Matthew 9:32-34 – How others look at the blind, speechless and demoniac being healed

In this chapter we find Matthew attempting to present Jesus as a unique person who is the long-awaited son of David, the Messiah who performed miracles by the power of God.

Christ heals a demoniac; a demon is expelled into the air.

In Matthew 4 we came already to read that reports about Jesus circulated as far as Syria and that lots of people wanted to come to see Jesus for his miracles. All sorts of ill people where also brought to Jesus, those faring badly, having a variety of diseases and afflicted with torments, the demon-possessed, the moonstruck and paralytics – so that Jesus could cure them.

Allen Browne in his writing of September 18, 2017 looks at this miracle worker who does not seek people’s approval so he can become their king. Marcus Ampe talking on that subject asks us also to look at Jesus who knows very well his position to be the sent one from God, the heavenly Father Who is greater than Jesus, and without Him Jesus can do nothing.

“Jesus gave them this answer: “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.” (Joh 5:19 NIV)

“”You heard me say, ‘I am going away and I am coming back to you.’ If you loved me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I.” (Joh 14:28 NIV)

Jesus may see himself as the divinely appointed king (like Browne writes), but he is aware that it is God Who gave him this authority to take on that position. In a way, to show his position, so that people could recognise him as the Messiah and future king he uses his regal authority to remove every form of oppression from his people.

Browne asks us to look at Jesus his track record:

• He brings lepers back into the community (8:1).

• He helps a Roman officer who recognizes his authority (9:5-13).

• He lifts sickness and spiritual oppression from his people (8:14-17).

• He stills the storm that threatens his followers (8:23-27).

• He takes someone who was financing Israel’s oppression, giving him an appointment in his own government (9:9-13).

• He restores a dead daughter to her grieving parents (9:18-26).

• He restores sight to blind people (9:27-31).

• He sets free someone whose speech was bound (9:32-34). {Do you recognize the king’s authority? (Matthew 9:32-34)}

Can you imagine how people would be astonished seeing such incredible things?

Elisha raising the Shunammite’s Son, early 1900s Bible Card illustration

The crowds marvel at this concerted effort by their anointed king to release God’s people from every form of oppression. They can’t recall ever seeing anything like it. There’s been nothing like this since the exile 600 years ago. They recall the days of Elijah and Elisha when God had done astounding miracles to challenge Israel’s evil rulers like Ahab and Jezebel. They consider the days of Moses when God led them out of Egypt and created them as his nation. No, there had never been such a demonstration of divinely delegated authority: {Do you recognize the king’s authority? (Matthew 9:32-34)}

Matthew 9:33 The crowds marvelled:

“Nothing like this has ever been brought to light in Israel.”

In front of them is there that promised one from God, the son of David who would reign over God’s people in every generation (Matthew 9:27; 2 Samuel 7:16). His house and his kingdom was to be made sure forever, his throne established forever. Whilst people yearned for the Son of David to restore the kingdom to Israel (Psalm 89:49; Isaiah 9:7; Ezekiel 37:24). Now the people of Israel have a shepherd in their midst who walked in the ordinances of God. Now they could hear those who got a huge change in their life, even blind people came to “see” what Jesus was doing, and publicly proclaiming him as Israel’s long-awaited king.

The king is present. His authority — his appointment by God as ruler of his people — is evident to everyone.

Well, almost everyone. There are sour grapes:

Matthew 9:34 But the Pharisees were going,

“It’s by the ruler of the demons he casts out demons.”

Later the Pharisees would repeat that it was by “Beelzebub the prince of the devils” Jesus was casting out devils.

“22  Then they brought him a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute, and Jesus healed him, so that he could both talk and see. 23 All the people were astonished and said,

“Could this be the Son of David?”

24 But when the Pharisees heard this, they said,

“It is only by Beelzebub, {Greek Beezeboul or Beelzeboul; also in verse 27 } the prince of demons, that this fellow drives out demons.”

25 Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them

“Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand. 26 If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then can his kingdom stand? 27 And if I drive out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your people drive them out? So then, they will be your judges.” (Mt 12:22-27 NIV)

Browne asks us to remember how

the Pharisees were upset with Jesus for hanging around with “sinners,” sharing meals with them (9:9-13). That makes Jesus unclean in their view. How could an unclean person have authority over unclean spirits? Presumably the head of the unclean spirits could tell the spirits where to go, so they figure he must be in league with Satan (9:34).

Why were the Pharisees so blind? Why couldn’t they see what was obvious to everyone else? Jesus is liberating his people from every form or oppression, across such a wide spectrum. How could they miss all the colours of God’s liberating power at work in him, and imagine that he was in league with the enemy that wanted to destroy God’s people?

The Pharisees had a certain authority over the communities of Israel (to the extent that you could say they had authority while under foreign rule). They need to quash Jesus’ authority if they don’t want to yield theirs. They must paint him as a traitor; otherwise they themselves will be seen as traitors for failing to recognize his authority.

This confrontation increases exponentially from this point. On one side stands the king appointed by God. On the other side stand the self-appointed shepherds of Israel. They accused Jesus of siding with God’s enemy, but who are the real traitors who want to bring down God’s appointed king?

The kingdom conflict has begun. Either you recognize Jesus’ authority, or you oppose him. There is no neutral ground.

What others are saying

Michael J. Wilkins, Matthew, NIV Application Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2004), 374:

Without eyes of faith the Pharisees cannot see beyond their parochial experience that God is doing something unique in Israel in the word and work of Jesus. So they gather their opposition to Jesus, both protecting their religious domain and thinking they are protecting the people from Jesus. This is an ominous tone, which tragically sets a trajectory for the cross that will inevitably come.

R. T. France, The Gospel of Matthew, New International Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2007), 369:

But perhaps, as this is the final crowd reaction in this anthology of works of power, we should read it as an evaluation not merely of this one exorcism but of the whole range of Jesus’ miracles which these two chapters have set out: others might perform the occasional exorcism, but this man’s ministry of deliverance is on an altogether different scale. A similarly climactic effect, but in an ominously different direction, is achieved by the Pharisees’ accusation. They do not deny Jesus’ power, but question its source. Such a total and offensive repudiation of his authority brings the growing hostility to a new level, and suggests a breach which is now irreparable.

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Preceding articles

More than just a man with authority of speaking

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

Matthew 7:13-23 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: The True Disciple #5 Matthew 7:28-29 – The Crowd’s Reaction

Matthew 9:27-31 – Blind Men Healed

Matthew 9:27-31 – What others are saying about the blind men recognising the son of David

Matthew 9:32-34 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Speechless Demoniac Healed

Authority from the One God to one mediator between God and men

Hebraic Roots Bible Matthew Chapter 28

Hebrew inscriptions on ancient slab of marble near Lake Kinneret

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Additional reading

1. The 1st Adam in the Hebrew Scriptures #8 Looking for the 2nd Adam
2. A birthday passed nearly unnoticed
3. A god who gave his people commandments and laws he knew they never could keep to it
4. This is an amazing thing
5. I can’t believe that … (3) miracles can happen
6. Why think that (2) … Jesus claimed to be something special
7. Truth, doubt or blindness
8. 1,500-year-old marble tablet at the Sea of Galilee suggesting place was once a Jewish or Jewish-Christian settlement
9. Newly-found document describing a miracle by Iēsous de Nazarenus
10. Servant of his Father
11. Memorizing wonderfully 31 Son of David and God’s Kingdom
12. Marriage of Jesus 2 Standard writings about Jesus
13. Patriarch Abraham, Muslims, Christians and the son of God
14. Entrance of a king to question our position #1 Coming in the Name of the Lord
15. Entrance of a king to question our position #2 Who do we want to see and to be
16. Infinite payment of sin by the son of God
17. Authority given to him To give eternal life
18. Blindness in the Christian world

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Related articles

1. The Miraculous Conception and Birth of Christ
2. Virgin birth shows us the gospel
3. “Put aside for a moment what you hear me say about myself and just take the evidence of the actions that are right before your eyes.” ~Jesus
4. Touched By God
5. “Do you see anything?” ~Jesus
6. Thoughts on Jesus and Miracles
7. Authority
8. By what authority?
9. The Authority of Jesus
10. Thirty Days of Jesus: Day 25, Jesus’ authority
11. Authority and Power or Authority or Power
12. By the Authority of Jesus Christ we bind the ministers of Satan.
13. Passion Week VI
14. The Authority of Jesus
15. The Authority Of Jesus~ Don Merritt
16. “The authority of Jesus” by Thomas Schreiner
17. Sermon: Jesus’ authority (K Pedersen)
18. The Power and Authority of Jesus (Revelation 1:15)
19. Jesus’ Authority
20. The authority of Jesus challenged?
21. Why the “Mythical Jesus” Claim Has No Traction with Scholars
22. Mark Lesson 8: The Nature and Authority of Jesus
23. the unique authority of Jesus
24. New Sermon – Jesus is Higher
25. Conquering!
26. Jesus, Please!
27. Phillip Medhurst’s Bible in pictures 173 Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead
28. “You haven’t a shred of authority over me except what has been given you from heaven.” ~Jesus
29. The terrible power of the angry mob and the God who stands firm
30. Jesus Christ Exercises Kingdom Authority Today
31. King of kings
32. A New Kingdom
33. We Might Have Missed Something in “Faith Like a Child”

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

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

|| Mark 1:39; 3:7, 8; Luke 4:14 – 15:44

MT4:23 And Jesus was traveling around the whole of Galilee, teaching in their synagogues,[1] preaching the good news of the Kingdom, and curing every disease and every infirmity among the people. MT4:24 And reports about Jesus circulated as far as Syria. They brought to Jesus all those faring badly, having a variety of diseases and afflicted with torments, the demon-possessed, the moonstruck[2] and paralytics – and Jesus cured them. MT4:25 And many crowds followed Jesus – from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem and Judea, and from the other side of the Jordan.

[1] Synagogues: Jesus does what Paul does later: as Jews they preach where Jews gather.

[2] Moonstruck: The Greek is SELENIA-ZOMENOUS and is variously translated: KJV: lunatick; ASV: epileptic; BAS: those who were out of their minds; PME: insane.

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Preceding

Nazarene Commentary Matthew 4:1-4 A Wilderness Temptation

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

Jehovah God Maker of the entire universe served by a well-trained army

Next:

Nazarene Commentary Matthew 5

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Additional reading

1. A call easy to understand
2. healing

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Further reading

1. Hebrews 2:18 ” Because He Himself suffered when He was tempted, He is able to help those who are being tempted.”
2. “Preaching Jesus as God’s Wisdom: Breaking the Denial of Death”: Preaching – III Reconciliation — Explorations in Theology
3. The love of Jesus
4. One Jesus – Different Calls
5. Thomas The Disciple: More Than A Doubter 1
6. What Does ‘Fish for Men’ Mean?
7. Faith & Fisherman
8. God’s Anointed Messenger
9. Luke 7: 13 ” When the Lord saw her, His heart went out to her and He said, ‘Don’t cry.’ “
10. Morning Coffee Flashback: 6/23/15 What We Are Called To Do! Pt1
11. Mark 4: 26-29 ” He also said, ‘This is what the Kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed spouts and grows, though he does not know how. All by itself the soil produces the grain – first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.’ “
12. Series 23 The Gospel of Mark: Chapter 2
13. A Healing Jesus and Other Uncomfortable Thoughts 
14. Repentance – Sermon on Matthew 4:12-23
15. Answering the Call (Mt 4:12-23)
16. Learning to See with Eyes of Love
17. Kiln blog: Kingdom of Joy
18. Miracles – Write 31:Day3
19. Bible Study Notes from The Gospel of John 2:1-25
20. Miracles of Jesus
21. When Healing = Salvation
22. Fish Dinners and Good Wine – How John Uses Jesus Miracles To Prove Both His Deity And Humanity

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Related articles

• Little children have the kind of faith and trust needed
• The Gospel and Multi-Level Marketing
• Sunday reflection: Matthew 4:12 – 23

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

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

|| Mark 1:16-20; Luke 5:1-11; John 1:35-42

MT4:18 Walking by the Sea of Galilee Jesus saw two brothers, Simon[1] (who is also called Peter[2]) and Andrew[3] his brother. They were fishermen and were casting their fishing-nets into the sea. MT4:19 And Jesus said to them, “Come here and follow me, and I will make you fishers of humans.” MT4:20 And these immediately dropped their nets[4] and they followed Jesus. MT4:21 And leaving there, Jesus saw two other brothers, James[5] the son of Zebedee and John[6] his brother. They were in the fishing boat with their father Zebedee repairing their nets. Jesus called them. MT4:22 At once these left the boat and their father and they followed Jesus.

[1] Simon: The first disciple called or invited. The name means “Listen” and occurs 80 times in the Christian Bible. Others are also called by this name.

Simon Peter and Andrew with Christ. Mortier. In the Bowyer Bible in Bolton Museum, England. Print 3543. From “An Illustrated Commentary on the Gospel of Mark” by Phillip Medhurst. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

[2] Peter: The name means “Rock” and occurs 175 times (most often in the Book of Acts) in the Christian Bible. Peter is most often listed first in the list of the apostles.

[3] Andrew: The second called. The name means “Manly” and occurs 13 times in the Christian Bible.

[4] Immediately dropped their nets: It is possible these men were baptized disciples of John the Baptist. It is also possible Jesus had known these men as he had grown up in the area of Galilee. One notes how quickly they were willing to quit their trade and follow the Messiah.

[5] James: The names means “Surplanter” and equals Jacob and occurs 54 times in the Christian Bible. It is possible that James was a cousin or kinsman of Jesus of Nazareth.

[6] John: The name means “Yah Favors; God’s Gift” and occurs 140 times in the Christian Bible.

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Preceding

Nazarene Commentary Matthew 4:1-4 A Wilderness Temptation

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

Jehovah God Maker of the entire universe served by a well-trained army

Next:

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

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Additional reading

1. Counterfeit Gospels
2. Truth, doubt or blindness
3. Good Morning January 25 We are theologians
4. The Pastor Theologian
5. Perishable non theologians daring to go out to preach
6. A call easy to understand

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Further reading

1. Man’s true destiny
2. God’s Plumb Line
3. Surrender
4. Having Faith in God 
5. Scripture at Sunrise 2.7.2017
6. God’s Faithful Are Forever Blessed
7. Only Jesus Will Give You Eternal Life
8. Choose good over evil – February 01, 2017
9. What is your goal in publishing Christian Pharisees?
10. Our God is a Holy God
11. Two Selves: One Cannot Be Improved, the Other is Perfect in Christ (Part 1)
12. “Repent and Believe in the Good News”
13. Repent While You Can
14. Guilt — Why won’t it go away?
15. Jesus sends you out for your sake
16. Living in the Light
17. Why A Christian Should Not Say “This” To A Non-Christian – Part II
18. Do You Really Love Jesus?
19. Stones Into Bread
20. 3rd Sunday After Epiphany, January 22, 2017
21. Third Sunday of Epiphany 2017 – Matthew 4:21-22
22. 40 days
23. 40 days and 40 nights
24. Jesus Keeps Walking, God Keeps Moving
25. Light to the Nations?
26. Follow
27. Follow Me
28. Invited To Follow
29. Immediate
30. Repentance – Sermon on Matthew 4:12-23
31. Jesus calls his first disciples
32. Answering the Call (Mt 4:12-23)
33. Called Together
34. What Does ‘Fish for Men’ Mean?
35. Are You Really Following?
36. Faith & Fisherman
37. Shout for joy, all you whose hearts are pure!

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Related articles

• Daily Mass: Following Christ in the face of opposition. Catholic Inspiration
• Sunday reflection: Matthew 4:12 – 23
• Distinguishing Between Biblical Vs Man-Made Doctrine

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

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

|| Mark 1:14, 15; Luke 4:14

MT4:12 Now, having heard John [the Baptist] was arrested, Jesus retired into Galilee.[1] MT4:13 Leaving Nazareth[2] Jesus took up residence in Capernaum[3] by the sea in the districts of Zebulun[4] and Naphtali,[5] MT4:14 so that it might be fulfilled as it as spoken by Isaiah[6] the prophet, saying, MT4:15 “Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, by the sea on the other side of the Jordan, Galilee[7] of the nations, MT4:16 those people[8] sitting in a region of death’s dark shadow saw a great Light rise upon them.” [Isaiah 9:1, 2] MT4:17 From that time[9] Jesus started preaching, saying, “Repent,[10] for the Realm of the heavens[11] has drawn near.”

*

Wooden longboat in the large freshwater lake Sea of Chinneret (Lake of Gennesaret, or Lake Tiberias) Sea of Galilee, Tiberias.

[1] Galilee: The place occurs 76 times in the Bible with the region first mentioned at Numbers 34:11 (Joshua 20:7). The fresh water “lake” is also called the Sea of Chinnereth (Numbers 34:11), the Lake of Gennesaret (Luke 5:1), and the Sea of Tiberias (John 6:1). Jesus begins his ministry here and essentially ends it also at Galilee (John 21:1, 4-19). The lake is green/blue 13 miles long and 7 miles wide. “The density of the shoals of fish in the Sea of Galilee can scarcely be conceived by those who have not witnessed them. Frequently these shoals cover an acre or more of the surface and the fish, as they slowly move along in masses, are so crowded, with their back fins just appearing on the level of the water, that the appearance at a little distance is that of a violent shower of rain pattering on the surface.” (The Natural History of the Bible, H. B. Tristram, 1889, p. 285) All of Jesus’ faithful apostles came from this area.

[2] Nazareth: Probably just after Luke 4:28-30.

[3] Capernaum: The name means “Comforting Place.” The place occurs 16 times in the Christian Bible. Mark 2:1 calls this Jesus’ “home.” (“his house”)

[4] Zebulun: The territory named after a son of Israel occurs 48 times in the Bible with the first at Genesis 30:20. Compare Psalm 68:27. The name means perhaps “Toleration” or “Lofty Abode.” Compare Revelation 7:8.

[5] Naphtali: The name means “My Wrestlings.” The territory named after a son of Israel occurs 55 times in the Bible with the first at Genesis 30:8. Compare Revelation 7:6.

[6] Isaiah: Isaiah 9:1, 2. The prophet Isaiah is named 22 times in the Christian Bible (Matthew, 6; Mark, 2; Luke, 2; John, 4; Acts, 3; Romans, 5). In addition to direct quotations there are many allusions which are subtle paraphrases (Compare John 5:29 with Isaiah 26:19 LXX).

[7] Galilee: A prophecy indicating where Messiah would begin his ministry. It is in this area where the Nazarene sees his greatest fruitage – the foundation of Christianity.

[8] Those people: Note Acts 1:11; 2:7. We have a great spiritual debt to these folks.

[9] From that time: About a year after John the Baptist began his own ministry.

[10] Repent: The first words of the “Gospel” in the mouth of Jesus. Repentance is part of the Lord’s Gospel.

[11] Realm of the heavens: Or, “kingdom of the heavens.” The meaning is two fold: a) the King is present; and, b) the opportunity to enter the Nazarene’s realm of profession by confessing him as Lord.

Capernaum, Sea of Galilee (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

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Preceding

Nazarene Commentary Matthew 4:1-4 A Wilderness Temptation

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

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

Next:

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. Invitation for the Studyday about Isaiah Messenger of joy
2. God showing how far He is willing to go to save His children
3. John 4 exhortation: The one that broke the mould
4. Repentance and conversion are not milestones which we pass on the way of life and never see again
5. Salvation, Baptism and Re-baptism
6. Together tasting a great promisse
7. God receives us on the basis of our faith
8. Doest thou well to be Angry?

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Further reading

1. Man’s true destiny
2. My People Do Not Know
3. The carnal mind – January 25, 2017
4. We Have Sinned
5. God’s Plumb Line
6. Surrender
7. Having Faith in God 
8. Scripture at Sunrise 2.7.2017
9. God’s Faithful Are Forever Blessed
10. Only Jesus Will Give You Eternal Life
11. Choose good over evil – February 01, 2017
12. What is your goal in publishing Christian Pharisees?
13. Our God is a Holy God
14. Two Selves: One Cannot Be Improved, the Other is Perfect in Christ (Part 1)
15. Repent
16. “Repent and Believe in the Good News”
17. Repentance is More than saying I’m Sorry
18. Am I Wired To Repent?
19. Embracing Repentance
20. Hold Fast In The Lord and Repent
21. Repent While You Can
22. Guilt — Why won’t it go away?
23. How Does One Repent?
24. Ask The Lord To Cast Away Your Sins
25. Jesus sends you out for your sake
26. Living in the Light
27. Why A Christian Should Not Say “This” To A Non-Christian – Part II
28. Do You Really Love Jesus?
29. Stones Into Bread
30. 3rd Sunday After Epiphany, January 22, 2017
31. Third Sunday of Epiphany 2017 – Matthew 4:21-22
32. 40 days
33. 40 days and 40 nights
34. Jesus Keeps Walking, God Keeps Moving
35. Light to the Nations?
36. Follow
37. Follow Me
38. Invited To Follow
39. Immediate
40. Repentance – Sermon on Matthew 4:12-23
41. Jesus calls his first disciples
42. Answering the Call (Mt 4:12-23)
43. Called Together
44. What Does ‘Fish for Men’ Mean?
45. Are You Really Following?
46. Faith & Fisherman
47. Shout for joy, all you whose hearts are pure!

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Related articles

• Sunday reflection: Matthew 4:12 – 23
• Daily Mass: Following Christ in the face of opposition. Catholic Inspiration
• Life and death…choose Life!
• Distinguishing Between Biblical Vs Man-Made Doctrine
• Your Word for This Day: “Rest in your True Position”
• Gospel-Centered Reading of Psalms
• Who Do You Say He Is? – Sunday Thought For The Day
• John 14.5 John – Do you want there to be a God?
• Sunday, 8 January 2017 : Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord (Gospel Reading)

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

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

|| Luke 4:5-8, 13

MT4:8 Again the Devil took Jesus along to an unusually high mountain[1] and showed him all the kingdoms[2] of the world[3] and their glory. MT4:9 And the Devil said to Jesus, “All this I will give you if you ever prostrate[4] yourself and bow before me, kissing my feet.” MT4:10 Then Jesus said to the Devil, “Be on your way, Satan,[5] for it has been written,[6] ‘You shall worship[7] YHWH your God[8] and to Him only shall you render divine service.’”[9][Deuteronomy 5:9; 6:13; 10:20] MT4:11 With that the Devil left Jesus, and, look! angels approached Jesus and ministered to him.

*

Now we come to the moment that the adversary of God shows the many kingdoms of earth to Jeshua, Christ Jesus, of whom is written in the ancient Scriptures that he is the sent one from God who is to govern over all kingdoms or monarchies, empires, monocracies, emperors, hereditary figures such as kings and queens, going to be the King of kings. The adversary of God promised Jesus that he was going to give all things if Jesus would fall down and worship him. This is not so much different today as at the time of Jesus. Today the satans or adversaries of God still promise the people many things they really cannot give, because those things do not belong to them and because they have no right of power over them. Lots of people also want to be worshipped by those around them. Many people fall in front of them because they love to receive more things and better positions from them. They are clearly of the world and not loving God as such, because their priorities are not for the heavenly goods but for the worldly goods.

At the moment the world still belongs to satan or to those who might be against God, but that is not going to stay so. There shall come a day when Jesus shall be authorised to rule over all the kingdoms on earth. (Revelation 11:15).

5 So he brought him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the inhabited earth in an instant of time.+ 6 Then the Devil said to him: “I will give you all this authority and their glory, because it has been handed over to me,+ and I give it to whomever I wish. 7 If you, therefore, do an act of worship before me, it will all be yours.” 8 In reply Jesus said to him: “It is written, ‘It is Jehovah* your God you must worship, and it is to him alone you must render sacred service.’”+ {Luke 4:5-8}

• • John 12:31

  • 31 Now there is a judging of this world; now the ruler of this world+ will be cast out.+

• • John 14:30

  • 30 I will not speak with you much more, for the ruler of the world+ is coming, and he has no hold on me.*+

• • Ephesians 2:2

  • 2 in which you at one time walked according to the system of things* of this world,+ according to the ruler of the authority of the air,+ the spirit+ that is now at work in the sons of disobedience.

• 1 John 5:19: 19 We know that we originate with God, but the whole world is lying in the power of the wicked one.+
• • Matthew 13:19

  • 19 Where anyone hears the word of the Kingdom but does not get the sense of it, the wicked one+ comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart; this is the one sown alongside the road.+

Though rulership may today still belong to the adversary of God he does not deserve worship. Jesus very well knew to Whom worship belongs. It is not Jesus who has to be worshipped nor satan or any adversary of God or any other person or any other god than the God of gods, the Host of hosts.

Jesus’ refusal was curt:

“Beat it, Satan!”

He backed his rebuke with a third quotation from Deuteronomy, saying that it is written:

“It is Jehovah* your God you must worship,+ and it is only to Him alone you must render sacred service (or absolute single-heartedness).’”+

**

Mount Hermon, viewed from Mount Bental in the Golan Heights

[1] High mountain: We are tempted to envision Mount Everest though Mount Hermon might be the location.

[2] All the kingdoms: The governments and world powers all belong to the Devil as Luke 4:6, 7 confirms. Satan is the “god of this world.” (2 Corinthians 4:4) The entire world lies in his power (1 John 5:19). This “world” will one day be ruled by Lord Messiah (Revelation 11:15).

[3] World: The Greek is KOSMOS.

[4] Prostrate: The Greek is PROSKUNESES and contains “before + kiss” meaning to bow to the ground and kiss the sandals or hem of a garment. Older translations often use “worship” which is drawn from “worthy” and was used in old English regarding worthy persons such as kings, judges, and priests as worthy persons who may be addressed “Your worship.” It may range from a simple matter of respect to religious worship.

[5] Satan: The name means “Resister; Rebel; Apostate.” The name occurs 68 times with the first occurrence at 1 Chronicles 21:1. It occurs most often (17) in the Book of Job.

[6] Written: Perhaps a conflate paraphrase from Deuteronomy 5:9; 6:13; 10:20.

[7] Worship: The Greek is PROSKUNESEIS as in verse 9 but amplified by Jesus’ next word. TCNT: do homage.

[8] Your God: By this Jesus infers that YHWH is his God otherwise the quote makes no sense as a response to Satan. Over two dozen times the Scriptures use phrases indicating the Nazarene worships his own God. “The God of our Lord.” (Ephesians 1:3, 17)

[9] Render divine service: The Greek is LATREUSEIS. Or, KJV: serve; RHM: divine service.

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Preceding

Nazarene Commentary Matthew 4:1-4 A Wilderness Temptation

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

Jehovah God Maker of the entire universe served by a well-trained army

Next:

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. True riches
2. Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God
3. When will it stop
4. Merry Christmas with the King of Kings
5. Looking for answers on the question Is there a God #2 Pantheon of gods and celebrations
6. Looking for answers on the question Is there a God #3 Transcendence or Surpassing other gods and man

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Further reading

1. The Ancient Worship of Babylon
2. God Will Rule This Earth
3. Deuteronomy
4. Democratic Mistakes–The falls of Titans
5. Kingdoms Collide
6. All Forms of Government Are Bad
7. Kings and kingdoms
8. Messenger to the Nations
9. Battling in the heavenly realm for your nation
10. Bowing In Humility
11. Missing Our Medicine
12. Seeking to Strengthen the Faith
13. Surrender
14. Having Faith in God 
15. Worship God
16. G3-Why Praise God?
17. Worship in Spirit and in Truth Part A
18. God First (I Chronicles 8-10)
19. Quick Answers: When Is The Best Time To Praise And Worship God?
20. Worship in Spirit and In Truth Part B
21. Unlock and activate what God has for you!
22. Worship out of Love
23. Our Service to God
24. Worship is not about us

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