Matthew 4 begins with Jesus being led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil after fasting for forty days and forty nights. Satan approaches Jesus with three distinct temptations. First, he tempts Jesus to turn stones into bread, appealing to physical hunger and questioning His trust in the Father’s provision. Jesus responds by quoting Deuteronomy, affirming that man does not live by bread alone but by the word of God. Second, Satan takes Jesus to the pinnacle of the temple and tempts Him to throw Himself down, presuming upon God’s protection. Jesus again responds with Scripture, refusing to test the Lord God. Third, Satan offers Jesus all the kingdoms of the world in exchange for worship, appealing to pride and power. Jesus firmly rejects this offer, commanding Satan to depart, and affirming that worship belongs to God alone. After this confrontation, the devil leaves Him, and angels come to minister to Jesus.
Following the temptation, Jesus hears that John the Baptist has been arrested and withdraws to Galilee. He settles in Capernaum, fulfilling Isaiah’s prophecy that the region of Galilee, once in darkness, would see a great light. From this point, Jesus begins His public ministry, proclaiming, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand,” echoing the message of John the Baptist.
Jesus then calls His first disciples. Walking along the Sea of Galilee, He calls Simon Peter and his brother Andrew, who are fishermen, saying, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” They immediately leave their nets to follow Him. Shortly after, He calls James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who also leave their father and their boat to follow Jesus.
The chapter concludes with a summary of Jesus’ widespread ministry throughout Galilee, teaching in synagogues, proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and affliction among the people. His fame spreads, and large crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond the Jordan begin to follow Him.
Chapter 4
1 Then Jesus was sent by the Spirit into the waste land to be tested by the Evil One.
2 And after going without food for forty days and forty nights, he was in need of it.
3 And the Evil One came and said to him, If you are the Son of God, give the word for these stones to become bread.
4 But he made answer and said, It is in the Writings, Bread is not man’s only need, but every word which comes out of the mouth of God.
5 Then the Evil One took him to the holy town; and he put him on the highest point of the Temple and said to him,
6 If you are the Son of God, let yourself go down; for it is in the Writings, He will give his angels care over you; and, In their hands they will keep you up, so that your foot may not be crushed against a stone.
7 Jesus said to him, Again it is in the Writings, You may not put the Lord your God to the test.
8 Again, the Evil One took him up to a very high mountain, and let him see all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them;
9 And he said to him, All these things will I give you, if you will go down on your face and give me worship.
10 Then said Jesus to him, Away, Satan: for it is in the Writings, Give worship to the Lord your God and be his servant only.
11 Then the Evil One went away from him, and angels came and took care of him.
12 Now when it came to his ears that John had been put in prison, he went away to Galilee;
13 And going away from Nazareth, he came and made his living-place in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the country of Zebulun and Naphtali:
14 So that the word of the prophet Isaiah might come true,
15 The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, by the way of the sea, the other side of Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles,
16 The people who were in the dark saw a great light, and to those in the land of the shade of death did the dawn come up.
17 From that time Jesus went about preaching and saying, Let your hearts be turned from sin, for the kingdom of heaven is near.
18 And when he was walking by the sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon, whose other name was Peter, and Andrew, his brother, who were putting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen.
19 And he said to them, Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.
20 And straight away they let go the nets and went after him.
21 And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James, the son of Zebedee, and John, his brother, in the boat with their father, stitching up their nets; and he said, Come.
22 And they went straight from the boat and their father and came after him.
23 And Jesus went about in all Galilee, teaching in their Synagogues and preaching the good news of the kingdom, and making well those who were ill with any disease among the people.
24 And news of him went out through all Syria; and they took to him all who were ill with different diseases and pains, those having evil spirits and those who were off their heads, and those who had no power of moving. And he made them well.
25 And there went after him great numbers from Galilee and Decapolis and Jerusalem and Judaea and from the other side of Jordan.
Important Verses
Matthew 4:4 “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.” This verse highlights the sufficiency and authority of Scripture in resisting temptation.
Matthew 4:10 “Be gone, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.'” This verse establishes that worship belongs exclusively to God, rejecting any compromise with evil.
Matthew 4:19 “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” This call to discipleship illustrates the transformative purpose Jesus gives to those who follow Him.
