Matthew
4:1-11
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Dennis A Walker,
Pastor of Holy Cross Lutheran Church of Commack, NY
A congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
- Reading the Text:
- NRSV (with link to Anglicized NRSV) at Oremus Bible Browser.
- Greek Interlinear Bible, ScrTR, ScrTR t, Strong, Parsing, CGTS, CGES id, AV.
- The Bible Gateway: NRSV, RSV, NIV, NASB, CEV, The Message, KJV, etc.
- The Blue Letter Bible. KJV, alternate versions, Greek text with concordance, commentaries.
- The World Wide Study Bible includes commentary & sermons.
- Historical References, Commentary and
Comparative Texts:
- The Five Gospels Parallels, John W. Marshall, University of Toronto.
- Chapter CIII, Chapter CXXV, Dialogue With Trypho, Justin Martyr. (c 160)
- IV.VI.6, V.XXI.2, V.XXII.1, V.XXIV.1, Adversus Haereses, Irenaeus of Lyons. (c. 180)
- Chapter VIII, On Prayer, Tertullian (c. 199)
- II.1, III.7, Paedagogus, Clement of Alexandria (c 200)
- Chapter XXVI, Chapter LXI, On the Resurrection of the Flesh, Tertullian (c. 211)
- V.6, Against Marcion, Tertullian (c. 212)
- Chapter I, Chapter XXVI, Against Praxeas, Tertullian (c. 213)
- Chapter XV, Scorpiace, Tertullian (c. 213)
- X.1, X.14, Commentary on the Gospel of John, Philocalia [anthology of Origen prepared by St. Basil and St. Gregory Nazianzen], Origen. (c.230)
- VII.LXIV, VIII.LVI, Against Celsus, Origen (c. 246)
- X.12, XII.22, XIII.9, Commentary on the Gospel of Matthew, Origen. (c.247)
- II.23, Ecclesiastical History, Eusebius of Caesarea, (c. 320).
- Homily XIII - Matthew 4:1, Homilies on the Gospel of St. Matthew, St. Chrysostom (c. 380)
- Commentary on a Harmony of the Evangelists, John Calvin, 1558: Matthew 4:1-4, Mark 1:12-13, Luke 4:1-4, Matthew 4:5-11/Mark 1:13/Luke 4:5-13.
- From the Catena Aurea, Patristic Commentary by St Thomas Aquinas.
- Sermon for the First Sunday in Lent, Martin Luther, c. 1525.
- From the Geneva Notes.
- "Christ is tempted in all manner of ways, and still overcomes, that we also through his virtue may overcome."
- From
Matthew
Henry's Commentary.
- "...great privileges, and special tokens of Divine favour, will not secure any from being tempted."
- The Temptation of
Christ (Matt 4:1-11): sermon by George Whitefield.
- "For we should do well to remember, that our blessed Lord in this great fight with, and conquest over the dragon, acted as a public person, as a federal head of his mystical body the church, even the common representative of all believers. We may therefore from this blessed passage gather strong consolations; since by our Lord's conquest over Satan, we are thereby assured of our own, and in the mean while can apply to him as a compassionate High Priest, who was in all things tempted as we are, that he might experimentally be enabled to succor us when we are tempted."
- From
Wesley's Notes.
- "Coming to him - In a visible form; probably in a human shape, as one that desired to inquire farther into the evidences of his being the Messiah."
- From the
Commentary on the Whole Bible
(Jamieson, Fausset and Brown, 1871).
- "to be tempted--The Greek word (peirazein) means simply to try or make proof of; and when ascribed to God in His dealings with men, it means, and can mean no more than this."
- From The People's
New Testament, B.W. Johnson, 1891.
- "Moses and Elijah each fasted for the same length of time. It was a period of spiritual exaltation, of meditation and prayer, of preparation for his work, and it is hardly probable that he felt the need of food."
- Contemporary Commentary, Studies, and Exegesis:
- "The Costly Choice of Freedom," Andrew Prior, 2017.
- "Of Stones and Bread," Melissa Bane Sevier, Contemplative Viewfinder, 2017.
- "Jesus Put to the Test," Commented Bible Passages from Taize, 2007.
- Radical Gratitude, lectionary-based stewardship, Northwest United Methodist Foundation. (.pdf)
- Commentary,
Matthew 4:1-11, David Lose, Preaching
This Week, WorkingPreacher.org, 2011.
- "To be Christian is not to have that hole, that need, that awareness of finitude erased once and for all. Rather, to be human is to accept that we are, finally, created for relationship with God and with each other."
- Temptation of Jesus, audio telling, story in episodes, graphic, audio and written commentaries. Go Tell Communications, Biblical Storytelling for the Global Village, 2011.
- "Into Temptation," David Lose, Working Preacher, 2011.
- "...it's important to recognize that temptation is not once and done."
- "Busy Pastors, Holy Lent," Bruce Epperly, Patheos, 2011.
- "The Devil Debriefs," Alyce McKenzie, Edgy Exegesis, Patheos, 2011.
- "In the Gospels, the present time is viewed as a showdown between God's rule as inaugurated by Jesus, and that of Satan. That bigger picture is the context for this temptation scene in Matthew 4:1-11."
- God Abstracted, Kyle Childress, The Ekklesia Project, 2011.
- "I'm Sure Milton Keynes is a Beautiful Place," Neil Chappell, aweirdthing, 2011.
- "How will your life be defined?"
- Lectionary Blogging, Lent 1, John Petty, Progressive Involvement, 2011.
- "Matthew's point of view is precisely that the Lord is among us in Jesus."
- "'Desert Tower to Angel Flight. You are cleared to land,'" Lent 1A, Peter Woods, I Am Listening, 2011.
- "It is at the point of discipline and due diligence that Jesus renders himself most vulnerable."
- Holy
Textures, Understanding the Bible in its own time and in ours, Matthew 4:1-11, David Ewart, 2011.
- "In this passage Jesus begins to demonstrate in words and deeds that he is indeed worthy of the high honour ascribed to him by angels and voices from Heaven - the Messiah, God's Son, the Beloved."
- "No Machismo," Debbie Blue, The Hardest Question, 2011.
- "The central figure of our faith at this central moment in his ministry refuses the will to power."
- Exegetical
Notes by Brian P. Stoffregen at CrossMarks Christian
Resources.
- "...'diakoneo' (from where we get "deacon") is a word that original referred to 'waiting on tables,' i.e., to serve food. Boring ("Matthew," NIB) notes the irony in this concluding verse: 'By placing the kingdom of God first, even though it meant rejecting food and the help of angels, Jesus finally receives both, thus becoming an anticipatory example of his own teaching (6:33). [p. 164]'"
- Commentary, Matthew 4:1-11, Audrey West, Preaching This Week, WorkingPreacher.org, 2008.
- "The Temptation," Gospel Analysis, Sermons from Seattle, Pastor Edward F. Markquart, Grace Lutheran Church, Seattle, Washington. Detailed background and exegesis.
- "First
Thoughts on Year A Gospel Passages in the Lectionary: Lent 1,"
William Loader, Murdoch University, Uniting Church in Australia.
- "Ultimately the focus is what it is in Matthew: doing the will of God alone and saying no to other gods. But doing the will of God needs unpacking: what is God?s will? What is God about? What then am I about?"
- Comments (commentary) and Clippings (technical notes for in-depth study), Chris Haslam, Anglican Diocese of Montreal.
-
Lectionary Commentary, Matthew 4:1-11, Cheryl Kirk-Duggan, The
African-American Lectionary, 2009.
- "This text teaches us to celebrate the power of embodying the gift of being children of God, realizing a spiritual life that daily prepares us to recognize temptation and having the tools that will allow us to see and transcend them, before they morph into addictions."
- Dylan's Lectionary Blog,
Lent 1, 2005. Biblical Scholar
Sarah Dylan Breuer looks at readings for the coming Sunday in the lectionary
of the Episcopal Church.
- "Jesus will not accept just any word from scripture as God's word to him at that moment. For Jesus, it's not just about God's truth; it's also about God's time, God's call, and most of all about God's love."
- "First Sunday in Lent: Matthew 4:1-11," New Sight, New Life: Lenten Gospels, Gracia Grindal, Word & World: Theology for Christian Ministry, Luther Northwestern Theological School, 1996.
- Matthew in the Margins, by Brian McGowan, Anglican priest in Western Australia.
- "Jesus
Tempted," Rev. Bryan Findlayson, Lectionary Bible
Studies and Sermons, Pumpkin Cottage Ministry Resources. Includes detailed
textual notes.
- "The theology of the temptation story finds its source in the Exodus, in the wilderness testing of Israel. Jesus faces a similar test, but unlike Israel, does not fail. We too face the test, and in Christ we overcome."
- Lectionary
Commentary and Preaching Paths (Lent A1), by Jirair Tashjian, at The
Christian Resource Institute.
- "Will I walk with God whether or not I get that job, whether or not that cancer is healed, whether or not my loved one pulls through a life-threatening situation? Or, am I going to put God to a test and say, If you do this for me, then you're my God, but if not, I will have nothing to do with you. The Spirit-filled life which Jesus lived was a life that was unconditionally surrendered to God regardless of the outcome."
- "The
Temptation," Larry Broding's Word-Sunday.Com: A Catholic
Resource for This Sunday's Gospel. Adult Study, Children's Story, Family
Activity, Support Materials.
- "What little delights in life tempt you? Are they hard to resist? Why?"
- "Let Go and Be Rich,"
Lent 1A,
Fr. Gerry Pierse, C.Ss.R., from Sundays Into
Silence: Reflections on the Sunday Gospels in the Light of Christian
Meditation. Claretian Publications.
- "There is a great danger in prayer forms that give us power over others: the power to draw crowds, or to elicit tears, or confessions, or to speak in tongues or to heal."
- "Dealing
With Temptation," by Greg Herrick at the Biblical
Studies Foundation.
- "Notice that Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to fast for forty days and forty nights (probably recalling by way of parallelism Israel?s 40 years in the wilderness, where she grumbled at God because of the lack of food; see Deut 8:2) and that it was when Jesus was at his weakest that the Devil came to him to tempt him. It is a safe thing to assume that the Devil will attack us when we?re at our weakest and in the area that we?re most vulnerable. In this case, it was a temptation regarding hunger and food."
- "Temptation of Christ," wikipedia.
- "Transformed on the Mountain: Ritual Analysis and the Gospel of Matthew," by K.C. Hanson, St Olaf College. From Semeia 67 (1994).
- Recommended articles
from ATLAS, an online collection of religion and theology journals, are
linked below.
ATLAS Access options are available for academic institutions, alumni of
selected theological schools, and clergy/church offices.Annotated list of "starting place" articles at ATLAS for this week's texts (includes direct links).
- Allen, William Loyd, "Matthew 4:1-11
- The Devil at the Crossroads," Review & Expositor, 1992.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Craddock, Fred B.,
"Testing that Never Ceases," The Christian Century, 1990.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Farris, Patricia, "Bedrock Truths,"
The Christian Century, 2002.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Garlington, Don B.,
"Jesus, the Unique Son of God: Tested and Faithful," Bibliotheca
Sacra, 1994.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Grindal, Gracia, "New Sight, New
Life: Lenten Gospels," Word & World, 1996.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Hanson, K.C., "Transformed on the
Mountain: Ritual Analysis and the Gospel of Matthew," Semeia,
1994.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - "Homiletical Helps," Concordia Journal, 2011. (Section on this text begins on page 66)
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerial - "Homiletical Helps on LW Series A," Concordia Journal, 2005. (Section on this text begins on page 62)
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerial - Johnson, E. Elizabeth,
"Temptation," Journal for Preachers, 2004.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Jones, J. Estill,
"The Temptation Narrative," Review & Expositor, 1956.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Kelly, Balmer H., "An Exposition of
Matthew 4:1-11," Interpretation, 1975.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Kesich, Veselin,
"Christ's Temptation in the Apocryphal Gospels and Acts,"
St Vladimir's Seminary Quarterly, 1961.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Kesich, Veselin,
"Hypostatic and Prosopic Union in the Exegesis of Christ's Temptation,"
St Vladimir's Seminary Quarterly, 1965.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Kelly, Balmer H.,
"An Exposition of Matthew 4:1-11," Interpretation, 1975.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Koyama, Kosuke,
"'Not by Bread Alone...' How Does Jesus Free and Unite Us?"
Ecumenical Review, 1975.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Lischer, Richard, "The Journey
Begins," The Christian Century, 1999.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Sahl, Joseph G.,
"The Impeccability of Jesus Christ," Bibliotheca Sacra, 1983.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Saunders, Daniel J.,
S.J.,
"The Devil and the Divinity of Christ," Theological Studies,
1948.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Schiavo, Luigi,
"The Temptation of Jesus: The Eschatological Battle and the New Ethic of the
First Followers of Jesus in Q," Journal for the Study of the New
Testament, 2002.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Sheeley, Steven, "The Exercise of
Jesus' Royal Power: Lent through Trinity Sunday," Review & Expositor,
2007.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Stegner, William Richard, "The Temptation Narrative: A Study in the Use of Scripture by Early Jewish Christians," Biblical Research, 1990.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials
- Streets, Frederick J.,
"Clarification," The Christian Century, 1993.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Sundberg, Walter, "Satan the Enemy," Word & World,
2008.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Taylor, Arch. B., Jr.,
"Decision in the Desert: The Temptation of Jesus in the Light of
Deuteronomy," Interpretation, 1960.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Taylor, Barbara Brown, "Remaining
Human," The Christian Century, 1996.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Taylor, N.H.,
"The Temptation of Jesus on the Mountain: A Palestinian Christian Polemic
against Agrippa I," Journal for the Study of the New Testament,
2001.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Thompson, Philip E.,
"Between Text & Sermon, Matthew 4:1-11," Interpretation, 2006.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Wainwright, Elaine,
"Reading Matthew 3-4: Jesus--Sage, Seer, Sophia, Son of God," Journal
for the Study of the New Testament, 2000.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Williamson, Lamar,
"Matthew 4:1-11, Expository Article," Interpretation, 1984.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Wink, Walter, "Matthew 4:1-11,
Expository Article," Interpretation, 1983.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Wolf, Carl Umhau,
"The Continuing Temptation of Christ in the Church: Searching and Preaching
on Matthew 4:1-11," Interpretation, 1966.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials
- Allen, William Loyd, "Matthew 4:1-11
- The Devil at the Crossroads," Review & Expositor, 1992.
- Sermons:
- "Temptation," Garth Wehrfritz-Hanson, 2011.
- "Choose Life!" the Rt. Rev. J. Neil Alexander, Day 1, 2010.
- "A Friend of the Devil," The Very Rev. Samuel G. Candler, Day 1, 2008.
- "The Testing Grounds of Faith," - Lent 1 - 13 February 2005, Hubert Beck, Göttinger Predigten im Internet: Every Sunday Sermons based on the RCL by a team of Lutheran theologians/ pastors.
- Pastor Edward F. Markquart, Grace Lutheran Church, Seattle, Washington - Sermons from Seattle:
- Father
Andrew M. Greeley, "Priest, Author, Sociologist," Commentary and Homily.
- Lent 1, 2008
- Lent 1, 2005
- Lent 1, 2002
- Lent 1, 1999
- Lent 1, 1996 (Dr. Mary G. Durkin)
- With Children:
- "The Temptation of Jesus," Illustrating the Story (lessons, children's sermons), coloring pages, activity sheets, crafts, children's songs. MSSS Crafts.
- "Who Says?" Charles Kirkpatrick, Sermons4kids.com.
- "It Is Written!" The Children's Chapel.
- "Jesus Says No to the Devil," Sunday School Lessons: Family Bible Study, art projects, music, stories, etc.
- "Jesus Is Tempted," children's study, puzzles, coloring sheet, etc. Higher Praise Christian Center.
- Gospel Puzzles for the Lectionary, Lent 1A, Mark Ryman, edoxy.com.
- "The Temptation of Christ," Pat Slater, sermons4kids.com.
- Drama:
- "Beneath the Desert Sun," from A Certain Jesus by Jose Ignacio and Maria Lopez Vigil. Ideal for catechetical and liturgical dramatization of today's gospel. Claretian Publications.
- "Wicked Ruler," John Cosper, Jr., dramatix.
- "The Easy Way Out," Michael English, Milton Parish Church Drama Resources.
- Graphics & Bulletin Materials:
- Clip Art, Matthew 4:3, Fr. Richard Lonsdale, Resources for Catholic Educators.
- Matthew 4:1-11, Lectionary Clipart, Hermanoleon Clipart.
- Clip Art Images: Matthew 4:1-11, Temptation of Jesus, Temptation of Jesus #2, Misioneros Del Sagrado Corazón en el Perú.
- Matthew 4:1-11, at Cerezo Barredo's weekly gospel illustration. Liberation emphasis.
- Matthew 4:1-11, Matthew 4:1-11, Liturgical Drawing, Maria d.c. Zamora, Claretian Resources, Philippines. ("Download and use these for free.")
- Matthew 4:4, Heartlight - Free Christian PowerPoint Backgrounds.
- Clip Art: Satan Tempts Jesus, Julius Schnoor von Carolsfeld woodcuts, World Mission Collection, Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod.
- Hymns and Music:
- Contemporary/Praise Song suggestions, Together to Celebrate, David MacGregor.
- Hymnary.org, hymns, scores, media, information.
- Hymns with Scripture Allusions: Matthew 4:1. The Cyber Hymnal.
- The Billabong, by Rev Jeff Shrowder, Uniting Church in Australia: scroll down for hymn suggestions.
- Hymn selections (United Methodist) and more from Hymnsite.com.
- "Our Lord, You Were Sent," Carolyn Winfrey Gilletteis a new hymn about Jesus' temptations written to the tune of FOUNDATION 11.11.11.11 ("How Firm a Foundation").
- "The Sun Beat Down Upon His Head," TEXT: Mark Ryman (2005) based on Matthew 4:1-11. TUNE: "Truro." New Hymns for the Lectionary.
- Fine Arts Images Linked at The Text This Week's Art Index:
- Movies scenes with the following themes, listed at The Text This Week's Movie Concordance:
- Study Links for the Temptation Narratives in the Other Synoptic Gospels:
- Study Links and Resources for the Book of Matthew
