Matthew 4:2 - When he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was hungry afterward.
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What does "Matthew 4:2" mean?
This verse, Matthew 4:2, is a simple statement with significant implications. Let's break it down:
"When he had fasted forty days and forty nights...": This establishes a period of intense spiritual preparation for Jesus. Fasting is a voluntary abstinence from food (and sometimes water) often undertaken for religious or spiritual reasons. Forty days and forty nights is a symbolic number in the Bible, often associated with periods of trial, testing, or purification (e.g., the flood, Moses on Mount Sinai).
"...he was hungry afterward.": This is the key to the verse. It highlights Jesus's humanity.
Human Need: Despite being divine, Jesus was fully human. This phrase underscores the physical reality of his experience. After such a prolonged fast, it's a completely natural and expected outcome to be hungry. He felt the physical effects of his fast.
Vulnerability: The hunger made him vulnerable. It was in this weakened state that Satan approached him to tempt him.
Empathy: This verse also suggests Jesus's capacity to understand human needs and suffering. He experienced hunger, a common human experience.
In essence, the verse signifies:
The completion of a period of intense spiritual discipline.
Jesus's dual nature: divine yet fully human.
The reality of his physical and emotional state.
The setting of the stage for the temptations he would face.
The hunger wasn't just a random detail; it was a crucial element in the narrative, highlighting the vulnerability that made Jesus susceptible to temptation. This underscores the importance of resisting temptation even in moments of weakness.
Matthew 4:2 - When he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was hungry afterward.
What does "Matthew 4:2" mean?
This verse, Matthew 4:2, is a simple statement with significant implications. Let's break it down:
"When he had fasted forty days and forty nights...": This establishes a period of intense spiritual preparation for Jesus. Fasting is a voluntary abstinence from food (and sometimes water) often undertaken for religious or spiritual reasons. Forty days and forty nights is a symbolic number in the Bible, often associated with periods of trial, testing, or purification (e.g., the flood, Moses on Mount Sinai).
"...he was hungry afterward.": This is the key to the verse. It highlights Jesus's humanity.
Human Need: Despite being divine, Jesus was fully human. This phrase underscores the physical reality of his experience. After such a prolonged fast, it's a completely natural and expected outcome to be hungry. He felt the physical effects of his fast.
Vulnerability: The hunger made him vulnerable. It was in this weakened state that Satan approached him to tempt him.
Empathy: This verse also suggests Jesus's capacity to understand human needs and suffering. He experienced hunger, a common human experience.
In essence, the verse signifies:
The completion of a period of intense spiritual discipline.
Jesus's dual nature: divine yet fully human.
The reality of his physical and emotional state.
The setting of the stage for the temptations he would face.
The hunger wasn't just a random detail; it was a crucial element in the narrative, highlighting the vulnerability that made Jesus susceptible to temptation. This underscores the importance of resisting temptation even in moments of weakness.