Words in italic type have been added for clarity. They are not found in the original Hebrew or Aramaic.

Matthew 4

Satan Tempts Jesus

Matthew 4:¹ Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.

Matthew 4:² And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry.

• The number 40 means it’s time for a change.
  See Topic: Numbers – Their Meanings and Symbolism Look under the number 40.

Matthew 4:³ Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.”

• “If”: Satan isn’t sure if this person is the prophesied seed of the woman from Genesis 3:15. If so, this is the person who’s prophesied to crush his (Satan’s) head. Satan is “interviewing” Him. He wants a demonstration to see what he’s up against.
  
• “If”, and “Really” are some of Satan’s favorite words: “If” You are the Son of God… Did God “really” (or indeed) say? (Genesis 3:1) Questioning and prodding, putting doubts in the minds of men.
• PROVE YOURSELF!

Matthew 4:⁴ But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’ ”

• John 6:35 And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.

Matthew 4:⁵ Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple,

Matthew 4:⁶ and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written: ‘He shall give His angels charge over you,’

• Psalm 91:11 For He shall give His angels charge over you, To keep you in all your ways.

and,

‘In their hands they shall bear you up,
Lest you dash your foot against a stone.’ ”

• Psalm 91:12 In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone.
• Prove your identity. The same tactics of the Pharisees.

Matthew 4:⁷ Jesus said to him, “It is written again, ‘You shall not tempt (test) the Lord your God.’ ”

Matthew 4:⁸ Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory.

Matthew 4:⁹ And he said to Him, “All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.”

Matthew 4:¹⁰ Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you (Get behind Me!), Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.’ ”

• Did Satan get his answer?

Matthew 4:¹¹ Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him.

• The third temptation is to tempt Him with an escape route so He doesn’t have to be crucified. Each time, Jesus used scripture to fend off Satan who would love to break the bonds between the Godhead, between the Father and the Son. An unimaginable outcome.

Jesus Begins His Galilean Ministry

Matthew 4:¹² Now when Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, He departed to Galilee.

• Why then?

Matthew 4:¹³ And leaving Nazareth, He came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the regions of Zebulun and Naphtali,

Matthew 4:^14-16 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying:

“The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali,
By the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan,
Galilee of the Gentiles:
The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light,
And upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death
Light has dawned.”

• Isaiah 9:1-2
  The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali,
  And afterward more heavily oppressed her,
  By the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan,
  In Galilee of the Gentiles.
  The people who walked in darkness Have seen a great light; Those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, Upon them a light has shined.
  
• John 8:^12b “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”

Matthew 4:¹⁷ From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand (has drawn near).”

• Same words as John the Baptizer.
• The Kingdom of Heaven is when Jesus returns and rules in Jerusalem.

Four Fishermen Called as Disciples

 Matthew 4:¹⁸ And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen.

• Peter was the brother of Andrew
• The first and second disciples.

Matthew 4:¹⁹ Then He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.”

Matthew 4:²⁰ They immediately left their nets and followed Him.

Matthew 4:²¹ 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, mending their nets. He called them,

• John was the brother of James
• The third and forth disciples.

Matthew 4:²² and immediately they left the boat and their father (Zebedee), and followed Him.

Jesus Heals a Great Multitude

Matthew 4:²³ And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people.

• The gospel of the kingdom is the thousand year kingdom on earth when Jesus will rule in Jerusalem. It is a gospel of repentance.

• Summary: Jesus taught didaskō g1321 , preached kēryssō g2784 , and healed therapeuō g2323 .

• What’s the difference between teaching and preaching?
  
  • To teach: to impart instruction, instill doctrine into one.
    
  • To preach: to be a herald, to officiate as a herald, to proclaim after the manner of a herald always with the suggestion of formality, gravity and an authority which must be listened to and obeyed. To publish, proclaim openly: something which has been done.
    • Examples of preaching:
      • Mat 4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
      • Mat 10:7 “And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’
      • Mat 10:27 “Whatever I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; and what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops.
      • Mat 24:14 “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.

Matthew 4:²⁴ Then His fame (the report of Him) went throughout all Syria;

• The Roman province of Syria covered a huge area. American Theologian Albert Barnes interprets “Syria” as “the general name for the country lying between the Euphrates on the east, and the Mediterranean on the west; and between Mount Taurus on the north, and Arabia on the south. English biblical scholar R. T.
  Wikipedia
• During the time of the kings of the south and the kings of the north Jerusalem was part of this area called “Cole-Syria”. Herod the Great and Cleopatra VII (of Julius Caesar and Mark Anthony) had clashed because Cleopatra believed that Cole-Syria belonged to Egypt.

and they brought to Him all sick people who were afflicted with various diseases and torments, and those who were demon-possessed, epileptics, and paralytics; and He healed them.

1. Demon-possessed: G1139
   • Greek word: daimonizomai
   • to be under the power of a demon: possessed with devils, possessed with the devil, of the devils, vexed with a devil, possessed with a devil, have a devil.
     
2. Epileptics: G4583
   • Greek word: selēniazomai
     derivative of G4582; to be moon-struck, i.e. crazy:—be a lunatic.to be moon-struck or lunaticto be epileptic (epilepsy being supposed to return and increase with the increase of the moon. This meaning is doubtful as the Greeks knew nothing of epilepsy.)
     
3. Paralytics G3885
   • Greek word: paralytikos
     sick of palsy, (one) that has the palsy: derivative of G3886; as if dissolved, i.e. “paralytic”:—that had (sick of) the palsy. Suffering from the relaxing of the nerves of one side; universally, disabled, weak of limb.

• Note: Each one has a different word and a different meaning. To be under the power of a demon isn’t to be a lunatic, epileptic, paralytic, or suffering from palsy.

• Note: Demons have the following effects on men:
  • to dethrone reason and take its place themselves; accordingly, the possessed were accustomed to express the mind and consciousness of the demons dwelling in them
  • become exceedingly fierce
  • Have the ability to disable communication:
    • they brought to Him a man, mute and demon-possessed.
    • Then one was brought to Him who was demon-possessed, blind and mute; and He healed him, so that the blind and mute man both spoke and saw.

Matthew 4:²⁵ Great multitudes followed Him—from Galilee, and from Decapolis (Ten Cities) Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond the Jordan.

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Questions for Review:

1. Who was the brother of Simon Peter?
2. What were the three temptations Satan used?
3. What’s the difference between teaching and preaching?

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