41 Then Jesus was led up to the wilderness by the Spirit, to be tempted by the Devil, 2 and having fasted forty days and forty nights, afterwards he did hunger. 3 And the Tempter having come to him said, 'If Son thou art of God—speak that these stones may become loaves.' 4 But he answering said, 'It hath been written, Not upon bread alone doth man live, but upon every word coming forth from the mouth of God.' 5 Then doth the Devil take him to the 'holy' city, and doth set him on the pinnacle of the temple, 6 and saith to him, 'If Son thou art of God—cast thyself down, for it hath been written, that, His messengers He shall charge concerning thee, and on hands they shall bear thee up, that thou mayest not dash on a stone thy foot.' 7 Jesus said to him again, 'It hath been written, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.' 8 Again doth the Devil take him to a very high mount, and doth shew to him all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them, 9 and saith to him, 'All these to thee I will give, if falling down thou mayest bow to me.' 10 Then saith Jesus to him, 'Go—Adversary, for it hath been written, The Lord thy God thou shalt bow to, and Him only thou shalt serve.' 11 Then doth the Devil leave him, and lo, messengers came and were ministering to him.
12 And Jesus having heard that John was delivered up, did withdraw to Galilee, 13 and having left Nazareth, having come, he dwelt at Capernaum that is by the sea, in the borders of Zebulun and Naphtalim, 14 that it might be fulfilled that was spoken through Isaiah the prophet, saying, 15 'Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations!— 16 the people that is sitting in darkness saw a great light, and to those sitting in a region and shadow of death—light arose to them.' 17 From that time began Jesus to proclaim and to say, 'Reform ye, for come nigh hath the reign of the heavens.'
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Matthew 4:1-17
Commentary on Matthew 4:1-11
(Read Matthew 4:1-11)
Concerning Christ's temptation, observe, that directly after he was declared to be the Son of God, and the Saviour of the world, he was tempted; great privileges, and special tokens of Divine favour, will not secure any from being tempted. But if the Holy Spirit witness to our being adopted as children of God, that will answer all the suggestions of the evil spirit. Christ was directed to the combat. If we presume upon our own strength, and tempt the devil to tempt us, we provoke God to leave us to ourselves. Others are tempted, when drawn aside of their own lust, and enticed, Deuteronomy 8:3, made against the tempter, therefore he left out part. This promise is firm and stands good. But shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? No. 3. Satan tempted Christ to idolatry with the offer of the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them. The glory of the world is the most charming temptation to the unthinking and unwary; by that men are most easily imposed upon. Christ was tempted to worship Satan. He rejected the proposal with abhorrence. "Get thee hence, Satan!" Some temptations are openly wicked; and they are not merely to be opposed, but rejected at once. It is good to be quick and firm in resisting temptation. If we resist the devil he will flee from us. But the soul that deliberates is almost overcome. We find but few who can decidedly reject such baits as Satan offers; yet what is a man profited if he gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Christ was succoured after the temptation, for his encouragement to go on in his undertaking, and for our encouragement to trust in him; for as he knew, by experience, what it was to suffer, being tempted, so he knew what it was to be succoured, being tempted; therefore we may expect, not only that he will feel for his tempted people, but that he will come to them with seasonable relief.
Commentary on Matthew 4:12-17
(Read Matthew 4:12-17)
It is just with God to take the gospel and the means of grace, from those that slight them and thrust them away. Christ will not stay long where he is not welcome. Those who are without Christ, are in the dark. They were sitting in this condition, a contented posture; they chose it rather than light; they were willingly ignorant. When the gospel comes, light comes; when it comes to any place, when it comes to any soul, it makes day there. Light discovers and directs; so does the gospel. The doctrine of repentance is right gospel doctrine. Not only the austere John Baptist, but the gracious Jesus, preached repentance. There is still the same reason to do so. The kingdom of heaven was not reckoned to be fully come, till the pouring out of the Holy Spirit after Christ's ascension.