Israel, God’s son, came out of Egypt and passed through waters of the Red Sea before being led to the wilderness, and there was tempted. Jesus, God’s son, came out of Egypt and passed through the waters of baptism before being led into the wilderness, and there was tempted
The text of Matthew jolts us when, after we see the Father’s pleasure in His Son at the conclusion of Chapter 3, we learn that, Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. The immediacy of the turn from the baptismal scene to the wilderness temptation is startling enough, but that he was “led up by the Spirit” unsettles us still more. That Jesus was tempted by the devil we can stomach; that he was led there by the Spirit seems too much.
But we must see, Matthew knows, that Jesus is a man, and though he is the Son of God made man, he is man nonetheless. He does not act on his own, nor does he struggle on his own. He is a man led by the Spirit. He is the man led by the Spirit.
Like God’s son Israel, Jesus, the beloved son, is tempted in various ways. It is notable that the tempter comes quoting Scripture, reminding us that not every voice that cites Scripture is the voice of God, nor even God’s spokesperson. Jesus is tempted in various ways, first to doubt God’s ability to sustain him (“command these stones to become loaves of bread”), then to take his life into his own hands (“If you are the Son of God, then throw yourself down””), rather than entrust his life to the Father, and then he is tempted to bow down to one other than God.
At each temptation Jesus calls upon the Scriptures to remind the devil and, perhaps more importantly, himself of what is true and foils the tempter at each turn. We know only that the devil departs and ministering angels arrive to care for the undoubtedly tired and weary Jesus.
There is another abrupt shift in the text as Jesus learns of the arrest of his cousin John the Baptist, at which point Jesus leaves Galilee and begins preaching the simple message of the kingdom, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
Matthew continues the compressed narrative to show us quickly how Jesus’s public ministry began. As he begins to travel and preach about the kingdom, He meets two sets of brothers, Simon Peter and Andrew, and James and John, who will all become his disciples.
Now joined by these followers we see Jesus traveling “throughout all Galilee,” teaching, proclaiming the “gospel of the kingdom,” and healing all manner of illness. Word of Jesus’ work spreads rapidly and great crowds follow him.
As in earlier chapters we see the fulfillment of prophecy in Matthew 4, most obviously the quote from Isaiah 9 that foretells the great light that will dawn on those dwelling in darkness. Jesus’ foray into Zebulun and Naphtali to preach about the kingdom is recognized by Matthew as a fulfillment of that prophecy. While this is the explicit reference to a prophecy in Matthew 4, we see another that, while not explicit, is just as significant.
In Isaiah 9 we are told that the “land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations” will no longer suffer the contempt of the Lord, but rather will share in God’s kingdom, a kingdom that is tied to the throne of David and over which a ruler will rule, a ruler of whom it is said:
For unto us a child is born, to us a son is given;
And the government shall be upon his shoulder,
And his name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of his government and of peace
There will be no end
On the throne of David and over his kingdom
To establish it and uphold it
With justice and with righteousness
From this time forth and forevermore.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.
In Jesus we see this child, this ruler, this king of the throne of David who will bring the kingdom of God to God’s world. Where Israel failed, where David failed, where all who came before him, prophets and kings and all else, failed in those ways common to we humans, this man, the man led by the Spirit, Jesus steadfastly triumphs.
In Matthew 4 we hear of the beloved Son whose public ministry, a ministry of the gospel of the kingdom, has begun, and with it has appeared the long-awaited kingdom foretold by the prophets.
But we must see, Matthew knows, that Jesus is a man, and though he is the Son of God made man, he is man nonetheless. He does not act on his own, nor does he struggle on his own. He is a man led by the Spirit. He is the man led by the Spirit.
Like God’s son Israel, Jesus, the beloved son, is tempted in various ways. It is notable that the tempter comes quoting Scripture, reminding us that not every voice that cites Scripture is the voice of God, nor even God’s spokesperson. Jesus is tempted in various ways, first to doubt God’s ability to sustain him (“command these stones to become loaves of bread”), then to take his life into his own hands (“If you are the Son of God, then throw yourself down””), rather than entrust his life to the Father, and then he is tempted to bow down to one other than God.
At each temptation Jesus calls upon the Scriptures to remind the devil and, perhaps more importantly, himself of what is true and foils the tempter at each turn. We know only that the devil departs and ministering angels arrive to care for the undoubtedly tired and weary Jesus.
There is another abrupt shift in the text as Jesus learns of the arrest of his cousin John the Baptist, at which point Jesus leaves Galilee and begins preaching the simple message of the kingdom, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
Matthew continues the compressed narrative to show us quickly how Jesus’s public ministry began. As he begins to travel and preach about the kingdom, He meets two sets of brothers, Simon Peter and Andrew, and James and John, who will all become his disciples.
Now joined by these followers we see Jesus traveling “throughout all Galilee,” teaching, proclaiming the “gospel of the kingdom,” and healing all manner of illness. Word of Jesus’ work spreads rapidly and great crowds follow him.
As in earlier chapters we see the fulfillment of prophecy in Matthew 4, most obviously the quote from Isaiah 9 that foretells the great light that will dawn on those dwelling in darkness. Jesus’ foray into Zebulun and Naphtali to preach about the kingdom is recognized by Matthew as a fulfillment of that prophecy. While this is the explicit reference to a prophecy in Matthew 4, we see another that, while not explicit, is just as significant.
In Isaiah 9 we are told that the “land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations” will no longer suffer the contempt of the Lord, but rather will share in God’s kingdom, a kingdom that is tied to the throne of David and over which a ruler will rule, a ruler of whom it is said:
For unto us a child is born, to us a son is given;
And the government shall be upon his shoulder,
And his name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of his government and of peace
There will be no end
On the throne of David and over his kingdom
To establish it and uphold it
With justice and with righteousness
From this time forth and forevermore.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.
In Jesus we see this child, this ruler, this king of the throne of David who will bring the kingdom of God to God’s world. Where Israel failed, where David failed, where all who came before him, prophets and kings and all else, failed in those ways common to we humans, this man, the man led by the Spirit, Jesus steadfastly triumphs.
In Matthew 4 we hear of the beloved Son whose public ministry, a ministry of the gospel of the kingdom, has begun, and with it has appeared the long-awaited kingdom foretold by the prophets.