Vincent's NT Word Studies
1. Was led. So Matthew. Mark says, "The Spirit driveth, (ekballei) or thrusteth him forth.By the Spirit (en tw pneumati). The American Revisers render in the spirit, indicating the sphere rather than the impulse of his action. Into the wilderness. The A.V. has followed the reading eijv, into. The proper reading is ejn, in. He was not only impelled into the wilderness, but guided in the wilderness by the Spirit.
Forty days. This should be joined with the preceding words, indicating the duration of his stay in the wilderness, not of his temptation, as A.V., being forty days tempted. Read as Rev., in the wilderness during forty days. The devil. See on Matt. iv. 1.
He did eat nothing. Mark does not mention the fast. Matthew uses the word nhsteusav, having fasted, which, throughout the New Testament, is used of abstinence for religious purposes; a ritual act accompanying seasons of prayer.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
4:1 {Full of the Holy Spirit} (pleres pneumatos hagiou). An evident allusion to the descent of the Holy Spirit on Jesus at his baptism (#Lu 3:21f.). The distinctness of the Persons in the Trinity is shown there, but with evident unity. One recalls also Luke's account of the overshadowing of Mary by the Holy Spirit (#1:35). #Mt 4:1 says that "Jesus was led of the Spirit" while #Mr 1:12 states that "the Spirit driveth him forth" which see for discussion. "Jesus had been endowed with supernatural power; and He was tempted to make use of it in furthering his own interests without regard to the Father's will" (Plummer). {Was led by the Spirit} (egeto en toi pneumati). Imperfect passive, continuously led. en may be the instrumental use as often, for #Mt 4:1 has here hupo of direct agency. But Matthew has the aorist passive anecqe which may be ingressive as he has eis ten eremon (into the wilderness) while Luke has en twi eremwi (in the wilderness). At any rate Luke affirms that Jesus was now continuously under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Hence in this same sentence he mentions the Spirit twice. {During the forty days} (hemeras tesserakonta). Accusative of duration of time, to be connected with "led" not with "tempted." He was led in the Spirit during these forty days (cf. #De 8:2, forty years). The words are amphibolous also in #Mr 1:13. #Mt 4:2 seems to imply that the three recorded temptations came at the close of the fasting for forty days. That can be true and yet what Luke states be true also. These three may be merely specimens and so "representative of the struggle which continued throughout the whole period" (Plummer).
