Matthew 4:11Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

The Devil, left in uncertainty by this second reply, passes to a third temptation. Christ had broken the nets of appetite, had passed over those of ambition, he now spreads for Him those of covetousness; He taketh him up into a very high mountain, such as in going round about the earth he had noticed rising above the rest. The higher the mountain, the wider the view from it. He shews Him not so as that they truly saw the very kingdoms, cities, nations, their silver and their gold; but the quarters of the earth where each kingdom and city lay. As suppose from some high ground I were to point out to you, see there lies Rome, there Alexandria; you are not supposed to see the towns themselves, but the quarter in which they lie.

The Lord triumphed over three major temptations: excess, pride, and the desire for riches. Among these, the pursuit of wealth is considered the most significant. Consequently, having defeated these temptations, it becomes simpler to conquer the others. This is why Luke notes, “and having ended all temptation” (Luke 4:13), despite the Lord having vanquished primarily the principal ones. As a result, the angels ministered to Him, indicating that they too will assist us following our triumph, for Christ performs and exemplifies these acts for our benefit. However, as God, He is perpetually attended to by the angels.

The one Lord our God is the Holy Trinity, to which alone we justly owe the service of piety.

On the mountaintop, the Lord trampled the desires of the tempter and sent them into the abyss, ensuring that the nations oppressed by these desires would be liberated. In their stead, He has bestowed upon everyone a full measure of grace, enabling that which was once subdued to now reign over all (Rom. 5:17). Just as Pharaoh was submerged in the very waters where he had drowned Jewish infants, so too did David sever Goliath’s head with the sword that had claimed many lives; by the mystery of the cross, Moses trusted in the sea and parted it, while David, through the mystery of the rock (Acts 4:11), struck down Goliath. When the Lord faced temptation from Satan, His words condemned the accuser.

An arrogant and vain vaunt; for he hath not the power to bestow all kingdoms, since many of the saints have, we know, been made kings by God.

Ambition has its dangers at home; that it may govern, it is first others’ slave; it bows in flattery that it may rule in honour; and while it would be exalted, it is made to stoop.

Luke records that after the temptation concluded, the adversary withdrew from Him for a season (Luke 4:13). It is apparent that the three temptations mentioned are the most significant, as they serve as the source for all subsequent temptations; thus, one who conquers these desires will triumph over all others. The phrase "until the time" indicates a period corresponding to the schemes of the Jews, for He faced conflict once more, not alone, but through the agency of the Jews, as if through various instruments. The three temptations the Lord faced involved indulgence, pride, and greed. These serve as the cornerstones of all sinful passions; by overcoming them, one is better equipped to defeat the rest. Therefore, Luke asserts that He has completed all temptations (Luke 4:13).

We are not to suppose that when he shewed Him the kingdoms of the world, he presented before Him the kingdom of Persia, for instance, or India; but he shewed his own kingdom, how he reigns in the world, that is, how some are governed by fornication, some by avarice.

When we have overcome the Devil and bruised his head, we see that Angels’ ministry and the offices of heavenly virtues will not be wanting to us.

In these things is shewn the twofold nature in one person; it is the man whom the Devil tempts; the same is God to whom Angels minister.

The Devil shews all this to the Lord, not as though he had power to extend his vision or shew Him any thing unknown. But setting forth in speech as excellent and pleasant, that vain worldly pomp wherein himself delighted, he thought by suggestion of it, to create in Christ a love of it.

By their glory, is meant, their gold and silver, precious stones and temporal goods.

The Evangelist did not declare: “And coming down, the angels of God ministered unto Him,” to indicate that angels consistently abide on earth to serve Him. Instead, they departed at God's command to allow the adversary to challenge Christ, ensuring that the devil would not hesitate to approach Him, even with angels in His presence. This conveys a hidden truth applicable to every believer. There are always two angels watching over humanity—the benevolent and the malevolent. While the good angel remains with us, the evil angel cannot entice us into sin. However, at God's will, the good angel may withdraw slightly—not in absence, but in concealment—keeping himself hidden from the devil, for he remains invisible to the evil one when he chooses. Thus, the good angel yields space for temptation, watching from afar to observe the outcome of this trial.

The adversary was taken aback by the Lord’s words and quickly retreated in disgrace: THEN THE DEVIL LEFT HIM, and lo, the ANGELS CAME AND MINISTERED TO HIM. St. John Chrysostom remarks, ‘As long as the conflict persisted, Christ refrained from allowing the angels to appear, fearing that their presence might drive away the one destined to be ensnared. But after He triumphed and forced him to flee, then the angels made their appearance. The Gospel does not specify what assistance the angels provided to the Lord in the wilderness; perhaps they brought Him sustenance to alleviate His hunger in a miraculous manner beyond His conscious desire. All this was achieved for you, O Christian, so be zealous and emulate the triumph of the Savior.

Following three failed attempts to lead Jesus Christ into temptation, the devil retreated from Him. St. Matthew succinctly describes this departure, noting that the devil left Him when the Lord issued a decisive command, ‘Follow me, Satan.’ In contrast, St. Luke provides a more detailed account of this event, stating that after concluding with all the devil’s temptations, he departed from Him until a future time. The phrase "having finished all the temptation" clarifies that these three trials constituted a comprehensive attempt by the devil, exhausting all his strategies and power against Christ. Despite his relentless efforts, the devil achieved no success and faced defeat each time, ultimately left with no choice but to withdraw.

The founder of New Testament humanity dealt the initial blow to the first adversary of mankind, demonstrating that his dominion was over and that God’s grace was about to prevail on earth. Although the enemy later sought to tempt Christ, he was compelled to depart for a period; ‘and behold, the angels came and ministered unto Him.’

The adversary abandoned Him at His directive. The angels then arrived; during the conflict, Christ chose not to allow their presence to avoid disrupting the struggle against the foe He aimed to defeat. However, once He had fully revealed his schemes and caused him to retreat, the angels manifested.

The Evangelist Luke states that the devil had completed all his temptations (Lk. 4:13). St. John Chrysostom comments that the Evangelist addressed the chief temptations, implying that they encompass all others, as their root lies in three sources of countless evils: the desires of the flesh, pride, and an excessive love for wealth. Additionally, when he notes that the devil departed from Christ until the appointed time, the same holy Father elucidates that the devil continued to assail Christ indirectly through his followers, though he no longer confronted Him directly, mindful of his earlier defeat. The angels only came to serve Him afterwards since He chose not to allow their presence during the conflict to avoid displacing the enemy whom they should have subdued.