Albert Barnes Commentary Matthew 4:1

"Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil." — Matthew 4:1 (ASV)

MATTHEW CHAPTER 4

The wilderness. See Barnes on Matthew 3:1.

The Spirit. Luke says (Luke 4:1) that Jesus was full of the Holy Spirit. It was by his influence, therefore, that Christ went into the desert.

To be tempted. The word to tempt, in the original, means to try, to endeavor, or to attempt to do a thing. Then, it means to try the nature of a thing, as metals by fire.

Then, it means to test moral qualities by trying them, to see how they will endure. Then, it means to endeavor to draw people away from virtue by suggesting motives to evil.

This is the meaning here, and this is now the established meaning of the word in the English language.

The devil. This word originally means an adversary or an accuser; then, anyone opposed; then, an enemy of any kind.

In the Scriptures, it is given preeminently to the leader of evil angels—a being characterized as full of subtlety, envy, art, and hatred of humankind. He is also known by the names Satan (Job 1:6–12; Matthew 12:26); Beelzebub (Matthew 12:24); the old Serpent (Revelation 12:9); and the prince of the power of the air (Ephesians 2:2).

The name is sometimes applied to men and women. For example, in 2 Timothy 3:3, concerning truce-breakers and slanderers—in the original Greek, "slanderers" is "devils." Similarly, 1 Timothy 3:2 states, So must their wives be grave, not slanderers—in the original Greek, "slanderers" is also "devils."

For to be tempted, see also Mark 1:12; Luke 4:1.