Its threefold aim was to gain: (1) a temporal, not a spiritual dominion; (2) to gain it

at once; and  (3) this would have made the Messiah a vice-regent of Satan and not of

"Begone" Christ says to the deceiver and Satan is forced to leave Him temporarily.

Luke 4: 13 adds that this was only until a good opportunity occurred again. The order

of the three temptations vary in the first three Gospels, but this does not cause any

difficulty. We can praise the Lord that the victory was won in spite of the physical

weakness after a forty days fast and the repeated attacks of the devil. We are told that

angels came and ministered to the Lord, evidently strengthening Him and what rejoicing

must have filled their hearts as they contemplated the mighty Conqueror, empowered by

His heavenly Father.

Before we pass on, let us remember that the Lord Jesus did not triumph because He

used the power of His Godhead against Satan. As an example, He used effectively the

holy Scriptures which we can all use. This is the mightiest weapon against the evil one.

It is the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God (Eph. 6: 17) and is the only

weapon which can defeat Satan and all his wiles.

There has to be constant practice in the use of weapons if they are to be effective. To

many the Bible is a closed book because it is never used or studied. To such it is not a

weapon at all for it rests on the shelf unused. May we all, while we have the opportunity,

so read and receive the Word of God that we may have the Word of Christ dwelling in us

richly in all wisdom (Col. 3: 16) and so be ready to meet the deceiver with the sword of

the Spirit.

Verse 12 of  Matthew chapter 4:  begins a new paragraph which gives the

commencement of the Galilean ministry. A year had elapsed which is not mentioned by

the Evangelist. The reason for Christ's return to Galilee is given here, namely that John

had been arrested and imprisoned. This is confirmed by Mark, although Matthew alone

records that, leaving Nazareth (where He had been rejected [Luke 4: 16-31]), the Lord

came and dwelt in Capernaum in the north-west shore of the Sea Galilee in the district

once known as Zebulun and Napthalim, but now incorporated in the larger circular area

known as Galilee (Galilee means circle or circuit). This was where the Jewish population

was largely mixed with Gentiles, hence "Galilee of the Gentiles". Capernaum became at

this point as Matt. 9: 1 says, "His own city".

The Evangelist finds in this the fulfillment of Isa. 9: 1-7, which describes a time

when that same region, the northern part of the land of Israel ravaged by the Assyrian

invader, would one day experience "a great light" (Matt. 4: 13-16). He Who was the