Matthew 4 (WEB)

Matthew 4:1–11

The temptation in the wilderness

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. When he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was hungry afterward. The tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.”

But he answered, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of God’s mouth.’”

Then the devil took him into the holy city. He set him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written, ‘He will command his angels concerning you,’ and, ‘On their hands they will bear you up, so that you don’t dash your foot against a stone.’”

Jesus said to him, “Again, it is written, ‘You shall not test the Lord, your God.’”

Again, the devil took him to an exceedingly high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. He said to him, “I will give you all of these things, if you will fall down and worship me.”

Then Jesus said to him, “Get behind me, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and you shall serve him only.’”

Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and served him.

Led by the Spirit into the wilderness, Jesus fasts forty days. The devil tests him three times: to turn stones into bread, to throw himself from the temple's high point, and to worship the devil in exchange for the world's kingdoms. Jesus refuses each time, and angels come to serve him.

Scripture connection · Quotation

Matthew 4:4 quotes Deuteronomy 8:3

He humbled you, allowed you to be hungry, and fed you with manna, which you didn’t know, neither did your fathers know, that he might teach you that man does not live by bread only, but man lives by every word that proceeds out of the LORD’s mouth.
Deuteronomy 8:3 · WEB

Moses reminds Israel that God fed them with manna in the wilderness. Jesus answers each temptation with a line from Deuteronomy.
Scripture connection · Quotation

Matthew 4:6 quotes Psalm 91:11–12

For he will put his angels in charge of you, to guard you in all your ways. They will bear you up in their hands, so that you won’t dash your foot against a stone.
Psalm 91:11–12 · WEB

Here the tempter quotes scripture, a psalm of trust in God's protection, to urge Jesus to test that protection.
Scripture connection · Quotation

Matthew 4:7 quotes Deuteronomy 6:16

You shall not tempt the LORD your God, as you tempted him in Massah.
Deuteronomy 6:16 · WEB

Massah was where Israel demanded proof that God was with them (Exodus 17).
Scripture connection · Quotation

Matthew 4:10 quotes Deuteronomy 6:13

You shall fear the LORD your God; and you shall serve him, and shall swear by his name.
Deuteronomy 6:13 · WEB

Matthew's wording ('worship') differs from the Hebrew and from most manuscripts of the Greek translation, which read 'fear'; it answers the devil's demand to be worshipped (verse 9).

What does this mean?

'Tempt' also means 'test'. 'If you are the Son of God' picks up the voice at the baptism: the tests probe what kind of Son he will be. 'Satan' is Hebrew for 'adversary'; 'devil' comes from the Greek for 'slanderer'. The 'pinnacle' was a high point of the temple complex whose exact location is unknown.

Why does it matter?

Forty days recalls Israel's forty years of testing in the wilderness and Moses' forty days on the mountain; where Israel is remembered as failing, Jesus stays faithful. The challenge 'if you are the Son of God' returns at the cross (27:40), and Jesus later rebukes Peter with words like those he uses here (16:23).

Editorial notes, not scripture.

Told in three Gospels

Mark 1:12–13

Jesus is tested in the wilderness

How Mark tells it

Mark's account is only two verses. He uses a forceful verb — the Spirit 'drove' Jesus out — and alone mentions the wild animals. He describes no fasting, no three temptations and no exchange of scripture quotations with the devil, all of which Matthew and Luke include.

Read Mark’s account in Mark 1

Continue reading in Mark →

Luke 4:1–13

The temptation in the wilderness

How Luke tells it

Luke reverses Matthew's order of the second and third temptations, so the sequence ends at the Jerusalem temple, where his story reaches its climax. Only Luke has the devil claim that the world's authority has been handed to him, and he ends with the devil leaving "until another time" rather than with angels serving Jesus. Mark gives no details.

Read Luke’s account in Luke 4

Continue reading in Luke →

How Matthew tells it

Matthew's order is bread, temple, mountain, ending with the offer of the world's kingdoms; Luke puts the temple last, ending in Jerusalem. Mark gives only two verses, with no individual tests, and mentions wild animals. Matthew says angels came and served Jesus once the devil left; Luke says the devil departed 'for a season'.

Matthew 4:12–17

Jesus begins preaching in Galilee

Now when Jesus heard that John was delivered up, he withdrew into Galilee. Leaving Nazareth, he came and lived in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through Isaiah the prophet, saying, “The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, toward the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles, the people who sat in darkness saw a great light; to those who sat in the region and shadow of death, to them light has dawned.”

From that time, Jesus began to preach, and to say, “Repent! For the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.”

After John is arrested, Jesus withdraws to Galilee, moves from Nazareth to Capernaum on the Sea of Galilee, and begins preaching the same message as John: repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.

Scripture connection · Quotation · presented as fulfilled

Matthew 4:14–16 quotes Isaiah 9:1–2

But there shall be no more gloom for her who was in anguish. In the former time, he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali; but in the latter time he has made it glorious, by the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations. The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light. The light has shined on those who lived in the land of the shadow of death.
Isaiah 9:1–2 · WEB

Isaiah promised light to the northern regions first devastated by Assyria. Matthew applies it to Jesus beginning his ministry in Galilee.

Historical context

Capernaum was a fishing town on the north-west shore of the Sea of Galilee, a freshwater lake, in the territory of Herod Antipas. It lay near a road and a border, which may explain the tax office there (9:9). Zebulun and Naphtali were tribal territories of ancient Israel in the north. 'Galilee of the Gentiles' reflects the region's mixed population.

Why does it matter?

'From that time' marks a turning point; Matthew uses the same phrase in 16:21, when Jesus begins to speak of his death, and many scholars treat the two as markers of the Gospel's structure. Jesus' public work begins only once John's has been cut short.

Editorial notes, not scripture.

Matthew 4:18–22

Fishers of men

Walking by the sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers: Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew, his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. He said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers for men.”

They immediately left their nets and followed him. 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. They immediately left the boat and their father, and followed him.

Walking by the Sea of Galilee, Jesus calls two pairs of fishermen brothers: Simon Peter and Andrew, then James and John, the sons of Zebedee. Each pair leaves nets, boat and family at once to follow him.

What does this mean?

'Fishers of men' (WEB 'fishers for men') plays on their trade: they will gather people rather than fish. 'Follow' was the language of discipleship, of attaching oneself to a teacher. 'Peter' is a nickname meaning 'rock'; Matthew returns to it in 16:18.

Historical context

Fishing on the lake was a substantial business involving boats, hired hands, nets and taxes on catches. It is often noted that students normally sought out a teacher; here Jesus takes the initiative. Leaving a father in the family trade was a striking break with expected family duty.

Editorial notes, not scripture.

Told in two Gospels

Mark 1:16–20

Jesus calls four fishermen

How Mark tells it

Mark's account is very close to Matthew's. Only Mark mentions the hired servants whom James and John leave in the boat with their father, a detail implying a business of some size. As often, Mark marks the response with 'immediately'. Luke tells a different calling story, with a miraculous catch of fish (Luke 5:1–11).

Read Mark’s account in Mark 1

Continue reading in Mark →

How Matthew tells it

Matthew's account is very close to Mark's. He introduces Simon as 'called Peter' from the outset, and stresses that James and John left both the boat and their father; Mark adds that Zebedee was left with the hired servants. Luke tells a different call story, with a miraculous catch of fish (Luke 5:1–11).

Matthew 4:23–25

Teaching and healing throughout Galilee

Jesus went about in all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the Good News of the Kingdom, and healing every disease and every sickness among the people. The report about him went out into all Syria. They brought to him all who were sick, afflicted with various diseases and torments, possessed with demons, epileptics, and paralytics; and he healed them. Great multitudes from Galilee, Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and from beyond the Jordan followed him.

A summary of Jesus' early work: he travels around Galilee teaching in synagogues, announcing the good news of the kingdom and healing every kind of illness. His fame spreads and great crowds follow him from across the region.

What does this mean?

'Gospel' (KJV) and 'Good News' (WEB) translate the same Greek word, euangelion. 'Lunatick' (KJV) reflects the old belief that the moon caused seizures; WEB has 'epileptics'. 'Divers' means various; 'palsy' means paralysis.

Historical context

Synagogues were local gathering places for reading and teaching scripture and for community life. Syria was the Roman province to the north; the Decapolis was a league of Greek-style cities, mostly east of the Jordan.

Why does it matter?

Teaching, preaching and healing are Jesus' three activities in Matthew. This summary is repeated almost word for word in 9:35, framing the Sermon on the Mount (chapters 5–7) and the healing stories (chapters 8–9); many scholars see the arrangement as deliberate, showing Jesus' authority first in word and then in deed.

Editorial notes, not scripture.