CHAPTER IV. _Jesus, in the wilderness, is tempted by Satan_, 1-11. _He goes into Galilee_, 12; _and Capernaum_, 13. _The prophecy which was thus fulfilled_, 14-16. _He begins to preach publicly_, 17. _Calls Simon Peter, and his brother Andrew_, 18-20. _Calls also James and John, the sons of Z... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 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 Ne... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 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 becom... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 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_, c. Our Lord's meaning seems to be this: God purposes the welfare of his creatures - all his appointments are c... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 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 b... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 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 b... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 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_.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 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... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 4:9. _IF THOU WILT FALL DOZEN 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.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 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 savouring of nothing but diabolical impudence, Jesus did not treat it as the others; but, with Divine authority, commanded the tempter to return to... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 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 th... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 4:13. _AND LEAVING NAZARETH_] Or, _entirely leaving Nazareth_, και καταλιπων την ναζαρετ, from κατα, _intensive_, and δειπω, _I leave_. It seems that, from this time, our blessed Lord made _Capernaum_ his ordinary place of residence; and utterly forsook Nazareth, because they had wholl... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 4:15. _GALILEE OF THE GENTILES_] Or of the _nations_. So called, because it was inhabited by _Egyptians, Arabians_, and _Phoenicians_, according to the testimony of _Strabo_ and others. The Hebrew גוים _goyim_, and the Greek εθνων, signify _nations_; and, in the Old and New Testaments,... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 4:16. _THE PEOPLE WHICH SAT IN DARKNESS_] This is quoted from Isaiah 9:2, where, instead of _sitting_, the prophet used the word _walked_. The evangelist might on purpose _change_ the term, to point out the _increased_ misery of the state of these persons. _Sitting in_ _darkness_ expre... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 4:17. _JESUS BEGAN TO PREACH, AND TO SAY, REPENT_] See on Matthew 3:1; Matthew 3:2. Every preacher commissioned by God to proclaim salvation to a lost world, begins his work with preaching the doctrine of _repentance_. This was the case with all the _prophets_, _John the Baptist, Jesus... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 4:18. _SIMON CALLED PETER, AND ANDREW HIS BROTHER_] Why did not Jesus Christ call some of the eminent _Scribes_ or _Pharisees_ to publish his Gospel, and not poor unlearned fishermen, without credit or authority? Because it was the _kingdom of heaven_ they were to preach, and their te... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 4:19. _FOLLOW ME_] _Come after me_, δευτε οπισω μου. Receive my doctrines, imitate me in my conduct - in every respect be my disciples. We may observe that most of the calls of God to man are expressed in a few solemn words, which alarm, the conscience, and deeply impress the heart.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 4:20. _THEY STRAIGHTWAY LEFT_ THEIR _NETS_] A change, as far as it respected secular things, every way to their disadvantage. The proud and the profane may exult and say, "Such preachers as these cannot be much injured by their sacrifices of _secular_ property - they have nothing but _... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 4:22. _LEFT THE SHIP AND THEIR FATHER_] By the _ship_, το πλοιον, we are to understand the mere fishing-boat, used for extending their nets in the water and bringing the hawser or rope of the farther end to shore, by which the net was pulled to land. But why should these be called to... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 4:23. _TEACHING IN THEIR SYNAGOGUES_] _Synagogue_, συναγωγη, from συν, _together_, and αγω, _I bring_, a public assembly of persons, or the _place_ where such persons publicly assembled. _Synagogues_, among the Jews, were not probably older than the return from the Babylonish captivity... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 4:24. _SICK PEOPLE_] Τους, κακως εχοντας, _those who felt_ _ill _- were afflicted with any species of malady. _AND TORMENTS_] βασανοις, from βασανιζω, to _examine by_ _torture_, such as _cholics, gouts_, and _rheumatisms_, which racked every joint. _POSSESSED WITH DEVILS_] _Daemoniac... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 4:25. This verse is immediately connected with the fifth chapter, and should not be separated from it. _GREAT MULTITUDES_] This, even according to the Jews, was one proof of the days of the Messiah: for they acknowledged that in his time there should be a great famine of the word of G... [ Continue Reading ]