Deuteronomy 8 · a question people ask
Jesus was forty days in the wilderness, and Israel forty years. Is Matthew drawing that line?
Moses says the LORD "led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, to test you" (8:2), and "allowed you to be hungry" (8:3). Matthew says, "Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil" (Matthew 4:1), and "When he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was hungry afterward" (Matthew 4:2). His first answer to the tempter is this chapter's verse (Matthew 4:4; 8:3), and his other two are close to 6:16 and 6:13 (Matthew 4:7, 4:10). Matthew doesn't say in so many words that the forty days answer the forty years. Christians read the two side by side in two main ways, and the two can be held together. Both agree that Jesus answered each time, "It is written" (Matthew 4:4, 4:7, 4:10), with words from this book, and that in the end "the devil left him" (Matthew 4:11).
How Christians read it
Where Christians differ, Favor sets out the main views side by side and doesn't pick one.
The Son goes through Israel's test
Those who hold this view note that Matthew has already given Jesus words first spoken of Israel: "Out of Egypt I called my son" (Matthew 2:15), from Hosea, "When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt" (Hosea 11:1). The LORD called Israel "my son, my firstborn" (Exodus 4:22), and this chapter says, "as a man disciplines his son, so the LORD your God disciplines you" (8:5). The tempter begins, "If you are the Son of God" (Matthew 4:3). They read the wilderness, the hunger and the answer from 8:3 as the Son going through the test Israel was given.
Matthew 2:15 · Hosea 11:1 · Exodus 4:22 · Deuteronomy 8:5 · Matthew 4:3
Tempted as we are
Those who hold this view note that Matthew doesn't mention Israel's forty years, and put the weight on what Hebrews says Jesus' temptation means for his people: he "has been in all points tempted like we are, yet without sin" (Hebrews 4:15), and "in that he himself has suffered being tempted, he is able to help those who are tempted" (Hebrews 2:18). They read his answers in Matthew 4 as the way to stand when tested: "It is written" (Matthew 4:4).
Hebrews 4:15 · Hebrews 2:18 · Matthew 4:4
The verses
“You shall remember all the way which the LORD your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, to test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not. He humbled you, allowed you to be hungry, and fed you with manna, which you didn’t know, neither did your fathers know, that he might teach you that man does not live by bread only, but man lives by every word that proceeds out of the LORD’s mouth.”
“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. The tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.” But he answered, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of God’s mouth.’””
“You shall not tempt the LORD your God, as you tempted him in Massah.”
“You shall fear the LORD your God; and you shall serve him, and shall swear by his name.”