The Pulpit Commentary — Matthew — Volume 1 — Section 135

~till a study and a question in which it may abound n1ost. On the other hand, perhaps, it may be helcl-and in analogy with much else in matter quite different-that though in the crowded city temptation may be yielded to most recklessly, yet conflict, and the fiercer and more prolonged conflict, and remorse, and the fiercer nnd more prolonged remorse, find solitude to a special degree their thriving ground, and make it all their own as battle-ground. The analysis would be of this kind. In the wilderness: 1. The larger force and number of the spiritual powers of the individual will have the chance of coming int-0 action. The calculating will be more and more manifold witn the effect; of making the consenting more deliberate. 2. The position will be a clearer one of antagonists just opposed to each other, the one with no help from friends on which to fall back; the other when he would do bis worst, with no hindrance arising from a sense of intimidation, as conscious that others are onlookers, and they such as sympathize with his victim, not with himself, The sense of isolation will be a weak- ness to the assaulted; the ~ense of unobservedness will be added unscrupulousness to the assaulter. 8. The feelings of the tempted will be naturally and almost inevit11.bly highly stimulated, probably often in a morbid condition. It would need a spirit to which all goodness and all strength were already native to remain uninfluenced by the associations or, otherwise put, the non-associations, of the wilderness. Nevertheless, the victory once won, these shall leave the victor stronger than if all surroundings hacl been in his favour. 4. Though the trial must be in these aspects severer, yet, everything considered, it will also be the fairer test of the person in bis own real self. IV. THE PERSON OF THE TEMPTER. It is stated with distinctness that Jesus was ·led up-was Jed up by the Spirit, was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness, was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness in order to be tempted, i.e. meet the ordeal of temptation, and this at the ministration of "the devil." The naturalness and very harmony of the verse and tbe narrative are with a ruthless gratuitousness set at nought if we are not at liberty to learn here (1) the personality of the devil, as a thing upheld by the authority of the New Testament. We learn (2) that our great Head and Leader, the second Adam, the Captain of our salvation, the Author and Finisher of our faith; was ordained to meet the ordeal of temptation, in what must be considered the most direct and the most fierce and concentrated form. We may very probably be justly reminded here (3) that both the genius of ternptatiou at the first, as tempta- tion is constituted in the present life, originated with Satan, and also that it is still and always really his peculium, in whatever disguised and sugared form of circumstance, apparent accident and the like, it may seem to address us. Temptation now, like painful labour and the 6Weat of the brow, has in secondary and derived aspects its points of interest, its uses of advantage, and even phases to ask admiration. But primarily, none of these things can be credited to it. We may be reminded (4) that Satan is probably never far to seek or difficult to be found. Jesus is "led up of the Spirit into the wilderness," but not in consequence of any appointment with Satan to meet him. He is sure to be found.-B. Vera. 2--4..-Thefirst ordetil-temptati()'TI, recorded of Jesus. This reply of Jesus to the first temptation specially recorded as addressed to him by Satan is a quotation from Deut. viii.-part of the language spoken by the lips of Moses, but dictated by the Spirit of God for the admonishment of bis people. The words occur in that impressivE review which Moses took of the career of the people whom he had led like a flock through the wilderness, when now the time was approaching for those wanderings to cease, and for the entrance into a land flowing with milk and honey. In the roview Moses makes particular reference to the apprehensions the people had suffered under of starvation amid their hunger in the wilderness; and he distinctly says God had per- mitted them to suffer hunger for the purpose of "humbling them, and proving thllm, and of knowing what was in their heart." A lesson, however, was to be learnt, not merely from their hunger, but also from the way in which it was to be removed. When they should have first felt right well what hunger was, they were to be fed with a food which they knew not, nor their fathers before them. 'fhat unknown food was to teach them that human life does not depend exclusively on the known and seen, the touched and tasted and handled, but on tho Word, the sovereign Word, of God; or, as it is more fully expressed elsewhere, "on every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of UH, 1v. 1-25.] THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW. 125