Matthew 4

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

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 4:8

An exceeding high mountain, and showeth him - If the words, all the kingdoms of the world, be taken in a literal sense, then this must have been a visionary representation, as the highest mountain on the face of the globe could not suffice to make evident even one hemisphere of the earth, and the other must of necessity be in darkness. But if we take the world to mean only the land of Judea, and some of the surrounding nations, as it appears sometimes to signify, (see on Luke 2:1 ;... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 4:9

If thou wilt fall down and worship me - As if he had said, "The whole of this land is now under my government; do me homage for it, and I will deliver it into thy hand." read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 4:10

Get thee hence - Or, behind me, οπισω μου . This is added by a multitude of the best MSS., Versions, and Fathers. This temptation savoring of nothing but diabolical impudence, Jesus did not treat it as the others; but, with Divine authority, commanded the tempter to return to his own place. In the course of this trial, it appears that our blessed Lord was tempted, 1st. To Distrust. Command these stones to become bread. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 4:11

Behold, angels came and ministered unto him - That is, brought that food which was necessary to support nature. The name given to Satan in the third verse is very emphatic, ο πειραζων , the tempter, or trier, from πειρω , to pierce through. To this import of the name there seems to be an allusion, Ephesians 6:16 ; : The fiery Darts of the wicked one. This is the precise idea of the word in Deuteronomy 8:2 . To humble thee, and to prove thee, To Know What Was In Thy Heart: לנסתך ... read more

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