Matthew 4:2

And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.

And {G2532} when he had fasted {G3522} forty {G5062} days {G2250} and {G2532} forty {G5062} nights {G3571}, he was afterward {G5305} an hungred {G3983}.

After Yeshua had fasted forty days and nights, he was hungry.

After fasting forty days and forty nights, He was hungry.

And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he afterward hungered.

Commentary

Matthew 4:2 describes a pivotal moment in Jesus' earthly ministry, immediately following His baptism and preceding His public ministry. It states, "And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred." This verse sets the stage for the intense spiritual trial Jesus was about to face in the wilderness, emphasizing His profound preparation and human vulnerability.

Context

This verse directly follows Jesus' baptism by John the Baptist, where He was affirmed by the Father and the Holy Spirit descended upon Him (Matthew 3:16-17). Immediately after this divine affirmation, the Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness. His forty-day fast is a period of intense spiritual discipline and preparation, reminiscent of significant biblical figures. Moses fasted for forty days on Mount Sinai (Exodus 34:28), and Elijah journeyed for forty days on the strength of miraculous food (1 Kings 19:8). It also echoes Israel's forty years of testing in the wilderness (Deuteronomy 8:2), positioning Jesus as the true Israel who perfectly obeys God where the nation had failed.

Key Themes

  • Preparation for Ministry: Jesus' forty-day fast was a time of spiritual intense focus and communion with God, essential preparation for His public ministry and the ultimate sacrifice He would make.
  • The Humanity of Jesus: The phrase "he was afterward an hungred" (meaning 'he became hungry') powerfully highlights Jesus' full humanity. Despite being divine, He experienced physical needs and weaknesses just like any human being. This aspect is crucial for understanding His empathy as our High Priest (Hebrews 4:15).
  • Spiritual Discipline: Fasting is presented here as a profound spiritual discipline, demonstrating reliance on God's strength over physical sustenance. It prepares one for spiritual warfare and deepens communion with the Father.
  • Readiness for Temptation: The fast brought Jesus to a point of extreme physical vulnerability, making Him ripe for Satan's encounter with temptation. This shows that spiritual strength is often forged in moments of weakness and dependence on God.

Linguistic Insights

The KJV phrase "an hungred" is an archaic form of "became hungry" or "was hungry." It simply conveys the physical state of hunger Jesus experienced after such a prolonged period without food. The "forty days and forty nights" is a significant biblical motif, often symbolizing a period of testing, judgment, or divine preparation.

Practical Application

Matthew 4:2 offers several timeless lessons for believers today:

  • The Importance of Preparation: Just as Jesus prepared for His ministry, we too should seek spiritual grounding and discipline before embarking on significant callings or facing major challenges.
  • Embracing Spiritual Discipline: Fasting, prayer, and extended periods of devotion are valuable tools for drawing closer to God, strengthening our spirit, and preparing us for spiritual battles.
  • Understanding Jesus' Empathy: Knowing that Jesus experienced genuine hunger and physical weakness helps us relate to Him. He understands our struggles, temptations, and human limitations.
  • Strength in Weakness: It is often in our moments of physical or emotional emptiness that we are most open to relying on God's strength, proving that His power is made perfect in our weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9).
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Cross-References

  • Deuteronomy 9:18 (15 votes)

    And I fell down before the LORD, as at the first, forty days and forty nights: I did neither eat bread, nor drink water, because of all your sins which ye sinned, in doing wickedly in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger.

  • 1 Kings 19:8 (12 votes)

    And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God.

  • Exodus 34:28 (12 votes)

    ¶ And he was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights; he did neither eat bread, nor drink water. And he wrote upon the tables the words of the covenant, the ten commandments.

  • Luke 4:2 (9 votes)

    Being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered.

  • Deuteronomy 9:9 (6 votes)

    When I was gone up into the mount to receive the tables of stone, [even] the tables of the covenant which the LORD made with you, then I abode in the mount forty days and forty nights, I neither did eat bread nor drink water:

  • Exodus 24:18 (5 votes)

    And Moses went into the midst of the cloud, and gat him up into the mount: and Moses was in the mount forty days and forty nights.

  • Deuteronomy 9:25 (5 votes)

    Thus I fell down before the LORD forty days and forty nights, as I fell down [at the first]; because the LORD had said he would destroy you.