The theme for chapter four is the beginning of Jesus’ ministry. The first thing Matthew deals with is a string of three temptations Jesus faced, which were orchestrated by Satan.Notice that all three temptations Satan offer Jesus, Jesus rebukes them by quoting Scripture. The Scripture He uses is from the Torah, specifically Deuteronomy 6 and 8. One of the reasons these particular passages is appropriate is that Jesus is being depicted as a second Moses. Jesus is echoing Israel’s experience in the wilderness. As the commentators Davies and Allison state:
“Having pass through the waters of a new exodus at his baptism, he enters the desert to suffer a time of testing, his 40 days of fasting being analogous to Israel’s forty years of wandering. Like Israel, Jesus is being tested by hunger. And like Israel, Jesus is tempted to idolatry.”
In Deuteronomy 8, we read that this was spoken to Israel as they navigated the trials of the wilderness and were about to emerge into the Promised Land.
“You are to remember everything of the way in which the LORD led you these forty years in the desert, humbling and testing you in order to know what was in your heart—whether you would obey his commandments or not. He humbled you, allowing you to become hungry, and then fed you with manna, which neither you nor your ancestors had ever known, to make you understand that a person does not live on food alone but on everything that comes from the mouth of the LORD.” (Deuteronomy 8:2-3)
God led the fleeing Israelites through the desert. He did so intentionally in a way to achieve a specific purpose: to teach them through testing and humbling, that what was hidden in the deepest recesses of their hearts would pour out in response to their circumstances. One of those humbling experiences they faced was that they became hungry, and God’s purpose for them enduring this was to teach them that God’s people do not live on food alone, but rather on what pours forth from His mouth. that is, His Word. Jesus, a sort of second Moses would now face similar trials.
Verse 2: Out in the desert, Jesus went without food for 40 days and 40 nights. He became hungry. For the Jews, the desert was not just a dangerous place, it was also a scary place.
He who led you through the great and terrible wilderness, with its fiery serpents and scorpions, and its thirsty ground where there was no water; He who brought water for you out of the rock of flint. (Deuteronomy 8:10)
Jesus was beyond famished after 40 days and nights of not eating. His body was deteriorating. It is interesting that Matthew says the fasting lasted 40 days and nights and not just 40 days. The Bible is usually careful on words. Paper was precious. Stories were short and did not use extra words. However, here we have the inclusion of the word “nights”. We may ask ourselves why this is.
It we look to other parts of the Bible, we find another passage in which it is stated someone else went without eating and drinking for 40 days and 40 nights.
Moses says, “I had gone up to the mountain to receive the stone tablets, the tablets on which was written the covenant the LORD had made with you. I stayed on the mountain 40 days and 40 nights without eating food or drinking water.” (Deuteronomy 9:9)
Here we see again the connection between Moses and Jesus, and the idea that Jesus is reliving the experience of Israel and the exodus. But even more, there is another important connection which is being made:
The LORD prepared a high fish to swallow Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish for three days and three nights. Form the belly of the fish, Jonah prayed to the LORD his God. (Jonah 2:1)
Everyone in ancient times understood that a day meant one entire day and night in sequence. The addition of the phrase “and nights” is not a usual Hebrew expression, but it was rare. When something is rare in the Bible, we need to pay attention. Later in Jesus’ ministry, He will make use of this phrase and its prophetic connections.
At this some of the scribe said, “Rabbi, we want to see a miraculous sign from you.” He replied, “A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign. None will be given but the sign of the prophet Jonah. For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the sea monster, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the depths of the earth." (Matthew 12:38-40)
Verse 3: Although I have never experienced hunger to the level which Jesus was experiencing, I am told it is very painful. The Devil, however, has an easy solution for Jesus. He tells Jesus that IF He is really the Son of God, then turn the stones into bread. The Devil is trying to sow self-doubt into Jesus.
IF: what a big word. It is meant to describe uncertainty. Have we not all heard deep within our minds: “IF you really love Jesus, He would enable you to live a perfect life?” “IF you really love Jesus, you would be able to do everything God wants you to do.” I suspect that most of us will struggle to understand and balance our new Godly nature with our old corrupted human nature. It is to be expected. It is also fertile ground for the Adversary to strike at us at any moment. What do we do? We follow out Savior’s example:
Verse 4: Jesus responded to this attack by quoting the Bible. He says from Deuteronomy 8:3 “A person does not live on food alone but on everything that comes from eh mouth of the LORD.”
This verse was spoken 1400 years earlier by Moses. The circumstance was similar. That’s look at the entire passage:
“He humbled you, allowing you to become hungry, and then fed you with manna, which neither you roe your ancestors had ever known, to make you understand that a person does not live on food alone, but on everything that comes form the mouth of the LORD.” (Deuteronomy 8:3)
God provided starving Israel with manna, but they grumbled and complained about it. They were thankful only for a moment. Would Jesus, the Son of God, behave as Israel did in the wilderness? Or would Jesus remain faithful? As the second Moses, Jesus quotes Moses and passes the test.
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