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 ]