For the first time the Trinity, seen through a glass dimly in the Old Testament, now is fully presented here. The Spirit descends upon the Son, and at the same moment the Father's voice is heard from heaven.

Often when opposed concerning my firm belief in the triune God I have observed some amount of confusion in the doubter when presented with Genesis 1:3, 26 verses (3) "the Spirit of God", and (26), "And God said (to whom?), Let us . . ." And one might ask, who and what was the Spirit of God, and whom was God speaking to when he said, "Let us . . ."

My Beloved Son

Literally means: This is my son — the Beloved. Matthew 17:5; Mark 9:7; Luke 9:35. Compare with Isaiah 42:1; Ephesians 1:6.

The Temptation

The temptation of Christ, the "last Adam" (1 Cor. 15:45), is best understood when contrasted with that of "the first man, Adam." Adam was tempted in his place of lord of creation, a lordship with but one reservation, the knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 1:26; 2:16-17). Through the woman he was tempted to add that also to his dominion. Falling, he lost all. But Christ had taken the place of a lowly Servant, acting only from and in obedience to the Father (Philippians 2:5-8; John 5:19; John 6:57; John 8:28, 54. Cf. Isaiah 41:8 & Note), that He might redeem a fallen race and a creation under the curse (Genesis 3:17-19; Romans 8:19-23). Satan's one object in the threefold temptation was to induce Christ to act from Himself, in independency of His Father. The first two temptations were a challenge to Christ from the god of this world to prove Himself indeed the Son of God (Genesis 4:3, 6). The third was the offer of the usurping prince of this world to divest himself of that which rightfully belonged to Christ as Son of man and Son of David, on the condition that He accept the scepter of Satan's's world-principles (Cf. John 18:36; Revelation 13:8, Note SRB 1342). Christ defeated Satan by a means open to His humblest follower, the intelligent use of the word of God. (Matthew 4:4, 7). In his second temptation Satan also used Scripture, but a promise available only to one in the path of obedience. The scene gives emphasis to the vital importance of "rightly dividing the word of truth" (2 Timothy 2:15).

Three Servants

Three servants of Jehovah are mentioned in Isaiah:

1 David (Isaiah 37:35)

2 Israel the nation (Isaiah 41:8-16; Isaiah 43:1-10; Isaiah 44:1-8, 21; Isaiah 45:4; Isaiah 48:20)

3 Messiah (Isaiah 42:1-12; Isaiah 49) entire chapter, but note especially verses 5-7, where the Servant Christ restores the servant nation; Isaiah 40:4-6; Isaiah 52:13-15; Isaiah 53:1-12). Israel the nation was a faithless servant, but restored and converted will yet thresh mountains. Against the Servant Christ no charge of unfaithfulness or failure is brought. See Isaiah 42:1, Note this page.

(42:1, Note)

There is a twofold account of the Coming Servant:

1. He is represented as weak, despised, rejected, slain

2. And, also as a mighty conqueror, taking vengeance on the nations and restoring Israel (e.g., Isaiah 40:10; Isaiah 63:1-4). The former class of passages relate to the first advent, and are fulfilled; and latter to the second advent, and are unfulfilled.

Return to Matthew 3:2

Return to Matthew 4:1

Pharisees
SRB Page 996-997 Note 2:

So called from a Heb. word meaning "separate." After the ministry of tne postexilic prophets ceased, godly men called "Chasidim" (saints) arose who sought to keep alive reverence for the law amongst the descendants of the Jews who returned from the Babylonian captivity. This movement degenerated into the Pharisaism of our Lord's day—a letter-strictness which overlaid the law with traditional interpretations held to have been communicated by Jehovah to Moses as oral explanations of equal authority with the law itself (cf. Matt. 15:2-3; Mark 7:8-13; Gal. 1:14).

The Pharisees were strictly a sect. A member was "chaber" (i.e. "knit together," Judges 20:11), and took an obligation to remain true to the Principles of Pharisaism. They were correct, moral, zealous, and self- denying, but self-righteous (Luke 18:9), and destitute of the sense of sin and need (Luke 7:39). They were the foremost persecutors of Jesus Christ and the objects of His unsparing denunciation (e.g. Matt. 23:13-29; Luke 11:42-43).