Matthew 4:11 kjv
Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.
Matthew 4:11 nkjv
Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him.
Matthew 4:11 niv
Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.
Matthew 4:11 esv
Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to him.
Matthew 4:11 nlt
Then the devil went away, and angels came and took care of Jesus.
Matthew 4 11 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 3:15 | "I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring..." | Prophecy of conflict between Satan and Christ. |
| Psa 91:11-12 | "For He will command His angels concerning you to guard you..." | Divine protection and angelic ministration. |
| Deut 8:2-3 | "...that He might humble you, having let you hunger, and feed you..." | God testing Israel and providing for them. |
| Deut 6:13,16 | "...you shall worship the Lord your God and serve Him only." | Core command on temptation; worship God alone. |
| Job 1:6-12 | "Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves..." | Satan's access to God's presence, allowed tests. |
| Psa 103:20 | "Bless the Lord, you His angels, mighty in strength..." | Angels obeying God's word and performing His will. |
| Dan 8:15-16 | "While I was considering, behold, there stood before me one having..." | Angels sent to minister to and inform prophets. |
| Luke 22:43 | "Now an angel from heaven appeared to Him, strengthening Him." | Angels ministering to Jesus during Gethsemane agony. |
| Heb 1:14 | "Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to serve..." | Angels as servants of those inheriting salvation. |
| Matt 26:53 | "Or do you think that I cannot appeal to My Father, and He will at once..." | Jesus' power to call legions of angels. |
| Mark 1:13 | "...and the angels were ministering to Him." | Parallel account of angelic ministration. |
| Luke 4:13 | "And when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from Him..." | Parallel account of devil's departure. |
| John 12:28-29 | "Then a voice came from heaven: 'I have glorified it and will glorify...'" | Divine vindication after obedience. |
| Rom 16:20 | "The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet." | Victory over Satan promised through Christ. |
| 1 Pet 5:8-9 | "Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around..." | Resistance to the devil leads to his flight. |
| Jas 4:7 | "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee..." | Principle of resisting the devil through submission. |
| Psa 78:23-25 | "Yet He commanded the clouds above and opened the doors of heaven, and rained..." | God providing heavenly food (manna) in the wilderness. |
| Exo 16:35 | "The people of Israel ate the manna forty years, till they came..." | God sustaining His people in the wilderness. |
| Heb 2:18 | "For because He Himself has suffered when tempted, He is able to help..." | Jesus' shared human experience of temptation. |
| 1 Cor 10:13 | "No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man..." | God's faithfulness in providing a way of escape from temptation. |
| Phil 2:8-10 | "And being found in human form, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient..." | Obedience unto death leading to exaltation and universal homage. |
| Rev 20:10 | "and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake..." | Satan's final defeat and eternal judgment. |
Matthew 4 verses
Matthew 4 11 Meaning
Matt 4:11 describes the immediate aftermath of Jesus' successful resistance to Satan's temptations in the wilderness. It marks a significant moment of divine validation and sustenance for Jesus, following His period of intense spiritual and physical trial. The departure of the devil signifies the temporary conclusion of the direct spiritual battle, while the arrival and ministration of angels represent heavenly affirmation and provision, reinforcing Jesus' identity and status as the Son of God. This moment underscores God's faithfulness to provide for His beloved Son after a perfect display of obedience.
Matthew 4 11 Context
Matthew chapter 4 initiates Jesus' public ministry following His baptism. Verses 1-11 specifically detail Jesus' temptation by the devil in the Judean wilderness for forty days, mirroring Israel's forty years in the wilderness. After a long fast, the devil tests Jesus three times: first, to command stones to become bread (challenging His trust in God's provision and tempting Him to use divine power for selfish ends); second, to throw Himself down from the temple pinnacle (challenging God's protection and tempting Him to seek public acclaim through a presumptuous miracle); and third, to worship the devil for all the kingdoms of the world (challenging His ultimate allegiance and tempting Him to compromise for worldly power). Each temptation targets Jesus' identity as the Son of God, attempting to divert Him from God's path. Jesus, however, resists each temptation by quoting Scripture (Deut 8:3, Deut 6:16, Deut 6:13), demonstrating perfect obedience and reliance on the Father's word. Matt 4:11 marks the culmination of this intense spiritual conflict, signifying Jesus' triumphant vindication and preparedness for His earthly mission, unlike Israel, who often failed God's tests in the wilderness.
Matthew 4 11 Word analysis
- Then (τότε, tote): This adverb signifies a specific moment in time, indicating the immediate sequence of events. It shows the devil's departure was directly consequent to Jesus' final successful rebuke.
- the devil (ὁ διάβολος, ho diabolos): A definitive term for Satan, meaning "the accuser," "slanderer," or "adversary." In this context, it identifies the malevolent spiritual being who opposed Jesus, attempting to subvert His divine mission. The definite article highlights his singular, notorious identity.
- left (ἀφῆκεν, aphēken): This Aorist active indicative verb (from aphiēmi) means "he let go," "he dismissed," "he left behind." It suggests a definitive, albeit temporary, cessation of his direct assault. The devil was compelled to depart, demonstrating Jesus' authority.
- Him (αὐτόν, auton): Refers directly to Jesus, the object of the devil's attention and temptation.
- and behold (καὶ ἰδοὺ, kai idou): An emphatic interjection common in biblical narrative, meaning "and look!" or "and see!" It draws the reader's immediate attention to a surprising and divinely significant event that immediately follows the devil's departure. It signals a shift from the darkness of temptation to divine light and intervention.
- angels (ἄγγελοι, angeloi): From Greek, meaning "messengers." These are spiritual beings, servants of God, dispatched to fulfill His will. Their appearance signifies heavenly acknowledgment and approval of Jesus' victory over temptation.
- came (προσῆλθον, prosēlthon): Aorist active indicative (from proserchomai), meaning "they came toward," "they approached." It indicates their direct and immediate approach to Jesus, sent specifically for a purpose.
- and ministered (καὶ διηκόνουν, kai diēkonoun): Imperfect active indicative (from diakoneō). This verb means "to serve," "to attend to," "to wait upon," or "to provide sustenance." The imperfect tense suggests a continuous action, implying that the angels did not just appear but spent time attending to Jesus' needs, likely physical nourishment and comfort after His forty-day fast and intense spiritual battle. It emphasizes God's immediate provision and care for His Son.
Words-Group Analysis:
- Then the devil left Him: This phrase emphasizes Jesus' victory and the adversary's forced withdrawal. It demonstrates the direct power of God's Word and perfect obedience over evil, proving that resisting the devil makes him flee (Jas 4:7).
- and behold, angels came: This sharp contrast highlights divine affirmation immediately after demonic assault. The use of "behold" underlines the supernatural and miraculous nature of the angelic appearance, indicating God's watchful eye and timely intervention.
- and ministered to Him: This act of ministration signifies God's loving care and provision for His obedient Son. After resisting the temptation to use divine power for personal physical gratification, Jesus is divinely provided for. It foreshadows His future dependence on the Father even unto the cross (Luke 22:43) and underscores that genuine service comes from God's servants. It shows the Lord rewards faithful obedience.
Matthew 4 11 Bonus section
The scene of angelic ministration echoes moments in the Old Testament where God provided for His people in the wilderness, such as providing manna to Israel. This parallels Jesus' experience to Israel's journey and His ultimate success where they failed. The angels' ministry also implies a practical, physical restoration, suggesting that even in His divinity, Jesus fully experienced human weakness and depended on God for sustenance and strength, affirming His complete humanity. The passage establishes that God does not abandon those who faithfully endure temptation; rather, He actively supports them. This incident provides a foundational model for believers: reliance on the Word of God for resistance to temptation, leading to divine vindication and strength for future ministry.
Matthew 4 11 Commentary
Matt 4:11 serves as the victorious conclusion to Jesus' temptation in the wilderness, powerfully validating His divine Sonship and establishing His unshakeable obedience to the Father. Having successfully withstood the devil's full assault by wielding Scripture as His primary weapon, Jesus' immediate reward is twofold: the devil's departure and the angels' ministration. The devil's leaving signifies the temporary end of a direct, frontal spiritual assault, yet does not mean his ultimate defeat; he departs only "until an opportune time" (Luke 4:13). The arrival of angels is a powerful divine affirmation, an echo of Psa 91:11-12 which Satan himself ironically quoted earlier. It represents God's active care and provision, supplying strength and comfort after intense spiritual and physical depletion. This angelic service is in stark contrast to the self-service the devil tempted Jesus toward, emphasizing that true provision comes from God, not from grasping for it outside of His will. It portrays Jesus not merely as a conquering hero but as the perfectly obedient human, fully reliant on God, who then receives divine aid. This act solidifies Jesus' role as the "new Adam" who triumphs where the first Adam failed, thus perfectly fulfilling the covenant and beginning His public ministry with undisputed authority.