Matthew 4:11
The devil departs; angels minister to Jesus after the temptation.
Matthew 4:11 is the eleventh verse of the fourth chapter of the Gospel of Matthew in the New Testament. It concludes the temptation narrative in which Jesus has rebuffed Satan's third temptation and ordered him away. In this verse, the devil departs and angels come to minister to Jesus.
- text
- Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him (KJV).
- original_language
- Koine Greek
- manuscript_witnesses
- Papyrus 102, Codex Vaticanus, Codex Sinaiticus, Codex Bezae, Codex Washingtonianus, Codex Ephraemi Rescriptus
- key_interpretation
- Angels ministering to Jesus after the devil's departure
- notable_commentators
- Pseudo-Chrysostom, Augustine, Gregory the Great, Hilary of Poitiers
Lore & Background
In the original Greek, 'devil left him' is in the historic present tense, indicating the devil had not left for good and would later return to further tempt Jesus. Luke 4:13 makes this explicit, stating the devil left only to await a more opportune time. The angels are mentioned in the Gospel of Mark at Mark 1:13 but are absent from Luke's narrative. As described in Matthew 4:2, Jesus had been fasting for forty days and nights prior to the temptation. The word 'minister' or 'served' is often interpreted as the angels feeding Jesus, and France states this seems to reference 1 Kings 19:5–8 where the prophet Elijah is fed by angels.
Reader's Guide
Matthew 4:11 serves as the resolution of the temptation narrative, emphasizing divine support after trial. The verse has been interpreted in multiple ways: Pseudo-Chrysostom suggests the devil did not depart voluntarily but was driven by Christ's divine nature, while Augustine notes the angels' ministry made manifest Christ's power to demons. Gregory the Great highlights the twofold nature of Christ—the man tempted, the God ministered to. The verse also connects to broader biblical themes, such as the feeding of Elijah by angels. Hill notes that the War Scroll from Qumran describes angels as an army battling evil, which contrasts with the gospel portrayal but could link to this verse with angels aiding in driving off Satan. The textual witnesses, including early manuscripts like Papyrus 102 and Codex Vaticanus, attest to the verse's early transmission. The verse's placement at the end of the temptation scene provides a literary closure, with Clarke noting that ending with a meal reflects a common device emphasizing a happy ending.
Did You Know?
- The Greek phrase 'devil left him' is in the historic present tense, implying the devil would return later.
- Angels are mentioned in Mark 1:13 but are absent from Luke's temptation narrative.
- Some early manuscripts containing this verse include Papyrus 102 from the 3rd century.
- Pseudo-Chrysostom wrote that the angels were always on earth to minister to Jesus but had departed to allow the devil to approach.
More in Angels in Christianity 1-24
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