Matthew 4

Summary. After the Lord Jesus was attested to the people as the Son of God in Chapter 3, here in Chapter 4, our Lord Jesus is tempted by the devil. As a man, the Lord Jesus goes through three major temptations: 1) The temptation of the flesh, 2) The temptation of pride, and 3) The temptation of easy life and laziness. Going through these temptations, the Lord shows us the key to fighting temptations, stand firm on the Word of God: “It is written” is His reply to each temptation. Following the temptations, three more important events are given in this chapter. 1) The Lord Jesus begins His ministry in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali and fulfills one of Isaiah’s prophesies. Here, it is to be noted that the Lord Jesus begins His ministry alone by preaching, “Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” 2) The Lord Jesus calls His first disciples. Note that His first disciple to call is Simon Peter. 3) The Lord Jesus continues His ministry throughout Galilee and performs miraculous healings, and great multitudes start to follow Him.

[1] At that time Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.

Comments Matthew 4:1 The Lord Jesus was one hundred percent human. Temptation comes to everyone. The Lord Jesus was led by the Spirit to be tempted as every human would be, so He is an example for us of how to overcome temptation.
For the temptation of the Lord Jesus, see also Comments Luke 4:1-13.

[2] And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He hungered.

Comments Matthew 4:2 “… afterward He hungered.” This fast was a food fast; nothing that had taste was taken, only water.

[3] And the tempter having come said to Him, If Thou are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.

Comments Matthew 4:3 This temptation is the temptation of the satisfaction of the flesh, a big temptation for all humans. When they are hungry, humans can do anything to satisfy their hunger.

[4] But answering, He said, It is written,
Man shall not live by bread alone,
but by every spoken-word coming out of the mouth of God.

Comments Matthew 4:4 The Lord Jesus tells us that food for the soul is more important than food for the stomach.

[5] Then the devil takes Him to the holy city; and sets Him on the pinnacle of the temple,

[6] and says to Him, If Thou are the Son of God, cast Thyself down; for it is written that,
He will command His angels concerning Thee, and,
On their hands they will bear Thee up,
lest haply Thou dash Thy foot against a stone.

Comments Matthew 4:6 This temptation is the temptation to prove that you are somebody important, which is a hard temptation for humans.

[7] Jesus said to him, Again it is written, You shall not tempt the Lord your God.

Comments Matthew 4:7 On earth, the Lord Jesus came to obey His Father and do the Father’s will. By not challenging the Lord, you admit that you are the Lord’s servant, and you keep your pride under control.

[8] Again, the devil takes Him to a very high mountain, and shows Him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;

[9] and he said to Him, All these things will I give Thee, if Thou will worship me falling down.

Comments Matthew 4:9 This temptation is the temptation of an easy life and laziness, a hard temptation for all humans.

[10] Then Jesus says to him, Depart Satan; for it is written,
You must worship the Lord your God,
and Him alone you must serve.

Comments Matthew 4:10 “For it is written.” The Father’s word has power. The Lord Jesus abides by the Father’s word only. The Lord Jesus listened and obeyed the Father in everything to the point of death.
“You must worship the Lord your God …” Only through the Lord you can fight evil. You need to make a commitment to serve the Lord all of your life.

[11] Then the devil leaves Him; and behold, angels came and ministered to Him.

[12] Now when He heard that John was delivered up, He withdrew to Galilee;

Comments Matthew 4:12 John’s duty was to prepare the way for the Lord. John’s arrest marked the beginning of the Lord’s ministry.

[13] and leaving Nazareth, He came and dwelt at Capernaum, by the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali,

[14] that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through Isaiah the prophet, saying:

Comments Matthew 4:13-14 The Lord Jesus Himself, always one thing He will do, He will fulfill whatever the Father has given to the prophets. The obedience to the Father is the key for the Lord Jesus to come on earth. All the prophecies of the Father will be done in all things. If you follow the Lord Jesus, the main thing is to listen and obey.

[15] The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali,
Way of the sea, beyond the Jordan,
Galilee of the Gentiles,

[16] The people who were sitting in darkness
Have seen a great light,
And to those sitting in the land and shadow of death,
To them, a light has sprung up.

Comments Matthew 4:15-16 These are people that did not hear about the Lord. The Lord Jesus always performed miracles to guide them to the light of life. The Lord Jesus is the light for them.

[17] From that time Jesus began to proclaim, and to say, Repent; for the kingdom of heavens has drawn near.

[18] Now walking beside the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen.

[19] And He says to them, Come follow after Me, and I will make you fishers of men.

[20] And immediately having left the nets, they followed Him.

[21] And going on from there, He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, preparing their nets; and He called them.

[22] And immediately having left the boat and their father, they followed Him.

Comments Matthew 4:20-22 The Lord Jesus calls Peter, Andrew, James, and John, and they respond immediately. This shows simple faith, just a simple call, and they follow the Lord Jesus immediately.

[23] And He was going throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every disease and every sickness among the people.

Comments Matthew 4:23 “proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom …” The whole Bible is His word; the Lord didn’t have much time on earth; therefore, He summarized to the people what the Bible teaches.

[24] And the news of Him went out into all Syria; and they brought to Him all that were sick, having various diseases and torments, possessed by demons, and epileptics, and paralytics; and He healed them.

Comments Matthew 4:24 The news about the Lord Jesus has spread by word of mouth.

[25] And followed Him great multitudes from Galilee, and Decapolis, and Jerusalem, and Judea, and beyond the Jordan.

Comments Matthew 4:25 People in those days had a simple faith. They left everything behind and followed the Lord Jesus.

Life and Faith Applications.1) The Lord Jesus is our example of how to fight temptation; to fight temptation, we must rely on the Bible and stand firm on what the Bible teaches. 2) It is paramount to understand that the Lord Jesus is the only way to heaven, and He holds the selection scale for who goes to heaven and who goes to hell.