Matthew Henry Commentary Luke 4:1-13

"And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan, and was led in the Spirit in the wilderness during forty days, being tempted of the devil. And he did eat nothing in those days: and when they were completed, he hungered. And the devil said unto him, if thou art the Son of God, command this stone that it become bread. And Jesus answered unto him, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone. And he led him up, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said unto him, To thee will I give all this authority, and the glory of them: for it hath been delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it. If thou therefore wilt worship before me, it shall all be thine. And Jesus answered and said unto him, It is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. And he led him to Jerusalem, and set him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said unto him, If thou art the Son of God, cast thyself down from hence: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee, to guard thee: and, On their hands they shall bear thee up, Lest haply thou dash thy foot against a stone. And Jesus answering said unto him, It is said, Thou shalt not make trial of the Lord thy God. And when the devil had completed every temptation, he departed from him for a season." — Luke 4:1-13 (ASV)

Christ's being led into the wilderness gave an advantage to the tempter, for there He was alone; no one was with Him by whose prayers and advice He might be helped in the hour of temptation. He who knew His own strength might give Satan an advantage, but we may not, who know our own weakness. Being in all things made like to His brethren, Jesus would, like the other children of God, live in dependence upon the Divine Providence and promise.

The word of God is our sword, and faith in that word is our shield. God has many ways of providing for His people and therefore is at all times to be depended upon in the way of duty.

All Satan's promises are deceitful. If he is permitted to have any influence in disposing of the kingdoms of the world and their glory, he uses them as baits to ensnare people to destruction. We should reject at once and with abhorrence every opportunity of sinful gain or advancement, as a price offered for our souls; we should seek riches, honors, and happiness in the worship and service of God only.

Christ will not worship Satan; nor, when He has the kingdoms of the world delivered to Him by His Father, will He suffer any remains of the worship of the devil to continue in them.

Satan also tempted Jesus to be His own murderer by an unfitting confidence in His Father's protection, such as He had no warrant for. Let not any abuse of Scripture by Satan or by men lessen our esteem for it or cause us to abandon its use; but let us study it still, seek to know it, and seek our defense from it in all kinds of assaults.

Let this word dwell richly in us, for it is our life. Our victorious Redeemer conquered, not for Himself only, but for us also. The devil ended all the temptation. Christ let him try all his force and defeated him. Satan saw it was to no purpose to attack Christ, who had nothing in Him for his fiery darts to fasten upon.

And if we resist the devil, he will flee from us.

Yet he departed only until the season when he was again to be let loose upon Jesus. His aim then was not as a tempter, to draw Him to sin and so to strike at His head (an aim in which he was now wholly defeated). Rather, it was as a persecutor, to bring Christ to suffer and so to bruise His heel—which, he was told, he would do, though it would be the breaking of his own head (Genesis 3:15).

Though Satan departs for a season, we shall never be out of his reach until we are removed from this present evil world.