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Matthew 4: Beginning of Jesus’ Ministry
Why did Jesus go into the wilderness?
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Matthew 4:1–2 The Holy Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness to be tempted by Satan. For forty days, Jesus fasted, eating nothing at all. Afterward, it was time to eat.
Matthew 6:13 “‘Keep us from temptation and protect us from evil. For yours is the Kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.'”
James 1:12–13 Blessed are those who persevere and pass the test, for you will be rewarded with the abundant life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. When your faith is tested, never say God is tempting you to do wrong, for God can do no wrong and his purpose is always good.
King James
Matthew 4:1–2 Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.
Matthew 6:13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
James 1:12–13 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:
What do you think motivated Jesus to fast?
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Matthew 4:2 For forty days, Jesus fasted, eating nothing at all. Afterward, it was time to eat.
King James
Matthew 4:2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.
After fasting forty days, how hungry would Jesus have been?
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Matthew 4:2 For forty days, Jesus fasted, eating nothing at all. Afterward, it was time to eat.
King James
Matthew 4:2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.
Why didn’t Satan tempt Jesus to make bread earlier?
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Matthew 4:2–3 For forty days, Jesus fasted, eating nothing at all. Afterward, it was time to eat. The tempter came and said, “Since you are the Son of God, command these stones to become bread.”
King James
Matthew 4:2–3 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred. And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.
What reasons did Jesus have for following Satan’s suggestion? What reasons did he have to say no?
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Matthew 4:2–4 For forty days, Jesus fasted, eating nothing at all. Afterward, it was time to eat. The tempter came and said, “Since you are the Son of God, command these stones to become bread.” 4 Jesus refused, quoting from Deuteronomy: “People do not live by bread only but by everything God says.“
King James
Matthew 4:2–4 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred. And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
Luke lists the temptations in a different order, with Satan offering his kingdoms second. Which do you think is correct? Why?
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Matthew 4:5–6 After that, Satan took him to the Temple in Jerusalem and stood him on a high place. “Since you are the Son of God, jump. For it is written in the Psalms: God will command his angels to protect you. They will hold you in their hands lest you strike your foot against a stone.“
Luke 4:5–7 Satan took him to a high mountain and showed him the kingdoms of this world. “I will give you all this power and glory,” he said. “I can give it to anyone I please. Simply worship me, and you can have it all.”
King James
Matthew 4:5–6 Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, and saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.
Luke 4:5–7 And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it. If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine.
How could a flying leap over an abyss without a parachute be a valid temptation?
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Matthew 4:5–6 After that, Satan took him to the Temple in Jerusalem and stood him on a high place. “Since you are the Son of God, jump. For it is written in the Psalms: God will command his angels to protect you. They will hold you in their hands lest you strike your foot against a stone.“
King James
Matthew 4:5–6 Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, and saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.
What was the basis for Jesus’ refusal to jump?
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Matthew 4:7 “It is also written,” Jesus said, quoting from another Deuteronomy passage, “You must not test the Lord your God.“
King James
Matthew 4:7 Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.
How was Satan offering the world’s kingdoms a reasonable enticement? What did Jesus have to gain and lose by accepting the offer?
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Matthew 4:8–9 Once more, Satan took him to a high mountain and showed him the magnificence of the kingdoms of this world. “I will give you all of this,” he said, “if you will bow and worship me.”
King James
Matthew 4:8–9 Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; and saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.
What do the three rejections by Jesus have in common?
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Matthew 4:4 Jesus refused, quoting from Deuteronomy: “People do not live by bread only but by everything God says.“
Matthew 4:7 “It is also written,” Jesus said, quoting from another Deuteronomy passage, “You must not test the Lord your God.“
Matthew 4:10 Again, Jesus refused. “Get out of here, Satan. The scriptures say: Love the Lord your God and serve only him.“
King James
Matthew 4:4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
Matthew 4:7 Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.
Matthew 4:10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
After Satan left, how did the angels minister to Jesus?
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Matthew 4:11 Then Satan left, and angels came and ministered to Jesus.
King James
Matthew 4:11 Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.
Why did Jesus go to Galilee after hearing that John was in prison?
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Matthew 4:12 After hearing that John had been put in prison, Jesus left Judea and went to Galilee.
King James
Matthew 4:12 Now when Jesus had heard that John was cast into prison, he departed into Galilee;
What reasons did Jesus have for settling in Capernaum instead of Nazareth?
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Matthew 4:13–16 Jesus left Nazareth and settled in Capernaum by the Sea of Galilee, a town in the area of Zebulun and Naphtali. This fulfilled the prophecy that Isaiah wrote: Darkness will not last forever. The insignificant land of Zebulun and Naphtali, between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea, will be a glory to the nation. People who walk in darkness will see a bright light. Upon those who live under dark shadows of death, the light will shine.
Luke 4:16 Jesus came to Nazareth, his boyhood home. As usual, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath. When he stood to read,
Luke 4:29–30 They dragged him out of the synagogue, through the town, and to the brow of the hill on which the town was built. They intended to push him over the cliff, but he walked right through the crowd and went on his way.
King James
Matthew 4:13–16 And leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is upon the sea coast, in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim: That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, The land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles; The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up.
Luke 4:16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read.
Luke 4:29–30 And rose up, and thrust him out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong. But he passing through the midst of them went his way,
How might people have understood Jesus’ message that the Kingdom of Heaven was near?
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Matthew 4:17 After that, Jesus began to preach, “Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.”
King James
Matthew 4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
What motivated Peter and his brother to immediately leave their fishing business and follow Jesus?
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Matthew 4:18–20 As Jesus walked along the seashore of Galilee, he saw Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew casting a net into the water, for they were fishermen. “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” At once, they left their nets and followed him.
John 1:40–41 One of the two disciples who heard John and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. Before John reached his brother James, Andrew reached his own brother Simon and said, “We have found the Messiah, the Anointed One.”
King James
Matthew 4:18–20 And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. And they straightway left their nets, and followed him.
John 1:40–41 One of the two which heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ.
How do you think Zebedee reacted when he saw his sons leaving to follow Jesus?
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Matthew 4:21–22 A little farther up the shore, he saw James and his brother John in a boat with their father, Zebedee, mending their nets. As soon as he called out to them, they left their boat and followed him.
King James
Matthew 4:21–22 And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them. And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him.
What was the “good news of the Kingdom” that Jesus preached?
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Matthew 4:23 Throughout Galilee, Jesus taught in the synagogues, preached the good news of the Kingdom, and healed people who had every kind of disease and sickness.
King James
Matthew 4:23 And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.
What was the reason for Jesus’ popularity?
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Matthew 4:24–25 News spread all the way through Syria. Soon, people brought those who suffered from various diseases, seizures, or paralysis, and were tormented by evil spirits. He healed them all. Great multitudes from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and from beyond Jordan followed him wherever he went.
King James
Matthew 4:24–25 And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatick, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them. And there followed him great multitudes of people from Galilee, and from Decapolis, and from Jerusalem, and from Judaea, and from beyond Jordan.