Jesus Tempted | Mark 1:12–13
“12 The
Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness.
13 And he was in the wilderness forty days, being
tempted by Satan.
And he was with the wild animals, and the angels were
ministering to him.”
Sometimes we mistakenly believe that if we do everything “right,”
we’ll face no trouble. Indeed, we avoid
the consequences of our personal sins, but that doesn’t mean that God may not
still allow trials. Jesus warned, “In
the world you will have tribulation,” continuing with this promise, “But take
heart; I have overcome the world” (Jn 16:33).
The Man of Sorrows here endures forty days in the desert
with wild animals and Satan, the real adversary of all our souls, tempting Him
that entire time. What is striking,
though, is that the Holy Spirit compelled
Him to be out there. Why?
The temptation account here recalls two Old Testament
images. First, the inclusion here of “wild
beasts” contrasts another man dwelling with beasts, Adam. Since the Messiah would bring into the
kingdom those born again, He is the second Adam and must be tested. First Corinthians 14:45 says, “The first man
Adam became a living being”; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit.”
Second, this account parallels the wilderness testing of
Israel. In Exodus 3, Moses first meets
God in the wilderness, Israel is also called “son” in 4:23, and that son was
baptized into Moses when crossing the Red Sea (1 Cor 10:2; cf. Ex
14:13–31). Unfortunately, the people
rebelled, so God sent them wandering in the wilderness for 40 years (Nm 14). Even during Israel’s testing in the wilderness,
they did not lack (Dt 2:7), and here we see angels ministering to the sinless Christ.
Have you been facing
temptation, dear Christian? Know
that your Lord and Savior has also.
Hebrews 4:15 says that He is not “unable to sympathize with our
weaknesses” but “in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.” Recall His words of comfort: “I have overcome
the world.” Know that, if you’ve been baptized into Him, you’ve been raised to
new life in Him. You don’t have to yield
to temptation, but the victorious Christ gives you strength through the Holy
Spirit and the Word to slay any dragon wanting to lead you astray. Hallelujah! What a Savior!
