Matthew 4:2 - Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Bible Comments

Had fasted - Abstained from food.

Forty days and forty nights - It has been questioned by some whether Christ abstained wholly from food, or only from the food to which he was accustomed. Luke says Luke 4:2 that he ate nothing. This settles the question. Mark says Mark 1:13 that angels came and ministered unto him. At first view this would seem to imply that he did eat during that time. But Mark does not mention the time when the angels performed this office of kindness, and we are at liberty to suppose that he means to say that it was done at the close of the 40 days; and the rather as Matthew, after giving an account of the temptation, says the same thing Matthew 4:2. There are other instances of persons fasting 40 days recorded in the Scriptures. Thus, Moses fasted 40 days, Exodus 34:28. Elijah also fasted the same length of time, 1 Kings 19:8. In these cases they were no doubt miraculously supported.

Matthew 4:2

2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.