Matthew 4:1 - Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible

OLBGrk; MATTHEW CHAPTER 4 Matthew 4:1-11 Christ fasts forty days, is tempted of the devil, and ministered unto by angels. Matthew 4:12-16 He dwelleth in Capernaum, Matthew 4:17 begins to preach, Matthew 4:18-20 calleth Peter and Andrew, Matthew 4:21,22 James and John, Matthew 4:23-25 teacheth in the synagogues, and healeth the diseased. This is mentioned by two of the other evangelists,.Mark 1:12 Luke 4:1 Luke saith that, being full of the Holy Ghost, he returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit, & c. Mark saith, immediately the Spirit drove him. Great manifestations of Divine love are commonly followed with great temptations. Others observe, that temptations usually follow baptism, the beginnings of spiritual life, and covenants made with God. He was led up: some think he was taken up; Mark useth the word ekballei, the Spirit thrust him out: we must not understand an act of compulsion, doubtless he went voluntarily. Of the Spirit; the Holy Spirit, that lighted upon him as a dove. Into the wilderness. Mark's saying, Mark 1:13, that he was there with wild beasts, lets us know that it was not such a wilderness as John began to preach in, Matthew 3:1; but a howling wilderness full of wild beasts. The end is expressed in the last words, to be tempted of the devil: thus his temptations are distinguished from Divine temptations, such as Abraham had, Genesis 22:1; and by tempted here is meant solicited, or moved to sin, in which sense God tempteth no man, James 1:13. The general notion of tempting is, making a trial; God makes a trial of his people for the proof and manifestation of their gracious habit. Satan, by moving to sin, makes a trial of corruption, which was the reason that, although Christ was tempted, that he might be able to succour those that are tempted, Hebrews 2:18, and that he might taste all those evils to which we are exposed, and might overcome the devil; yet when the Prince of this world came, he could effect nothing against him, because he found nothing in him to comply with his motions.