Chapter
Verse

Matthew 4:11

ESV Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to him.
NIV Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.
NASB Then the devil *left Him; and behold, angels came and began to serve Him.
CSB Then the devil left him, and angels came and began to serve him.
NLT Then the devil went away, and angels came and took care of Jesus.
KJV Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.
NKJV Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him.

What does Matthew 4:11 mean?

Jesus has passed the test. He was sent, by the Holy Spirit, into the wilderness to endure testing (Matthew 4:1). After 40 days and nights of fasting, Jesus refused each of the Devil's three enormous temptations (Matthew 4:2–10). In doing so, Jesus gave evidence that, though He was fully human and subject to temptation (Hebrews 4:15), He remained sinless.

The final temptation was for Jesus to bow and submit before Satan, in exchange for rule over all the kingdoms of the earth. This is the Bible's only instance of worldly prosperity being promised in exchange for worship—and such claims are literally satanic. Jesus refused, sounding justifiably angry (Matthew 4:10). He ordered Satan to "be gone."

Now the Devil leaves at Christ's command; this in part reminds us that Jesus had the authority to send Satan away all along. He endured the Devil's presence, and the temptations, because it was the will of the Father He should do so. Once the test was completed and the devil gone, however, the Father sent angels to His beloved Son to care for Him. This likely involved bringing Jesus food to meet His hunger and to begin restoring His physical health.

The Devil's temptations were all about timing. Satan challenged Jesus to prematurely take what would eventually be His, anyway. He goaded Christ to act in His own timing instead of waiting for God the Father's plan to be fulfilled. Now Jesus begins to receive what He refused to take for Himself. He refused to manipulate God into sending angels to save Him as He jumped from the temple, and now God sends those angels to save Him, anyway. He refused to exercise His own will by turning stones into bread, and now God sends angels, likely, to feed Jesus. He refused to worship Satan in order to become king of the world immediately, but soon Jesus will set out to preach about His kingdom to come.
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