the Second Week after Easter
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Mateo 4:11
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from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
the devil: Luke 4:13, Luke 22:53, John 14:30
behold: Matthew 4:6, Matthew 26:53, Matthew 28:2-5, Mark 1:13, Luke 22:43, 1 Timothy 3:16, Hebrews 1:6, Hebrews 1:14, Revelation 5:11, Revelation 5:12
Reciprocal: 1 Kings 17:4 - I have commanded 1 Kings 19:6 - cake John 1:51 - and the John 21:9 - they saw Ephesians 6:17 - which 1 Peter 5:8 - the devil Revelation 12:6 - that
Gill's Notes on the Bible
Then the devil leaveth him,.... In Luke 4:13 it says,
when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season, or until a season. That is, having tempted him with all sorts of temptations, and tried him every way to no purpose; having gone through, and finished the whole scheme and course of temptations he had devised, without success; and having orders from Christ to depart, which he was obliged to obey, leaves him for a while, till another opportunity of tempting him in some other way should offer; or till the time came, when he should be so far able to get the advantage of him, as to bruise his heel, or bring him to the dust of death; see John 14:30 and when he was gone, better company came in his room;
behold, angels came and ministered to him. They came to him in a visible, human form, as they were used to do under the Old Testament dispensation, and that after the temptation was over; after Satan was foiled, and was gone; that it might appear that Christ alone had got the victory over him, without any help or assistance from them. When they were come, they "ministered to him"; that is, they brought him food of their own preparing and dressing, as they formerly did to Elijah, 1 Kings 19:5 to satisfy his hunger, and refresh his animal spirits; which had underwent a very great fatigue during this length of time, in which he fasted, and was tempted by Satan. Thus, as the angels are ministring spirits to the heirs of salvation, both in a temporal and in a spiritual sense, Hebrews 1:14 so they were to Christ. Nothing is more frequent with the Jews than to call the angels מלאכי השרת "ministring angels": it would be needless and endless to refer to particular places.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
Then the devil leaveth him - He left him for a time, Luke 4:13. He intended to return again to the temptation, and, if possible, to seduce him yet from God. Compare John 14:30; Luke 22:53. See the notes at Hebrews 12:4.
The angels came and ministered - See the notes at Matthew 1:20. They came and supplied his wants and comforted him. From this narrative we may learn:
(a) That no one is so holy as to be free from temptation, for even the Son of God was sorely tempted.
(b) That when God permits a temptation or trial to come upon us, he will, if we look to him, give us grace to resist and overcome it, 1 Corinthians 10:13.
(c) We see the art of the tempter. His temptations are adapted to times and circumstances. They are plausible. What could have been mere plausible than his suggestions to Christ? They were applicable to his circumstances. They had the appearance of much piety. They were backed by passages of Scripture misapplied, but still most artfully presented. Satan never comes boldly and tempts people to sin, telling them that they are committing sin. Such a mode would defeat his design. It would put people on their guard. He commences, therefore, artfully and plausibly, and the real purpose does not appear until he has prepared the mind for it. This is the way with all temptation. No wicked person would at once tempt another to be profane, to be drunk, to be an infidel, or to commit adultery. The principles are first corrupted. The confidence is secured. The affections are won. And then the allurement is little by little presented, until the victim falls. How everyone should be on his guard at the very first appearance of evil, at the first suggestion that may possibly lead to sin!
(d) One of the best ways of meeting temptation is by applying Scripture. So our Saviour did, and they will always best succeed who best wield the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, Ephesians 6:17.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse Matthew 4:11. Behold, angels came and ministered unto him. — That is, brought that food which was necessary to support nature.
The name given to Satan in the third verse is very emphatic, ο πειραζων, the tempter, or trier, from πειρω, to pierce through. To this import of the name there seems to be an allusion, Ephesians 6:16: The fiery DARTS of the wicked one. This is the precise idea of the word in Deuteronomy 8:2. To humble thee, and to prove thee, TO KNOW WHAT WAS IN THY HEART: לנסתך linesteca, πειρασησε, LXX. that he might bore thee through. The quality and goodness of many things are proved by piercing or boring through; for this shows what is in the heart. Perhaps nothing tends so much to discover what we are, as trials either from men or devils.
Shalt thou serve, or pay religious veneration, λαρρευσεις. This is Mr. Wakefield's translation, and I think cannot be mended. λατρεια comes from λα, very much, and τρεω, I tremble. When a sinner approaches the presence of God, conscious of HIS infinite holiness and justice, and of his own vileness, he will then fully comprehend what this word means. See this religious reverence exemplified in the case of Moses, when in the presence of God; I exceedingly fear, said he, and tremble, Hebrews 12:21. And yet this fear of God is the beginning of wisdom. See the observations at the end of the chapter.