Christian Bible Studies

  12 Now when Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, He departed to Galilee. 13 And leaving Nazareth, He came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the regions of Zebulun and Naphtali, 14 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: 15 “ The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, By the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles: 16 The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, And upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death Light has dawned.” 17 From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Commentary Having overcome every temptation by the devil, Jesus while still in Judea hears of the imprisonment of John the Baptist, Jesus’ forerunner. Now John’s imprisonment occurred when Herod, the Roman appointed ruler over the Jews would first imprison and later by the scheming of his illegitimate wife behead John the Baptist for his rebuk...

8 Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 9 And he said to Him, “All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.” 10 Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘ You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.’ ” 11 Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him. Commentary The devil having failed to lure Jesus into a grand display of Jesus’ Person as the Son of God (so that Jesus would be vindicated as such before one and all), now employs what he believes will be his most enticing lure of them all. And so the devil now takes Jesus up on an exceedingly high mountain and shows Him all the kingdoms of the world, and all their glory, and then he says to Him, ... “All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.” vs. 9 Now in Luke’s Gospel it is made clear that the devil has been g...

  5 Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, 6 and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written: ‘He shall give His angels charge over you,’ and, ‘In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone.’ ” 7 Jesus said to him, “It is written again, ‘ You shall not tempt the Lord your God.’ ”   Commentary The Lord Jesus having overcome the first temptation by the devil to preserve His Person and Life by His own means now faces a second. Now this temptation takes place in Jerusalem (i.e. the holy city) where the devil sets Jesus on the pinnacle of temple and then says to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written: ‘He shall give His angels charge over you,’ and, ‘In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone.’ ”  Jesus then having rebuked the devil’s first temptation through the...

  1 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry. 3 Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.” 4 But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘ Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’  ”   Commentary Vs. 1 “ Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.”   The Lord Jesus having submitted Himself to the Will of the Father and been baptized by John, and thus the Holy Spirit descending upon Him, is now led up by the same Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil (vs. 1). Now this testing of Christ precedes His Ministry. That said no one should ever try to emulate what took place here; for this is a very specific testing of God’s Son (according to the Will of God) by the devil for ...

13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. 14 And John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?” 15 But Jesus answered and said to him, “Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he allowed Him. 16 When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. 17 And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” Commentary Vs. 13-15 It seems most fitting that after John’s rebuke of the scribes and Pharisees and then his declaration of the Holy Spirit’s baptism that comes to each and every believer, that the Lord Jesus Christ now goes out to be baptized by John. For the Captain of our salvation, and the Author and Finisher of our faith must always go before those whom He le...

  7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, 9 and do not think to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. 10 And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12 His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” Commentary Vs. 7-9 7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism...

  1 In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, 2 and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” 3 For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying: “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord ; Make His paths straight.’ ” 4 Now John himself was clothed in camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey. 5 Then Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him 6 and were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins. Commentary Vs. 1-3 1 In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, 2 and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” 3 For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying: “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord ; Make His paths straight.’ ”   Mathews Gospel having revealed to us the origins...