Matthew 4:3

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 4:1-11

The temptation of Jesus. In his baptism our Lord was proclaimed as the Messiah. This must have intensified his feeling of the burden and glory of his vocation. A ferment of emotions must have been stirred in his soul. The inquisitive, critical eyes around him, the eager questioning to which he must straightway have been subjected, the necessity of determining what course he should pursue, made solitude a necessity for him at this time. He must ascertain with definiteness the principles which... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 4:1-11

The temptation. This appears to have extended through the forty days of the sojourn of Jesus in the wilderness. Mark says, "He was in the wilderness forty days, tempted of Satan" ( Mark 1:13 ). The text describes only the acme at the close of the forty days. It is given as a specimen of the wiles of Satan, and forms an epitome of all the temptations he has ever contrived. From it we learn— I. THAT SATAN IS ARMED WITH FORMIDABLE POWERS . 1 . Probably he appeared in... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 4:2-4

The temptation of hunger. This was a serious encounter. One rebuff was not sufficient to drive off the tempter. The devil is most persevering; only persevering resistance can hope to overcome him. The successive temptations were varied in form. The tempter is wily and subtle. If he does not succeed in one way he will try another. Each temptation has its own features; yet there is a common character running through them all. In every case Jesus was urged to use his miraculous powers and... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 4:2-4

The first ordeal-temptation recorded of Jesus. This reply of Jesus to the first temptation specially recorded as addressed to him by Satan is a quotation from Deuteronomy 8:1-20 . —part of the language spoken by the lips of Moses, but dictated by the Spirit of God for the admonishment of his people. The words occur in that impressive review which Moses took of the career of the people whom he had led like a flock through the wilderness, when now the time was approaching for those... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 4:3

The tempter ( 1 Thessalonians 3:5 only; cf. 2 Corinthians 11:3 ). Came ; came up to him ( προσελθών ) . The word expresses local nearness, and suggests, though we cannot affirm it as certain, that he appeared visibly. The thought of physical nearness is continued in "taketh him" ( Matthew 4:5 , Matthew 4:8 ), and "the devil leaveth him" and "angels came near" ( Matthew 4:11 ; cf. Matthew 4:5 , note). On the other hand, such expressions may be parabolic, and intended to... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 4:3

Temptation through physical conditions. In this and two later homilies the several temptations are to be more precisely treated. The four homilies will be suggestive of a series of sermons on the "Lord's temptation." The temptation must be closely associated with the baptism. The one thing necessary to the understanding of it is our apprehension of the fact, that Jesus had become suddenly conscious of the trust of miraculous powers; and he had to fix the principle on which alone he would use... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Matthew 4:3

The tempter - The devil, or Satan. See Matthew 4:1.If thou be the Son of God - If thou art God’s own Son, then thou hast power to work a miracle, and here is a suitable opportunity to try thy power, and show that thou art sent from God.Command that these stones ... - The stones that were lying around him in the wilderness. No temptation could have been more plausible, or more likely to succeed, than this. He had just been declared to be the Son of God Matthew 3:17, and here was an opportunity... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Matthew 4:3

Matthew 4:3. And when the tempter came to him In a visible shape and appearance, to tempt him outwardly, as he had done inwardly before. For it appears from the account which Mark and Luke have given us of this matter, that our Lord had been tempted by the devil invisibly during the whole of the above-mentioned forty days but now, it seems, he came to him in a visible form, probably in the human, as one that desired to inquire further into the evidences of his mission. Accordingly he said, ... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Matthew 4:1-11

17. Temptation of Jesus (Matthew 4:1-11; Mark 1:12-13; Luke 4:1-13)Immediately after being appointed to his messianic ministry, Jesus was tempted by Satan to use his messianic powers in the wrong way. (For the identification of the devil with Satan see Revelation 20:2.) Satan’s aim was to make Jesus act according to his own will instead of in obedience to his Father.Jesus had gone many weeks without eating and was obviously very hungry. Satan therefore used Jesus’ natural desire for food to... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Matthew 4:3

when. . . came, &c.= having approached Him and said. the tempter= he who was tempting Him. See App-116 . came to Him : as to our first parents, Adam and Eve, App-119 . he said. See App-116 for the two sets of three temptations, under different circumstances, with different words and expressions; and, in a different order in Matthew 4:0 from that in Luke 4:0 . It is nowhere said that there were "three" or only three; as it is nowhere said that there were "three" wise men in Matthew 2:0... read more

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 4:1-11

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 4:1-11

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 4:2-4

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 4:2-4

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 4:3

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 4:3

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Matthew 4:3

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Matthew 4:3

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Matthew 4:1-11

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Matthew 4:3

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