MATTHEW CHAPTER 4

TABLE OF CONTENTS

OBSERVATION STAGE

The purpose of the observation stage is to maintain focus on the text at hand within the normative rules of language, context and logic which limits the observer to the content offered by the book of Matthew. This will serve to avoid going on unnecessary tangents elsewhere; and more importantly, it will provide the framework for a proper and objective comparison with passages located elsewhere in Scripture.

Remember that something elsewhere may be true, but in the text at hand it may not be in view.

The last section of the previous chapter portrayed John the Baptist's baptism of Jesus:

****** EXCERPT FROM MATTHEW CHAPTER 3 ******

JESUS CAME UPON THE JORDAN RIVER TO JOHN THE BAPTIST TO BE BAPTIZED BY HIM. JOHN OBJECTED SAYING, "I HAVE NEED TO BE BAPTIZED BY YOU, AND YOU ARE COMING TO ME?" IMPLYING THAT JOHN VIEWED JESUS AS THE MESSIAH WHO WAS WITHOUT SIN, HENCE NOT NEEDING DELIVERANCE FROM SIN, NOR AN ACT SYMBOLIZING IT. NEVERTHELESS JESUS ANSWERED, "PERMIT IT TO BE SO NOW, FOR THUS IT IS FITTING FOR US TO FULFILL ALL RIGHTEOUSNESS" - A REFERENCE TO AN ACT OF SYMBOLIZING HIS MISSION - TO BE AN ATONING SACRIFICE FOR THE SINS OF THE WHOLE WORLD. WHEREUPON, JOHN BAPTIZED HIM; AND JESUS WENT UP IMMEDIATELY FROM THE WATER AND BEHOLD THE HEAVENS WERE OPENED TO HIM AND HE SAW THE SPIRIT OF GOD DESCENDING AS A DOVE COMING UPON HENCE INDWELLING HIM TO EMPOWER HIM IN HIS MISSION; AND A VOICE OUT OF THE HEAVENS, SAYING 'THIS IS MY SON - THE BELOVED, IN WHOM I HAVE FOUND DELIGHT ATTESTING TO HIS MISSION AND HIS DIETY

****** END OF EXCERPT FROM MATTHEW CHAPTER 3 ******

I) [Mt 4:1-11]:

A) IMMEDIATELY AFTER BEING BAPTIZED BY JOHN THE BAPTIST, WHICH JESUS STIPULATED WAS "TO FULFILL ALL RIGHTEOUSNESS" AS A SYMBOLLIC ACT TO BE IDENTIFIED WITH HIS MISSION TO MAKE PROVISION FOR ALL MANKIND TO BE DELIVERED FROM THEIR SINS UNTO ENTRANCE INTO THE EVERLASTING KINGDOM OF HEAVEN, JESUS WAS LED BY THE SPIRIT INTO THE WILDERNESS TO BE TEMPTED BY THE DEVIL. HE FASTED FOR FORTY DAYS AND NIGHTS AND WAS FURTHER TEMPTED BY THE DEVIL BEGINNING WITH, "IF (SINCE) YOU ARE SON OF GOD SPEAK THAT THESE STONES MAY BECOME LOAVES." JESUS ANSWERED FROM SCRIPTURE, "IT HAS BEEN WRITTEN, 'NOT UPON BREAD ALONE SHALL MAN LIVE, BUT UPON EVERY WORD COMING FORTH FROM THE MOUTH OF GOD.'

B) FOR HIS NEXT TEMPTATION, THE DEVIL TOOK JESUS TO THE HOLY CITY, (JERUSALEM), AND SET HIM ON THE PINNACLE OF THE TEMPLE. THE DEVIL TOLD JESUS, "IF YOU ARE SON OF GOD, CAST YOURSELF DOWN" IMPLYING AGAIN THAT JESUS COULD CHOOSE TO VIOLATE THE WILL OF GOD - IF THAT WERE POSSIBLE. THE DEVIL ATTEMPTED TO VALIDATE HIS TEMPTATION OF JESUS BY QUOTING SCRIPTURE IN A MANNER THAT TWISTED ITS CONTEXT. HE SAID, "TO HIS ANGELS HE [GOD] WILL GIVE CHARGE CONCERNING YOU, IN THEIR HANDS SHALL THEY BEAR YOU, LEST YOU STRIKE YOUR FOOT AGAINST A STONE." JESUS ANSWERED THE DEVIL, "IT IS WRITTEN AGAIN, 'YOU SHALL NOT TEMPT THE LORD YOUR GOD," IMPLYING THAT THE DEVIL HAD INDEED TWISTED SCRIPTURE IN ORDER TO TEMPT JESUS TO COMMIT SIN AGAINST THE WILL OF GOD - IF THAT WERE POSSIBLE

****** EXCERPT FROM PSALM 91 ******

[Compare Ps 91:1-16]:

HE WHO DWELLS IN THE SECRET PLACE OF THE MOST HIGH ABIDES IN THE PROTECTIVE SHADOW OF ALMIGHTY GOD - THE LORD IS HIS REFUGE AND FORTRESS. FOR IT IS GOD IN WHOM HE CONTINUES TO TRUST; HENCE IT IS THE LORD WHO CONTINUES TO DELIVER HIM FROM EVER PRESENT DIFFICULTIES. GOD IS HIS PROTECTOR, HE SHIELDS HIM WITH HIS TRUTH SO THAT HE IS NOT AFRAID OF WHAT MIGHT BEFALL HIM. HE SEES THE EVIL AND PLAGUES AND THE RECOMPENSE THAT THE WICKED RECEIVE ALL AROUND HIM; BUT SUCH DOES NOT BEFALL HIM. THE LORD GIVES CHARGE TO HIS MESSENGERS - HIS ANGELS - OVER THOSE THAT CONTINUE TO TRUST IN HIM. THEY PROTECT AND KEEP HIM IN ALL HIS WAYS. GOD TELLS HIM, 'BECAUSE HE HAS SET HIS LOVE UPON ME, THEREFORE I DELIVER HIM. I SET HIM ON HIGH, BECAUSE HE HAS KNOWN MY NAME. HE CALLS UPON ME AND I ANSWER HIM - FOR I AM WITH HIM IN DISTRESS. I DELIVER HIM AND HONOR HIM WITH LONG LIFE. I SATISFY HIM AND SHOW HIM MY SALVATION.'

[Compare Ps 11:7a]:

[Compare Ps 14:1-3]:

[Compare Ps 91:1-2]:

[Compare Ps 4:1a]:

[Compare Ps 32:1-2]:

[Compare Ps 91:14-16]:

****** END OF EXCERPT FROM PSALM 91 ******

B cont.) FOR HIS NEXT TEMPTATION, THE DEVIL TOOK JESUS TO THE HOLY CITY, (JERUSALEM), AND SET HIM ON THE PINNACLE OF THE TEMPLE. THE DEVIL TOLD JESUS, "IF YOU ARE SON OF GOD, CAST YOURSELF DOWN" IMPLYING AGAIN THAT JESUS COULD CHOOSE TO VIOLATE THE WILL OF GOD - IF THAT WERE POSSIBLE. THE DEVIL ATTEMPTED TO VALIDATE HIS TEMPTATION OF JESUS BY QUOTING SCRIPTURE IN A MANNER THAT TWISTED ITS CONTEXT. HE SAID, "TO HIS ANGELS HE [GOD] WILL GIVE CHARGE CONCERNING YOU, IN THEIR HANDS SHALL THEY BEAR YOU, LEST YOU STRIKE YOUR FOOT AGAINST A STONE." JESUS ANSWERED THE DEVIL, "IT IS WRITTEN AGAIN, 'YOU SHALL NOT TEMPT THE LORD YOUR GOD," IMPLYING THAT THE DEVIL HAD INDEED TWISTED SCRIPTURE IN ORDER TO TEMPT JESUS TO COMMIT SIN AGAINST THE WILL OF GOD - IF THAT WERE POSSIBLE

1) [Compare Mt 4:7]:

2) [Compare with Dt 6:16]:

C) IN THE THIRD TEMPTATION STIPULATED BY AUTHOR MATTHEW, THE DEVIL TOOK JESUS TO AN EXCEEDINGLY HIGH MOUNTAIN AND SHOWED HIM ALL THE KINGDOMS OF THE WORLD AND THEIR GLORY, IMPLYING A SUPERHUMAN CAPACITY. ALTHOUGH A FINITE CREATURE, INFERIOR TO JESUS WHO IS UNCREATED DIETY, THE DEVIL ARROGANTLY OFFERED THE SON OF GOD RULERSHIP OF THE WORLD IF JESUS WOULD FALL DOWN AND WORSHIP HIM - IF IT WERE POSSIBLE FOR RIGHTEOUS, ALMIGHTY GOD TO WORSHIP A SINFULLY FLAWED, FINITE, CREATED BEING - AND IT WAS NOT. THE DEVIL THOUGHT IT WAS POSSIBLE, EVIDENTLY NEITHER BELIEVING IN JESUS' DIETY, NOR WORSHIPPING ALMIGHTY GOD AS SOVEREIGN. THE DEVIL FALSELY IMPLIED THAT HE HAD ABSOLUTE RULERSHIP OVER THE WORLD, HENCE HE FALSELY CLAIMED TO BE ABLE TO GIVE THE KINGDOMS OF THE WORLD TO WHOMEVER HE CHOSE, BUT GOD HAD PROMISED TO GIVE HIS SON RULERSHIP OVER THE WORLD. JESUS RESPONDED, "GET YOU AWAY, BEHIND ME, SATAN; IT HAS BEEN WRITTEN FOR THE LORD YOUR GOD SHALL YOU WORSHIP, AND HIM ALONE SHALL YOU SERVE."

1) [Compare Dt 6:13-15]:

II) [Mt 4:12-17]:

A) WHEN JESUS HEARD THAT JOHN THE BAPTIST WAS PUT INTO PRISON, HE LEFT NAZARETH AND WITHDREW INTO GALILEE TO CAPERNAUM BY THE SEA OF GALILEE, WHICH WAS WITHIN THE BORDER OF THE ANCIENT ISRAELITE TRIBES OF ZEBULUN AND NAPHTALI. AUTHOR MATTHEW DECLARED THAT THIS FULFILLED WHAT THE PROPHET ISAIAH SPOKE ABOUT - THAT IN THIS REGION IN GALILEE THE PEOPLE SAT IN DARKNESS, IN THE SHADOW OF DEATH; BUT THEY WOULD SEE A GREAT LIGHT WHICH WOULD ARISE TO THEM - A LIGHT WHO REPRESENTED GOD'S BLESSINGS, PRESENCE AND REVELATION CHARACTERIZED BY HIS ABSOLUTE RIGHTEOUSNESS. THAT LIGHT WAS JESUS CHRIST WHO BEGAN TO PREACH THERE AND SAY, 'REPENT, FOR THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS AT HAND.

1) [Compare Isa 9:1-2]:

**** EXCERPT FROM ISAIAH CHAPTER 9 ****

FOR A FUTURE GENERATION, THE GLOOM OF DISTRESS UPON ISRAEL LIKE THAT CAUSED BY ASSYRIAN OPRESSION WOULD BE NO MORE. THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL WOULD SEE A GREAT LIGHT FROM THE LORD SHINING UPON THEM. THE NATION WOULD BE MULTIPLIED AND THE LORD WOULD INCREASE THEIR JOY - LIKE THE REJOICING AT HARVEST TIME OR WHEN MEN DIVIDE THE SPOILS. IN THE MANNER THAT THE LORD SUPERNATURALLY PROVIDED VICTORY FOR GIDEON AND ISRAEL OVER THE MIDIANITES, SO THERE WOULD BE AN END TO OPPRESSION AND WAR: FOR UNTO ISRAEL A CHILD WOULD BE BORN. TO HIS PEOPLE ISRAEL THE LORD WOULD GIVE A SON - HIS SON. THE GOVERNMENT WOULD BE UPON HIS SHOULDER; AND HIS NAME WOULD BE CALLED WONDERFUL, COUNSELOR, MIGHTY GOD, EVERLASTING FATHER, PRINCE OF PEACE. AND OF THE INCREASE OF HIS GOVERNMENT AND PEACE THERE WOULD BE NO END. HE WOULD RULE HIS KINGDOM AND THE WORLD FROM THE THRONE OF DAVID - ESTABLISHING JUDGMENT AND JUSTICE FOREVER. ALL OF THIS WOULD BE ACCOMPLISHED THROUGH THE ZEAL OF THE LORD OF HOSTS

[Compare Isa 10:24-27]:

[Compare Isa 7:14]:

**** ..FROM ISAIAH CHAPTER 9

END OF EXCERPT FROM ISAIAH CHAPTER 9 ****

A cont.) WHEN JESUS HEARD THAT JOHN THE BAPTIST WAS PUT INTO PRISON, HE LEFT NAZARETH AND WITHDREW INTO GALILEE TO CAPERNAUM BY THE SEA OF GALILEE, WHICH WAS WITHIN THE BORDER OF THE ANCIENT ISRAELITE TRIBES OF ZEBULUN AND NAPHTALI. AUTHOR MATTHEW DECLARED THAT THIS FULFILLED WHAT THE PROPHET ISAIAH SPOKE ABOUT - THAT IN THIS REGION IN GALILEE THE PEOPLE SAT IN DARKNESS, IN THE SHADOW OF DEATH, BUT THEY WOULD SEE A GREAT LIGHT WHICH WOULD ARISE TO THEM. THAT LIGHT WAS JESUS WHO BEGAN TO PREACH THERE AND SAY, 'REPENT, FOR THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS AT HAND,' (cont.) =

1) So From The Time Of John The Baptist's Incarceration And Jesus' Consequent Moving To Capernaum, Jesus Began To Preach Just As John The Baptist Had, He Said, "Repent, For The Kingdom Of Heaven Is At Hand."

****** EXCERPTS FROM MATTHEW 3 & ISAIAH ******

IN THE DAYS WHEN JESUS RESIDED IN NAZARETH, JOHN THE BAPTIST CAME PREACHING IN THE WILDERNESS OF JUDEA SAYING "REPENT FOR THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS AT HAND." AUTHOR MATTHEW DECLARED THAT JOHN WAS THE PROPHET SPOKEN OF BY ISAIAH - A VOICE OF ONE CRYING OUT IN THE WILDERNESS: 'PREPARE THE WAY OF THE LORD, STRAIGHT MAKE HIS PATHS' - A FIGURATIVE MESSAGE WHICH CONVEYED THE SPIRITUAL MEANING THAT IF EVERY ONE OF ISRAEL TRUSTED ALONE IN THE LORD ALONE TO DELIVER ONE FROM ONE'S SINS AND BE PROVIDED WITH THE GIFT OF GOD'S PERFECT RIGHTEOUSNESS WITHIN ONESELF THEN THAT WOULD PREPARE THE WAY OF THE LORD AND HE WOULD COME AT THAT TIME TO RULE. THIS WAS TO BEGIN AS A CHILD BORN OF AN ISRAELITE MAIDEN / VIRGIN - A SON AND CHILD OF ISRAEL; DESCRIBED IN ISAIAH TO BE WONDERFUL, COUNSELOR, MIGHTY GOD, EVERLASTING FATHER, PRINCE OF PEACE; AND SHOULD ALL ISRAEL BELIEVE IT WOULD BE COMPLETED BY THE LORD'S ESTABLISHING OF HIS EVERLASTING KINGDOM OF HEAVEN RULE OVER THE WORLD ON THE THRONE OF DAVID FROM JERUSALEM THROUGH HIS PEOPLE, ISRAEL

[Compare Mt 1:18-23]:

[Compare Mt 3:1-3]:

[Compare with Isa 40:1-5]:

****** EXCERPTS FROM THE BOOK OF ISAIAH *******

IN VIEW OF THE IMMINENT RETURN IN ANCIENT TIMES OF ISRAEL FROM BABYLONIAN CAPTIVITY TO A JERUSALEM WHICH WOULD BE REBUILT, A VOICE OF A PROPHET CRIED OUT TO THE PEOPLE OF JERUSALEM TELLING THEM IN A FIGURATIVE / SPIRITUAL SENSE, NOT A LITERAL SENSE, THAT IN THE WILDERNESS THEY WERE ALL TO PREPARE THE WAY OF THE LORD IN THE SENSE OF MAKING THE WAY OF THE LORD RIGHTEOUS; AND IN THE SAME SENSE, MAKE A STRAIGHT HIGHWAY FOR OUR GOD IN THE DESERT, AND LIKEWISE HAVE EVERY VALLEY LIFTED UP, EVERY MOUNTAIN AND HILL LEVELED, AND UNEVEN GROUND BECOME SMOOTH AND ROUGH PLACES A PLAIN, I.E., SO THAT THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL WOULD BE CHARACTERIZED AS HAVING THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD THUS HAVING REMOVED THE SPIRITUAL HINDRANCES WITHIN THEMSELVES TO THE COMING OF THE LORD AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS SO THAT ALL MANKIND WOULD SEE THE GLORY OF THE LORD WHEN HE COMES TO RULE OVER HIS EVERLASTING KINGDOM OF HEAVEN ON THE EARTH, AS DECLARED BY THE PROPHET TO BE TRUE, FOR ISAIAH DECLARED THAT THE MOUTH OF THE LORD HAD SPOKEN IT TO HIM. SO THE TIME OF THE LORD'S RULE WOULD BEGIN WHEN EACH ONE OF NATIONAL ISRAEL, TO WHOM THE MESSAGE OF THE PROPHET CRYING OUT WAS EXCLUSIVELY DIRECTED, RESPONDED TO IT EVIDENTLY VIA A MOMENT OF FAITH ALONE IN THE COMING LORD ALONE TO DELIVER ONE FROM ONE'S SINS SUCH THAT EACH ONE WOULD BE PROVIDED WITH THE GIFT OF GOD'S PERFECT RIGHTEOUSNESS WITHIN ONESELF UNTO ETERNAL LIFE AND BY THAT PREPARE THE WAY OF THE LORD TO COME TO RULE OVER HIS EVERLASTING KINGDOM OF HEAVEN ON THE EARTH THROUGH HIS PEOPLE ISRAEL. ISAIAH INDICATED PREVIOUSLY THAT THIS OUTCOME WAS TO BEGIN WITH A CHILD BORN SUPERNATURALLY OF AN ISRAELITE MAIDEN / VIRGIN - A SON AND CHILD OF ISRAEL, WHO WOULD BE DECLARED WONDERFUL, COUNSELOR, MIGHTY GOD, EVERLASTING FATHER, PRINCE OF PEACE WHO WOULD COME TO ESTABLISH HIS EVERLASTING KINGDOM OF HEAVEN RULE OVER THE WORLD UPON THE THRONE OF DAVID FROM JERUSALEM THROUGH HIS PEOPLE, ISRAEL AS BOTH GOD AND MAN

[Compare Isa 7:14-16]:

[Compare Mt 1:18-23]:

[Compare Isa 9:6-7]:

[Compare Isa 6:3 NKJV]:

****** END OF EXCERPTS FROM MATTHEW & ISAIAH ******

A cont.) WHEN JESUS HEARD THAT JOHN THE BAPTIST WAS PUT INTO PRISON, HE LEFT NAZARETH AND WITHDREW INTO GALILEE TO CAPERNAUM BY THE SEA OF GALILEE, WHICH WAS WITHIN THE BORDER OF THE ANCIENT ISRAELITE TRIBES OF ZEBULUN AND NAPHTALI. AUTHOR MATTHEW DECLARED THAT THIS FULFILLED WHAT THE PROPHET ISAIAH SPOKE ABOUT - THAT IN THIS REGION IN GALILEE THE PEOPLE SAT IN DARKNESS, IN THE SHADOW OF DEATH, BUT THEY WOULD SEE A GREAT LIGHT WHICH WOULD ARISE TO THEM. THAT LIGHT WAS JESUS WHO BEGAN TO PREACH THERE AND SAY, 'REPENT, FOR THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS AT HAND,' (cont.) =

1) Note That For A Time, It Was Evident That Jesus Did Not Make It Clear That He Himself Was The Messiah - Until He Began Performing Miraculous Healing

III) [Mt 4:18-25]:

A) AS JESUS WAS WALKING BY THE SEA OF GALILEE, HE SAW SIMON, CALLED PETER AND ANDREW HIS BROTHER, CASTING A NET INTO THE SEA; FOR THEY WERE FISHERMEN. JESUS SAID, "COME, FOLLOW ME, AND I WILL MAKE YOU FISHERS OF MEN." THEY IMMEDIATELY LEFT AND FOLLOWED HIM. FURTHER ON FROM THERE, HE SAW TWO OTHER BROTHERS, JAMES AND JOHN IN THE BOAT WITH THEIR FATHER ZEBEDEE, MENDING THEIR NETS. HE CALLED THEM AND THEY IMMEDIATELY LEFT THE BOAT AND THEIR FATHER AND FOLLOWED HIM.

B) JESUS WENT THROUGHOUT ALL GALILEE TEACHING IN THE SYNAGOGUES, PROCLAIMING THE GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM - MAINLY TO JEWS; AND HEALING EVERY KIND OF DISEASE AND SICKNESS. THE REPORTS ABOUT HIM WENT OUT INTO ALL SYRIA, FROM WHERE THEY BROUGHT TO HIM ALL THE SICK - AND HE HEALED THEM TOO. FURTHERMORE, LARGE CROWDS FOLLOWED HIM FROM GALILEE, DECAPOLIS, JERUSALEM, JUDEA AND BEYOND THE JORDAN

CONTINUE TO MATTHEW CHAPTER 5