Matthew 4: The Tempting of the King
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I. The Messiah Confronts Sin and Evil
I. The Messiah Confronts Sin and Evil
Recap: Jesus is the new: Adam
Isaac
Moses
David
Solomon
A. Jesus comes to battle Israel’s real enemy – the devil
II. Jesus is Tempted in the Wilderness (Matthew 4:1-11)
The Ignatius Catholic Study Bible:
4:1–11 Matthew’s temptation narrative recounts Jesus’ spiritual preparation for ministry. ● The event contrasts the disobedience of ancient Israel with the obedience of Jesus, representative of the new Israel:
(1) Israel and Jesus are both called God’s son (3:17; Ex 4:22); - God wanted Israel to be his firstborn son and a big brother to the nations
(2) the temptations of both Israel and Jesus are preceded by a baptism (3:13–17; 1 Cor 10:1–5); (3) Israel was tested for 40 years, Jesus is tempted for forty days and forty nights (4:2);
(4) Israel failed its wilderness testing, while Jesus triumphs over Satan through obedience and self-abasement (4:11).
These parallels are supported by Jesus’ three responses (4:4, 7, 10) to the devil taken from Deut 6–8. These texts (Deut 8:3; 6:16; 6:13) warned the Israelites against disobedience and reminded them of God’s provisions in the wilderness (CCC 538–39).
● Morally (St. John Chrysostom, Hom. in Matt. 8): Jesus’ victory sets an example for Christian obedience. Earthly life is a wilderness trial for God’s people en route to the land of heaven. Through this probationary period, God wills the faithful to overcome temptations from the world, the flesh, and the devil. Triumph is possible through penance and obedience to God’s word. Rather than earthly bread and power, the faithful must desire the food of God’s will and the humility of Christ (11:29; Jn 4:34). The battle successfully won merits heavenly comfort in the company of angels (4:11). The Church annually reminds us of this life-long vocation during the 40 days of Lent (CCC 540, 2849).
The three temptations cover the same ground as “the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life” (1 John 2:16) in which St John sums up the evil of the world. (Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges) - do these correspond to Ignatius’ pride, vanity, lust?
1 Corinthians 10:1-5
10 I want you to know, brethren, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, 2 and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, 3 and all ate the same supernatural[a] food 4 and all drank the same supernatural[b] drink. For they drank from the supernatural[c] Rock which followed them, and the Rock was Christ. 5 Nevertheless with most of them God was not pleased; for they were overthrown in the wilderness.
A. Jesus relives the life of Israel, but he trusts the Father
1. Israel came through the Red Sea and was tested for forty years in the desert;
Jesus comes through baptism and is tested forty days in the wilderness
2. Satan’s temptations of Jesus recapitulate those of Adam and Israel - CCC538
Catechism of the Catholic Church Jesus’ Temptations
recapitulate the temptations of Adam in Paradise and of Israel in the desert
3. Jesus faces the same temptations Israel faced, but he triumphs
a. In Deuteronomy, Moses recounts Israel’s three major failures
b. Jesus answers Satan by quoting Moses (Deuteronomy 6–8)
B. The Spirit both leads and strengthens him
III. The 1st Temptation (Matthew 4:3-4)
A. Enemy strikes at Identity of Jesus: “If you are the Son of God”
1. Response in Matthew 3:17: “This is my beloved Son”
2. CCC 538 – Satan seeks to compromise Jesus’ filial attitude toward God
B. Test deals with hunger, provision security
1. Exodus 16:2-3 – Israel grumbled about hunger in wilderness and did not trust God
2. “man shall not live by bread alone” (Matt 4:3-4, quoting Deut 8:3)
a. In Hebrew, literally, man can live “by anything God says”
IV. The 2nd Temptation (Matthew 4:5-7)
A. The Enemy tests Jesus with Scripture
B. Exodus 17:2-3 – Israelites complained to Moses about lack of water and thirst
1. Massah = testing
C. Enemy quotes Psalm 91:11-12 to get Jesus to prove He is God
1. “You shall not tempt the Lord your God” (Matthew 4:7, quoting Deuteronomy 6:16)
2. Psalm 91:13 – Serpent trampled underfoot
V. The 3rd Temptation (Matthew 4:8-11)
A. Enemh tempts Jesus to worship a false god
B. Exodus 32 – worship of the golden calf
C. “you shall worship the Lord your God” (Matthew 4:10, quoting Deuteronomy 6:13-14)
D. Jesus resist the devil, and the devil flees – see James 4:7
VI. Our Temptations and the Tools to Combat Them
A. Lent – experience the wilderness like Israel and Jesus
1. Learning to trust
2. CCC 540 – in Lent, the Chruch is united to Jesus in the desert
B. Jesus is tempted but not enticed by concupiscence (tendency to sin)
1. 1 John 2:15-17 – lust of flesh, lust of eyes, pride of life
2. Matthew 6 – three forms of piety to combat this –
- Prayer – pride of life)
- Fasting (flesh)
- Alms (eyes)
C. CCC 2847
1. Trials are necessary for growth
2. Temptationleads to sin and death
D. Sources of strength
1. CCC 1808 – fortitude
2. CCC 2157 – Sign of the Cross
3. CCC 2340 – self-knowledge, ascesis (self-discipline), obedience, exercise of moral virtue, ayer
E. 1 Corinthians 10:13 – God provides a way out of temptation
VII. Jesus Preaches in Galilee (Matthew 4:12-22)
A. Headquarters in Capernaum
1. Zebulun and Naphtali exiled in 732 BC, ten years before the other tribes
2. First destroyed with be first restored
3. Via Maris = the Way of the Sea
B. Isaiah 9:1-2 – the place of bloodshed will be a place of light
C. Jesus begins to bring in twelve apostles (representing the 12 tribes)