Thursday, January 6, 2011

Matthew 4


Jesus Is Tested in the Wilderness
1 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempteda]">[a] by the devil. 2 After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”

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

5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point 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.’c]">[c]

7 Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’d]">[d]

8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9 “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”

10 Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’e]">[e]

11 Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.

Jesus Begins to Preach
12 When Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, he withdrew to Galilee. 13 Leaving Nazareth, he went and lived in Capernaum, which was by the lake in the area of Zebulun and Naphtali— 14 to fulfill what was said through the prophet Isaiah:

15 “Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali,
the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan,
Galilee of the Gentiles—
16 the people living in darkness
have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of the shadow of death
a light has dawned.”f]">[f]

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

Jesus Calls His First Disciples
18 As 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 lake, for they were fishermen. 19 “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” 20 At once they left their nets and followed him.

21 Going 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, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, 22 and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.

Jesus Heals the Sick
23 Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. 24 News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed; and he healed them. 25 Large crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis,g]">[g] Jerusalem, Judea and the region across the Jordan followed him.
Footnotes:
  1. Matthew 4:1 The Greek for tempted can also mean tested.
  2. Matthew 4:4 Deut. 8:3
  3. Matthew 4:6 Psalm 91:11,12
  4. Matthew 4:7 Deut. 6:16
  5. Matthew 4:10 Deut. 6:13
  6. Matthew 4:16 Isaiah 9:1,2
  7. Matthew 4:25 That is, the Ten Cities

1 comment:

  1. I love reading the gospels... the life of Jesus Christ is amazing...

    So we go from the baptism of Jesus straight to the temptation of Jesus. I read that we should notice how His temptations came immediately came after His baptism and how many Christians face some of their greatest struggles soon after their conversion or some act of recommitment rather than before. Let us not be surprised if this happens to us this new year and continue to hunger for God and to be filled with His Holy Spirit.

    After all, our temptations probably do not even compare to the ones that Jesus Christ faced. Let us pray for help since Jesus is interceding for us at this very moment (Rom 8:34). To read more on temptations, check out James 1. Amazing stuff~~~~

    Another way Scripture ties in perfectly together from the OT to the NT (from Jesus and the Gospels by Craig Blomberg)

    Jesus' temptations:
    1. stones into bread
    2. see all kingdoms
    3. save life spectacularly

    Adam & Eve's temptations:
    1. tree was good for food
    2. pleasing to the eye
    3. desirable for gaining wisdom (serpent: so as not to die)

    1 John 2:16
    1. lust of the flesh
    2. lust of the eyes
    3. pride of life

    So amazing to me how Scripture is!!! I believe it is the true Word of God!!!

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