And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.
Ver. 2. And when he had fasted forty days, &c.] All Christ's actions are for our instruction, not all for our imitation. We may not imitate the works miraculous of Christ, and proper to him as mediator. The ignorance of this caused some to counterfeit themselves Christ's: as one Moor in King Edward VI's time, and one Hacker in Queen Elizabeth's time, David George, and various others; according to Matthew 24:24. Neither need we seek to imitate him in his infirmities, which (though they were not sinful, but only natural, and therefore unblamable) yet import a weakness (as that he was hungry, weary, sleepy, &c.), and so, though they be in us, yet we need not strive the attainment of them. But we must imitate the Lord Christ in all his imitable graces and actions: showing forth the praises or virtues of him that hath called us out of darkness into his marvellous light. (τας αρετας εξαγγειλητε, 1Pe 2:9) The word signifies to preach them abroad; for we should practise those virtues so clearly, that our lives may be as so many sermons upon the life of Christ. It is a dishonour to a dear friend to hang his picture in a dark hole and not in a conspicuous place, that it may appear we rejoice in it as an ornament to us; think the same of Christ's image and graces, show them forth we must, and express them to the world; walking in Christ,Colossians 2:6, yea, as Christ, 1 John 2:6, who therefore left us a copy that we might write after it, a sampler that we might work by it, a pattern that we should follow his steps, 1 Peter 2:21; (υπογραμμον. Exemplar quod oculo conspicitur), And although we cannot follow him passibus aequis, yet we must show our goodwills, stretching and straining our utmost, as St Paul did; επεκτεινομενος, Php 3:14 striving what we can to resemble him, not as a picture doth a man in outward lineaments only; but as a son doth his father (for he is the Father of eternity, Isa 9:6) in nature and disposition; and as servants, labouring to do as our Lord, John 13:15, who therefore washed his disciples' feet, to give us an example of humility; as he did likewise of meekness, Matthew 11:29; patience,1 Peter 2:21; obedience, Hebrews 12:2; diligence and fidelity in his function, Hebrews 3:1,2; fewness of words, yet boldness of speech, going about and doing all possible good; beneficence to the poor saints,2 Corinthians 8:9; constancy in profession, 1 Timothy 6:13; forgiveness of others and love to the brethren,Ephesians 5:2; "Be ye therefore followers herein of Christ, as dear children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance; but as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation,"1 Peter 1:14,15 .
He was afterward an hungred] Our Saviour was tempted all that forty days' time, saith St Luke; but these three worst assaults were reserved to the last. So deals the devil with the Church (which is Christ mystical, 1Co 12:12). He never ceaseth tempting, though never so often repulsed; and is therefore called Beelzebub, as some will have it, the lord of flies, because the fly is noted for an impudent creature, that will soon return to the bait, though beaten away but erewhile. (κυναμυια ponitur apud Homerum pro valde impudente; quia muscae pervicaces sunt, &c.) Hence those many bickerings and buffetings we meet with all our life long: and hence those sharpest encounters and terrible conflicts many times at the hour of death. The Israelites met with many trials and troubles in the wilderness, Amalek and the Amorites, sore thirst, and fiery serpents, &c., but were never so put to it as when they came to take possession of the promised land; for then all the kings of Canaan combined to keep them out. So the devil, furious enough at all times, most of all bestirs him at last cast, because he knows his time is but short, Revelation 12:12, for death sets a saint out of his gunshot (α βελους). Satan may compass the earth, but not enter the borders of heaven. He tempted Adam in the earthly Paradise; he cannot tempt in the heavenly: hence his malice, while he may. Morientium nempe bestiaram violentiores sunt morsus (ut ille olim de semidiruta Carthagine): beasts that have their death's wound, bite cruelly, convulse exceedingly.