Matthew 4
COMMENTARY:
: 1 Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. (3985 “tempted” [peirazo] means tried, proved, examined, try to trap, test one maliciously, or enticement to sin.)
DEVOTION: The Godhead is all mentioned at the baptism of Jesus. Here we find the Holy Spirit leading Jesus into the wilderness for the next step in HIS ministry.
Before the temptation, Jesus fasts for forty days and forty nights. Moses was one who did it on the mountain with the LORD receiving the Ten Commandments. Remember that fasting and prayer are encouraged when there are major decisions to make in our life.
After the time of fasting the LORD met with the devil for a time of trial. HE is God the Son. HE is the second person of the Godhead. God never sins. Sin is against HIS nature. Here we have the God/man Jesus Christ coming to a time when the devil was going to throw everything he could at Jesus.
What did Jesus do? HE quoted Scripture to the devil. The devil quoted Scripture to prove HIM. The devil knows the Bible better than we ever will. However, we have the power of the Holy Spirit in us to fight the attacks of the enemy.
Jesus faced each area of trials that we face without sinning. HE was tested in the areas of the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life (I John 2: 16).
Also the same testing that Adam and Eve were tested but failed: Genesis 3: 6 “And the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and the tree to be desired to make one wise.” They ate of the tree the LORD commanded them not to eat of.
Now each day we can face anyone or all of these temptations as we live our life. The same enemy is using his other fallen angels to test us. We fail sometimes like Adam and Eve failed. Our strength for victory comes from our putting on the armor of God each day, which is the LORD Jesus Christ.
CHALLENGE: Our handling of temptation shows where we are in our spiritual growth in the LORD. How mature are you in the LORD?
: 4 But HE answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. (1607 “proceeds” [ekporeuomai] means to move out of, depart, to issue, to spread abroad, go or come out, or leave.)
DEVOTION: Daily food is necessary for us to have energy to face each day. Jesus had gone forty days and nights without food. Remember that HE knew HE was going to face great temptation. HE knew how to prepare for it. We need to remember to follow HIS example.
Too often we think we have the strength in ourselves to face anything. We don’t turn to prayer until we are overwhelmed with the problem. Prayer should be first but our nature is to rebel against looking anyplace for help until we have tried to handle it on our own.
I have thousands of people who receive the devotionals each day but very few write for prayer regarding problems they are facing because they are embarrassed that they are facing problem where they need help. The problem is that everyone faces problems where they need help. Christ even prayed in the Garden that the cup would be taken from HIM but still accepted the cross as the will of the LORD.
Even pastors have a problem admitting that they need prayer on some occasions. All the disciples asked for prayer from those in their support group. Churches need to be praying for their pastors.
Our physical bread and spiritual bread comes from the LORD. Our responsibility is to pray for our food both physical and spiritual each time we eat. All should be in the Word of God throughout the day, even if it is Scripture verses on 3 by 5 cards. Memorize a verse a week at least, so that when temptation comes you can be like Jesus.
CHALLENGE: The LORD challenges us to learn what HE has said. If we learn what HE has said and apply it to our lives we will be pleasing HIM.
: 19 And He said to them, Follow ME, and I will make you fishers of men. (1205 “Follow” [deute] means come here, come now, to accept the leadership, command or guidance of, or usually literal walking after.)
DEVOTION: When Jesus called HIS disciples it was with one purpose in mind. They were to be fishers of men. They were not starting a family business. They were not going to earn a lot of money. They were to travel with HIM and invite people to repent of their sins and follow HIM.
The responsibility has not changed. Every believer is a disciple. Every disciple is to be a fisher of men. There is no calling to be someone who sits on the sideline and only attends church once or twice a week and can call himself/herself a disciple. They are just fans of Jesus not followers.
“Follow ME” was the call and they did. They left everything behind and followed HIM. HE told someone who volunteered to follow HIM that HE didn’t have a regular home to lay HIS head down in. HE told another one who volunteered that he had to sell everything he had and follow HIM.
There is sacrifice involved in serving the LORD. There are times when there is no glory in serving the LORD. There are times when discouragement can affect a disciple. All of this is part of being a follower rather than a fan.
CHALLENGE: How many fish have your tried to catch this YEAR
: 23 And 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. (1321 “teaching” [didasko] means to hold discourse with others in order to instruct them, deliver didactic discourses, to be a teacher, conduct one’s self as a teacher, to explain or expound a thing or instill doctrine into one.)
DEVOTION: Before the start of the Jesus ministry HE was taken up into the wilderness by the Holy Spirit to be tempted of the devil. The devil tempted him in all three areas we are tempted in: the world, the flesh and the devil. The temptation was genuine in that HE faced all we face yet without sinning. When we face temptation, we have the same choice but most of the time we sin.
Jesus is shown to be a genuine human in that he was hungry before the temptation. HE went forty days and nights without food or drink. Moses did the same on the mountain with the LORD. Fasting is something that HE told the disciples to practice after HE left this world. We are to practice this discipline on a regular basis also. Imagine the strength the church could have if all the members were fasting and praying for revival.
Now at the age of thirty Jesus started HIS earthly ministry. HE had a threefold ministry. HE would go into the synagogues to talk with the religious leaders of the Jewish people. They knew the Old Testament and the prophecies regarding the coming Messiah. The Messiah was to set up a kingdom and rule of HIS people. HE could instruct them if they would listen – some did. HE also unpacked the Word of God to the common people in the cities.
The second part of HIS ministry was to preach the good news of repentance to the common Jew who knew very little of the book of the Law. Everyone had an opportunity to repent of their sins and turn back to God. HE warned them of the coming kingdom. They had to be ready.
The third aspect of HIS ministry was healing the sick. One part of this ministry was to cast out the demons. Demons still exist today. Demons are the fallen angels that went with Satan when he left heaven. Their primary purpose is to hinder the growth of the kingdom of God. One of the best books to read regarding their actions is Screwtape Letters by C. S. Lewis.
The LORD has the ability to heal all those who are sick even today. We are to go to HIM in prayer and watch HIM work. Sometimes sickness is used to bring HIM glory. Is it God’s will for everyone to be healed today? NO! Sometimes it is better that HE works through the one who has the illness or disease. We need to trust HIM.
We that have become followers of Jesus are called to be HIS disciples just like Peter, Andrew, James and John in this chapter. We have to sit as HIS feet before we can stand before others.
Our responsibility is to listen to the teaching of the LORD and then putting it into practice on a daily basis. There are major temptation coming our way and prayer and fasting is the only way we can get through them. Once we defeat the devil with the strength of the LORD, we have more power in our prayer to see the LORD work through us to help others.
CHALLENGE: The example has been set by Jesus. HE ministers to all the needs of the people. If we are called to do the same, we have to avail ourselves of the power that comes through HIM daily.
DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:
BODY
Chastity (Purity in living)
Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)
Jesus fasted forty days and forty nightsverse 2
Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)
Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)
Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)
SOUL
Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)
Frugality (wise use of resources)
Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)
Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)
Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)
SPIRIT
Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)
Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)
Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)
Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)
Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)
Templeverse 5
Devil asks Christ to worship himverse 9
Jesus tells him that only God receives worshipverse 10
Jesus tells him that worship is service to Godverse 10
Synagoguesverse 23
DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
It is written (Deut. 8:3) Jesusverse 4
It is written (Ps. 91: 11, 12) Devilverse 6
It is written (Deut. 6: 16) Jesusverse 7
It is written (Deut. 6: 13) Jesusverse 10
Isaiah (Esaias) prophesied (Is. 9: 1, 2)verses 14-16
The people which sat in darkness saw a
great light; and to them which
sat in the region and shadow of
death light is sprung up
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
God (Theos)= supreme Divinityverses 3, 6, 10
Mouth of Godverse 4
Lord (Kurios)verse 7
Lord your Godverse 7
Kingdom of heavenverse 17
God the Son (Second person of the Godhead – God/man, Messiah)
Jesus (Iesouis) verses 1, 7, 10, 12, 17, 18, 23
Jesus led by the Spiritverse 1
Temptedverse 1
Hungry – fasted forty days and forty nightsverse 2
Son of Godverses 3, 6
Jesus quoted Scriptureverses 4, 7, 10
Man shall not live by bread alone,
but by every word that
proceeds out of the mouth of God
You shall worship the Lord your God and
HIM only shall you serveverse 10
Jesus departed into Galileeverse 12
Left Nazareth and came and dwelt in Capernaumverse 13
Jesus fulfilled Scriptureverse 14
Great lightverse 16
Ministry of Jesusverses 17, 23
Preaching: repent
Preaching gospel of the kingdomverses 17, 23
Kingdom of heaven is at hand
Teachingverse 23
Healing all manner of sicknessverses 23, 24
All manner of disease verse 23
Walking by the sea of Galileeverses 18, 19
saw two brethren – Simon called Peter
and Andrew his brother
asked them to Follow ME
to make them fishers of men
Fameverse 24
All sick people taken with divers diseases and
torments and those which
were lunatic, and those that had the
palsy and HE healed them
Great multitudes followed HIM
from Galilee, Decapolis, Jerusalem
and Judaea and from beyond
Jordanverse 25
God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)
Spirit led Jesus into wilderness to be temptedverse 1
Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)
Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)
Evil angel – Devil – tempted Jesusverses 1, 5, 8, 11
Devil called Tempterverse 3
wanted Jesus to turn stones into bread
Devil takes Jesus to Jerusalemverse 5
set Jesus on a pinnacle of the temple
Devil can quote Scriptureverse 6
Good angels have charge concerning Jesus
to bear HIM up lest at any time HE
dash HIS foot against a stoneverse 6
Devil takes Jesus to mountainverse 8
Devil claims ownership of Kingdoms of worldverse 9
tempted HIM to worship him
Evil angel – Satan (or Devil)verse 10
Devil leaves Christverse 11
Good angels came and ministered to Jesusverse 11
People can be possessed by evil angels (demons)verse 24
Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)
Kingdoms of the worldverse 8
Gentilesverse 15
Fishermanverse 18
Syriaverse 24
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)>
Yielding to temptationverse 1
Stones made breadverse 3
Worship of Satanverse 9
Sit in darknessverse 16
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
Temptedverse 1
Fastedverse 2
Not live by bread aloneverse 4
Live by every word of Godverse 4
Quote Scriptureverses 4, 7, 10
Worship the LORD onlyverse 10
Only serve LORDverse 10
Jesus preached repentanceverse 17
Called to followverses 19, 21
Fishers of menverse 19
Salvation involves following Jesusverses 18-22
Preaching the gospelverse 23
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
Jerusalem = holy cityverses 5, 25
John cast into prisonverse 12
Galileeverses 12, 15, 18, 23-25
Nazarethverse 13
Capernaumverse 13
Zabulonverses 13, 15
Nephthalimverses 13, 15
Isaiah (Esaias) the prophetverse 14
Jordanverses 15, 25
Simon called Peter – fishingverses 18-20
Andrew – Peter’s brother -fishingverses 18-20
Straightway they left their nets and followed HIM
James the son of Zebedee – called to follow
Jesus – followed HIMverses 21, 22
John – brother of James – called to follow
Jesus – followed HIMverses 21, 22
Decapolisverse 25
Judaeaverse 25
Church (New Testament people of God)
Last Things (Future Events)
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