Matthew 4:3 - Exposition

The tempter ( 1 Thessalonians 3:5 only; cf. 2 Corinthians 11:3 ). Came ; came up to him ( προσελθών ) . The word expresses local nearness, and suggests, though we cannot affirm it as certain, that he appeared visibly. The thought of physical nearness is continued in "taketh him" ( Matthew 4:5 , Matthew 4:8 ), and "the devil leaveth him" and "angels came near" ( Matthew 4:11 ; cf. Matthew 4:5 , note). On the other hand, such expressions may be parabolic, and intended to express the closeness of the spiritual combat. To him; not after "came," but after "said" (Revised Version, with manuscripts). If thou be; art (Revised Version) ( ει) … εἶ )—the "if" of assumption (cf. Colossians 3:1 ). The devil does not attempt to throw doubt on the truth of the utterance in Matthew 3:17 . His words rather mean, "Thou knowest what was said, thou bast been gradually realizing that assurance of Sonship; use, then, that privilege which thou undoubtedly hast" (comp. Matthew 27:40 , where, in mockery, the same truth is assumed). Wetstein, following Origen and pseudo-Ignatius,' Philipp.,' § 9, says that the tempter did not know, or at least doubted, whether Jesus was really God, for otherwise he would never have tempted him. This is, surely, to miss the meaning of the temptation for our Lord himself; for he was tempted as Man. Satan might well haw known that he was God incarnate, and yet not have known whether as Man he might not yield. Weiss ('Life,' 1:343) mistakenly thinks that the object of this first temptation was to insinuate doubt in the mind of Jesus as to his Messiahship. "Command that these stones become bread, and if thou canst not do so, then thou art not the Son of God." Command that ; εἰπὸν ἵνα (cf. Matthew 20:21 , and Winer,§ 44:8). These stones , ie. lying about. Farrar suggests that there is a special reference to the "loaf-shaped fossils," septaria , which are found in Palestine—as, indeed, in most other countries. But though these "flattened nodules of calcareous clay, ironstone, or other matter" often assume fantastic shapes, perhaps even distantly resembling either an English loaf or a fiat Jewish cake ( vide infra ) , it seems quite unnecessary to see any allusion to them here. (For the comparison of bread and a stone, cf. Matthew 7:9 .) Be made ; Revised Version, become ; rightly, because there is no thought of the process of manufacture in γένωνται , Bread ; Revised Version margin, "Greek, loaves" ( ἄρτοι ). "The Israelites made bread in the form of an oblong or round cake, as thick as one's thumb, and as large as a plate or Platter; hence it was not cut, but [ e.g. Matthew 1:1-25 , Matthew 4:19 ] broken" (Thayer). In Luke the devil points to one stone only, and tempts him to bid it become a loaf.