Back to Today
Matthew 4:1
Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. When he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was hungry afterward.
Permalink Verse page
Interpretation

Jesus teaches a ash wednesday that is worked out in relationships and commitments in Matthew 4:1—look for "was" and "forty". Give ash wednesday with time and attention—turn hope into steady work.

Context

The setting is Matthew—gospel narrative, developing ash wednesday. Read in Matthew 4, its force becomes clearer. Listen for “was” alongside “forty”.

Authorship & Historical Background

Early sources associate Matthew with Matthew the disciple, once a tax collector. Matthew is frequently described this way: Initially anonymous; tradition later assigns Matthew; engages Mark alongside a sayings tradition.. Scholars commonly date Matthew AD 80–90. Matthew seems aimed at Jewish‑Christian community.. Jesus teaches as a new Moses figure. Readers often compare Matthew’s arrangement and sources with Mark and Q.

More details
Traditional:Matthew the tax collector
Modern scholarship:Anonymous; attributed to Matthew; uses Mark + Q source.
Date:AD 80–90
Audience:Jewish‑Christian community.
Manuscripts & Textual Witnesses
The Greek text is preserved in thousands of manuscripts. Early papyri (P46, P66, P75) from the 2nd-3rd centuries, along with major uncials like Sinaiticus and Vaticanus (4th century), provide strong textual witness. Minor variants exist but do not affect the core meaning.
Sources & witness notes
SinaiticusVaticanusP46