by bread alone, but by every | teth him on a pinnacle of the word that proceedeth out of the temple, mouth of God. 5 Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, m and set m Ne.11.1. c.27.53. voice from heaven. It was a fundamental point, involving a recognition of His person and work, and the acceptance of His offices in heaven. Wherefore Satan joins issue upon this. Observe, this point of Christ's true and proper Divinity involves the whole Christian religion. Satan and all Christ's enemies will principally contest this. They who deny that Christ is God, must repudiate all His claims, as did the Jews. Command. The devil acknowledges that He who is the Son of God must be omnipotent-God himself. If thou be command. This was a temptation to Christ, only as an assault from the devil-not as an attraction in itself. It challenged Him to distrust the plan | and promise of the Father. The act would have been wrong, as it was proposed and understood, viz., to break through the Divine plan. 4. But he answered. This is quoted from Deut. 8.3. These are the words of Moses, spoken of the manna, which was furnished Israel when a hungered in the wilderness, and which was so extraordinarily supplied. This was sent to show, that beyond all common resources, God has boundless means of providence, and that He is to be lived upon, in His word of promise and in His work of power and grace. "I am that bread." John 6. Give us day by day the bread which every day requires. Only they know how to live, who live upon God's covenant. He gives himself to us for a portion, "I am the Lord thy God." Temptation often assaults us through the appetites, and appeals to us on the ground of necessity. But always is it to be resisted by the express word of Scripture. 5. Taketh Him up. Not against His will, for the word has no such meaning. There was a personal 6 And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He n Ps.91.11,12 agency of the devil; and Christ, though led to the holy city, was not led into sin. Christ submitted to this as He submitted to death. The city of Jerusalem was called the holy city, as it was the seat of the Jewish religion; and "holy" in the ceremonial sense of being set apart for a sacred use. The inscription on their coins was, "Jerusalem the holy.- -T Pinnacle (or wing) of the temple. The temple was that immense building on the top of Mount Moriah, which had been rebuilt and adorned till it rivalled that of Solomon on the same site. This wing was probably the projecting tower, called the king's portico, which, says Josephus (lib. xv., ch. 2, 5), "was one of the most remarkable works ever seen under the sun. For, whereas, the valley (of Jehoshaphat or Cedron) was so deep and precipitous that one could not bear to look down it, on the very edge of this precipice Herod raised the immense height of this tower, so that if any one from the peak of this roof should look down through both these depths at once, he would be seized with dizziness," &c. This was some seven hundred feet in height. (See Union Bib. Dictionary, and Plate of Ancient Jerusalem.) 6. From this height Christ was challenged by Satan to cast himself down; and now the challenge was based upon Scripture. It is found in Psalm 91. 11, 12. It was an attack upon Christ on the Scriptural ground, where He had just resisted the tempt er. It was a challenge to presumption, as before it had been to distrust. This passage is a promise to the righteous, of God's providential care extending to all their steps (Ps. 91. 1). Satan now dares the Saviour to test the truth of that promise, and as 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. 7 Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. 8 Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the o De.6.16. had just expressed His implicit confidence in God's word to this effect, to give a signal proof of it now. And again observe, he dares Him to prove His divinity. But God's promises are not to the presumptuous; nor will they encourage presumption. As Christ here encounters temptation for His people, so He sets a pattern of resistance, and draws for them the lessons which are to serve them in all their life. The angels have doubtless many services of protection and deliverance to perform for the righteous. They are the pure, unfallen spirits in heaven. See the case of Daniel (3. 28); of Peter (Acts 5. 19). 7. It is written again. Christ replies by another quotation of Scripture (Deut. 6. 16). To tempt means to try to dare. Thou shalt not PROVOKE God by a vain foolhardiness, and by putting His promises to a rash and daring test. This is vastly dif ferent from an humble trust. 8. An exceeding high mountain. This is Christ's next position in the assault of Satan. There were lofty peaks, as Nebo (Deut. 34. 1–3), which commanded a most extensive view. And here the suggestion was made to Him of universal, temporal power. "All the kingdoms of the world" could not have been seen with the natural eye-even the kingdoms of Palestine" in a moment of time" (as Luke has it), even if a point of observation could have been found. Nor could even the widest view from any known peak have been surveyed so kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; 9 And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. 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. p De.6.13. 1 Sa.7.3. instantaneously. The temptation lay in the foul suggestion, which Christ so instantly repelled. The glory of the kingdoms (their wealth, and pride, and power) was shown Him. It was most likely, when He was on some such commanding summit, with vast worldly greatness lying in the view, that this suggestion of the adversary was made. It implied no sin in Christ, and it led to none. Christ had not where to lay His head. 9. Will I give thee. Satan claimed all earthly glory as his (Luke 4. 6), to keep or to give away, and as given to him. Though Satan is "the prince of this world," as having a temporary dominion here, and having many subjects, yet the kingdoms belong to Christ (Ps. 22. 28), "and he is the Governor among the nations." power is given unto Him in heaven and on earth." Satan's promises are impious delusions. "He is a liar, and the father of it" (John 8. 44). "All 10. Christ again resists, with the Scripture. He shows from the law (Dut. 6. 13; 10. 20), that as a man He could not warrantably worship any but God himself, because there was no other proper object of religious worship, and no man can serve two masters (Matt. 6. 24). The first commandment involves the whole law. Even devil-worship is here proposed to Christ by offers of the world! Even the best on earth may be assailed by the most horrible temptations. And worldly offers often involve such horrid things. Yet Satan succeeds 11 Then the devil leaveth him, and behold, angels came and ministered unto him. q He.1.6,14. with men in these. But "whosoever will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God." We should repel them at once, on the authority of the Most High, and with "the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God" (Ephes. 6. 17). 11. Leaveth Him. Luke adds, "for a season" (ch. 4. 13). There was a victory. But it did not annihilate Satan, or chain him down as yet. Only God's covenant preserves the Christian from the worst effects of Satan's rage and malice, and He will not suffer them to be tempted above what they are able to bear. 1 Cor. 10. 13. 2 Pet. 2. 9. John 10. 28, 29. Ob 12 Now when Jesus had heard that John was cast into prison, he departed into Galilee: 1 Or, delivered up. serve the condescension of Christ to be tempted for us. The holiest on earth may fall into temptation. vs. 1. Resistance has a promise of success, now, by virtue of Christ's triumph. Heb. 2. 17, 18; 4. 15, 16. We may expect repeated assaults and buffetings. They were thrice repeated here, and then, the devil departed only for a season. Those especially who have had tokens of acceptance from above, may expect the adversary. vs. 1-2. There is, in the Scripture, a direction and reply for every form of Satan's attack (vs. 4, 7, and 10), and the Word of God is the sword of the Spirit. vs. 11. the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim: 14 That it might be fulfilled The important point of order here to be noted is, that Christ's preaching appears as depending on the cessation of that of John. This was John the Baptist, as distinguished from John the Evangelist. For an account of his imprisonment, see ch. 14. 3-5. Mark 6. 17-19. John had reproved Herod for marrying his brother Philip's wife; to do which, he had put away his own wife, and Herodias had put away her own husband. See Mark 10. 12. As John decreased Christ increased. The kingdom of this Herod (Antipas) was Galilee and Perea. § 25. Our Lord's Discourse with the Sa- § 26. Jesus teaches publicly in Galilee. § 28. JESUS AT NAZARETH. HE IS REJECTED, Ca Christ and His doctrines of grace, 14-16. This prophecy, which was tion. John 3. 19. Christ himself is the great source of all the light that men need. John 8. 12. "The light of the world." John 1. 8. Isa. 42. 6; 49.6. Mal. 4. 2. Christians are described accordingly, as "in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom they shine (or, SHINE YE) as lights (or light bearers) in the world, holding forth the word of life." Phil. 2. 15. Observe, that sin and misery go together, and Christ is the only salvation. What a privilege is the light of the Gospel. See Isa. 60. 2. The most enlightened are in darkness until Christ arise upon their souls. Only He who commanded the light to shine out of darkness can shine in our hearts. 2 Cor. 4. 6. Matt. GALILEE.] thus fulfilled, is found in Isaiah 9. 1, 2. The sense of the passage is, that the land which in the former time He debased-the land of Zabulon and the land of Nephthalim-the maritime district-the country adjacent to the sea, and beyond the Jordan (or around its head), called “ Galilee of the Gentiles”—this land he shall make, or hath made glorious. This was the district which first suffered in the Assyrian invasion. This district, or Upper Galilee, was bounded N. by Mount Lebanon and the countries of Tyre and Sidon, W. by the Mediterranean Sea, E. by Abilene, Ithurea, and Decapolis, and S. by Lower Galilee. It was called Galilee of the Gentiles (or the nations), from its having a more mixed population-less purely Jewish than the others. Cæsarea [ 26. JESUS TEACHES PUBLICLY IN Philippi was its principal city. See 1 Kings 9. 11. Sat in darkness. This expresses spiritual blindness and extreme distress. They were involved in ignorance of true religion, most distressing and destructive, in which, if they continued, they must perish. Hence it was fitly called, the region and shadow of death-like the grave, a region where moral death dwelt and cast his dreadful shadow. The country of Galilee was noted for a turbulent, coarse, rebellious, and benighted people. See Luke 13. 1 and 23. 6. The Gospel of Christ was the great light which had sprung up. Christ is "the true light." John 1.9 and 3. 19. 1 Pet. 2. 9. 1 John 1.5 and 2. 8. Heathen lands-Pagan and Mohammedan-may now be said to be in this condition. Nothing but the Gospel can enlighten them. Many of these countries are now open to receive it. Yet multitudes in Christian lands, who have the Gospel, are sitting in darkness. And this is the condemna Mark. 1 Luke. John. 4. 17 1. 14-15 4. 14-15 4. 43-45 17. From that time. This calls more direct attention to the commencement of Christ's preaching. It was important, as connected with John's ceasing. But here it is, as yet, stated only in general terms. Hence this announcement may be regarded as coming in order, properly, before the account at Nazareth (vs. 13-16). Peter, at Cæsarea, after the resurrection, preaches the Gospel as "that word which was published throughout all Judea, and began from Galilee after the baptism which John preached." Acts 11. 37.—¶ To preach, is to proclaim a message on a religious subject (as, "preaching the Gospel," Luke 9. 6). Christ usually went about from place to place, preaching in their houses of worship. Luke 4. 15. Mark 4. 15. "And He taught in their synagogues.” "He went about teaching |