Temptations in the Desert
Matthew 4:10 Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
Matthew 4:10 Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.
Matthew 4:10 Get out of here, Satan. For the Scriptures say, ‘You must worship the LORD your God
and serve only him.'
Bring adversity under your power! Because it has been written: "A master, that Divine of yours, you should bow down to and for H im only should you serve.
While the last two verses (Matthew 4:4, Matthew 4:7) were exact quotes of the Greek Old Testament, but this verse is only a near quote of Deu 6:13. Jesus replaced the word "fear" from the OT with the word "worship" based on what his adversary has said. The word translated as "serve"is only used here and in the parallel in Luke. Jesus commonly uses another verb for this concept, but here he uses the one used in the Septuagint so he wasn't just paraphrasing freely, but adapting the verse to the situation.
The command starting the verse is a word that Jesus usually uses to mean "go away," but here the word takes an object. The object is the word translated, or more correctly, not translated as "satan." This is not a name nor is it used that way. We can see this easily in Greek because the word ending tells you if it is addressed to someone. It is the object of the verb and means "adversity" or "opposition." So the sense is "withdraw opposition" only it doesn't have a "your" in it.
Matthew 4:10 Ὕπαγε, Σατανᾶ: γέγραπται γάρ “Κύριον τὸν θεόν σου προσκυνήσεις καὶ αὐτῷ μόνῳ λατρεύσεις.”
Deu 6:13 LXX κύριον τὸν θεόν σου φοβηθήσῃ καὶ αὐτῷ λατρεύσεις
- CW --Confusing Word -- The "Get" does not capture the word's specific meaning with an object.
- CW - Confusing Word -- The "hence" has more the sense of "back" and isn't related to the word used for "hence" in Greek.
- WF - Wrong Form - The "satan" is not a name or used that way, but a description.
- WT - Wrong Tense - The verb "is" indicates the present tense, but the verb is the past perfect.
- WP -- Wrongly Placed -- The word "the" doesn't appear before "lord" but "God."
- CW - Confusing Word -- The "serve" is not the verb normally translated as "serve" in the Gospels but a word unique to the verse from the Greek OT.
- CW --Confusing Word -- The "Away" does not capture the word's specific meaning with an object.
- IP - Inserted phrase-- The phrase "from me" doesn't exist in the source.
- WF - Wrong Form - The "satan" is not a name or used that way, but a description.
- WT - Wrong Tense - The verb "is" indicates the present tense, but the verb is the past perfect.
- WP -- Wrongly Placed -- The word "the" doesn't appear before "lord" but "God."
- CW - Confusing Word -- The "serve" is not the verb normally translated as "serve" in the Gospels but a word unique to the verse from the Greek OT.
- WF - Wrong Form - The "serve" is not a command.
- CW - Confusing Word -- The "out" is not the verb normally translated as "serve" in the Gospels but a word unique to the verse from the Greek OT.
- IP - Inserted phrase-- The phrase "from me" doesn't exist in the source.
- WF - Wrong Form - The "satan" is not a name or used that way, but a description.
- IP - Inserted phrase-- The phrase "No! The Scriptures" doesn't exist in the source.
- WW - Wrong Word -- The word translated as "says" means "written."
- WT - Wrong Tense - The verb "say" indicates the present tense, but the tense of the verb is the past perfect.
- WF - Wrong Form - The "must" should not indicate a command.
- WT - Wrong Tense - The verb "must" indicates the present tense, but the verb is the future tense.
- WP -- Wrongly Placed -- The word "the" doesn't appear before "lord" but "God."
- CW - Confusing Word -- The "serve" is not the verb normally translated as "serve" in the Gospels but a word unique to the verse from the Greek OT.
- WF - Wrong Form - The "serve" is not a command.
- WT - Wrong Tense - The verb "serve" seem like the present tense, but the verb is the future tense.
Get -- (CW) The verb "get thee hence," is from a Greek verbal command that means literally "go under," "take away," or "bring under," and Jesus uses it to mean "go," but he often uses it to mean "go away" and "depart." However, with an object, it also means, “to bring something under one's power.” However, here it is given an object, so it cannot simply be "go away." The object is "adversity" or "opposition. This verb is either a second-person command or a third-person statement. Its tense is something that started in the past but continues into the present.
thee -- This is from the second-person, singular form of the verb. The word, however, could also be the third person.
hence, -- (CW) The word "hence" from the prefix of the previous verb that means "under," both in the sense of moving under, being under, and being under different forms of compulsion. Perhaps "back" is closer to the meaning in English.
Satan: -- (WF) "Satan" the Hebrew word satan in the Greek form. The form is important because it is not the form of an address, that form used when calling someone a name. It is the form of an object. The Hebrew word satan was not a name but a noun describing an adversary, an opponent or the general idea of adversity. Here it is the object of the verb "take away" so the sense is taking away adversity or removing a barrier. More about the Greek word satanas here.
for --The word translated as "for" introduces a reason or explanation so "because" and, in questions, "why." However, since this word always appears in the second position, it is more like an aside remark like, "consequently" or "as a cause."
it -- This is from the third-person, singular form of the following verb.
is -- (WT) This helping verb "is" indicates that the following verb is passive. Helping or auxiliary verbs are needed to translate the Greek verb forms into English. However, the tense here is the past perfect, so "has been."
written -- "Written" is a verb that means "to mark," "to express by written characters," and "to write down [a law]." The verb is passive, completed in the past, "it has been written."
Thou -- This is from the second-person, plural form of the verb.
shalt -- This helping verb "shalt" indicates that the verb is the future tense or a form that indicates possibility at some time. Helping or auxiliary verbs are needed to translate the Greek verb forms into English.
worship -- "Worship" is from a Greek word that means "make obeisance," specifically to prostrate yourself before authority, as we would use the Chinese term, "kowtow." In the previous verse, this Greek word was used with the verb meaning "falling down." The form is either the future tense or a form of possibility, that is, what "should" happen.
the -- (WP) The word translated as "the" is the Greek definite article, which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those"). See this article for more. This word appears before "God" not "Lord."
Lord -- The word translated as "Lord," is the same as the one used to describe a master of slaves. While most references to slaves in the KJV are translated to "servants," the use of "Lord" and "slaves" is common in Christ's parables because it describes a common employment situation of his time.
thy -- The word translated as "thy" is the possessive form of the second person pronoun. This pronoun follows the noun so "of yours."
God, -- The word translated as "God" means "God" and "deity." It is introduced with an article, so "the God." Jesus often uses it this way perhaps to indicate the one God as opposed to the pagan gods. See this article for more.
and -- The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and," but it also is used to add emphasis ("also"). In a series, it is can be translated as "not only...but also." After words implying sameness "as."
him -- The word translated as "him" is the Greek word commonly translated as third-person pronouns in English. The word means "the same" when used as an adjective. In the adverbial form, it means "just here" or "exactly there." This pronoun follows the noun so "of his."
only -- "Only" is an adjective that means "alone," "solitary," "only," "single," "unique," "made in one piece," "without [someone]," "only [something]," "unique," "one above all others," and "on one condition only." This word was not a part of the original verse in the Septuagint.
shalt -- This helping verb "shalt" indicates that the verb is the future tense or a form that indicates possibility at some time. Helping or auxiliary verbs are needed to translate the Greek verb forms into English.
thou -- This is from the second-person, plural form of the verb.
serve. -- (CW) The primary meaning of the Greek word translated as "serve" is "to work for hire," but its secondary meaning is "to be enslaved to." This is not Jesus's normal word that means "serve." Jesus only uses this word in two verses, here and the parallel in Luke 4:8.
Away -- (CW) The verb "get thee hence," is from a Greek verbal command that means literally "go under," "take away," or "bring under," and Jesus uses it to mean "go," but he often uses it to mean "go away" and "depart." However, with an object, it also means, “to bring something under one's power.” However, here it is given an object, so it cannot simply be "go away." The object is "adversity" or "opposition. This verb is either a second-person command or a third-person statement. Its tense is something that started in the past but continues into the present.
from me, -- (IP) There is nothing that can be translated as "from me" in the Greek source.
Satan: -- (WF) "Satan" the Hebrew word satan in the Greek form. The form is important because it is not the form of an address, that form used when calling someone a name. It is the form of an object. The Hebrew word satan was not a name but a noun describing an adversary, an opponent or the general idea of adversity. Here it is the object of the verb "take away" so the sense is taking away adversity or removing a barrier. More about the Greek word satanas here.
for --The word translated as "for" introduces a reason or explanation so "because" and, in questions, "why." However, since this word always appears in the second position, it is more like an aside remark like, "consequently" or "as a cause."
it -- This is from the third-person, singular form of the following verb.
is -- (WT) This helping verb "is" indicates that the following verb is passive. Helping or auxiliary verbs are needed to translate the Greek verb forms into English. However, the tense here is the past perfect, so "has been."
written -- "Written" is a verb that means "to mark," "to express by written characters," and "to write down [a law]." The verb is passive, completed in the past, "it has been written."
Worship -- (WF) "Worship" is from a Greek word that means "make obeisance," specifically to prostrate yourself before authority, as we would use the Chinese term, "kowtow." In the previous verse, this Greek word was used with the verb meaning "falling down." The form is either the future tense or a form of possibility, that is, what "should" happen. It is not a command as translated.
the -- (WP) The word translated as "the" is the Greek definite article, which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those"). See this article for more. This word appears before "God" not "Lord."
Lord -- The word translated as "Lord," is the same as the one used to describe a master of slaves. While most references to slaves in the KJV are translated to "servants," the use of "Lord" and "slaves" is common in Christ's parables because it describes a common employment situation of his time.
your -- The word translated as "your" is the possessive form of the second person pronoun. This pronoun follows the noun so "of yours."
God, -- The word translated as "God" means "God" and "deity." It is introduced with an article, so "the God." Jesus often uses it this way perhaps to indicate the one God as opposed to the pagan gods. See this article for more.
and -- The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and," but it also is used to add emphasis ("also"). In a series, it is can be translated as "not only...but also." After words implying sameness "as."
serve. -- (CW, WF) The primary meaning of the Greek word translated as "serve" is "to work for hire," but its secondary meaning is "to be enslaved to." This is not Jesus's normal word that means "serve." Jesus only uses this word in two verses, here and the parallel in Luke 4:8. The form of the verb is not a command. It is either the future tense, or more likely, a subjunctive, something that "should" be done.
him -- The word translated as "him" is the Greek word commonly translated as third-person pronouns in English. The word means "the same" when used as an adjective. In the adverbial form, it means "just here" or "exactly there." This pronoun follows the noun so "of his."
only -- "Only" is an adjective that means "alone," "solitary," "only," "single," "unique," "made in one piece," "without [someone]," "only [something]," "unique," "one above all others," and "on one condition only." This word was not a part of the original verse in the Septuagint.
Get -- The verb "get thee hence," is from a Greek verbal command that means literally "go under," "take away," or "bring under," and Jesus uses it to mean "go," but he often uses it to mean "go away" and "depart." However, here it is given an object, so it cannot simply be "go away." It also means "withdraw" as in the sense of "take away." The object is "adversity" or "opposition. This verb is in the form of a command.
out, -- (CW) The word it from the prefix of the previous verb that means "under," both in the sense of moving under, being under, and being under different forms of compulsion. Perhaps "back" is closer to the meaning in English.
of here, -- (IP) There is nothing that can be translated as "of here" in the Greek source.
Satan: -- (WF) "Satan" the Hebrew word satan in the Greek form. The form is important because it is not the form of an address, that form used when calling someone a name. It is the form of an object. The Hebrew word satan was not a name but a noun describing an adversary, an opponent or the general idea of adversity. Here it is the object of the verb "take away" so the sense is taking away adversity or removing a barrier. More about the Greek word satanas here.
for --The word translated as "for" introduces a reason or explanation so "because" and, in questions, "why." However, since this word always appears in the second position, it is more like an aside remark like, "consequently" or "as a cause."
The Scriptures , -- (IP) There is nothing that can be translated as an initial "No! The scriptures" in the Greek source.
say, -- (WW, WF) "Say" is the Greek verb that means "to write," "to mark," "to express by written characters," "to write a letter," "to write down [a law]," and so on.
You -- This is from the second-person, singular form of the verb.
must -- (WF, WT) This helping verb "must" indicates a command in the present tense, but the verb is a statement in the future tense. Helping or auxiliary verbs are needed to translate the Greek verb forms into English.
worship -- "Worship" is from a Greek word that means "make obeisance," specifically to prostrate yourself before authority, as we would use the Chinese term, "kowtow." In the previous verse, this Greek word was used with the verb meaning "falling down." The form is either the future tense or a form of possibility, that is, what "should" happen. It is not a command as translated.
the -- (WP) The word translated as "the" is the Greek definite article, which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those"). See this article for more. This word appears before "God" not "Lord."
LORD -- The word translated as "Lord," is the same as the one used to describe a master of slaves. While most references to slaves in the KJV are translated to "servants," the use of "Lord" and "slaves" is common in Christ's parables because it describes a common employment situation of his time.
your -- The word translated as "your" is the possessive form of the second person pronoun. This pronoun follows the noun so "of yours."
God, -- The word translated as "God" means "God" and "deity." It is introduced with an article, so "the God." Jesus often uses it this way perhaps to indicate the one God as opposed to the pagan gods. See this article for more.
and -- The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and," but it also is used to add emphasis ("also"). In a series, it is can be translated as "not only...but also." After words implying sameness "as."
serve. -- (CW, WF, WT) The primary meaning of the Greek word translated as "serve" is "to work for hire," but its secondary meaning is "to be enslaved to." This is not Jesus's normal word that means "serve." Jesus only uses this word in two verses, here and the parallel in Luke 4:8. The form of the verb is not a command nor is it the present tense. It is the future tense. .
only -- "Only" is an adjective that means "alone," "solitary," "only," "single," "unique," "made in one piece," "without [someone]," "only [something]," "unique," "one above all others," and "on one condition only." This word was not a part of the original verse in the Septuagint.
him -- The word translated as "him" is the Greek word commonly translated as third-person pronouns in English. The word means "the same" when used as an adjective. In the adverbial form, it means "just here" or "exactly there." This pronoun follows the noun so "of his."
and serve only him.'
Ὕπαγε, (2nd sg pres imperat act or verb 3rd sg imperf ) "Be gone" is from hypago, which means "to lead under," "to bring under," "to bring a person before judgment," "to lead on by degrees," "to take away from beneath," "to withdraw," "to go away," "to retire," "to draw off," "go forwards," and "off with you."
Σατανᾶ: (noun sg masc acc) "Satan" is satanas, which is an Aramaic word meaning "adversary," "opponent," or "one who opposes another in purpose or act. " The word is used only in the New Testament. The meaning it has today as "the chief of evil spirits" comes from Christian traditions unknown at the time the Gospels were written. (More about satanas and demons here.)
γέγραπται [34 verses]3rd sg perf ind mp) "It is written" is from grapho which means "to mark," "to express by written characters," "to write a letter," "to write down [a law]," "to proscribe," "to ordain," "to write for oneself," "to enroll oneself," "to draw signs," "to describe a figure" "to brand," and "to indict."
γάρ (partic) "For" comes from gar which is the introduction of a clause explaining a reason or explanation: "for," "since," and "as." In an abrupt question it means "why" and "what."
“Κύριον [92 verses] (noun sg masc acc) "The Lord" is from kyrios (kurios), which means "having power," "being in authority" and "being in possession of." It also means "lord," "master of the house," and "head of the family."
τὸν [821 verses] (article sg masc acc) "The" is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the"), which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one" or, in the plural, "the ones."
θεόν [144 verses](noun sg masc acc) "God" is from theos, which means "God," "divine," and "Deity."
σου [144 verses](pron 2nd sg gen) "Thy" is from sou which means "you" and "your."
προσκυνήσεις [7 verses](2nd sg aor subj act or sg fut ind act) "Worship" is proskyneo, which means "make obeisance," "fall down and worship," and specifically means to prostrate yourself before authority, as we would use the Chinese term, "kowtow."
καὶ [1089 verses(partic) "And" is from kai, which is the conjunction joining phrases and clauses, "and," or "also." After words implying sameness, "as" (the same opinion as you). Used in series, joins positive with negative "Not only...but also." Also used to give emphasis, "even," "also," and "just."
αὐτῷ [106 verses](adj sg masc dat) "Him" is from autos, which means "the same," and the reflexive pronouns, "myself," "yourself," "himself," "herself," "itself," or the oblique case of the pronouns, "him," "her," and "it." It also means "one's true self," that is, "the soul" as opposed to the body and "of one's own accord."
μόνῳ[4 verses](adj sg masc dat) "Only" is from monon, which means "alone," "solitary," "only," "one above all others," "made in one piece," "single," and "unique."
λατρεύσεις.” [2 verses] (2nd sg fut ind act or 2nd sg aor subj ) "Serve" is latreuo, which means "to work for hire or pay," "to be subject or enslaved to," "to serve," "to be devoted to," and "to serve the gods with prayers and sacrifices."
"Remove opposition" he said as a jolly dismissal.
He held of a finger as if explaining a point.
"this is the rule," he said.
Because this is the rule:
"You are going to bow," he said with a bow. "And praise your master, the Divine."
"And," he added casually. "You are going to work only for him."