Matthew 4 1

Matthew 4:1 kjv

Then was Jesus led up of the spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.

Matthew 4:1 nkjv

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.

Matthew 4:1 niv

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.

Matthew 4:1 esv

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.

Matthew 4:1 nlt

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted there by the devil.

Matthew 4 verses

Matthew 4 1 Meaning

Matthew 4:1 describes a pivotal moment in the life of Jesus, immediately following His baptism. It states that the Holy Spirit actively guided Jesus into the wilderness with the explicit purpose of being tested or tempted by the devil. This event was a divine preparation and an essential demonstration of Jesus’ nature and mission before He began His public ministry, establishing His perfect obedience where humanity and ancient Israel had failed.

Matthew 4 1 Context

This verse initiates a crucial narrative following Jesus' baptism (Mt 3:13-17), where He was publicly affirmed as God's beloved Son. It marks a transition from His private life to His public ministry, which His forerunner John the Baptist prepared for. The events of Matthew 4:1-11 explain Jesus' profound testing, symbolizing Israel's wilderness experience and Adam's fall, positioning Jesus as the faithful Son who triumphs where all others failed. This preparation also demonstrated His full humanity and divine Sonship, equipped for the ensuing challenges of proclaiming the Kingdom of God. The immediate connection to the baptism emphasizes that even being filled with the Spirit leads to confrontation with evil, rather than exemption from it.

Matthew 4 1 Word analysis

• Then: (Greek: Tote - τότε) Signifies a direct and immediate sequence, indicating this event happened right after Jesus’ baptism. It highlights the divine ordering of events.
• Jesus: (Greek: Iēsous - Ἰησοῦς) The human name of the Son of God, emphasizing His incarnate identity and full humanity as He faced temptation.
• was led up: (Greek: anēchthē - ἀνήχθη) The verb is in the passive voice, denoting divine initiative and compelling force, not Jesus’ own spontaneous decision. "Anago" (ἀνάγω) means to lead up, referring possibly to the ascent from the Jordan River valley to the higher desert plains, but primarily denoting divine movement.
• by the Spirit: (Greek: hypo tou Pneumatos - ὑπὸ τοῦ Πνεύματος) Clearly identifies the Holy Spirit as the divine agent directing Jesus. This is the same Spirit that descended upon Him at His baptism (Mt 3:16), underscoring a divine mandate behind this wilderness encounter.
• into the wilderness: (Greek: eis tēn erēmon - εἰς τὴν ἔρημον) "Eremos" refers to a desolate, uninhabited, and often dangerous area, typical of Judean wilderness. In biblical narratives, the wilderness is frequently a place of purification, revelation, isolation, and crucial testing for Israel and key figures like Moses and Elijah.
• to be tempted: (Greek: peirasthenai - πειρασθῆναι) An infinitive stating the direct purpose of being led into the wilderness. "Peirazo" (πειράζω) can mean "to test," "to try," or "to tempt (to evil)." In this context, it encompasses a rigorous testing by the devil designed to cause Jesus to sin, but ultimately revealing His perfect faithfulness.
• by the devil: (Greek: hypo tou diabolou - ὑπὸ τοῦ διαβόλου) "Diabolos" (διάβολος) means "slanderer" or "accuser." It explicitly names the chief antagonist, Satan, as the source of this profound test. This signifies a direct, personal confrontation with the embodiment of evil.

Words-group analysis:

• "Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit": This phrase highlights divine sovereignty and Christ's obedient submission. It indicates a clear divine purpose for what was to follow, showing God's direct guidance even into a difficult trial.
• "into the wilderness to be tempted": This links the geographical location with the explicit purpose. The "wilderness" is more than a physical space; it’s a symbolic arena for spiritual combat and the testing of loyalty, evoking the forty years Israel spent wandering, and Adam's failure in paradise. The intent was not aimless wandering but a specific trial.
• "to be tempted by the devil": This specifies the nature and source of the trial. It's a deliberate spiritual assault by the chief adversary of God, focusing on undermining Jesus' identity as the Son of God and His mission. This encounter sets the stage for the cosmic battle Christ was to wage against evil.

Matthew 4 1 Bonus section

• This act of being led by the Spirit signifies Jesus' complete dependence and obedience to the Father's will, even when it involves confrontation with evil.
• The forty days and nights mentioned in the subsequent verse (Mat 4:2) alludes strongly to Moses on Mount Sinai and Elijah's journey, suggesting Jesus as the New Moses and the ultimate Prophet whose obedience surpasses theirs. It also connects to Israel's forty years in the wilderness.
• The encounter underscores that even the most spiritually empowered individuals (like Jesus, "full of the Spirit") are not exempt from spiritual warfare or temptation.
• It highlights the truth that temptation itself is not sin; yielding to it is. Jesus' experience validated His humanity and His sinlessness simultaneously.
• The sequence of affirmation (baptism) followed by testing provides a pattern applicable to believers: divine approval often prepares for significant spiritual battles and deeper growth in faith.

Matthew 4 1 Commentary

Matthew 4:1 acts as a prologue to Jesus' temptation narrative, revealing that His profound ordeal in the wilderness was not accidental but divinely ordained. The Holy Spirit, who just descended upon Jesus at His baptism, now actively leads Him to a place of severe testing. This demonstrates that divine affirmation often precedes or accompanies significant spiritual challenges. The wilderness, a recurring motif of testing in biblical history for figures like Israel, Moses, and Elijah, becomes the stage for Jesus' proving. The purpose "to be tempted" signifies a direct confrontation with the devil, designed to test Jesus’ resolve, His identity as God's Son, and His reliance on God's word, thereby establishing His sinless authority over evil before commencing His ministry. This event served not only to demonstrate Jesus' perfection and suitability as the Messiah but also to fully identify with the human struggle against sin, equipping Him to truly intercede for believers.