3. And when the tempter came to him--Evidently we have here a new
scene.
he said, if thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made
bread--rather, "loaves," answering to "stones" in the plural; whereas
Luke, having said, "Command this stone," in the singular, adds, "that it
be made bread," in the singular
(Lu 4:3).
The sensation of hunger, unfelt during all the forty days, seems now to
have come on in all its keenness--no doubt to open a door to the
tempter, of which he is not slow to avail himself; "Thou still clingest
to that vainglorious confidence that Thou art the Son of God, carried
away by those illusory scenes at the Jordan. Thou wast born in a
stable; but Thou art the Son of God! hurried off to Egypt for fear of
Herod's wrath; but Thou art the Son of God! a carpenter's roof supplied
Thee with a home, and in the obscurity of a despicable town of Galilee
Thou hast spent thirty years, yet still Thou art the Son of God! and a
voice from heaven, it seems, proclaimed it in Thine ears at the Jordan!
Be it so; but after that, surely Thy days of obscurity and trial
should have an end. Why linger for weeks in this desert, wandering
among the wild beasts and craggy rocks, unhonored, unattended,
unpitied, ready to starve for want of the necessaries of life? Is this
befitting "the Son of God?" At the bidding of "the Son of God" surely
those stones shall all be turned into loaves, and in a moment present
an abundant repast."
JFB.
Outline
1 The temptation of Jesus
13 Jesus dwells in Capernaum
17 Jesus begins to preach
18 Jesus calls Peter and Andrew, James and John
23 Jesus heals the sick
Drawing of the Temptation of Jesus Christ by Dore
Important Topics for Bible Study
Quick Reference Map
Map of Galilee and northern Israel
(Click to Enlarge)
Painted Illustration of Jesus Calling James and John
Ancient Customs
Geography
Capernaum
Galilee
Matthew Resources
The New Testament