Matthew 4:9

And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.

And {G2532} saith {G3004} unto him {G846}, All {G3956} these things {G5023} will I give {G1325} thee {G4671}, if {G1437} thou wilt fall down {G4098} and worship {G4352} me {G3427}.

and said to him, "All this I will give you if you will bow down and worship me."

β€œAll this I will give You,” he said, β€œif You will fall down and worship me.”

and he said unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.

Commentary

Matthew 4:9 (KJV) presents the climax of the Devil's third and final temptation of Jesus in the wilderness, following His forty days of fasting. In this verse, Satan makes his most audacious demand, revealing the true objective behind his allurements: a transfer of worship and allegiance.

Context

This verse is part of the pivotal narrative of Jesus' temptation, which immediately follows His baptism and the anointing by the Holy Spirit. Having failed to entice Jesus through physical hunger (turning stones into bread) and spiritual pride (leaping from the temple), Satan escalates his efforts. In the preceding verse, Matthew 4:8, the Devil shows Jesus "all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them." The offer in verse 9 is a shortcut to universal dominion, bypassing the suffering of the cross, but at the ultimate cost: worshiping the adversary of God.

Key Themes

  • The Ultimate Demand of Temptation: Satan's true aim is not just to lead astray, but to usurp God's rightful place. He seeks to divert worship, which belongs exclusively to God, to himself. This highlights the core battle in spiritual warfare: who will be served and adored.
  • The Allure of Worldly Power and Glory: The Devil offers a path to power and influence without the divine cost or the divine way. This temptation speaks to humanity's desire for control and recognition, often leading to compromises that deny God's sovereignty.
  • Exclusive Worship of God: Jesus' steadfast refusal, articulated in the subsequent verse (Matthew 4:10), reaffirms the foundational principle of monotheism: only God is worthy of worship. This directly echoes the first commandment, "Thou shalt have no other gods before me" (Exodus 20:3).

Linguistic Insights

The Greek word translated "worship" is proskyneo (προσκυνέω), which literally means "to prostrate oneself before," "to do obeisance," or "to bow down." It signifies an act of deep reverence, adoration, and submission, often involving a physical posture of bowing or kneeling. Satan's demand was not merely for a casual acknowledgment but for a complete act of homage and allegiance, acknowledging him as supreme ruler.

Practical Application

Matthew 4:9 serves as a profound lesson for believers today. We often face temptations that promise shortcuts to success, comfort, or influence, but at the expense of compromising our faith or diverting our allegiance from God. This verse reminds us:

  • Identify the True Source of Temptation: The Devil's offers are deceptive; they promise immediate gratification but lead to spiritual bondage. His ultimate goal is to draw us away from God.
  • Guard Your Worship: Our worship, our ultimate devotion and loyalty, belongs solely to God. Any pursuit or desire that demands primary allegiance over God is a form of idolatry.
  • Learn from Jesus' Example: Jesus' unwavering commitment to God's will, even when offered a tempting alternative, provides the blueprint for spiritual resistance. He models standing firm on the Word of God against the enemy's schemes, as seen in His immediate rebuke in Luke 4:8 and Matthew 4:10.
Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated β€” the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • 2 Corinthians 4:4

    In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

  • Daniel 5:18

    O thou king, the most high God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father a kingdom, and majesty, and glory, and honour:

  • Daniel 5:19

    And for the majesty that he gave him, all people, nations, and languages, trembled and feared before him: whom he would he slew; and whom he would he kept alive; and whom he would he set up; and whom he would he put down.

  • Revelation 22:8

    And I John saw these things, and heard [them]. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things.

  • Revelation 22:9

    Then saith he unto me, See [thou do it] not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God.

  • Revelation 19:10

    And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See [thou do it] not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.

  • John 16:11

    Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.
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