matthew-4:1-7-nlt

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 4:6

And saith unto him, if thou be the Son of God ,.... He addresses him after the same manner as before; if, or seeing, thou art the Son of God , show thyself to be so; give proof of thy sonship before all the priests which are in and about the temple, and before all the inhabitants of Jerusalem; cast thyself down that is, from the pinnacle of the temple: for since thou art the Son of God, no hurt will come to thee; thou wilt be in the utmost safety; and this will at once be a full... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 4:7

Jesus saith unto him, it is written again ,.... Christ takes no notice of the false and wrong citation of scripture made by the devil, nor of any misapplication of it; but mildly replies, by opposing another passage of scripture to him, Deuteronomy 6:16 ye shall not tempt the Lord your God , thereby tacitly showing, that he had produced scripture to a very wrong purpose, since that could never contradict itself; and also, that for a person to neglect the ordinary means of safety, and... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 4:1

Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit - This transaction appears to have taken place immediately after Christ's baptism; and this bringing up of Christ was through the influence of the Spirit of God; that Spirit which had rested upon him in his baptism. To be tempted - The first act of the ministry of Jesus Christ was a combat with Satan. Does not this receive light from Genesis 3:17 . I will put enmity between the woman's seed and thy seed: it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 4:2

And when he had fasted forty days - It is remarkable that Moses, the great lawgiver of the Jews, previously to his receiving the law from God, fasted forty days in the mount; that Elijah, the chief of the prophets, fasted also forty days; and that Christ, the giver of the New Covenant, should act in the same way. Was not all this intended to show, that God's kingdom on earth was to be spiritual and Divine? - that it should not consist in meat and drink, but in righteousness, peace, and joy... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 4:3

And when the tempter - This onset of Satan was made (speaking after the manner of men) judiciously: he came when Jesus, after having fasted forty days and forty nights, was hungry: now, as hunger naturally diminishes the strength of the body, the mind gets enfeebled, and becomes easily irritated; and if much watching and prayer be not employed, the uneasiness which is occasioned by a lack of food may soon produce impatience, and in this state of mind the tempter has great advantages. The... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 4:4

But by (or, upon, επι ) every word - Ρημα , in Greek, answers to דבר dabar in Hebrew, which means not only a word spoken, but also thing, purpose, appointment, etc. Our Lord's meaning seems to be this: God purposes the welfare of his creatures - all his appointments are calculated to promote this end. Some of them may appear to man to have a contrary tendency; but even fasting itself, when used in consequence of a Divine injunction, becomes a mean of supporting that life which it... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 4:5

Pinnacle of the temple - It is very likely that this was what was called the στοα βασιλικη , the king's gallery; which, as Josephus says, "deserves to be mentioned among the most magnificent things under the sun: for upon a stupendous depth of a valley, scarcely to be fathomed by the eye of him that stands above, Herod erected a gallery of a vast height, from the top of which if any looked down, he would grow dizzy, his eyes not being able to reach so vast a depth." - Ant. l. xv. c. 14.... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 4:6

Cast thyself down - Our Lord had repelled the first temptation by an act of confidence in the power and goodness of God; and now Satan solicits him to make trial of it. Through the unparalleled subtlety of Satan, the very means we make use of to repel one temptation may he used by him as the groundwork of another. This method he often uses, in order to confound us in our confidence. He shall give his angels charge, etc. - This is a mutilated quotation of Psalm 91:11 . The clause, to... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 4:7

Thou shalt not tempt - To expose myself to any danger naturally destructive, with the vain presumption that God will protect and defend me from the ruinous consequences of my imprudent conduct, is to tempt God. read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 4:1

Verse 1 Matthew 4:1.Then Jesus was led. There were two reasons why Christ withdrew into the wilderness. The first was, that, after a fast of forty days, he might come forth as a new man, or rather a heavenly man, to the discharge of his office. The next was, that he might be tried by temptation and undergo an apprenticeship, before he undertook an office so arduous, and so elevated. Let us therefore learn that, by the guidance of the Spirit, Christ withdrew from the crowd of men, in order that... read more

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 4:6

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 4:7

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 4:1

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 4:2

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 4:3

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 4:4

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 4:5

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 4:6

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 4:7

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 4:1

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