Matthew 4:1 is the first verse of the fourth chapter of the Gospel of Matthew in the New Testament. This verse opens the section in Matthew dealing with the temptation of Christ by Satan. Jesus has just been baptized by John the Baptist; in this verse he is led out into the wilderness.
Content
In the King James Version of the Bible, the text reads:
:Then was Jesus led up of the
:Spirit into the wilderness
:to be tempted of the devil.
The New International Version translates the passage as:
:Then Jesus was led by the
:Spirit into the desert to
:be tempted by the devil.
The 1881 Westcott-Hort Greek text is:
:τοτε [ο] ιησους ανηχθη εις την ερημον υπο του πνευματος
:πειρασθηναι υπο του διαβολου
For a collection of other versions see BibleHub Matthew 4:1.
Analysis
The verse makes clear that the Spirit, presumably the Holy Ghost prominently mentioned two verses before in Matthew 3:16, is the one who leads Jesus into the desert. France states that it is clear that while Satan's goals were his own, the testing of Jesus was ordained by God. France also feels that tempted is a poor translation. He argues that the devil was testing Jesus. Led up refers specifically to moving upwards geographically, likely linking to climbing from the river side of the Jordan to a location of higher latitude in the wilderness. Keener notes that the specific wording may also be a reference to God leading his people into the wilderness in Exodus.
There is no evidence of what specific wilderness area is being referred to, other than that it was at a higher level than the river. Jones reports that the wilderness mentioned here has since the 5th century been believed to be the rocky and uninhabited area between Jerusalem and Jericho. A spot on Mount Quarantania is traditionally the exact location, and a Greek Orthodox monastery exists on the spot today. Jones notes that this was Jesus meeting the devil on the devil's ground. The desert is seen as outside the bounds of society and as the home of demons. Other scholars, such as France, disagree arguing that the wilderness was considered pure and holy in contrast to the corrupting cities. France also notes that Matthew 12 has the waterless desert as a place unpleasant to demons.
Matthew here uses the Greek word diabolos rather than the Hebrew satan used in Mark. Both words roughly translate as accuser, but it seems clear that both terms were understood as the name of a specific being at the time Matthew was writing. Matthew gives no details about the devil. The devil's status as a fallen angel (see Luke 10:18 & Revelation 12:9). The tail and pitchfork, and other embellishments are found nowhere in the Bible and were all products of later writings. In earlier parts of the Old Testament such as the Book of Job and 1 Chronicles the devil is portrayed as a lieutenant of God who works in a role that Albright and Mann describe as the "opposing council," testing humans on behalf of God. Over time, perhaps under the influence of Iranian dualism, Satan became the great antagonist and this was the view that was current by the time the gospels were written. However, this verse seems to somewhat echo Satan's early role as God's tester.
Augustine in his work on the Trinity, asks, "Why did He offer Himself to temptation?" He answers, "That He might be our mediator in vanquishing temptation not by aid only, but by example."
Textual witnesses
Some early manuscripts containing the text of this verse are:
- Papyrus 101 (~ 250)
- Codex Vaticanus (325-350)
- Codex Sinaiticus (330-360)
- Codex Bezae (~400)
- Codex Washingtonianus (~400)
- Codex Ephraemi Rescriptus (~450)
Commentary from the Church Fathers
Pseudo-Chrysostom: The Lord being baptized by John with water, is led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be baptized by the fire of temptation. ‘Then,’ i. e. when the voice of the Father had been given from heaven.