Matthew 4 - The Greatest Temptation of Jesus

Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the winderness to be tempted by Satan. Jesus fasted for 40 days after His anointing before the Devil came upon Him. Satan tries every trick in the book to deceive Jesus, but He tells the Devil "Get behind me Satan" and wanted no part of him.

 ¹Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. After His anointing as Messiah, "the second man" (1 Corinthians 15:47), "the last man Adam" (1 Corinthians 15:45), would be tried like "the first man Adam" (1 Corinthians 15:45-47). "Tried in the same way." (1 John 2:16, compared to Genesis 3:6). "Both offered the desires and lust of the world." (The first man Adam in the garden, the second man Adam in the wilderness). Christ will set the example of what will happen to us by being tempted by Satan in our everyday life. When things are looking good and your on a spiritual high, watch out for a tempting by Satan with his ways of the world.

 ²And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred. Christ was hungered. Forty here means probation, just as we are all on probation in this life. In comparison, Israel was fed with manna and they were disobedient, Christ was hungered and obedient. We need to follow the example set by Christ, not man.

 ³And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. Satan being that tempter and he would tempt Christ first with food, them with scripture. He knew Christ was hungry, so he tempts Him with a food trick. Satan will always try to find your weak spot. (It may be drugs, alcohol, sex, money, pride, etc.). "We need to be strong in the Word and in Spirit."

 ⁴But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Christ would also use scripture to fight off Satan as another example to us. This scripture that Christ used "man shall not live by bread alone," is written in (Deuteronomy 8:3, Luke 4:4). Its not so much material things and the flesh that count, but rather spiritual awareness and righteous living that will make us right with God.

 ⁵Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, The pinnacle is the highest point of the Temple. (Over 500 feet). It must of been quite the trick just for Satan to get Jesus there. Remember, Satan has supernatural powers also.

 ⁶And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. Satan is tempting God. What Satan is quoting here is from (Psalms 91:11-12), but he twist the scripture just a little bit. Compare the two scriptures and see if you can find the fault in what Satan is saying. For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. (Psalm 91:11). They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone. (Psalm 91:12). Remember that Satan is a scripture lawyer and he knows the scriptures, but he loves to trip people up with the Word, just enough to throw them off from the truth.

 ⁷Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. Jesus sets Satan straight quoting from (Deuteronomy 6:16). "Never tempt God to show someone He exists." Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents. (1 Corinthians 10:9). Again, never tempt God! Many have and died like those in the wilderness who were constantly complaining. (Numbers 21:6).

 ⁸Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; Here we come to a high spot again. The "prince of this world" Satan (John 12:31), is going to make Jesus an offer "He can refuse." Why? Because they will all belong to Jesus in the future. (Revelation 11:15).   

 ⁹And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. No way Jesus is going to bow to Satan! This only proves that all these things were Satan's to give. He is the "prince of the world" (John 14:30, 16:11), and can offer you a lot of things of the world if you except them.

 ¹⁰Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. "GET BEHIND ME SATAN!" Christ wanted no part of what Satan could offer. "We are to worship and serve the Living God of Israel."

 ¹¹Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him. Submit to God, resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Satan had no choice but to go because Christ has all authority over him. He gives this same authority to His servants. Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. (Luke 10:19). Don't let Satan get over on you, "get rid of him." The key phrase here is "Get behind me Satan," but always follow up with "In Jesus Name."

 ¹²Now when Jesus had heard that John was cast into prison, he departed into Galilee; John was delivered up and arrested, just as we may also be delivered up to Satan in the end times. When Jesus heard that John was arrested (because of a princess named Herodias), He heads north to Galilee. (Mark 1:14).

 ¹³And leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is upon the sea coast, in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim: First to Nazareth, them moved on to Capernaum, beside the sea of Galilee. The book of Mark tells us that Jesus gathered some of His disciples by the sea of Galilee on His way to the Synagogue to teach on the Sabbath. (Mark 1:16-21).

 ¹⁴That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, This would fulfill what God had spoken through the prophet Isaiah. 

 ¹⁵The land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles; As written in (Isaiah 9:1-2), that light that would shine would be Jesus Christ. (Isaiah 9:6-7), that light would be the Christ child to be born and He would be called Wonderful, Counselor (Holy Spirit), The Mighty God (Everlasting Father), The Prince of peace (Jesus Christ). "The full Godhead." (Fulfilling His ministry).

 ¹⁶The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up. (Isaiah 42:6-7, 60:1-3, Micah 7:8, Luke 2:32). Christ gives us the light and life through His Word.

 ¹⁷From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Does this sound familiar? Jesus took up John the Baptist message of repentance and turning to God. (Matthew 3:2, 9:13, Mark 1:15, Luke 5:32, 15:7, 24:47, Act 2:38, 17:30, 26:20).

 ¹⁸And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. Jesus first call to "fishers of men." 

 ¹⁹And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. Jesus didn't make no big ritual out of this like man always does. He simply said "follow me" and they became disciples of Christ. When you receive His calling to serve, then serve... No man can give this to you, its a spiritual calling from above.

 ²⁰And they straightway left their nets, and followed him. They immediately follow Him. They didn't think about it, they dropped what they were doing and followed Christ. How will you react when He calls on you?

 ²¹And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them. Again no revival or rituals of men. Just follow me. (This was a calling for disciples of Christ). "Jesus wanted followers." Will you follow Christ or the ways of the world?

 ²²And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him. Follow His example when He touches your heart, discipleship is a calling from the living God. Its not always an easy road to follow, but you will have help from the "Holy Spirit" if your for real.

 ²³And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people. Jesus traveled, He taught the Good News about the Kingdom, He healed every kind of disease and illness. (Matthew 9:35).

 ²⁴And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatick, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them. The news and His fame (Matthew 9:26), spread as far as Syria, and people came from everywhere, bringing Jesus all who were sick. "He healed them all."

 ²⁵And there followed him great multitudes of people from Galilee, and from Decapolis, and from Jerusalem, and from Judaea, and from beyond Jordan. His fame and reputation was growing; but not like a man's reputation. "Jesus was the real thing!"

Keep the faith,
Barton