New Testament · Gospel

Matthew 4

Tested and Triumphant

Forty days of hunger, three devastating temptations, and the devil's best offer — Jesus refuses every shortcut to power.

Berean Standard Bible BSB KJV
Read the commentary What this chapter means, the background behind it, and why it still matters

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1Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.

2After fasting forty days and forty nights, He was hungry.

3The tempter came to Him and said, “If You are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”

4But Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

5Then the devil took Him to the holy city and set Him on the pinnacle of the temple.

6“If You are the Son of God,” he said, “throw Yourself down. For it is written: ‘He will command His angels concerning You, and they will lift You up in their hands, so that You will not strike Your foot against a stone.’”

7Jesus replied, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”

8Again, the devil took Him to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory.

9“All this I will give You,” he said, “if You will fall down and worship me.”

10“Away from Me, Satan!” Jesus told him. “For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve Him only.’”

11Then the devil left Him, and angels came and ministered to Him.

12When Jesus heard that John had been imprisoned, He withdrew to Galilee.

13Leaving Nazareth, He went and lived in Capernaum, which is by the sea in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali,

14to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah:

15“Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles—

16the people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death, a light has dawned.”

17From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.”

18As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen.

19“Come, follow Me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.”

20And at once they left their nets and followed Him.

21Going on from there, He saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets. Jesus called them,

22and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed Him.

23Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people.

24News about Him spread all over Syria, and people brought to Him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering acute pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed, and He healed them.

25Large crowds followed Him, having come from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond the Jordan.

Commentary

Matthew 4, explained

What Matthew 4 is saying

The Spirit leads Jesus into the wilderness for forty days of fasting and temptation by Satan. Each temptation targets a dimension of messianic vocation—provision, spectacle, and political power—and Jesus responds with Deuteronomy quotations. After John's arrest, Jesus relocates to Capernaum in Galilee, begins preaching the kingdom, and calls His first disciples: Peter, Andrew, James, and John.

The background behind it

The forty-day wilderness sojourn deliberately parallels Israel's forty years of testing. Jesus's use of Deuteronomy 6–8 shows Him succeeding precisely where Israel failed. Capernaum's location on trade routes made it a strategic base for a Galilean ministry.

Themes running underneath

Jesus is presented as the faithful Israel who withstands testing through obedience to Scripture. The temptations reveal that messiahship will not operate through self-serving power but through suffering obedience. The kingdom proclamation and disciple-calling inaugurate a new community.

Why it still matters

Jesus's responses to temptation demonstrate that Scripture internalized is the primary weapon against distorted versions of God's will. His call to fishermen also shows that kingdom work begins with ordinary people willing to leave everything.

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