Nazarene Commentary Matthew 4:1-4 A Wilderness Temptation

Chapter Four:
Three tests and Kingdom preaching

Matthew 4:1-4 – A Wilderness Temptation: ‘If you are a son’

|| Mark 1:12, 13; Luke 4:1-4

MT4:1 Then Jesus was led[1] up into the wilderness by the Pneuma to be tempted[2] by the Devil.[3] MT4:2 After fasting for forty days[4] and forty nights he felt hungry.[5] MT4:3 And the Tempter approached Jesus and said to him, “If you are a son[6] of The God tell these stones[7] to become loaves of bread.”[8] MT4:4 But, Jesus replied and said to the Devil: “It has been written[9] [by Moses]: ‘Not on bread alone will humans live, but upon every utterance[10] coming forth through God’s Mouth.’” [Deuteronomy 8:3]

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Temptation of Jesus in desert. Hole, William: The Life of Jesus of Nazareth. Eighty Pictures. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The sent one from God after he was baptised went into the desert to meditate. Being alone with his thoughts did not liberate him from bad thoughts coming up in his mind. Jesus was allowed into the wilderness to be tested, like all of us are allowed to be tested and to prove ourselves.

God has given mankind the freedom to think and to take decisions for him self. God is no dictator Who prohibits man to think and to decide for himself. Though we should know that already from the beginning of times man has shown to have a sort of weaknesses, doubting those who are higher placed than they. The first human beings rebelled against the Most High Maker. They took adversary against God. The adversary of God or satan is in each of us and Jesus as a man of flesh and blood had this also in him.

Satan or the the ‘tempter’ brings man to question the relationship with God. He also caught Jesus to be a prey. A young man starting his public life and having to prove himself for the community. Fasting, having hunger, knowing we need our daily bread, the tempter tried to seduce Jesus with the offer of ‘bread’.

We may not forget what is the cause of the temptation  of man, they wondering if God had the right to be their ‘dominant’ or their ‘Father‘. Many do forget that is the whole key to the fall of man. Man not willing to accept God as their Father, Who may tell them what to do.

Satan wants us to believe that we’re not children of God. When the adversary of God tours around us, in our mind, temptation will come in the form to make use doubt the position of the Most High God. Man gets blinded by his own thoughts which try to mislead him.The adverser will use our relationship with God as a weapon against us. He also wants us to believe we do not need God, but that we are able to live on the material of the earth, like bread, and that those goods will keep us alive.

From this chapter we also can see that baptism is no liberator of temptation. When we are baptised it does not mean that we would not any more be tempted or would not sin any more. Be not mistaken, the adversary of God is always there to get us away from God. Even when we are sometimes doubting he will be more at work.

Temptation of Christ in the Wilderness (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Perhaps the moments we take time to think about everything and to be just on our own, meditating, are the most dangerous moments to become tempted, doubting ourselves, our own ‘I am‘ and the Most High ‘I Am’ the ‘I Am that I Am‘ or the ‘I Am Who is‘.

Too many people do forget that Jesus could be and was tempted many times. God cannot be tempted, but Jesus as an ordinary man (though specially made by God) was like any man able to sin, but never did sin. Jesus never went against the wishes of God. He could put his own will aside for doing the Will of God.

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[1] Was led: Mark 1:12 says the Spirit “drove” so that Jesus became “driven” into the desert.

[2] Tempted: God cannot be “tempted” (James 1:13,) though Jesus is here, three times.

[3] Devil: The Greek is DIABOLOS. Meaning “Slanderer,” or “Liar,” this name for Satan occurs 36 times, never in the Hebrew Bible and first here. Note that the Dragon is on hand when the “woman gives birth” to a spiritual Son (Revelation 12:4).

[4] Forty days: An experience shared by only two others: Moses and Elijah (Exodus 24:18; 1 Kings 19:8).

[5] Hungry: Jesus becomes hungry several times in the Gospel accounts (Matthew 21:18; Mark 11:12). May it be assumed that God cannot become hungry?

[6] If you are a son: Two things are noticed here: the word “if” is an attempt to create doubt; and, the Devil calls Jesus “a son” knowing full well he is “the Son.”

[7] Stones: These have already been mentioned when John spoke of God’s ability to make sons of Abraham from stones (Matthew 3:9).

[8] Bread: Self-denial was the law of our Lord’s mission (Philippians 2:6-8).

[9] Written: The first Bible verse quoted by Jesus (Deuteronomy 8:3).

[10] Utterance: The Greek is RHEMATI. Or, KJV: word; RHM: declaration; KNX: words.

 

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Preceding articles

Nazarene Commentary Matthew 3:1-6 – A Wilderness Baptist Prepares the Way

Nazarene Commentary Matthew 3:7-12 – Opposition and Two Baptisms

Nazarene Commentary Matthew 3:13-17 – Jesus Declared God’s Son at His Baptism

Nazarene Commentary Luke 3:15-17 – The Baptisms of the One Coming

Nazarene Commentary Luke 3:21-23 – The Baptism of Christ

2015 the year of ISIS

Next:

Nazarene Commentary Matthew 4:5-7 – A Temptation to Test God

Nazarene Commentary Matthew 4:8-11 – A Temptation to Gain World Rule

Nazarene Commentary Matthew 4:12-17 – Galilee Saw A Great Light

Nazarene Commentary Matthew 4:18-22 – The Calling of the First Disciples

Nazarene Commentary Matthew 4:23-25 – Kingdom Preaching and Healing Draws Crowds

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Additional reading

1. To mean, to think, outing your opinion, conviction, belief – Menen, mening, overtuiging, opinie, geloof
2. Words to inspire and to give wisdom
3. What we do
4. The I Am to explore
5. Just One More Minute
6. satan or devil
7. Satan the evil within
8. The Son can do nothing of his own accord
9. Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God
10. Sayings of Jesus, what to believe and being or not of the devil

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Further reading

1. Jesus is tested – In the wilderness
2. Temptation in the Desert
3. The Temptation of Jesus
4. Dealing With Temptation
5. But Deliver Us from the Evil One
6. Watch Over Us
7. Does God Love Satan? (1 of 2)
8. The Devil Made Me Do it…
9. Getting Testy
10. When we stumble
11. Love Came Down in Obedience/L’amour est descendu dans l’obéissance
12. 40 days
13. 40 days and 40 nights
14. SMS 144 Matthew 4:2-3
15. Stones Into Bread
16. My Life As An Itchy Man
17. The Camera

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• First or Last?
• ‘Look to him and be radiant.’
• For those who believe Jesus is God
• What I believe about the Bible

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Belgian Biblestudents website 2016 in review

First article for the 2005 November opening of the WordPress site of the Belgian Bible Students – Eerste artikel bij de opening in november 2005 van de WordPress site van de Belgische Bijbel Studenten

After our (real) start on WordPress in October 2010 we generated in the first two years not so many viewers, taking it until April 2012 before we really left MSM and Bijbelvorsers Blogspot (started in 2005) aside and started presenting ourself on this other platform. That step forwards on the Mount Everest brought us 3 200 views in 2012 with only 27 new posts.

In 2013 the amount of postings increased up to 87 new postings giving us 7 600 views. One year later there was a little dip with only 63 new postings getting 6 697 views from 4 666 visitors. It seemed we were not so much liked in that turbulent year, having only 19 likes and 19 comments.

2015 got us back on track after some difficult year, not to say the least. 7 683 views from 5 168 visitors where good for the 93 newly published articles.

After 4 247 home page views in 2015, that page could attract 4 285 views, bringing the total views for 2015 up to 8 922 for 5 821 visitors willing to give us 54 likes and 26 comments.

We are pleased we may have found 79 followers in the year 2016 and viewers from all over the world, having most coming from the United States of America 2 909, followed by the Netherlands with 1 213 views and 1 108 views from Belgium. Next comes Great Britain with 524 and France with 226 views, though it was a French article that got most of the views, namely ‘l’ Élection de Matthias’ with 446 views, getting its English version ‘The Election of the apostle Matthias’ 363 views.

Personal bible study (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

In 2016 most energy went into the writing of the comparison of English Bible translations, with the series “Old and newer King James Versions and other translations”. With that series and the article From Bibles and other religious writings and those who witness for Jehovah we do hope English people who think the King James version is the only one true Bible Translation come to see that God always has protected His own Word and that as well in English as in other languages God provided serious good translations of His Divine Word.

Many people may confuse us with Jehovah’s Witnesses and be not pleased with their and our preaching. Therefore 2016 was also a year to reflect on the Witnessing of the Jehovah’s Witnesses, as well on our witnessing, plus on picturing the Governing body. We also gave the word to a former elder of that denomination.

We looked how not only human teaching or human doctrines defiled God’s Word in certain Bible translations and certain Christian denominations, but how 2016 was also the year such human thinking has brought secularism to be very dangerous for freedom of religion and freedom of thought and played with morals and values, (in particular the French values)but that human teachings shall pass away. Though there shall always exist people who shall try to do their utmost best to worship the Only One True God in the best way to please that Host of host.
Concerning that worship we ave our view on Christian worship music and on the lifting of hands at a service, towards the Most High. In a Dutch article we also tackled this subject at From Guestwriters. (Zingen over moeilijkheden en lijden ook noodzakelijk in kerkgemeenschap)

In 2016 also at Stepping Toes we looked at the Bible how it tells us how from nothing and chaos came order, just by the impeccable Word, the Voice in the Void, which brought everything into being but would be also the essential guide for mankind. (Word-Verbum-Logos-Ereyga) and at From Guestwriters we talked about that masterly copied and reproduced Word to feed the minds, to bring the most important translation…

In April we also looked at Stepping Toes at a nice resume of what we have to remember to do and what we should not or may not do, in the article Displeasures and Actions of the Almighty God.

In 2016 we also started to present writings which are from guest-speakers, so that other voices could be presented and gave you some other or equal insight.
As such you may find writings presented by Guestspeaker, presenting also different Guest-writers or re-blogged articles, and Relating to God who shall offer specific articles about our relation to the Most High.

Now we have put the first 5 years on WordPress behind us and look forward to the coming next five years in which we shall continue to present the Nazarene Commentary, looking at that very important Nazarene teacher who was born 2020 years ago, and who should receive our full attention, him being the Way to God.

We do hope you may accompany us on our further road-trip looking forward to the return of our master and our intentions to live according God’s Wishes so that we all can enter the Kingdom of God as loving brothers and sisters in Christ.

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Preceding

2010 – 2014 in review

Belgian Bible Students review of 2015

From Bibles and other religious writings and those who witness for Jehovah

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Additional reading

1. At the closing hours of 2016 #1 Looking down at terror
2. At the closing hours of 2016 #2 Low but also highlights
3. From Guestwriters 2016 in review

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Other reviews for 2016

1. 2016 highlights 
2. 2016 in Review
3. 2016 in Review (by Conor)
4. 2016 in Review …..
5. Looking Back at 2016…
6. 2016: A Series of Unfortunate Revelations
7. So That Was 2016..Year in Review
8. Year In Review – 2016
9. 2016: The Big Review
10. My Year in Review: 2016
11. Build and Believe
12. (One Year Blogiversy and 100 followers special) 2016 in review and looking into the future
13. My One Word for 2017: Onward
14. How 2016 Measured Up . . . for Prayer
15. Change (a reflection on 2016)
16. Most popular posts of 2016
17. Thank you 2016

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