he temptation of Christ. (1-11) The opening of Christ's
ministry in Galilee. (12-17) Call of Simon and others. (18-22)
Jesus teaches and works miracles. (23-25)
Verses 1-11: Concerning Christ's temptation, observe, that directly
after he was declared to be the Son of God, and the Saviour of
the world, he was tempted; great privileges, and special tokens
of Divine favour, will not secure any from being tempted. But if
the Holy Spirit witness to our being adopted as children of God,
that will answer all the suggestions of the evil spirit. Christ
was directed to the combat. If we presume upon our own strength,
and tempt the devil to tempt us, we provoke God to leave us to
ourselves. Others are tempted, when drawn aside of their own
lust, and enticed, (Jam 1:14); but our Lord Jesus had no corrupt
nature, therefore he was tempted only by the devil. In the
temptation of Christ it appears that our enemy is subtle,
spiteful, and very daring; but he can be resisted. It is a
comfort to us that Christ suffered, being tempted; for thus it
appears that our temptations, if not yielded to, are not sins,
they are afflictions only. Satan aimed in all his temptations,
to bring Christ to sin against God. 1. He tempted him to despair
of his Father's goodness, and to distrust his Father's care
concerning him. It is one of the wiles of Satan to take
advantage of our outward condition; and those who are brought
into straits have need to double their guard. Christ answered
all the temptations of Satan with "It is written;" to set us an
example, he appealed to what was written in the Scriptures. This
method we must take, when at any time we are tempted to sin. Let
us learn not to take any wrong courses for our supply, when our
wants are ever so pressing: in some way or other the Lord will
provide. 2. Satan tempted Christ to presume upon his Father's
power and protection, in a point of safety. Nor are any extremes
more dangerous than despair and presumption, especially in the
affairs of our souls. Satan has no objection to holy places as
the scene of his assaults. Let us not, in any place, be off our
watch. The holy city is the place, where he does, with the
greatest advantage, tempt men to pride and presumption. All high
places are slippery places; advancements in the world makes a
man a mark for Satan to shoot his fiery darts at. Is Satan so
well versed in Scripture as to be able to quote it readily? He
is so. It is possible for a man to have his head full of
Scripture notions, and his mouth full of Scripture expressions,
while his heart is full of bitter enmity to God and to all
goodness. Satan misquoted the words. If we go out of our way,
out of the way of our duty, we forfeit the promise, and put
ourselves out of God's protection. This passage, (De 8:3), made
against the tempter, therefore he left out part. This promise is
firm and stands good. But shall we continue in sin, that grace
may abound? No. 3. Satan tempted Christ to idolatry with the
offer of the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them. The
glory of the world is the most charming temptation to the
unthinking and unwary; by that men are most easily imposed upon.
Christ was tempted to worship Satan. He rejected the proposal
with abhorrence. "Get thee hence, Satan!" Some temptations are
openly wicked; and they are not merely to be opposed, but
rejected at once. It is good to be quick and firm in resisting
temptation. If we resist the devil he will flee from us. But the
soul that deliberates is almost overcome. We find but few who
can decidedly reject such baits as Satan offers; yet what is a
man profited if he gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?
Christ was succoured after the temptation, for his encouragement
to go on in his undertaking, and for our encouragement to trust
in him; for as he knew, by experience, what it was to suffer,
being tempted, so he knew what it was to be succoured, being
tempted; therefore we may expect, not only that he will feel for
his tempted people, but that he will come to them with
seasonable relief.
Verses 12-17: It is just with God to take the gospel and the means of
grace, from those that slight them and thrust them away. Christ
will not stay long where he is not welcome. Those who are
without Christ, are in the dark. They were sitting in this
condition, a contented posture; they chose it rather than light;
they were willingly ignorant. When the gospel comes, light
comes; when it comes to any place, when it comes to any soul, it
makes day there. Light discovers and directs; so does the
gospel. The doctrine of repentance is right gospel doctrine. Not
only the austere John Baptist, but the gracious Jesus, preached
repentance. There is still the same reason to do so. The kingdom
of heaven was not reckoned to be fully come, till the pouring
out of the Holy Spirit after Christ's ascension.
Verses 18-22: When Christ began to preach, he began to gather
disciples, who should be hearers, and afterwards preachers of
his doctrine, who should be witnesses of his miracles, and
afterwards testify concerning them. He went not to Herod's
court, not to Jerusalem, among the chief priests and the elders,
but to the sea of Galilee, among the fishermen. The same power
which called Peter and Andrew, could have wrought upon Annas and
Caiaphas, for with God nothing is impossible. But Christ chooses
the foolish things of the world to confound the wise. Diligence
in an honest calling is pleasing to Christ, and it is no
hinderance to a holy life. Idle people are more open to the
temptations of Satan than to the calls of God. It is a happy and
hopeful thing to see children careful of their parents, and
dutiful. When Christ comes, it is good to be found doing. Am I
in Christ? is a very needful question to ask ourselves; and,
next to that, Am I in my calling? They had followed Christ
before, as common disciples, (Joh 1:37); now they must leave
their calling. Those who would follow Christ aright, must, at
his command, leave all things to follow him, must be ready to
part with them. This instance of the power of the Lord Jesus
encourages us to depend upon his grace. He speaks, and it is
done.
Verses 23-25: Wherever Christ went, he confirmed his Divine mission by
miracles, which were emblems of the healing power of his
doctrine, and the influences of the Spirit which accompanied it.
We do not now find the Saviour's miraculous healing power in our
bodies; but if we are cured by medicine, the praise is equally
his. Three general words are here used. He healed every sickness
or disease; none was too bad; none too hard, for Christ to heal
with a word. Three diseases are named; the palsy, which is the
greatest weakness of the body; lunacy, which is the greatest
malady of the mind; and possession of the devil, which is the
greatest misery and calamity of both; yet Christ healed all, and
by thus curing bodily diseases, showed that his great errand
into the world was to cure spiritual maladies. Sin is the
sickness, disease, and torment of the soul: Christ came to take
away sin, and so to heal the soul.
he temptation of Christ. (1-11) The opening of Christ's
ministry in Galilee. (12-17) Call of Simon and others. (18-22)
Jesus teaches and works miracles. (23-25)