CHAPTER 4
Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. Matthew 4:1
This verse may at first cause us some trouble. We read in scripture that God cannot and will not tempt people with evil (Jas. 1:13). Yet, we see the Holy Spirit here leading Jesus to be tempted. It would help us to understand this verse if we look at the Greek word for “tempt” (peirazein). This word has more of a meaning to test rather than to tempt.1 God can lead us into testing and in a real sense nothing is ever secure without some testing. Before Jesus could enter into his ministry it was urgent that he be tested. Mark’s Gospel makes plain that the Holy Spirit literally drove Jesus into the wilderness for testing.2
Temptation is not sin in itself. It only becomes sin if we yield to the temptation. Temptation or testing is given to us to make us strong and to help us conquer sin. Jesus had to endure testing so that he could identify perfectly with us (Heb. 2:18; 4:15). It was the flesh or human side of Jesus that endured the temptation and he overcame it.3 There is a sense in which Jesus in his human life learned obedience because of the things he suffered (Heb. 5:8).
We must realize that Jesus in passing his test was doing something that both Adam and Israel failed to do. Adam failed the test of Satan and condemned the whole human race to sin, suffering and death. Israel failed the test in the wilderness and thus was unable to enter the Promised Land. Jesus therefore became Adam’s representative as the Last Adam (1 Cor. 15:45). He succeeded where Adam failed. He also became Israel’s representative and he triumphed where Israel failed. Jesus became the embodiment of the true humanity and of the true Israel.
Also, we need to look at the one who is called the devil. He has been around a long time. The devil, Satan, or Lucifer does not get much mention in the Old Testament. We are told that Lucifer was created by God as the most beautiful and powerful of the angels, but we are also told that Lucifer fell from his lofty position. After that, he is spoken of mostly as an adversary to humanity. It is only in the teaching of Jesus and the New Testament that the real character of Satan is brought out. He is said to be the wicked one (Matt. 13:19); the father of lies (Jn. 8:44); the ruler of this world (Jn. 12:31); the god of this age (2 Cor. 4:4); the prince of the power of the air (Eph. 2:2); the tempter (1 Thess. 3:5); and the accuser of the brothers (Rev. 12:10). He is the head of a spiritual Mafia, or a vast organization of evil spirit beings. However, in the end he will be totally destroyed and his evil kingdom will come to naught.
Jesus’ testing was real and it is obvious that he had to tell his disciples about it because none of them were there.4 His temptation was surely greater than any temptation we have ever experienced. Often when we receive heavy temptation we buckle, but this never happened to Jesus. He could take everything Satan had to offer, so he probably endured more temptation than we will ever experience.
“After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry” (4:2). Fasting, or going without food (Lk. 4:2), was always a spiritual discipline for God’s people. We note how both Moses and Elijah fasted for a forty day period (Exo. 34:28; 1 Ki. 19:8). Fasting for forty days was not an impossible thing and some folks have done similar fasts today. The figure of forty does seem to have some correspondence with the forty year period that Israel was in the wilderness (cf. Num. 14:33-34). Jesus came forth from his fast as the new Moses and as well as the embodiment of the new Israel.5
“The tempter came to him and said, ‘If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread’” (4:3). We should not think that Satan had any doubts about who Jesus was and what he could do. Utley feels that the “If” here should be better translated “since,” for English readers.6 The devil did not doubt who Jesus was and he was not trying to get Jesus to doubt his own identity. Rather, he was intent upon getting Jesus to use his power for selfish means.7 This the Lord would not do. We will notice that all three of these temptations follow a very definite pattern. It was the pattern that tripped up Adam and Eve long before. The pattern is seen clearly in 1 John 2:16, and it involves the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life.8
Apparently, some of the stones in the wilderness area looked a little like loaves of bread and Satan used this picture to tempt the Lord. Jesus’ physical life was being tempted and Satan was trying to get Jesus to use his spiritual powers to satisfy his need. It was Glover who said, “…with every tree of the garden for food, Adam fell; with desert stones mocking his hunger, the second Adam conquered.” 9
“Jesus answered, ‘It is written: “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God”’” (4:4). We know today that “A life sustained by food only is a very poor life.” 10 When people come to the end of their lives it is interesting that they often no longer desire food.
We note how Jesus did not get into a discussion with Satan but rather only quoted the word. Eve once got into a discussion with Satan and lost. Over the centuries Satan has gotten to be a great debater and a great theologian as well. We should never try to talk things out or reason them out with Satan. We should only quote the word of God.
It seems like the church today is falling down in this area. We are not using the word of God to defeat Satan. Here are just a few examples that might help us:
It is written:
I can do all this through him who gives me strength. (Phil. 4:13).
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, (Rom. 8:1).
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (1 Jn. 1:9).
If God is for us, who can be against us? (Rom. 8:31).
Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you. (Heb. 13:5).
Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them. (Heb. 7:25).
[He] is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy… (Jude 1:24).
MAKING A BIG RELIGIOUS SHOW
Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. Matthew 4:5
There was a scripture (Mal. 3:1) indicating that the Messiah would appear suddenly in the temple. Satan may have been thinking about this scripture when he tempted Jesus. He was tempting the Lord to go the quick and easy path of signs and wonders rather than the slow and painful path of the cross. The temple structure was about 180 feet (54 m.) in height.11 A leap from there would have been impressive.
Quite a number of commentators are pretty much in agreement that the highest point of the temple was the far southeastern corner of the outer court wall that looked down upon the very deep Kidron Valley. This valley floor was some 300 feet (91 m.) below. While this corner of the outer wall is high and very impressive we should note that it is quite far removed from the temple complex itself. It is also far from where the worshipping crowds of people would be assembled. This proposed sign was obviously designed to awe the watching crowds. There is a far more logical site on the southwest corner of the temple wall called the “place of trumpeting.” Here the trumpets were blown to direct the people. This also is a very high spot with good access to worshippers. Interestingly, a stone has been found at this spot with the inscription “to the place of trumpeting.” 12
“‘If you are the Son of God,’ he said, ‘throw yourself down. For it is written: “He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone”’” (4:6). Once more, we realize that Satan is expert in quoting scripture. This should cause us to be on guard. The devil was quoting from Psalm 91:11, but he conveniently left out the phrase, “to guard you in all your ways.”13 God desires to guard us and protect our lives. We cannot foolishly test God to see if he will catch us when we jump off a high building. The Bible also says, “…do not be a fool – why die before your time?” (Eccl. 7:17). Blomberg says, “The devil’s mistake is to confuse the psalmist’s stumbling so as to fall with Jesus’ deliberately jumping off. We must not test God’s faithfulness to his word by manufacturing situations in which we try to force him to act in certain ways.” 14
This brings up a whole area where Christians are prone to test God foolishly. Wiersbe says, “The diabetic who refuses to take insulin and argues, ‘Jesus will take care of me,’ may be tempting the Lord.” 15 Some folks refuse the care of skilled physicians claiming that Jesus will heal them. There are times when Jesus alone heals but we cannot be presumptuous about this. It just may be that Jesus has on the occasion provided the highly skilled person to administer his help. Sometimes the acts of supposed faith people border upon tempting God. We cannot put God in a box and force him to act. God is sovereign.
“Jesus answered him, ‘It is also written: “Do not put the Lord your God to the test”’” (4:7). This quote is from Deuteronomy 6:16. This was a reference to the way Israel tested the Lord at Massah in the wilderness. The Israelites were asking that faithless question, “Is the LORD among us or not?” (Exo. 17:7). Anytime we have to ask such a question we are testing God and he will be displeased with us. Calvin says, “In short, whoever desires to make an experiment of the divine power, when there is no necessity for it, tempts God by subjecting his promises to an unfair trial.” 16
SATAN’S VIEW OF THINGS
Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. Matthew 4:8
Satan took Jesus to a very high mountain and showed him all the splendor of the world but he neglected to show him all the sin of the world.17 Earthly glory in itself is deceitful because of sin. Jesus came to solve the sin problem so that the glory of nations and people could be true and lasting glory.
“‘All this I will give you,’ he said, ‘if you will bow down and worship me’” (4:9). The devil wanted Jesus to take a shortcut to fame, to avoid the way of the cross and to do things his way. He wanted Jesus to bow down and worship him. Satan craves worship, but Jesus knew that what we worship we will also serve.18
Jesus knew something else. He knew that Satan was a liar and the father of lies (Jn. 8:44). He knew that it was only God who could truly give kingdoms (Psa. 2:8; Dan. 4:25). 19 Satan was a usurper of the world’s kingdoms. In the end the kingdoms of this world would all become the kingdoms of the Lord and of his Messiah (Rev. 11:15).
We think today to all those Christians and Christian leaders who have gone Satan’s route of success and worldly wealth. They have gone on that road despite its required loss of true humility and holiness. They have bought for themselves a kingdom of cards that will come tumbling own in due time.
“Jesus said to him, ‘Away from me, Satan! For it is written: “Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only”’” (4:10). For a final time Jesus resorts to the powerful words, “It is written.” Isaiah assures us that the grass and flowers shall fail (no doubt the opinions of men and the devil) but the word of God will stand forever (Isa. 40:8).
“Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him” (4:11). When we resist, the devil he will flee from us (Jas. 4:7). The devil cannot resist the word of God. When our grandchildren were small I used to play a game with them. I was the big ugly dragon about to eat them up. The only way they could defeat me was to quote a scripture. When they would hurriedly quote something I would wilt away and become totally harmless. They learned a lot of scripture that way. It works much the same way in our adult lives. When we have the scripture on our tongues the devil hurries away.
The angels then came and ministered to the Lord. We can imagine that they brought food and encouragement as they once did to Elijah in his testing (1 Ki. 19:5-8). Angels are ministering spirits to the redeemed and they love to come and help in our difficult times (cf. Matt.18:10; Lk. 15:10; Acts 12:14-15; Heb. 1:14).
JESUS BEGINS HIS MINISTRY
When Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, he withdrew to Galilee. Matthew 4:12
John had landed in prison because he dared rebuke Herod Antipas for his divorce and illegal marriage to his half-brother’s wife. It was never a safe thing to rebuke an eastern despot 20 and John paid the price for his boldness. Much later, in 14:3-12, Matthew will get around to telling the story of John’s imprisonment. As soon as Jesus heard of it he returned to Galilee and began his ministry.
The Galilee, particularly around the lake, is a strikingly beautiful and fruitful place. My wife and I had the privilege of living near the Sea of Galilee for four years and we can attest to what a beautiful and fruitful area it is today. We lived in Migdal, and just below our city to the north lay the very fruitful Plain of Gennesaret. The farmers in our area grew many kinds of grain crops plus various types of citrus fruits, dates, avocadoes, bananas, mangoes, etc. The close-by hilly area between Capernaum and Chorazin, with its black volcanic soil, was famous in Bible times for the growing of early grains.21
The Galilee was a heavily populated area in Jesus’ time. Pastor and writer David Guzik reports: “There were some 3 million people populating Galilee, an area smaller than the US state of Connecticut… In an area of about 60 by 30 miles [96×48 km.], Josephus says that there were some 204 villages with none having less than 15,000 people.” 22 We can understand some of the reasons why Jesus was attracted to the area.
“Leaving Nazareth, he went and lived in Capernaum, which was by the lake in the area of Zebulun and Naphtali—to fulfill what was said through the prophet Isaiah:” (4:13-14). John’s Gospel tells us that Jesus and his family had already scouted out the area of Capernaum prior to his moving his ministry there (Jn. 2:12). Capernaum was a port city on the northwestern coast of the Sea of Galilee. The fresh-water lake is in the shape of a harp (kinor in Hebrew) and is known today as the Kinneret. The little body of water is about 13 miles long (21 km.) and 7 miles wide (11 km.). Its surface is some 680 feet (207 m.) below sea level and it therefore boasts a semi-tropical climate. It is a picturesque place and the fishing and swimming is good. We can be sure that Jesus did not move to Capernaum for these reasons. He was however probably anxious to leave Nazareth because the hostility to his ministry was growing and even becoming life-threatening.
Capernaum offered many advantages over Nazareth. It was a chief city of the Galilee and located on the main road system. It was headquarters for a Roman garrison and had a Roman tax station just outside the city.23 He now made Capernaum his home (cf. 9:1; Mk. 2:1). He probably took up residence in the house of Simon Peter. The remnants of that house have been identified today. In fact, it was identified as early as the fourth and fifth centuries because religious structures were built around it at those times.
“Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles—the people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned” (4:15-16). Here Matthew is quoting from Isaiah 9:1-2. Although this passage was written over seven hundred years before Jesus arrived at Capernaum, we have to be amazed at its extreme accuracy. Let us take a moment to grade Isaiah’s prophecy.
Jesus grew up at Nazareth in the land of Zebulun. He then moved his ministry to Capernaum, to the ancient tribal land of Napthali. Let us give Isaiah his first point for geographic accuracy. Isaiah mentions an ancient road called the Way of the Sea. This road came from the Mediterranean and ran to Damascus. It was a major highway in Jesus’ day and it came right through Capernaum. In fact, there is a Roman mile marker that still can be seen in the ruins of Capernaum. Barclay says, “Judaea is on the way to nowhere: Galilee is on the way to everywhere.” 24 Let us give Isaiah a second point.
Isaiah mentions “beyond the Jordan” as an area of the Lord’s ministry. Capernaum was just about two and a half miles (4 km.) from the Jordan River. When one crossed the river that person left the domain of Herod Antipas and entered the domain of Herod Philip. When things got too hot for Jesus politically he often crossed the river Jordan. Let us give Isaiah a third point for political accuracy.
There is more that is of interest in this description. Isaiah mentions Galilee of the Gentiles. In Jesus’ time about half the population of Galilee was Gentile. That ratio remains basically the same today. In Jesus’ time the ten cities of the Decapolis were all populated with Gentiles. This included much of the eastern and southern shorelines of the lake. Galilee even got its name from the Gentiles. “The name Galilee comes from the Hebrew word galiyl…which means a circle….Galilee was literally surrounded by Gentiles.” 25 Let us give Isaiah a fourth point.
Isaiah notes that the people living in darkness had seen a great light. He was certainly speaking of the light of Jesus. The Galilee was a dark place in many ways. Early Galilee history had been saturated with idolatry. In 722 BC, the Assyrians came and deported the original Israelites, replacing them with a mixture of pagan people from other provinces (2 Ki. 15:29). So, the spiritual darkness of the Galilee was great.
My own personal opinion here is that Isaiah may have been prophetically picturing nearby Mt. Arbel and the deep shadow the mountain casts over the valley below it. Josephus mentions a Syrian general Bacchides who slew many who were hiding in the caves on the mountain’s sheer side (Josephus, Antiquities 12, 11, 1). Later Herod the Great caused a similar slaughter on the same mountain (Josephus, Wars, 1, 16, 4 & 5). Arbel, which was a Galilee landmark and was clearly in sight from Capernaum was a dark and bloody place. Anyway, let us give Isaiah a final point for his accuracy. We can only wonder at the blindness of the Jewish leaders in John 7:52, who claimed that no prophet would come from the Galilee.
“From that time on Jesus began to preach, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near’” (4:17). To preach is the Greek kērussein. This describes the word for proclamation of a king’s herald (kērux). He was the man who brought a message straight from the king to the people.26 Jesus’ message was quite similar to that of John the Baptist. We can understand that the Lord preached all over the parts of Galilee where Jews lived. It appears though that Jesus confined most of his ministry to what has been called “The Evangelical Triangle.” This was a small and focused area that fell between the cities of Capernaum, Chorazin and Bethsaida. We read in Matthew 11:20, that most of his miracles were performed in these cities. Jesus and his disciples visited many other places and sometimes visited Gentile areas but this was not the thrust of his ministry.
JESUS CALLS HIS DISCIPLES
As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. Matthew 4:18
Perhaps we should pause and say some things about the Galilee fishing industry in Jesus’ day. Fishing was a thriving business in those times. Josephus Flavius the historian estimated the population of fishing villages around the lake in the first century at some 100,000 people.27 Around the lake there were probably some sixteen bustling ports. The fishing boats were numerous and some 40 years after Jesus’ time Josephus, who was then in charge of Jewish resistance, was able to commandeer 230 boats for his war efforts against the Romans. Of course, fish was the staple food for Galilee folks in the first century and they seldom ate other meats as we do. The Sea of Galilee produced so many fish that they were even salted and exported to places as distant as Antioch of Syria and to Egypt.28
The disciples were likely fishing at the “old fishing hole” near Tabgha. The net fish they were after was the Musht, known as the Tilapia Galilea. This variety of fish today is popularly known as St. Peter’s Fish and is a delicacy offered in many restaurants around the lake. These were tropical fish that had somehow gotten in the lake. In the cooler months of the year Tilapia would gather in great numbers at the warm springs of Tabgha on the northwestern coast.29
We note that Peter and Andrew were casting a net into the lake. The Galilee fishermen would use several types of nets. There was the smaller net or cast net as mentioned here. Peter and Andrew were said to be throwing around this net (Gk. ballantas amphiblēstron). The cast net was circular and could be thrown by one person. Ideally it would land much like a parachute over nearby fish, sink to the bottom and then it could be drawn in. There were larger nets such as the seine or dragnet (cf. Matt. 13:47-48), and the trammel net which entangled the fish and held them (cf. Lk. 5:1-7). 30 The cast net could be used in the daytime but the other and larger nets were mostly used at night.
In this verse Jesus encountered Peter and Andrew. They were originally from Bethsaida (Jn. 1:44), but had settled in Capernaum (8:5, 14). Many sermons have been preached about how Jesus called these total strangers and how they immediately left their profitable fishing business and followed him, who was also a total stranger to them. This scenario is simply not true. We know from John’s Gospel that Jesus had some previous encounters with the two when he ministered earlier in the Jordan Valley (Jn. 1:35-42).
“Come, follow me,’ Jesus said, ‘and I will send you out to fish for people.’ At once they left their nets and followed him.” (4:19-20). We notice a couple of things about the call of the Lord. He tends to call busy people. We remember how David was busy keeping sheep; how the shepherds were watching over their flocks; how Amos the prophet was farming in Tekoa; how Matthew was doing his work as a tax collector; how Moses was tending the sheep of his father-in-law and how Gideon was busy threshing wheat.31 There is another thing about the Lord’s call. In Judaism it was the disciple who chose his rabbi, but Jesus chose all his disciples.32 Despite what some would say, there are no volunteers in the Lord’s army.
These two fishermen would now use their talents to fish for people. Dietrich said it well: “It is no longer a question of taking fish from the lake, but of drawing men up out of the abyss of sin and death, catching them in the great net of God!” 33 They would have to leave a profitable business but they would gain eternal fame. While this was not their first meeting, it was the first time that Jesus called them to discipleship, to forsake everything else and follow him only.
“Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, 22 and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him” (4:21-22). It is thought that Peter, Andrew, James and John were probably involved in a fishing cooperative. The Bible makes clear that this cooperative had fishing boats and even hired men (Mk. 1:20). Regular fishermen made a better-than-average income, 34 and a fishing cooperative like this one must have been quite profitable. These men left it all. It does not appear that they even looked back.
JESUS’ HEALING MINISTRY
Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. Matthew 4:23
It is clear that Jesus traveled all over the Galilee as an itinerant teacher and healer. At the outset of his ministry the Jewish synagogues were open to him. He also did open-air teaching and preaching. His ministry was at first exclusively to the Jewish people (10:5-6; 15:24). Jesus coupled teaching and healing wherever he went. It is very possible that Jesus spent perhaps a third of his time in just healing people. Jesus did not just heal but he cast out demons. Demon possession seems to have been widespread, no doubt due to many people who were involved with the occult. “Contrary to what many today believe, the ancient world regularly and carefully distinguished between afflictions ascribed to demons and other forms of illness.” 35
Jesus came proclaiming the good news of the gospel. It is difficult for us today to understand just how good that good news was. Jesus proclaimed a freedom from sin, a freedom from sickness, freedom from demonic powers and life everlasting. We have not always been able to proclaim such a gospel in our day.
“News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed; and he healed them. Large crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea and the region across the Jordan followed him” (4:24-25). In the early part of his great Galilean ministry Jesus gained immense popularity and people came from everywhere (cf. Mark 3:7-8; Lk. 6:17). Even the Gentiles came to him from Decapolis. However, very soon the Jewish leaders began to look upon him with jaundiced eye. Then, one by one, the synagogue doors began to close and the shadow of the cross began to fall upon him.