Matthew 4

Introduction

Matthew 4 marks a decisive turning point in the Gospel narrative. Having been baptized and publicly identified as God's Son at the end of chapter 3, Jesus is immediately led by the Spirit into the Judean wilderness to face temptation by the devil. The three temptations form a carefully structured theological drama in which Jesus, as the true Israel, succeeds where the nation failed during its own forty-year wilderness testing. Each of Jesus' responses comes from Deuteronomy 6-8 — the very chapters that reflect on Israel's wilderness failures — demonstrating that Jesus embodies the faithful obedience Israel was always meant to show.

The chapter then pivots from private testing to public ministry. Upon hearing of John the Baptist's imprisonment, Jesus relocates from Nazareth to Capernaum on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, fulfilling Isaiah's prophecy that light would dawn in the territories of Zebulun and Naphtali. He takes up John's message — "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near" — but now the herald has become the King. He calls his first disciples from their fishing boats and begins a ministry of teaching, preaching, and healing that draws crowds from across Palestine and beyond. What began in the silence of the desert ends with a public movement that will reshape the world.

The Temptation of Jesus (vv. 1-11)

Notes

The verb ἀνήχθη ("was led up") is a passive form of ἀνάγω, literally meaning "to lead upward." The passive voice emphasizes that this is not Jesus' own initiative but the Spirit's deliberate action — the same Spirit who descended on him at his baptism (Matthew 3:16) now drives him into the wilderness. Mark's parallel account uses the even more forceful ἐκβάλλει ("drives out," Mark 1:12). The wilderness testing is not an accident or a detour; it is the Spirit's intended next step after the baptism.

The word πειρασθῆναι ("to be tested/tempted"), from πειράζω, carries a double sense in Greek. It can mean "to test" in the neutral sense of proving or refining (as God tested Abraham in Genesis 22:1) or "to tempt" in the negative sense of enticing toward sin. Matthew uses both senses: the Spirit leads Jesus into testing (a divine proving ground), while the devil intends it as temptation (an enticement to disobey). In verse 3, the devil is called ὁ πειράζων — "the one who tests/tempts" — a present participle used as a title, suggesting this is his characteristic activity.

The "forty days and forty nights" directly echoes Moses' fast on Mount Sinai (Exodus 34:28, Deuteronomy 9:9) and Elijah's journey to Horeb (1 Kings 19:8). More broadly, it recalls Israel's forty years in the wilderness (Deuteronomy 8:2). Matthew is presenting Jesus as the true Israel who relives and redeems the nation's formative experience. Where Israel grumbled for food (Exodus 16:2-3), demanded signs (Exodus 17:1-7), and worshiped the golden calf (Exodus 32:1-6), Jesus remains faithful through precisely parallel temptations.

The first temptation — "If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become bread" — targets physical need. The Greek Εἰ ("if") with the indicative does not express doubt but rather assumes the condition is true: "Since you are the Son of God." The devil is not questioning Jesus' identity but exploiting it — urging him to use his divine power for self-provision rather than trusting the Father. Jesus' reply quotes Deuteronomy 8:3, the passage where Moses explains why God allowed Israel to hunger in the wilderness: to teach them that human life depends on παντὶ ῥήματι — "every word" — that proceeds from God's mouth. The word ῥῆμα here means not just speech but a spoken decree, a divine command that sustains existence itself.

The second temptation moves to τὴν ἁγίαν πόλιν — "the holy city," Jerusalem — and specifically to τὸ πτερύγιον τοῦ ἱεροῦ, "the pinnacle of the temple." The word πτερύγιον is a diminutive of "wing" and refers to the highest point or parapet of the temple complex, traditionally identified with the southeastern corner overlooking the Kidron Valley, a drop of some 450 feet. The devil now quotes Scripture himself — Psalm 91:11-12 — but omits the crucial phrase "in all your ways," subtly distorting the promise from one of general providential care to a blank check for reckless presumption. Jesus counters with Deuteronomy 6:16: "You shall not put the Lord your God to the test." This is a direct reference to Massah (Exodus 17:1-7), where Israel tested God by demanding water as proof of his presence. To leap from the temple would be to force God's hand — the opposite of trust.

The third temptation is the most audacious. The devil offers πάσας τὰς βασιλείας τοῦ κόσμου — "all the kingdoms of the world" — in exchange for προσκυνήσῃς — "worship." The verb προσκυνέω denotes the physical act of bowing down in homage, the ultimate act of submission. This is a shortcut to messianic glory without the cross — the kingdoms that are rightfully Christ's (see Psalm 2:8, Daniel 7:14) offered without suffering. Jesus' response — Ὕπαγε Σατανᾶ, "Go away, Satan!" — is the only time in the temptation narrative where Jesus addresses the devil by name. He quotes Deuteronomy 6:13, affirming that λατρεύσεις ("you shall serve" in the sense of religious worship and devotion) belongs to God alone. Notably, Jesus will use the same command "Get behind me, Satan!" later to Peter when Peter tempts him to avoid the cross (Matthew 16:23).

The scene closes with the devil departing and angels coming to διηκόνουν ("serve" or "minister to") Jesus. The verb διακονέω implies providing food and care — the very sustenance Jesus refused to seize for himself through the first temptation is now freely given by God through his messengers. Luke adds that the devil departed "until an opportune time" (Luke 4:13), indicating that the battle was not over but would resume at the cross.

Jesus Begins His Ministry in Galilee (vv. 12-17)

Notes

The word παρεδόθη ("was handed over"), applied to John the Baptist, is theologically loaded. It comes from παραδίδωμι, the same verb used later for Judas "handing over" Jesus (Matthew 26:15) and for Jesus being "handed over" to death (Matthew 27:2). The BSB translates it "imprisoned," which captures the historical fact, but the Greek is more ominous — it carries overtones of betrayal and divine surrender. John's fate foreshadows Jesus' own: the forerunner's path of suffering previews the Messiah's.

Jesus' response to John's arrest is to ἀνεχώρησεν ("withdraw") — the same verb Matthew used for the holy family's flight to Egypt (Matthew 2:14) and their later departure from Judea (Matthew 2:22). This is not retreat but strategic relocation. Jesus leaves Nazareth, the small hill-country village where he grew up, and settles in Καφαρναούμ (Capernaum), a bustling fishing town on the northwestern shore of the Sea of Galilee. Capernaum sat on a major trade route (the Via Maris) at the crossroads of Jewish and Gentile territory, making it an ideal base for a public ministry.

Matthew notes that Capernaum lies τὴν παραθαλασσίαν ("by the sea") and within the ancient tribal boundaries of Zebulun and Naphtali. These geographical details set up Matthew's fulfillment quotation, drawn from Isaiah 9:1-2. In its original context, Isaiah's oracle promised that the northern territories devastated by the Assyrian invasion of 733-732 BC — the first regions of Israel to fall into foreign hands and darkness — would be the first to see redemptive light. Matthew sees this promise realized in Jesus' decision to base his ministry in precisely these territories. The phrase Γαλιλαία τῶν ἐθνῶν ("Galilee of the nations/Gentiles") reflects the mixed population of this region, a detail that anticipates the universal scope of Jesus' mission, which will culminate in the commission to "all nations" (Matthew 28:19).

The imagery of φῶς ("light") breaking upon people sitting in σκοτίᾳ ("darkness") and σκιᾷ θανάτου ("the shadow of death") draws on one of Scripture's deepest metaphors. Darkness represents not merely ignorance but captivity, oppression, and spiritual death. The verb ἀνέτειλεν ("has dawned" or "has risen") is the same word used for the rising of the sun or the sprouting of a plant — it suggests something organic, irresistible, and divinely timed.

Verse 17 introduces Jesus' core proclamation with a programmatic statement: Ἀπὸ τότε ἤρξατο — "From that time he began." Matthew uses this identical phrase only one other time, at Matthew 16:21, where Jesus begins to reveal his coming death and resurrection. These two "from that time" markers divide the Gospel into its two great movements: the proclamation of the kingdom (chapters 4-16) and the journey to the cross (chapters 16-28). Jesus' message — Μετανοεῖτε· ἤγγικεν γὰρ ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν — is word-for-word identical to John the Baptist's preaching in Matthew 3:2. The verb μετανοέω means more than feeling sorry; it signifies a complete change of mind and direction. And ἤγγικεν (perfect tense of ἐγγίζω) means "has drawn near and remains near" — the kingdom is not a distant future event but an approaching reality that has already begun to arrive in the person of Jesus.

The Calling of the First Disciples (vv. 18-22)

Notes

The scene shifts to the shore of τὴν θάλασσαν τῆς Γαλιλαίας — "the Sea of Galilee." Greek uses θάλασσα ("sea") for what is actually a freshwater lake about thirteen miles long and eight miles wide (also known as the Lake of Gennesaret or the Sea of Tiberias). The fishing industry on this lake was substantial in the first century, providing a major source of protein for the region and yielding significant tax revenue under Herod Antipas.

Simon is introduced with the note τὸν λεγόμενον Πέτρον — "the one called Peter." The name Πέτρος is Greek for "rock" (translating the Aramaic Kepha), a name that Jesus will later formally bestow with full explanation in Matthew 16:18. Matthew's use of it here, before that scene, reflects the perspective of his readers, for whom "Peter" had already become the apostle's established name.

The word ἀμφίβληστρον ("casting net") describes a circular net thrown by hand into shallow water — a technique requiring the fisherman to wade or stand in the shallows. This is distinct from the larger drag-nets (σαγήνη) mentioned in Matthew 13:47. The detail is not incidental; it places Simon and Andrew in the midst of ordinary, physical labor when Jesus calls them. James and John, by contrast, are found καταρτίζοντας τὰ δίκτυα — "mending their nets." The verb καταρτίζω means to restore, repair, or make complete, and is used elsewhere for setting broken bones or equipping someone for a task (Galatians 6:1, Hebrews 10:5).

Jesus' call — Δεῦτε ὀπίσω μου, "Come after me" — uses the language of a rabbi summoning disciples. In Jewish tradition, a student would typically choose a teacher and request admission. Here the initiative is entirely Jesus': he chooses them. The promise "I will make you fishers of people" (ἁλιεῖς ἀνθρώπων) transforms their existing vocation into a metaphor for their new calling. The image of "catching" people echoes prophetic language where God gathers his people (see Jeremiah 16:16, where God sends "fishers" to gather Israel). The metaphor would have been vivid to these men, whose livelihood depended on patience, skill, timing, and willingness to go where the fish were.

The word εὐθέως ("immediately") appears in both calling scenes (vv. 20, 22), emphasizing the radical decisiveness of the response. They did not negotiate terms, request time to consider, or finish their day's work. The cost is made explicit in the second pair: James and John leave not only their boat and livelihood but τὸν πατέρα αὐτῶν — "their father." This anticipates Jesus' later teaching that following him may require leaving family behind (Matthew 10:37). John's Gospel suggests that some of these men had already encountered Jesus through John the Baptist's ministry (John 1:35-42), which may explain the seemingly abrupt nature of their response here. Matthew, however, tells the story with deliberate compression to emphasize the authority of Jesus' word: he speaks, and people follow.

Jesus Heals the Multitudes (vv. 23-25)

Notes

Verse 23 provides a summary statement of Jesus' three-fold ministry: teaching (διδάσκων), preaching (κηρύσσων), and healing (θεραπεύων). The distinction between teaching and preaching is significant. διδάσκω refers to instruction — explaining the meaning of Scripture and the demands of the kingdom — while κηρύσσω means to herald or proclaim, like a town crier announcing a royal decree. Jesus teaches in the synagogues (the established centers of Jewish learning and worship) and proclaims τὸ εὐαγγέλιον τῆς βασιλείας — "the good news of the kingdom." The word εὐαγγέλιον ("gospel" or "good news") was used in the Roman world for imperial proclamations, especially announcements of military victory or the accession of a new emperor. Matthew's use of the term is quietly subversive: the true good news is not Caesar's but God's.

The healing ministry demonstrates that the kingdom of heaven is not merely a doctrine but a power. Matthew lists five categories of affliction: νόσοις ("diseases"), βασάνοις ("torments" — originally a word for the touchstone used to test metals, and by extension any acute suffering), δαιμονιζομένους ("those possessed by demons"), σεληνιαζομένους ("those who were moon-struck" — a term for epilepsy, derived from the belief that seizures were influenced by lunar cycles), and παραλυτικούς ("paralyzed persons"). The breadth of this list — covering physical illness, chronic pain, spiritual oppression, neurological conditions, and disability — shows that Jesus' healing ministry addressed the full range of human brokenness.

The geographical scope of the crowds in verse 25 is remarkable. They come from Galilee (the immediate region), the Decapolis (a league of ten Greco-Roman cities east of the Jordan, with largely Gentile populations), Jerusalem and Judea (the Jewish heartland to the south), and "beyond the Jordan" (Perea, the territory east of the river). This list encompasses virtually all of Palestine and its surrounding regions, including both Jewish and Gentile territories. Matthew is showing that Jesus' fame has already crossed every boundary — ethnic, geographic, and political — foreshadowing the universal mission that will be explicitly commissioned at the Gospel's close (Matthew 28:18-20). The chapter that began with Jesus alone in the wilderness ends with multitudes streaming toward him from every direction.