3 And G2532 when the tempter G3985 came G4334 to him, G846 he said, G2036 If G1487 thou be G1488 the Son G5207 of God, G2316 command G2036 that G2443 these G3778 stones G3037 be made G1096 bread. G740
And G1161 the Lord G2962 said, G2036 Simon, G4613 Simon, G4613 behold, G2400 Satan G4567 hath desired G1809 to have you, G5209 that he may sift G4617 you as G5613 wheat: G4621 But G1161 I G1473 have prayed G1189 for G4012 thee, G4675 that G3363 thy G4675 faith G4102 fail G1587 not: G3363 and G2532 when G4218 thou G4771 art converted, G1994 strengthen G4741 thy G4675 brethren. G80
And they sinned H2398 yet more H3254 against him by provoking H4784 the most High H5945 in the wilderness. H6723 And they tempted H5254 God H410 in their heart H3824 by asking H7592 meat H400 for their lust. H5315 Yea, they spake H1696 against God; H430 they said, H559 Can H3201 God H410 furnish H6186 a table H7979 in the wilderness? H4057 Behold, he smote H5221 the rock, H6697 that the waters H4325 gushed out, H2100 and the streams H5158 overflowed; H7857 can H3201 he give H5414 bread H3899 also? can H3201 he provide H3559 flesh H7607 for his people? H5971
And Satan H7854 answered H6030 the LORD, H3068 and said, H559 Skin H5785 for skin, H5785 yea, all that a man H376 hath will he give H5414 for his life. H5315 But H199 put forth H7971 thine hand H3027 now, and touch H5060 his bone H6106 and his flesh, H1320 and he will curse H1288 thee to thy face. H6440 And the LORD H3068 said H559 unto Satan, H7854 Behold, he is in thine hand; H3027 but save H8104 his life. H5315 So went H3318 Satan H7854 forth H3318 from the presence H6440 of the LORD, H3068 and smote H5221 Job H347 with sore H7451 boils H7822 from the sole H3709 of his foot H7272 unto his crown. H6936
Then Satan H7854 answered H6030 the LORD, H3068 and said, H559 Doth Job H347 fear H3372 God H430 for nought? H2600 Hast not thou made an hedge H7753 about him, and about H1157 his house, H1004 and about all that he hath on every side? H5439 thou hast blessed H1288 the work H4639 of his hands, H3027 and his substance H4735 is increased H6555 in the land. H776 But H199 put forth H7971 thine hand H3027 now, and touch H5060 all that he hath, and he will curse H1288 H3808 thee to thy face. H6440 And the LORD H3068 said H559 unto Satan, H7854 Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; H3027 only upon himself put not forth H7971 thine hand. H3027 So Satan H7854 went forth H3318 from the presence H6440 of the LORD. H3068
And the mixt multitude H628 that was among H7130 them fell a lusting: H183 H8378 and the children H1121 of Israel H3478 also wept H1058 again, H7725 and said, H559 Who shall give us flesh H1320 to eat? H398 We remember H2142 the fish, H1710 which we did eat H398 in Egypt H4714 freely; H2600 the cucumbers, H7180 and the melons, H20 and the leeks, H2682 and the onions, H1211 and the garlick: H7762 But now our soul H5315 is dried away: H3002 there is nothing at all, beside H1115 this manna, H4478 before our eyes. H5869
Now the serpent H5175 was H1961 more subtil H6175 than any beast H2416 of the field H7704 which the LORD H3068 God H430 had made. H6213 And he said H559 unto the woman, H802 Yea, H637 hath God H430 said, H559 Ye shall not eat H398 of every tree H6086 of the garden? H1588 And the woman H802 said H559 unto the serpent, H5175 We may eat H398 of the fruit H6529 of the trees H6086 of the garden: H1588 But of the fruit H6529 of the tree H6086 which is in the midst H8432 of the garden, H1588 God H430 hath said, H559 Ye shall not eat H398 of it, neither shall ye touch H5060 it, lest H6435 ye die. H4191 And the serpent H5175 said H559 unto the woman, H802 Ye shall not surely H4191 die: H4191 For God H430 doth know H3045 that in the day H3117 ye eat H398 thereof, then your eyes H5869 shall be opened, H6491 and ye shall be as gods, H430 knowing H3045 good H2896 and evil. H7451
And G2532 the great G3173 dragon G1404 was cast out, G906 that old G744 serpent, G3789 called G2564 the Devil, G1228 and G2532 Satan, G4567 which G3588 deceiveth G4105 the whole G3650 world: G3625 he was cast out G906 into G1519 the earth, G1093 and G2532 his G846 angels G32 were cast out G906 with G3326 him. G846 And G2532 I heard G191 a loud G3173 voice G5456 saying G3004 in G1722 heaven, G3772 Now G737 is come G1096 salvation, G4991 and G2532 strength, G1411 and G2532 the kingdom G932 of our G2257 God, G2316 and G2532 the power G1849 of his G846 Christ: G5547 for G3754 the accuser G2723 of our G2257 brethren G80 is cast down, G2598 which G3588 accused G2725 them G846 before G1799 our G2257 God G2316 day G2250 and G2532 night. G3571 And G2532 they G846 overcame G3528 him G846 by G1223 the blood G129 of the Lamb, G721 and G2532 by G1223 the word G3056 of their G846 testimony; G3141 and G2532 they loved G25 not G3756 their G846 lives G5590 unto G891 the death. G2288
And Jacob H3290 sod H2102 pottage: H5138 and Esau H6215 came H935 from the field, H7704 and he was faint: H5889 And Esau H6215 said H559 to Jacob, H3290 Feed H3938 me, I pray thee, with H4480 that same H122 red H122 pottage; for I am faint: H5889 therefore was his name H8034 called H7121 Edom. H123 And Jacob H3290 said, H559 Sell H4376 me this day H3117 thy birthright. H1062 And Esau H6215 said, H559 Behold, I am at the point H1980 to die: H4191 and what profit shall this birthright H1062 do to me? And Jacob H3290 said, H559 Swear H7650 to me this day; H3117 and he sware H7650 unto him: and he sold H4376 his birthright H1062 unto Jacob. H3290 Then Jacob H3290 gave H5414 Esau H6215 bread H3899 and pottage H5138 of lentiles; H5742 and he did eat H398 and drink, H8354 and rose up, H6965 and went his way: H3212 thus Esau H6215 despised H959 his birthright. H1062
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Matthew 4
Commentary on Matthew 4 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 4
John Baptist said concerning Christ, He must increase, but I must decrease; and so it proved. For, after John had baptized Christ, and borne his testimony to him, we hear little more of his ministry; he had done what he came to do, and thenceforward there is as much talk of Jesus as ever there had been of John. As the rising Sun advances, the morning star disappears. Concerning Jesus Christ we have in this chapter,
Mat 4:1-11
We have here the story of a famous duel, fought hand to hand, between Michael and the dragon, the Seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent, nay, the serpent himself; in which the seed of the woman suffers, being tempted, and so has his heel bruised; but the serpent is quite baffled in his temptations, and so has his head broken; and our Lord Jesus comes off a Conqueror, and so secures not only comfort, but conquest at last, to all his faithful followers. Concerning Christ's temptation, observe,
Christ was led to be tempted of the Devil, and of him only. Others are tempted, when they are drawn aside of their own lust and enticed (Jam. 1:14); the Devil takes hold of that handle, and ploughs with that heifer; but our Lord Jesus had no corrupt nature, and therefore he was led securely, without any fear or trembling, as a champion into the field, to be tempted purely by the Devil.
Now Christ's temptation is,
Observe the subtlety of the tempter, in joining this first temptation with what went before to make it the stronger.
This answer, as all the rest, is taken out of the book of Deuteronomy, which signifies the second law, and in which there is very little ceremonial; the Levitical sacrifices and purifications could not drive away Satan, though of divine institution, much less holy water and the sign of the cross, which are of human invention; but moral precepts and evangelical promises, mixed with faith, these are mighty, through God, for the vanquishing of Satan. This is here quoted from Deu. 8:3, where the reason given why God fed the Israelites with manna is, because he would teach them that man shall not live by bread alone. This Christ applies to his own case. Israel was God's son, whom he called out of Egypt (Hos. 11:1), so was Christ (ch. 2:15); Israel was then in a wilderness, Christ was so now, perhaps the same wilderness. Now,
Now in this second attempt we may observe,
Now in this temptation we may observe,
Observe,
If Christ should cast himself down, it would be the tempting of God,
In this temptation, we may observe,
Now the issue was glorious, and much to Christ's honour: for,
Christ was thus succoured after the temptation,
Mat 4:12-17
We have here an account of Christ's preaching in the synagogues of Galilee, for he came into the world to be a Preacher; the great salvation which he wrought out, he himself began to publish (Heb. 2:3) to show how much his heart was upon it, and ours should be.
Several passages in the other gospels, especially in that of St. John, are supposed, in the order of the story of Christ's life, to intervene between his temptation and his preaching in Galilee. His first appearance after his temptation, was when John Baptist pointed to him, saying, Behold the Lamb of God, Jhn. 1:29. After that, he went up to Jerusalem, to the passover (John 2), discoursed with Nicodemus (John 3), with the woman of Samaria (John 4), and then returned into Galilee, and preached there. But Matthew, having had his residence in Galilee, begins his story of Christ's public ministry with his preaching there, which here we have an account of. Observe,
But he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which was a city of Galilee, but many miles distant from Nazareth, a great city and of much resort. It is said here to be on the sea coast, not the great sea, but the sea of Tiberias, an inland water, called also the lake of Gennesaret. Close by the falling of Jordan into the sea stood Capernaum, in the tribe of Naphtali, but bordering upon Zebulun; hither Christ came, and here he dwelt. Some think that his father Joseph had a habitation here, others that he took a house or lodgings at least; and some think it more than probable, that he dwelt in the house of Simon Peter; however, here he fixed not constantly, for he went about doing good; but this was for some time his head quarters: what little rest he had, was here; here he had a place, though not a place of his own, to lay his head on. And at Capernaum, it should seem, he was welcome, and met with better entertainment than he had at Nazareth. Note, If some reject Christ, yet others will receive him, and bid him welcome. Capernaum is glad of Nazareth's leavings. If Christ's own countrymen be not gathered, yet he will be glorious. "And thou, Capernaum, has now a day of it; thou art now lifted up to heaven; be wise for thyself, and know the time of thy visitation.'
The places are spoken of, v. 15. The land of Zebulun is rightly said to be by the sea coast, for Zebulun was a haven of ships, and rejoiced in her going out, Gen. 49:13; Deu. 33:18. Of Naphtali, it had been said, that he should give goodly words (Gen. 49:21), and should be satisfied with favour (Deu. 33:23), for from him began the gospel; goodly words indeed, and such as bring to a soul God's satisfying favour. The country beyond Jordan is mentioned likewise, for there we sometimes find Christ preaching, and Galilee of the Gentiles, the upper Galilee to which the Gentiles resorted for traffic, and where they were mingled with the Jews; which intimates a kindness in reserve for the poor Gentiles. When Christ came to Capernaum, the gospel came to all those places round about; such diffusive influences did the Sun of righteousness cast.
Now, concerning the inhabitants of these places, observe,
Observe, the light sprang up to them; they did not go to seek it, but were prevented with the blessings of this goodness. It came upon them ere they were aware, at the time appointed, by the disposal of him who commandeth the morning, and causes the day-spring to know its place, that it may take hold of the ends of the earth, Job 38:12, 13.
The subject which Christ dwelt upon now in his preaching (and it was indeed the sum and substance of all his preaching), was the very same John has preached upon (ch. 3:2); Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand; for the gospel is the same for substance under various dispensations; the commands the same, and the reasons to enforce them the same; an angel from heaven dares not preach any other gospel (Gal. 1:8), and will preach this, for it is the everlasting gospel. Fear God, and, by repentance, give honour to him, Rev. 14:6, 7. Christ put a great respect upon John's ministry, when he preached to the same purport that John had preached before him. By this he showed that John was his messenger and ambassador; for when he brought the errand himself, it was the same that he had sent by him. Thus did God confirm the word of his messenger, Isa. 44:26. The Son came on the same errand that the servants came on (ch. 21:37), to seek fruit, fruits meet for repentance. Christ had lain in the bosom of the Father, and could have preached sublime notions of divine and heavenly things, that should have alarmed and amused the learned world, but he pitches upon this old, plain text, Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Mat 4:18-22
When Christ began to preach, he began to gather disciples, who should now be the hearers, and hereafter the preachers, of his doctrine, who should now be witnesses of his miracles, and hereafter concerning them. Now, in these verses, we have an account of the first disciples that he called into fellowship with himself.
And this was an instance,
Now we may observe here,
Mat 4:23-25
See here,
Three general words are here used to intimate this; he healed every sickness, noson, as blindness, lameness, fever, dropsy; every disease, or languishing, malakian, as fluxes and consumptions; and all torments, basanous, as gout, stone, convulsions, and such like torturing distempers; whether the disease was acute or chronical; whether it was a racking or a wasting disease; none was too bad, none too hard, for Christ to heal with a word's speaking.
Three particular diseases are specified; the palsy, which is the greatest weakness of the body; lunacy, which is the greatest malady of the mind, and possession of the Devil, which is the greatest misery and calamity of both, yet Christ healed all: for he is the sovereign Physician both of soul and body, and has command of all diseases.
Now concerning the cures which Christ wrought, let us, once for all, observe the miracle, the mercy, and the mystery, of them.