Matthew 4

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Matthew 4:4

But he answered and said ... - In reply to this artful temptation Christ answered by a quotation from the Old Testament. The passage is found in Deuteronomy 8:3. In that place the discourse is respecting manna. Moses says that the Lord humbled the people, and fed them with manna, an unusual kind of food, that they might learn that man did not live by bread only, but that there were other things to support life, and that everything which God had commanded was proper for this. The term “word,”... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Matthew 4:5

Then the devil taketh him up - This does not mean that he bore him through the air; or that he compelled him to go against his will, or that he performed a miracle in any way to place him there. There is no evidence that Satan had power to do any of these things, and the word translated taketh him Up does not imply any such thing. It means to conduct one; to lead one; to attend or accompany one; or to induce one to go. It is used in the following places in the same sense: Numbers 23:14; “And he... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Matthew 4:6

And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down - The temptation here was, that he should at once avail himself of the protection of a promise of safety made to him, and thus demonstrate that he was the Messiah. If he was the true Messiah he had a certain assurance of protection, a promise that no harm could befall him; and thus, by so surprising a miracle, and such a clear proof of the divine interposition, he could at once establish his claim to the Messiahship. How much more... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Matthew 4:7

Jesus said unto him, It is written again - Again the Saviour replied to Satan by a text of Scripture - a passage which expressly forbade an act like this.Thou shall not tempt the Lord thy God - This is quoted literally from Deuteronomy 6:16. The meaning is, thou shalt not try him; or, thou shalt not, by throwing thyself into voluntary and uncommanded dangers, appeal to God for protection, or trifle with the promises made to those who are thrown into danger by his providence. It is true, indeed,... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Matthew 4:8

An exceeding high mountain - It is not known what mountain this was. It was probably some elevated place in the vicinity of Jerusalem, from the top of which could be seen no small part of the land of Palestine. The Abbe Mariti speaks of a mountain on which he was, which answers to the description here. “This part of the mountain,” says he, “overlooks the mountains of Arabia, the country of Gilead, the country of the Amorites, the plains of Moab, the plains of Jericho, the River Jordan, and the... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Matthew 4:9

All these things ... - All these kingdoms. All these dominions Satan claimed a right to bestow on whom he pleased, and with considerable justice. They were excessively wicked; and with no small degree of propriety, therefore, he asserted his claim to give them away. This temptation had much plausibility. Satan regarded Jesus as the king of the Jews. As the Messiah he supposed he had come to take possession of all that country. He was poor, and unarmed, and without followers or armies. Satan... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Matthew 4:10

Get thee hence - These temptations, and this one especially, the Saviour met with a decided rebuke. This was a bolder attack than any which had been made before. The other temptations had been founded on an appeal to his necessities, and an offer of the protection of God in great danger; in both cases plausible, and in neither a direct violation of the law of God. Here was a higher attempt, a more decided and deadly thrust at the piety of the Saviour. It was a proposition that the Son of God... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Matthew 4:11

Then the devil leaveth him - He left him for a time, Luke 4:13. He intended to return again to the temptation, and, if possible, to seduce him yet from God. Compare John 14:30; Luke 22:53. See the notes at Hebrews 12:4.The angels came and ministered - See the notes at Matthew 1:20. They came and supplied his wants and comforted him. From this narrative we may learn:(a) That no one is so holy as to be free from temptation, for even the Son of God was sorely tempted.(b) That when God permits a... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Matthew 4:12

John was cast into prison - For an account of the imprisonment of John see Matthew 14:1-13.He departed into Galilee - See Matthew 2:22. The reasons why Jesus then went into Galilee were probably:Because the attention of the people had been much excited by John’s preaching, and things seemed to be favorable for success in his own ministry. It appeared desirable to have some one to second John in the work of reformation. It was less dangerous for him to commence his labors there than near... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Matthew 4:13

Leaving Nazareth - Because his townsmen cast him out, and rejected him. See Luke 4:14-30.Came and dwelt in Capernaum - This was a city on the northwest corner of the Sea of Tiberias. It is not mentioned in the Old Testament, but is repeatedly referred to in the Gospels. Though it was once a city of renown, and the metropolis of all Galilee, the site it occupied is now uncertain. When Mr. Fisk, an American missionary, traveled in Syria in 1823, he found 20 or 30 uninhabited Arab huts occupying... read more

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Matthew 4:4

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Matthew 4:5

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Matthew 4:6

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Matthew 4:7

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Matthew 4:8

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Matthew 4:9

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Matthew 4:10

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Matthew 4:11

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Matthew 4:12

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Matthew 4:13

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