ daughter was raised (Mark 5:37), on the mountain of transfiguration (Matthew 17:1), and with Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26:37). Zebedee … was the brother-in-law of the virgin Mary, according to H. Leo Boles.[9] The inference is from Matthew 27:56 and John 19:25. Although some have disputed it, Alford, Meyer, and others have received this deduction as true. This would make James and John cousins of our Lord, their mothers, Mary and Salome, being sisters. Zebedee is never mentioned as a disciple. ENDNOTE:[9] H. Leo Boles, op. cit., p. 113.

Verse 23 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. All Galilee … indicates an intensive preaching tour in that area. In their synagogues … indicates the usual places where Jesus did most of his formal teaching. The gospel of the kingdom … indicates the subject matter. Note that the message of the kingdom was “good news,” indicated by the very term GOSPEL, a word derived from roots that mean “good news.” This can only mean that the kingdom was to be established in the lifetime of the peoples then living. It would have been no “good” news to them that it would be set up in say, 1914, or long after they were dead!

Verse 24 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.The various cities mentioned in this place were the ones that provided the vast multitudes that followed Christ in this phase of his ministry. The various diseases, etc., mentioned show that Christ’s power to heal extended to every possible condition of suffering and handicapped humanity. McGarvey noted that “The facts of this section (Matthew 4:12-25) furnish another argument in favor of the claims of Jesus (as the Messiah): (1) They show that his dwelling place was where the prophet Isaiah had predicted the appearance of a great light; (2) and that Christ was such a light. (3) That he was so great a light that some people left all things to follow him; and (4) that multitudes came from all surrounding regions to receive his blessing and enjoy his instruction. No clearer proof could be given that he was the Great Light whose rising had been predicted by the prophet."[10] ENDNOTE:[10] J. W. McGarvey, op. cit., p. 48.

J.W. McGarvey Commentary For Matthew Chapter FourThe Temptation of Jesus, Matthew 4:1-11 Preparation, Matthew 4:1-2. (Mark 1:12-13; Luke 4:1-2)

1. led up.—The statement that Jesus was led up by the Spirit to be tempted shows that he was subjected to temptation in accordance with a deliberate purpose, but a purpose not his own. Mark uses the more forcible expression, “the Spirit driveth him into the wilderness.” It is an example, then, not of voluntary entrance into temptation, but of being divinely led into it for a special divine purpose. The traditionary supposition that the wilderness into which he was led was the rugged mountainous region back of Jericho, is altogether probable.
2. when he had fasted.—The fast of forty days was intended, at least in part, to excite the intense hunger which Satan tried to take advantage of in the first temptation. That “he was afterward hungered” implies that his appetite was miraculously suspended during the forty days. There are two types of this fast in the Old Testament— the fast of Moses (Exodus 34:28), and that of Elijah (1 Ks. 19:1-8).First Temptation, Matthew 4:3-4. (Luke 4:3-4) Before we can properly estimate the temptation of Jesus we must fix a standard by which to judge of the force of temptations. All temptation results from the excitement of some lust or desire. (James 1:14.) The more intense the desire excited, other things being equal, the greater the temptation. Human experience teaches, also, that, other things being equal, the more cunningly the sinfulness of a wrong act is disguised, the more easily are we induced to commit it. Evidently, then, the force of a temptation is to be estimated by considering the degree of desire excited and the skill with which the sinfulness of the proposed act is disguised. When these two circumstances exist in the highest degree we have the strongest temptation.
3. If thou be the Son of God.—In addition to the desire for food, resulting from a forty days’ fast, Satan seeks by the words, “If thou be the Son of God,” to excite in Jesus another desire— that of rebuking the doubt which these words imply. It is impossible that a fleshly appetite more intense could be excited, or one in the gratification of which we would realize so little suspicion of evil. A good motive for the proposed act is suggested, and the sinfulness of it is so skillfully disguised, that few persons even to this day are able to detect it. It would be difficult, therefore, if not impossible, to conceive of a stronger temptation. It is one which no merely human being could resist.
4. he answered.—As soon as the suggestion of Satan was made the mind of Jesus reverted to the Scriptures and rested on the words of Moses: “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.” (Deuteronomy 8:3.) Israel had been led by God into the wilderness, where there was no bread; had been subjected to intense hunger there, and had then been fed by bread from heaven. Moses explains that this was to teach them that “man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God”— that is, by every means which God may appoint. Jesus finds in this a precedent for himself. He, too, had been led by God into a wilderness where there was no bread, and he was now suffering from consequent hunger. The duty of Israel is now his duty, for his circumstances are like theirs. They sinned by murmuring against Moses, and by proposing to seek bread in their own way— that is, by returning into Egypt. (Exodus 16:1-9.) He will commit a similar sin if, distrustful of God, he seeks to turn stones into bread.

They were taught to rely upon the God who had brought them into trouble to deliver them from it. This, now, is his duty, and he accepts the precedent as his guide.Second Temptation, Matthew 4:5-7. (Luke 4:9-12) 5. the devil taketh him.—In what way the devil removed Jesus from the wilderness to the temple is not stated, and it would be vain to inquire. It is a question of no practical value. on a pinnacle.—The word translated pinnacle (πτερύγιον) means literally a little wing. Its force as an architectural term does not enable us to determine what part of the temple is meant. But the context shows that it was a point so high that a fall from it would be fatal; and with this the southeast corner of the outer wall around the temple best coincides. From this point to the valley of the Kedron below is said by Josephus to have been about 600 feet. This is doubtless an exaggeration, but recent explorations have proved that the descent was once much greater than it now is. The foundations of the wall are nearly ninety feet below the present surface of the ground. 6. cast thyself down.—This temptation, like the first, was addressed to the feeling uppermost in the mind of Jesus. While gazing down from a dizzy height the idea of a fall and its consequences instinctively possessed him. The suggestion of the tempter is supported by the written promise of God that Jesus shall not be allowed even to strike his foot against a stone, much less to be dashed to pieces by a fall like this. No injury, then, can result from the attempt if he is the Son of God; and this if, as in the former instance, contributed to the force of the temptation. Moreover, some good might result from the act. It would show how completely he trusted in the promise of God. and it would convince the Jews that he was under special divine protection. Every consideration seemed to be in favor of making the leap except the fear of personal injury, and this consideration must be rejected as indicating distrust of God. 7. Jesus said.—Jesus parried this stroke of the adversary, not, as some have since done for him. by objecting to the accuracy of Satan’s quotation; nor by deriving that the promise referred to himself; nor by making a subtle distinction in reference to the “ways” mentioned in the quotation; but by remembering that the promise quoted is modified by the precept, “Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.” The word rendered tempt (πειράσω) means to put to proof, whether for a good or a bad purpose. When used with reference to enticement to sin it is properly rendered tempt; but when it refers to God putting men to proof, or men putting God to proof, test is the best rendering. The answer of Jesus is as if he had said: True, these words are written; they are applicable to me and to all good men, and they will be fulfilled in their season; but to throw one’s self into unnecessary danger because of these words would be merely testing God in reference to his promise, and this we are forbidden to do.Third Temptation,. (Luke 4:5-8) 8. sheweth him all the kingdoms.—If all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them were presented visibly to Jesus, Satan must have exerted supernatural power; if they were presented only to his mental vision, it might have been accomplished by a vivid description such as Satan is capable of, aided by the excited imagination of Jesus as he looked abroad from the top of the “exceeding high mountain.” Which of these methods was adopted the text does not determine. 9. will I give thee.—Satan’s promise to give Jesus the kingdom, when considered in connection with the capacities of Jesus himself, involves no very arrogant assumption of power. The promise implied, of course, that Jesus must unite his own efforts with Satan’s in seeking to obtain the prize; and it is quite certain that if he had consented, and had not by this consent lost the power and wisdom which belonged to him, he could have attained in a short time to universal dominion. The expectation of the Jews that their Messiah would assume this very position, and a vague expectation which pervaded the most intelligent nations of the heathen world, that some great hero and conqueror was about to appear, would have been ready instruments in Satan’s hands for fulfilling hit promise. For success in this, the final struggle, Satan depended solely on the intensity of the desire which he expected to excite. With no attempt to disguise the sin, there was a bold offer of the grandest prize which had ever dazzled the eyes of ambition. The doubting if— “if thou art the Son of God”— is also omitted, for it would have militated against the purpose of the tempter to remind Jesus of his Sonship in the very act of enticing him to worship Satan. 10. Then saith Jesus.—Satan estimated so highly the force of this temptation that he relied on it for overcoming one who had resisted all of his previous efforts. It was, in his own estimation, the most powerful temptation which he could employ; but so void of ambition was the spirit of Jesus that it excited in him only disgust. “Get thee hence, Satan,” is his first exclamation; and the next, the well remembered command, “Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.” 11. the devil leaveth him.—Satan now leaves Jesus— “for a season,” as Luke adds— because he had exhausted his power. The Apostle John distributes the lusts through which we may be tempted into three classes, viz: The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life. (1 John 2:16.) Of all the lusts of the flesh, the one most usually gratified without sin, and the one most imperative in its demands, is hunger. Satan had tried Jesus by means of this under circumstances the most favorable to success, and had failed. His next appeal was to the lust of the eye, or the love of display. To this passion he could not hope to address himself more plausibly then he had on the pinnacle of the temple. To “the pride of life,” or worldly ambition, he had just made the strongest appeal in the bounds of possibility, and had met with worse than defeat.

Having, then, addressed to each class of lusts the temptation best of all calculated to succeed, he retires, baffled and disappointed, to devise some new and different mode of attack. We shall find him hereafter returning to the conflict in the persons of hostile Pharisees and unfaithful disciples. angels came.—It seems that the hunger which was tormenting Jesus at the beginning of his temptation was not yet appeased. As soon as Satan left him, angels came and ministered to him, supplying his physical wants. The suffering preceded the refreshment; the struggle with Satan preceded the enjoyment of angel company. So with his followers. The coming of the angels also completed the parallel between himself and Israel in the wilderness. As they learned by the falling of the manna that man shall not live by bread alone, so he, adhering to the same lesson, was fed at last, not by turning stones into bread, but by receiving bread from the hands of angels.

At the same time the promise, “He will give his angels charge concerning thee,” which had been quoted by Satan in tempting him, is now fulfilled to him, and this without putting God to the test in reference to it.Argument of Section 5In this section Jesus is presented as overcoming temptations by which all merely human beings have been overcome. The unexpressed conclusion is, that Jesus must be more than human. The story of his temptation is an argument for his divinity. But besides this, Matthew accomplishes two other important purposes in this section. He exhibits first the skill of Satan. This is seen both in his perfect adaptation of each proposal to the feeling which was at the moment uppermost, or supposed to be uppermost, in the mind of Jesus; and in the selection for this attempt of him on whose resistance depended the salvation of the world. Twice has the destiny of the world been suspended on the action of a single person, and each of these was made an object of especial temptation by our cunning adversary. The first Adam fell, and the race fell with him. The second Adam defeated Satan and redeemed the race from the effects of the fall.

Secondly, our author shows us in this section how Satan can be resisted. Jesus achieved his victory by familiarity with the word of God, coupled with unhesitating acceptance of even the slightest indications of God’s will No man can resist, as he did, without his reverence for God’s will and his acquaintance with God’s word.

As we approach him in these two particulars we will approach him in his perfect resistance to the temptations of the devil.Historical Character of Section 5In discussing the foregoing section I have purposely omitted the questions, whether Satan appeared visibly and spoke audibly to Jesus, whether any part of the account is merely symbolical, and many other questions more curious than profitable which have been discussed by other writers. For a brief statement of these questions, the various theories to which they have given rise, and the various works in which these theories are defended, see Lange (Commentary on Matthew 4:3), who is not himself free from the supposition that the account is partly symbolical. It must be admitted by every candid reader that Matthew supposed himself, throughout this account, to be describing a real transaction precisely as it occurred. It is evident also, from the nature of the case, that he must have obtained his conception of the facts from an account given by Jesus himself. If, then, the account is not to be understood literally, Matthew was deceived, and Jesus deceived him. The deception, too, is one that remained after the plenary inspiration of the apostles had taken place, and was not one of those misconceptions of the Master’s words which characterized the disciples during his personal ministry, and passed away when they became fully inspired.

Any hypothesis which involves such consequences has in it the seeds of infidelity, and must be rejected by all who believe in the inspiration of the apostles. If Matthew is to be credited in reference to other events of which he was not an eyewitness, he is to be credited in reference to this.

And, after all, if we admit any thing at all supernatural in the career of Jesus, there is no difficulty in admitting the reality of this entire account. The absurdities and contradictions in which the ablest men are involved when they deny the reality of the account, and invent hypotheses of their own concerning the transaction, can be seen by the reader if he will but glance over Lange’s note above referred to; and they constitute no mean proof of the wisdom of those who humbly and unquestioningly accept the inspired narrative as we find it. Removal to Galilee and Theme of his Preaching, Matthew 4:12-17. (Mark 1:14-15; Luke 4:14-44; John 4:1-54) 12. when Jesus had heard.—The text here introduces the removal of Jesus into Galilee next after the account of his temptation, and fixes the time of it as immediately after Jesus heard of John’s imprisonment. We are not to infer, however, that the imprisonment of John and the removal of Jesus occurred immediately after the temptation; for John’s narrative clearly shows that all of the events of his first three chapters occurred in the interval, and that the events of his fourth chapter occurred on the journey into Galilee, which is here mentioned. In other words, if the first three chapters of John were to be inserted chronologically in Matthew’s narrative, they would come in between the eleventh and twelfth verses of the fourth chapter of Matthew. (See John 1:29 John 1:32 John 4:1-4 John 4:43.)13. and leaving Nazareth.—The remark about leaving Nazareth implies that Jesus, on returning into Galilee, first came to Nazareth, but that, for some reason not given by Matthew, he changed his place of residence. The reason is given by Luke in Luke 4:16-31; a passage in Luke, which, notwithstanding the opinions of some eminent writers, I am constrained to regard as parallel to this. Capernaum, the place to which Jesus now removes, was the most important city in Galilee, and was situated on the northwestern shore of the lake of Galilee. Scarcely a vestige of it can now be found.14, 15. beyond Jordan.—The lands of Zebulun and Naphthali, here described as “beyond Jordan,” were west of the Jordan, and Isaiah, who wrote these words in Jerusalem, was on the same side of the river.

The expression “beyond Jordan.” therefore, has not here its usual sense of on the other side of Jordan, but must mean beyond the source of the Jordan. The southern end of the lake of Galilee was the immediate source of the lower Jordan, and a part of Zebulon and the whole of Naphthali were beyond this point. Galilee of the Gentiles.—The name Galilee was originally confined to a small district in the tribe of Napthali. (Joshua 20:7.) In the days of Solomon it included twenty insignificant cities. (1 Kings 9:11-13.) It was afterward extended until it included all the lands of Naphthali, Asher, Zebulon, and Issachar. It was called by the prophet “Galilee of the Gentiles,” because in his day the population was largely intermixed with Gentiles and corrupted by Gentile habits.16. saw great light.—A great light springing up in a dark place might fitly represent any great teacher or reformer; but the light here predicted by the prophet is located in the very land which witnessed the chief part of the ministry of Jesus, and here no great light but Jesus ever appeared. The enemies of Jesus themselves declared that “out of Galilee ariseth no prophet.” (John 7:52.) It is certain, then, that Isaiah’s prediction was fulfilled, as Matthew affirms, in Jesus.17. Repent: for the kingdom.—The theme of Jesus in the beginning was the same as that of John. He never ceased to preach repentance, and to enforce it by announcing the speedy approach of his kingdom; though, in his later ministry, other subjects became more prominent. As we have remarked before in speaking of John’s preaching, this was the theme best calculated to prepare the people for the reception of the kingdom when it should be preached by the apostles. (See note on Matthew 3:2.)Call of the Fishermen, Matthew 4:18-22. (Mark 1:16-20; Luke 5:4-11) 20, 22. and followed him.—Matthew’s narrative furnishes no sufficient reason why these four men so promptly followed Jesus at his call. True, it would be naturally inferred that they knew more of him than the narrative declares, but we are dependent on the other gospels for the details. We learn from John’s first four chapters that Peter and Andrew at least had been his disciples for a considerable length of time; and from Luke, that they had witnessed some startling miracles just previous to their call. (Luke 5:1-11.) This was their call not to be his disciples, but to be his constant companions. Their call to be apostles was at a still later period. (See Luke 6:12-13.)General Circuit of Galilee, Matthew 4:23-25. (Mark 1:35-39; Luke 4:42-44) 23. went about all Galilee.—This paragraph contains a general statement of the journeying and labors of Jesus in Galilee, the details of which are given in subsequent chapters. It shows that in the course of these journeyings he visited every part of Galilee. in their synagogues.—The synagogues were buildings erected for a species of public instruction which had originated since the close of Old Testament history. It arose from a felt necessity for a more general knowledge of the law, and for such admonitions and exhortations as would lead to a better observance of it. The synagogues furnished Jesus, and the apostles after him, with a suitable place for public teaching on the Sabbath, and with a ready congregation. In them the law and the prophets were publicly read in such portions as to include the whole of the Old Testament in the course of the year. After the reading, comments were made, and exhortations delivered. A body of rulers, usually called elders, presided over each synagogue, and a discipline was enforced which sometimes resulted in expulsion, and sometimes in the use of the scourge. (See Matthew 10:17; Luke 4:16-20; John 9:22 John 12:42; Acts 13:14-16.) 24, 25. And his fame went.—In these two verses we have a summary of the miracles wrought by Jesus, and of the regions whence the afflicted were brought to him, and whence the multitudes came who flocked around him. Syria was the country lying next north of Galilee. Decapolis lay southeast of the lake of Galilee, and was so called because, it included ten cities and their suburbs. “Beyond Jordan” means the region east of the Jordan called by the Greeks and Romans Perea.Argument of Section 1 The facts of this section furnish another argument in favor of the claims of Jesus. They show that his dwelling-place was that in which the prophet Isaiah had predicted the appearance of a great light, and that he was such a light; that he was so great a light that some men left all things to follow him, and that multitudes came from all surrounding regions to receive his blessing and to enjoy his instruction. No clearer proof could be given that he was the great light whose rising was predicted by the prophet. Questions by E.M. Zerr For Matthew 41. To what place was Jesues led? 2. By what person was he led? 3. State the object of this. 4. For how long did he fast? 5. This left him in what condition ? 6. Who came to him? 7. What claim of Jesus did the devil mention? 8. To prove it what did he suggest ? 9. What condition would now make this a temptation 10. Could Jesus have done this work? 11. Is it wrong to eat bread? 12. Is it wrong to provide it miraculously? 13. What would have been wrong in this case? 14. Tell the reply of Jesus. 15. From whom was he quoting? 16. State the next move of the devil. 17. What is meant by the “ holy city” ? 18. How did he justify this temptation? 19. Did Jesus deny the quotation? 20. What was wr ong about the matter ? 21. To what place did the devil next take Jesus? 22. What were shown him? 23. Who claimed possession of these things? 24. Did Jesus question his claim? 25. State the offer of the devil. 26. By what name did Jesus address him? 27. What did he order him to do? 28. And what writing did he quote ? 29. What was next temptation at this time? 30. Tell what the angels did. 31. State the news reaching Jesus. 32. What did he d6 then ? 33. Tell what change in location he made. 34. In so doing what was accomplished ? 35. What about those sitting in darkness? 36. And those in the shadow of death ? 37. What did Jesus now begin? 38. Tell what he exhorted the people to do. 39. For what reason? 40. Had this been preached before? 41. Where was Jesus walking? 42. Tell whom he saw. 43. State their occupation. 44. What were they told to do ? 45. And what were they promised ? 46. Describe their response. 47. State whom he next saw. 48. What were they doing? 49. Who was with them ? 50. State their response to the word of Jesus. 51. Through what region did Jesus now go? 52. In what buildings did he teach ? 53. On what subject did he preach? 54. What did he do besides preach? 55. How extensive did his fame become ? 56. Who were brought unto him ? 57. With what result? 58. Tell what is said of the multitudes.

Matthew 4:1

4:1 Led up of the spirit denotes that Jesus was divinely instructed to go into the wilderness (same place as chapter 3:1) and submit to the test. Tempted is from PEIRAZO and has various shades of meaning in the New Testament. I shall copy most of the italicized words in Thayer’s definition which constitutes his direct description of the word: “To try, i. e. 1. to try whether a thing can be done; to attempt, endeavor. 2. to try, make trial of, test. To solicit to sin, to tempt. To inflict evils [afflictions] upon one in order to prove his character and steadfastness of his faith.” The context must be considered in each case to determine which part of the definition applies. The word devil is from two originals in the Greek New Testament which are and DIA-BOLOS.

Thayer defines the first, “1. the divine Power, deity, divinity. 2. a spirit, a being inferior to God, superior to men . . . evil spirits as the messengers and ministers of the Devil.” (It is the word frequently thought of for demons.) The second word is defined, “prone to slander, slanderous, accusing falsely . . . false accuser, slanderer . . . In the Bible and in ecclesiastical writings THE is applied to Satan.” The rule is that when the plural word “devils” is used it comes from the first word above, and if singular, “the devil,” it is from the second word and means Satan.

Matthew 4:2

4:2 A man would not have to go forty days without food to become hungry in the ordinary sense or degree. The meaning is that by the end of that period the pangs of hunger became severe.

Matthew 4:3

4:3 Tempter is from the same word as “tempted” in verse 1, and the person doing the tempting is the devil also defined in that verse. The devil knew that the great issue at stake was the divinity of Christ, hence the suggestion he made was a challenge for Him to prove his claim. There is no doubt with us (and neither was there with the devil) as to Christ’s ability to do the thing suggested. But Christ never used his miraculous power or divine character in his own behalf. He was here to set an example for his followers who were to be taught the lesson of self-denial. It would have been inconsistent to ask his disciples to resist temptation when they had only their natural powers for support, while He overcame his trials by falling back on his divine power.

Another thing that would have made it wrong for Christ to turn the stones into bread is that it would have been an act proposed by the devil. It is wrong to have any fellowship with Satan in any act, even though it might be right in itself.

Matthew 4:4

4:4 In quoting the statement that is in Deuteronomy 8:3, Jesus showed his respect for the inspired word of God and set a worthy example for others. He ignored the challenging phase of the preceding verse and based his reply on the principle that physical satisfaction is not the only thing that should interest a person in this life. One might be abundantly supplied and contented physically and yet lack the more important food which is for the inner man and is found in the words of God.

Matthew 4:5

4:5 Thayer’s definition for the original of taketh is, “1. to take to, to take with one’s self, to join to one’s self.” The word does not mean that Jesus was carried against his will to the place, but that He accompanied the devil as a further step in the procedure of the test to which he was being put. The word pinnacle is a subject of some uncertainty in the several works of reference that I have consulted as to what part of the temple is meant. It is evident that a specific place is meant for the Greek definite article is used in the original text, making it read “the pinnacle” instead of “a pinnacle.” But regardless of all these considerations the point is that it was a place high enough to have caused death to one who would fall from it.

Matthew 4:6

4:6 Much importance has been attached by commentators to the devil’s omission of the words “in all thy ways” from his citation to Psalms 91:11-12. The word ways is from DEREK which Strong defines, “a course of life or mode of action,” regardless of whether that course is right or wrong. The context must determine in each case whether it is the one or the other. To say that casting himself down would have been wrong is to assume the very point in question. Had it been right for him to perform such a stunt as the devil suggested, then the passage which he cited would have given the assurance of divine protection according to the passage in Psalms.

Matthew 4:7

4:7 The word for tempt is similar to the one in verse 1 but is a stronger word and is defined by Thayer, “To prove , test, thoroughly tempt.” Jesus quoted Deuteronomy 6:16 and thus it will be well to look at that passage and consider the connection. It says not to tempt God as they tempted him in Massah. That refers to Exodus 17:2; Exodus 17:7 where the people complained because of their thirst and questioned if the Lord was among them. It was trying (one meaning of tempt) on the patience of God to hear such attacks upon His power and goodness. That justifies the comment of Thayer in his definition of the word when he says, “by irreligion and immorality to test the patience or avenging power of Christ.” God’s long-suffering is infinite for people who sincerely rely on Him for help, even to the last degree of indulgence for their unusual requests. But He will not suffer being approached in the spirit of challenge just to see if He can and is willing to gratify their disrespectful curiosity.

Matthew 4:8

4:8 If the reader will examine the various definitions of kingdom given in chapter 3:2, he will learn that the word sometimes means the territory ruled by a king; in other words, it is something that can be seen with the fleshly eye. However , the rulership of such realms would necessarily involve much glory, so the devil called the attention of Jesus to that feature. A miracle or supernatural performance had to be done in order to make such a display before the eyes of Jesus, but that does not present any difficulty for the Bible has numerous instances that show he has been suffered to use such power when it suited the Lord’s plan to have it so.

Matthew 4:9

4:9 In the corresponding passage in Luke 4:6 the devil makes a stronger claim than is recorded here. He says that he possesses the “glory” of all these realms of the world and Jesus does not deny it; the following passages will also bear out his claim. (John 14:30; John 16:11; Ephesians 2:2.) In this verse the devil promises to give up his control of the glory existing in the kingdoms of the world and turn it over to Jesus. The only condition he requires is that Jesus fall down and worship him. See the note in comments on chapter 2:2 for the meaning of worship. Regardless of what phase of that word the devil had in mind, to have complied with the proposition would have been sin and that would have for ever disqualified Him from being a perfect sacrifice.

Matthew 4:10

4:10 The word satin is spelled the same in both Greek and English and the definition in Thayer’s lexicon (the part written in italics) is the single word “adversary” when used as a proper name, and “a Satan-like man” when used figuratively. Jesus used it as a proper name in this verse and thus identified him with “the devil” in this account of the temptation. Get thee hence means for him to leave which he will do in the next verse. Worship is from and serve is from LATREUO, and both of them are found in the long note on the word “worship” at chapter 2:2.

Matthew 4:11

4:11 Luk 4:13 adds the words “for a season” to the statement here that “the devil leaveth him.” This is significant and adds force to the statements in Hebrews 2:17-18; Hebrews 4:15 which indicate that Jesus was subject to temptation all through his life on earth. These temptations came whenever the devil or his servants had an occasion to try their hand. For the present the devil has gone the limit of his resources, for 1 John 2:16 says that “all that is in the world” is the “lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes and pride of life.” He used these three with Eve and won over her . He used them in the temptation of Christ in the wilderness and was defeated. The item of bread was an appeal to the lust of the flesh; the display of the kingdoms of the world appealed to the lust of the eyes, and the idea of casting himself from the pinnacle appealed to the pride of life in that it would only be pride that would prompt a person to perform some sensational exploit. Having been defeated in this encounter with Jesus, the devil quit the scene to await another opportunity.

Matthew 4:12

4:12 The account of John’s im-prisonment is in the 14th chapter , being inserted there to explain a remark that was made by the Herod who was reigning then. We are not told in this place why Jesus departed from Galilee, but the purpose is indicated in John 4:43-45. When Jesus had heard. Jesus did not have to obtain information about the activities of men by the ordinary means of hearing (John 2:23-25), so the phrase is used merely to state the occasion on which he left Judea. It means as if it said “upon the report.” etc., Jesus left Judea and went to Galilee. The word hear is from AKOUO and has various shades of meaning which must be understood in each passage according to the connection.

The word is so im-portant that I believe it will be well to give a quotation from Thayer’s lexicon on the definitions of the word. I shall quote the parts in italics since that is his direct definition, while the words in regular type are his own comments and explanation of the definitions. I urge the reader to make note of it and be prepared to consult it as occasion suggests. “To be endowed with the faculty of hearing. To attend to; consider. To understand, perceive the sense of what is said. To get by hearing, learn.

A thing comes to one’s ears, to find out (by hearing), learn (hear of); to learn. To comprehend, understand. To perceive any one’s voice. To give ear to one, listen, hearken. To yield to, hear to one; to listen to, have regard to. To perceive the distinct words of a voice.

To yield obedience to a voice.”

Matthew 4:13

4:13 Nazareth was a town in Galilee where the parents of Jesus lived after coming back from Egypt. Now he moves his residence to another town in the same province called Capernaum. From now on when mention is made of “his own city” it will mean this place, while the term “his own country” will still mean the vicinity of Nazareth.

Matthew 4:14

4:14 That it might be fulfilled does not always mean that a certain thing was done just so a particular prophecy might be fulfilled, although it will sometimes mean that. In every such passage it will be well to consider it in the light of saying, “and in so doing the prophecy was fulfilled which,” etc.

Matthew 4:15

4:15 The prophecy of Isa 9:1-2 is quoted which was fulfilled when Jesus took up his residence in the city of Capernaum. Sometimes more than one place would have the same name, hence the inspired writers gave several marks of identity by which the correct one would be known.

Matthew 4:16

4:16 Heathen darkness had brooded over the communities around Capernaum, but the presence and teaching of Jesus penetrated that gloom and gave the people the benefit of spiritual light which fulfilled an important prophecy of the scriptures.

Matthew 4:17

4:17 From that time denotes that Jesus began his public teaching after his baptism and not before. Likewise, men are not regarded as the Lord’s workers today until they have been baptized. It indicates also that they are expected to begin working for Him as soon as they are baptized. In most respects the preaching of Jesus was like that of John in that its main subject was to require men to repent in view of the nearness of the king dom of heaven. Each of them taught that the kingdom was at hand which would mean that it did not exist in fact in their lifetime. Moreover, it also shows that it was soon to appear which disproves the teaching of the present day by some that the kingdom is still in the future.

Matthew 4:18

4:18 According to John 1:35-42 these two brothers were disciples of John. They had not ceased their regular occupation since there was nothing wrong about It and the command of John that his disciples repent would not interfere with their business. They were fishermen by occupation and were in the act of casting a net into the water when Jesus came by. That was the principal means of fishing in those days; the other was with a hook (Matthew 17:27).

Matthew 4:19

4:19 We note that the Lord did not say anything to these men as to their personal conduct. They had already been converted by John and hence nothing was wanting along that line. John’s work was to “prepare the way of the Lord” by persuading men and women to repent and be baptized. That made it entirely proper for Jesus to call upon them to enter the work for which they had been prepared. Make you fishers of men. That was a psychological appeal to these men in view of their usual occupation. Jesus did not belittle or even criticize their business, but only promised to give them an improved-opportunity to work at the trade of fishing. He intended for them to have better bait (spiritual meat) and take more valuable fish, the souls of men.

Matthew 4:20

4:20 In leaving their nets they gave up their secular occupation for the sake of following Christ. A similar but fuller statement will soon be made of two others whom Jesus will call.

Matthew 4:21

4:21 Zebedee is referred to in the reference works simply as a Jew who was a fisherman by trade. The information that he was the father of the two apostles, James and John, will be useful in other places for distinguishing them from other men with the same names. These brothers were called by Jesus and no particulars are given as to why they were called.

Matthew 4:22

4:22 This contains the fuller statement referred to in verse 20; the brothers left the ship and their father. This would not have been necessary if nothing but information were the object. It would be taken for granted that they could not follow Jesus without leaving their father as well as all other objects at home. The lesson is that love for earthly relatives should not be regarded above service for Christ.

Matthew 4:23

4:23 The word synagogue occurs many times in the New Testament and I will give Thayer’s definition of the original Greek: “In the N. T. 1. an assembly of men. 2. a synagogue, i. e. a. an assembly of Jews formally gathered together to offer prayer and listen to the reading and exposition of the Holy Scriptures. b. the building where those solemn assemblies are held.” The first meaning of the word is virtually the same as a congregation and then it came to be applied to the building in which the people met. Thayer says the following historically on the subject: “Synagogues seem to date their origin from the Babylonian exile. In the time of Jesus and the apostles every town, not only in Palestine but also among the Gentiles, if it contained a considerable number of Jewish in-habibtants, had at least one synagogue, the larger towns several or even many. " The law of Moses made no provision for these buildings, yet there was nothing in its teaching that would prohibit them. The national worship was conducted at Jerusalem where the tabernacle and later the temple were located. Such services, which consisted in the animal sacrifices and burning of incense, also the service of the show-bread and burning of oil on the golden candlestick, must all be conducted at Jerusalem only. But other items of Jewish worship might be performed in any place available and hence these many synagogues that are mentioned throughout the New Testament.

The word gospel is from , and its universal definition in the lexicons is “glad tidings” or “good news.” Any specific additional meaning to be attached to it must be obtained through the connection in which it is used. Hence in the present verse the words gospel of the kingdom simply means the good news that the kingdom is at hand. There is not much difference between sickness and disease. The first especially refers to the symptoms of nausea and the second to some bodily weakness. In taking care of all manner of ailments Jesus proved his superhuman power.

Matthew 4:24

4:24 Syria embraced most of the country including Palestine and the region north and northeast of it. Such beneficial work as Jesus was doing would naturally be reported so that would cause him to become famous. The personal interest that people would have in such subjects as sickness and other afflictions would bring them forth to have Jesus relieve them. Possessed with devils will be explained in another place.

Matthew 4:25

4:25 The preceding verse makes a general statement of the territory from which the afflicted people came; this specifies some parts of that vast area.