The Temptation of Jesus
Matthew 4:1-11
Matt.4.1 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- Τοτε: ADV
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- Ιησους: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- ανηχθη: VERB,aor,pas,ind,3,sg
- εις: PREP
- την: ART,acc,sg,f
- ερημον: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- υπο: PREP
- του: ART,gen,sg,m
- πνευματος: NOUN,gen,sg,n
- πειρασθηναι: VERB,aor,pas,inf
- υπο: PREP
- του: ART,gen,sg,m
- διαβολου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
Parallels
- Luke 4:1-2 (verbal): Near‑identical account: the Spirit leads Jesus into the wilderness where he is tempted by the devil; Luke adds the explicit forty‑day fast.
- Mark 1:12-13 (verbal): Parallel Gospel summary: the Spirit immediately drives Jesus into the wilderness, where he is tempted by Satan; Mark emphasizes the forty days, wild beasts, and angels.
- Deuteronomy 8:2-3 (allusion): Israel was led into the wilderness to be tested and taught that 'man does not live by bread alone'—a passage Jesus echoes in his response to temptation (Matt 4:4).
- Genesis 3:1-6 (thematic): The first Adam's temptation by the serpent provides a typological contrast: Jesus faces the tempter and resists, reversing Adam's failure.
- Hebrews 4:15 (thematic): Draws out the theological import of Jesus' temptations: he was tempted in every way yet without sin, making him a sympathetic high priest for believers.
Alternative generated candidates
- Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.
- Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.
Matt.4.2 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- και: CONJ
- νηστευσας: VERB,aor,act,ptcp,nom,sg,m
- ημερας: NOUN,acc,pl,f
- τεσσερακοντα: NUM,acc,pl
- και: CONJ
- νυκτας: NOUN,acc,pl,f
- τεσσερακοντα: NUM,acc,pl
- υστερον: ADV
- επεινασεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
Parallels
- Luke 4:2 (verbal): Direct Gospel parallel—Luke likewise reports Jesus fasting forty days and nights in the wilderness and being tempted/hungry immediately afterward.
- Exodus 34:28 (allusion): Moses fasted forty days and nights on Mount Sinai; Matthew’s forty-day motif echoes Moses’ time of fast and revelation.
- Deuteronomy 9:9 (allusion): Moses’ forty-day fast interceding for Israel parallels the motif of a leader’s forty-day fast in the wilderness.
- 1 Kings 19:8 (thematic): Elijah’s forty-day journey/fast to Horeb (eating once and then traveling forty days) provides an Old Testament precedent for extended fasts in the wilderness.
- Deuteronomy 8:2-3 (thematic): The wilderness as a place of testing and being humbled by hunger; Matthew will explicitly echo Deut 8:3 when Jesus answers the tempter that ‘man shall not live by bread alone.’
Alternative generated candidates
- And after he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.
- And after he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.
Matt.4.3 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- και: CONJ
- προσελθων: VERB,aor,act,part,nom,sg,m
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- πειραζων: VERB,pres,act,part,nom,sg,m
- ειπεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- αυτω·Ει: PRON,dat,sg,m
- υιος: NOUN,voc,sg,m
- ει: VERB,pres,act,ind,2,sg
- του: ART,gen,sg,m
- θεου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- ειπε: VERB,aor,act,imp,2,sg
- ινα: CONJ
- οι: ART,nom,pl,m
- λιθοι: NOUN,nom,pl,m
- ουτοι: PRON,nom,pl,m
- αρτοι: NOUN,nom,pl,m
- γενωνται: VERB,aor,mid,subj,3,pl
Parallels
- Luke 4:3 (quotation): Parallel account of the first temptation with essentially the same wording — the tempter says, 'If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.'
- Matthew 4:6 (verbal): Repeats the same testing formula 'If you are the Son of God...' later in the temptation sequence, showing a structural/verbal pattern of challenging Jesus' sonship.
- Matthew 3:17 (thematic): At Jesus' baptism the voice from heaven affirms his sonship ('This is my beloved Son'), which the tempter immediately exploits by questioning that identity ('If you are the Son of God...').
- Genesis 3:1-6 (thematic): The Edenic temptation features a tempter who questions God's word and appeals to eating to gain advantage — a broader thematic parallel of testing through food and disobedience.
- Deuteronomy 8:3 (allusion): Though Jesus later cites this verse in reply ('Man shall not live by bread alone'), Deut 8:3 frames the theological context of the temptation — testing God by relying on physical bread rather than God's word.
Alternative generated candidates
- And the tempter came and said to him, 'If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.'
- The tempter came to him and said, 'If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.'
Matt.4.4 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- δε: CONJ
- αποκριθεις: PART,aor,pass,nom,sg,m
- ειπεν·Γεγραπται·Ουκ: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg; VERB,perf,pass,ind,3,sg; PART
- επ᾽αρτω: PREP+NOUN,dat,sg,m
- μονω: ADJ,dat,sg,m
- ζησεται: VERB,fut,mid,ind,3,sg
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- ανθρωπος: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- αλλ᾽επι: CONJ+PREP
- παντι: ADJ,dat,sg,n
- ρηματι: NOUN,dat,sg,n
- εκπορευομενω: VERB,pres,mid,part,dat,sg,n
- δια: PREP
- στοματος: NOUN,gen,sg,n
- θεου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
Parallels
- Deuteronomy 8:3 (quotation): Direct source of Jesus’ citation — the instruction that man does not live by bread alone but by every word from the mouth of the LORD.
- Luke 4:4 (verbal): Parallel account of the same temptation where Jesus responds with the same scriptural citation.
- Matthew 6:25-34 (thematic): Develops the theme of reliance on God rather than anxious pursuit of food and material needs (trust in God’s provision over bread).
- John 6:35 (thematic): Jesus’ claim 'I am the bread of life' reframes the bread/life motif — eternal life depends on him (spiritual 'word'/'life') rather than mere physical bread.
Alternative generated candidates
- But he answered, 'It is written that man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.'
- He replied, 'It is written,
Matt.4.5 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- Τοτε: ADV
- παραλαμβανει: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
- αυτον: PRON,acc,sg,m
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- διαβολος: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- εις: PREP
- την: ART,acc,sg,f
- αγιαν: ADJ,acc,sg,f
- πολιν: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- και: CONJ
- εστησεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- αυτον: PRON,acc,sg,m
- επι: PREP
- το: ART,nom,sg,n
- πτερυγιον: NOUN,acc,sg,n
- του: ART,gen,sg,m
- ιερου: NOUN,gen,sg,n
Parallels
- Luke 4:9 (verbal): Parallel account of the same temptation—Luke explicitly records the devil setting Jesus on the pinnacle of the temple; close verbal and narrative correspondence to Matthew 4:5.
- Psalm 91:11-12 (quotation): The devil's subsequent challenge to throw himself down (Matt 4:6) echoes and directly cites this psalm about angels bearing up the righteous—an interpretive use tied to the temple-pinnacle setting.
- Deuteronomy 6:16 (quotation): Jesus' response to the temptation (Matt 4:7) quotes Deut 6:16 ('You shall not put the Lord your God to the test'), which is directly relevant to the devil's urging from the temple pinnacle.
- Matt 4:8 (structural): Second movement in the threefold temptation sequence—like Matt 4:5 this verse places Jesus on a high place (a very high mountain) and highlights the pattern of elevated settings for temptations.
Alternative generated candidates
- Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple.
Matt.4.6 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- και: CONJ
- λεγει: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
- αυτω·Ει: PRON,dat,sg,m
- υιος: NOUN,voc,sg,m
- ει: VERB,pres,act,ind,2,sg
- του: ART,gen,sg,m
- θεου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- βαλε: VERB,aor,act,imp,2,sg
- σεαυτον: PRON,acc,sg,m
- κατω·γεγραπται: VERB,perf,pass,ind,3,sg
- γαρ: PART
- οτι: CONJ
- Τοις: ART,dat,pl,m
- αγγελοις: NOUN,dat,pl,m
- αυτου: PRON,gen,sg,m
- εντελειται: VERB,pres,mid,ind,3,sg
- περι: PREP
- σου: PRON,gen,sg,2
- και: CONJ
- επι: PREP
- χειρων: NOUN,gen,pl,f
- αρουσιν: VERB,fut,act,ind,3,pl
- σε: PRON,acc,sg,m
- μηποτε: PART
- προσκοψης: VERB,aor,act,subj,2,sg
- προς: PREP
- λιθον: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- τον: ART,acc,sg,m
- ποδα: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- σου: PRON,gen,sg,2
Parallels
- Psalm 91:11-12 (quotation): The tempter quotes these lines (angelic protection and bearing up) verbatim; Matt 4:6 is a direct citation of Psalm 91:11-12.
- Luke 4:10-11 (structural): Parallel temptation account in Luke that preserves the same quotation from Psalm 91 and places it in the second temptation of Jesus.
- Deuteronomy 6:16 (verbal): Jesus' later reply to this temptation ('You shall not put the Lord your God to the test') cites Deut 6:16, countering the devil's misuse of Scripture.
- Matthew 4:7 (structural): The immediate narrative response to the quoted Psalm in Matt 4:6; Jesus answers the temptation by quoting Deut 6:16, showing the contested appeal to Scripture.
Alternative generated candidates
- And he said to him, 'If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down; for it is written that he will command his angels concerning you, and on their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.'
Matt.4.7 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- εφη: VERB,impf,act,ind,3,sg
- αυτω: PRON,dat,sg,m
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- Ιησους·Παλιν: NOUN,nom,sg,m + ADV
- γεγραπται·Ουκ: VERB,perf,pass,ind,3,sg + PART
- εκπειρασεις: VERB,fut,act,ind,2,sg
- κυριον: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- τον: ART,acc,sg,m
- θεον: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- σου: PRON,gen,sg,2
Parallels
- Deuteronomy 6:16 (quotation): Direct Old Testament source for Jesus' reply—'You shall not put the LORD your God to the test' is quoted almost verbatim.
- Luke 4:12 (quotation): Synoptic parallel: Luke records the same response of Jesus to the devil, citing the same OT prohibition.
- Exodus 17:1-7 (thematic): Narrates the Massah/Meribah incident where Israel 'tested' the LORD—the historical episode to which Deut. 6:16 alludes.
- Psalm 95:8-11 (thematic): Warnings about Israel's testing of God (Massah) and the resultant divine judgment echo the same theme behind the prohibition in Deut. 6:16.
- Hebrews 3:7-11 (allusion): NT sermonizing on Psalm 95's warning about the wilderness testing; uses the same tradition to warn believers not to harden hearts or repeat Israel's testing of God.
Alternative generated candidates
- Jesus said to him, 'Again it is written, You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.'
Matt.4.8 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- Παλιν: ADV
- παραλαμβανει: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
- αυτον: PRON,acc,sg,m
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- διαβολος: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- εις: PREP
- ορος: NOUN,acc,sg,n
- υψηλον: ADJ,acc,sg,n
- λιαν: ADV
- και: CONJ
- δεικνυσιν: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
- αυτω: PRON,dat,sg,m
- πασας: ADJ,acc,pl,f
- τας: ART,acc,pl,f
- βασιλειας: NOUN,acc,pl,f
- του: ART,gen,sg,m
- κοσμου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- και: CONJ
- την: ART,acc,sg,f
- δοξαν: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- αυτων: PRON,gen,pl,c
Parallels
- Luke 4:5-7 (verbal): Direct synoptic parallel: Luke recounts the same temptation—the devil shows Jesus all the kingdoms of the world and offers them in return for worship.
- Isaiah 14:12-15 (allusion): Theme of a powerful figure seeking to ascend and rule the nations; often read as a background for Satan’s prideful desire for universal dominion echoed in the temptation narrative.
- Psalm 2:8 (thematic): God’s promise to give the nations to his anointed (’Ask of me... I will make the nations your inheritance’) contrasts with the devil’s offer of worldly kingdoms, highlighting rightful divine grant versus satanic usurpation.
- John 14:30 (thematic): Jesus and the Gospel identify Satan as the ‘ruler/prince of this world,’ which parallels Matthew’s depiction of the devil exercising or offering worldly authority over the kingdoms.
Alternative generated candidates
- Again the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory.
Matt.4.9 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- και: CONJ
- ειπεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- αυτω·Ταυτα: PRON,dat,sg,m+DEM,acc,pl,n
- σοι: PRON,dat,sg,2
- παντα: ADJ,acc,pl,n
- δωσω: VERB,fut,act,ind,1,sg
- εαν: CONJ
- πεσων: PART,aor,act,nom,sg,m
- προσκυνησης: VERB,aor,act,subj,2,sg
- μοι: PRON,dat,sg,1
Parallels
- Luke 4:5-7 (verbal): Parallel temptation narrative with nearly identical wording: the devil shows Jesus all the kingdoms and offers them in return for worship.
- Matthew 4:10 (structural): Immediate narrative response in the same scene — Jesus rejects the offer and commands worship be given to God alone.
- Deuteronomy 6:13 (quotation): OT command (‘Fear the LORD your God, serve him only’) that Jesus later cites to refuse the devil’s demand for worship.
- Exodus 20:3 (thematic): The First Commandment forbids worshiping other gods; thematically opposes the devil’s offer to exchange worship for earthly rule.
Alternative generated candidates
- And he said to him, 'All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.'
Matt.4.10 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- τοτε: ADV
- λεγει: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
- αυτω: PRON,dat,sg,m
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- Ιησους·Υπαγε: NOUN,nom,sg,m + VERB,pres,act,imp,2,sg
- Σατανα·γεγραπται: NOUN,voc,sg,m + VERB,perf,pass,ind,3,sg
- γαρ·Κυριον: CONJ + NOUN,acc,sg,m
- τον: ART,acc,sg,m
- θεον: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- σου: PRON,gen,sg,2
- προσκυνησεις: VERB,fut,act,ind,2,sg
- και: CONJ
- αυτω: PRON,dat,sg,m
- μονω: ADJ,dat,sg,m
- λατρευσεις: VERB,fut,act,ind,2,sg
Parallels
- Deuteronomy 6:13 (quotation): Matthew's wording echoes Deut 6:13 (LXX/MT): the command to fear the LORD your God and serve him only — the Old Testament citation Jesus invokes against Satan.
- Luke 4:8 (verbal): Direct gospel parallel in the Synoptic temptation narrative: Luke records the same Scriptural retort ('You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve').
- Exodus 20:3 (thematic): The Ten Commandments' prohibition of other gods ('You shall have no other gods before me') provides the broader covenantal basis for exclusive worship expressed in Matthew 4:10.
- Deuteronomy 10:20 (allusion): A related Deuteronomic injunction ('Fear the LORD your God and serve him') that reinforces the theme of exclusive devotion and service to God echoed by Jesus.
Alternative generated candidates
- Then Jesus said to him, 'Begone, Satan! For it is written, You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve.'
Matt.4.11 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- τοτε: ADV
- αφιησιν: VERB,fut,act,ind,3,sg
- αυτον: PRON,acc,sg,m
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- διαβολος: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- και: CONJ
- ιδου: INTJ
- αγγελοι: NOUN,nom,pl,m
- προσηλθον: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,pl
- και: CONJ
- διηκονουν: VERB,impf,act,ind,3,pl
- αυτω: PRON,dat,sg,m
Parallels
- Mark 1:13 (verbal): Parallel passion/temptation narrative — explicitly states that 'angels ministered to him,' echoing Matthew's wording.
- Luke 4:13 (structural): Lukan parallel to the end of the temptation: the devil departs from Jesus, marking the same narrative turn as Matthew 4:11.
- Psalm 91:11-12 (allusion): Background for the angelic protection motif; Satan had earlier appealed to this Psalm in the temptation (Matt 4:6), and Matthew's mention of angels resonates with the Psalm's promise that God will command his angels to guard the righteous.
- Luke 22:43 (thematic): An angel appears to minister to Jesus in Gethsemane, providing a later instance of angelic ministry to Jesus in a time of crisis — similar function to the angels after the temptation.
- Hebrews 1:14 (thematic): Declares angels are 'ministering spirits' sent to serve those who inherit salvation, offering a theological explanation for the angelic ministry to Jesus described in Matthew 4:11.
Alternative generated candidates
- Then the devil left him; and behold, angels came and ministered to him.
Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And having fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward hungry. Now the tempter came and said to him, 'If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.' But he answered, 'It is written, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.”'
Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple,
and said to him, 'If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down; for it is written, “He will command his angels concerning you,” and, “On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.”'
Jesus said to him, 'Again it is written, “You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.”'
Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory,
and said to him, 'All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.'
Then Jesus said to him, 'Begone, Satan! For it is written, “You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve.”'
Then the devil left him; and behold, angels came and ministered to him.