Word Pictures in the New Testament - David Cox

Word Pictures in the NT [Matthew: Chapter 4].
"behind me" (\opis• mou\) belong to Mt 16:23, not here.
"Begone" Christ says to Satan. This temptation is the limit of
diabolical suggestion and argues for the logical order in
Matthew. "Satan" means the adversary and Christ so terms the
devil here. The third time Jesus quotes Deuteronomy, this time
De 6:13, and repels the infamous suggestion by Scripture
quotation. The words "him alone thou shalt serve" need be
recalled today. Jesus will warn men against trying to serve God
and mammon (Mt 6:24). The devil as the lord of the evil world
constantly tries to win men to the service of the world and God.
This is his chief camouflage for destroying a preacher's power
for God. The word here in Mt 4:10 for serve is \latreuseis\
from \latris\ a hired servant, one who works for hire, then
render worship.
4:11 {Then the devil leaveth him} (\tote aphi•sin auton ho
diabolos\). Note the use of "then" (\tote\) again and the
historical present. The movement is swift. "And behold" (\kai
idou\) as so often in Matthew carries on the life-like picture.
"{Angels came} (aorist tense \pros•lthon\ punctiliar action) {and
were ministering} (\di•konoun\, picturesque imperfect, linear
action) {unto him}." The victory was won in spite of the fast of
forty days and the repeated onsets of the devil who had tried
every avenue of approach. The angels could cheer him in the
inevitable nervous and spiritual reaction from the strain of
conflict, and probably also with food as in the case of Elijah
(1Ki 19:6f.). The issues at stake were of vast import as the
champions of light and darkness grappled for the mastery of men.
Lu 4:13 adds, that the devil left Jesus only "until a good
opportunity" (\achri kairou\).
4:12 {Now when he heard} (\akousas de\). The reason for Christ's
return to Galilee is given here to be that John had been
delivered up into prison. The Synoptic Gospels skip from the
temptation of Jesus to the Galilean ministry, a whole year. But
for Joh 1:19-3:36 we should know nothing of the "year of
obscurity" (Stalker). John supplies items to help fill in the
picture. Christ's work in Galilee began after the close of the
active ministry of the Baptist who lingered on in prison for a
year or more.
4:13 {Dwelt in Capernaum} (\Kat•ik•sen eis Kapharnaoum\). He went
first to Nazareth, his old home, but was rejected there (Lu
4:16-31). In Capernaum (probably the modern \Tell H–m\) Jesus
http://www.ccel.org/r/robertson_at/wordpictures/htm/MT4.RWP.html (4 of 7) [28/08/2004 09:02:57 a.m.]