[2.] Why they came not before the devil was departed ? I answer : —
(1.) Partly to show that Christ had no help but his own when he grappled with Satan. When the temptations were ended, then the good angels came, lest the victory should seem to be gotten by their help and assistance. They were admitted to the triumph, but they w^ere not admitted to the fight : they were not spectators only in the conflict (for the battle was certainly fought before God and angels), but partners in the triumph : they went away to give place to the combat, but they came visibly to congratulate the conqueror after the battle was fought and the victory gotten. Our Lord would alone foil the devil, and, when that was done, the angels came and ministered unto him.
(2.) Partly to show us that the going of the one is the coming of the other. When the devil is gone, the angels come. Certainly it is true on the contrary: 1 Sam. xvi. 14, "The Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord troubled him ; ' and it is true in this sense, if we entertain the temptation, we banish the good angels from us : there is no place for the good angels till the tempter be repulsed.
[3.] Why now, and to what end, was this ministry ?
(L) To put honour on the Redeemer, who is the head and lord of the angels : Eph. i. 20, 21, ' He hath set him at his own right hand
Mat. IV. 11.] Christ's temptation. 325
in the heavenly places, far above all principalities and powers, &c., and gave him to be the head over all things to the church.' So 1 Pet. iii. 22, ' Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God ; angels, and authorities, and powers, being made subject to him.' Christ, not only as God, but as mediator, hath all of them subject to him : Heb. i. 6, ' And unto the Son he saith. Let all the angels of God worship h'im.' They, as subjects and servants, are bound to obey him. Therefore, on all occasions they attend on Christ ; at his birth : Luke ii. 13, 14, ' A multitude of the heavenly host praised God, saying, Glory be to God on high, on earth peace, good will towards men.' Now, in his temptations, ' The angels came and minis- tered unto him.' At his passion : Luke xxii. 43, ' There appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him.^ At his resurrection, * An angel rolled away the stone from the grave,' and attested the truth of it. Mat. xxviii. 2. At his ascension, the angels declared the manner of his going to heaven, and return to judgment, Acts i. 10, 11. So now they come to attend Christ, as subjects on their prince, to tender their service and homage to him, and receive his commands.
(2.) For his consolation, inward and outward.
First, Inward, as messengers sent from God ; and so their coming was a token of God's special love and favour to him, and care over him. The devil had mentioned in one of his temptations, ' He shall give his angels charge over thee.' This is a truth, and in due time to be verified ; not at Satan's instance, but when God pleased. There- fore it was a comfort to Christ to have solemn messengers sent from heaven to applaud his triumph.
Secondly, Outward, they were sent to serve him, either to convey him back from the mountain, where Satan had set him, or to bring him food, as they did to Elijah : 1 Kings xix. 5, 6, ' And as he lay and slept under a juniper-tree, behold then an angel touched him, and said imto him, Arise and eat. And he looked, and behold there was a cake baken on the coals, and a cruse of water at his head : and be did eat and drink, and laid him down again.' AiaKovelv, the word here used, is often taken in that sense in the New Testament: Mat. viii. 15, ' She arose and ministered unto them,' that is, served them at meat. So Mat. xxv. 44, 'When saw we thee an hungered, &c., and did not minister unto thee?' The name of deacons is derived hence, as they ' served tables,' or provided meat for the poor, Acts vi. 2. So Luke x. 40, ' My sister hath left me, ScaKovelv, to serve alone,' meaning, to prepare ]3rovisions for the family : so Luke xvii. 8, ' Gird thyself and serve me,' that is, at the table : again, Luke xxii. 27, ' Whether is greater, he that sits at meat, or he that serveth ? ' or ministereth. So John xii. 2 : ' They made a supper, and Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those that sat at the table with him.' Thus the angels ministered unto Christ. This sort of ministry agreeth with what was said of his hunger, which was the occasion of Satan's temptations.
Secondly, The observations. As Christ is a pattern of all those providences which are dispensed to the people of God.
Doct. 1. That the days of God's people's conflicts and trials will not alwavs last.