Mark gives a very brief but powerful description of the time Jesus spent in the desert after his baptism. In this brief description, Mark calls attention to the idea that the Spirit drives Jesus into the wilderness—not leads but drives. The Spirit drives Jesus in the sense that Jesus all of a sudden feels an urgent need to resolve a mystery that God the father has revealed to him at his baptism.
During the baptism of Jesus, God identifies Jesus as his beloved son. Now, Jesus has to figure out what that means. Jesus has to understand what his earthly mission is in relation to the Father and to the world. He must then choose whether he will indeed undertake that mission. In other words, Jesus has a serious choice to make that requires a period of preparation.
His place of preparation is understandable. Preparing for a difficult task is often something that must done alone. What better place for complete solitude and opportunity to resolve such a mystery than the desert wilderness? Wilderness itself can be a mysterious and dangerous place. This is especially true for Jesus, who experienced in the wilderness what Israel was going through at the time—trials and tribulations.
In a way, the wilderness represents the circumstances in which Jesus will carry out his mission once he leaves the desert. The wilderness is a dangerous place because it is unchartered territory with unknown pathways and obstacles. It often must be maneuvered in untried ways and managed with untested methods. The uncertainty of a wilderness thus creates many dangers and snares that can be difficult to overcome without proper guidance or assistance.
Adding to the mystery and danger of the wilderness is the idea of Jesus being tempted by Satan and having to compete with wild beasts. Wild beasts can prove deadly even for the strongest adventurer. In that sense, the presence of wild beasts foretells the rejection and cruelty Jesus will experience at the hands of many. Jesus will have to win over those who reject the true God and his teachings—a daunting task at best.
We do not learn from Mark the nature or kinds of temptations Jesus endures. In Mark’s gospel, there are no stones to be turned into bread, nor kingdoms to be renounced, nor a temple precipice to be avoided. We do know, however, that many challenges and struggles continued for Jesus well beyond the wilderness.
The Pharisees and scribes, for example, often falsely accused Jesus of many egregious wrongs. His own family once claimed he was out of his mind (Mk 3:21). The ultimate and final test of his love and faith came with his Passion and death on the cross. The tests in the wilderness were only the beginning.
Through it all, Jesus perseveres and never once looks away. For Jesus, embracing a mission contrary to the will of God is no mission at all. The irony is that Jesus succeeds in the desert where the Israelites had failed in the desert. Wandering in the desert only fueled their quest for political power and control. Their greed led them to abandon the will of God and worship the golden calf—that is, they put their trust in the things of this world (Dt 6:13-14). Satan offers the Israelites a different interpretation of their lives, and they buy into it. Instead of holding fast to the life and mission that God had called them to live, they settle for the illusions and false glitter invented by Satan.
Jesus, on the other hand, does not buy into Satan’s interpretation of his life and mission. The devil tries to seduce Jesus into believing that his mission is to be financially secure, in complete control, and politically powerful. Jesus rejects that interpretation and holds fast to the life and mission that God gives him. He understands and accepts what faithfulness as the Son of God entails for him in this world—and God rewards his faithfulness. The world simply fails to see the outcome as a victory.
We might be tempted to think that Jesus had to endure these hardships and temptations in the wilderness to prove his mettle, so to speak, as the Son of God. We also might be tempted to think that such temptations are not ours to deal with and overcome. And yet, with all the glamor and attractions of modern life, listening and responding to the Word of God in an authentic manner remains a daily challenge. There are many other voices and illusions, many other gods, vying for our attention and loyalty.
What are the wild beasts in our lives? Who are the angels? Do we follow a voice alien to our Father in heaven? Jesus claims that his sheep hear his voice and follow him (Jn 10:27). Do we abandon the purpose that God gives us in favor of the interpretation others have for us? Do we accept the interpretation of our lives that others try to impose on us? Do we let others decide who we are or who we should be?
Jesus urges us to show who we are by not hiding our light under a bushel basket (Lk 8:16). Do we respond to temptation like the Israelites in the desert, or do we follow Jesus in the wilderness and remain faithful to the Word of God no matter the cost? Saying yes to Jesus is often easier said than done. Our courage comes with the assurance that God always guides and protects his own, for Jesus makes it clear that all things are possible with God (Mk 9:23).
Like the time of preparation and choice Jesus experienced in the desert, Lent is our time of preparation and choice. May our forty days of Lent this year be our preparation to imitate more closely the faithfulness and good deeds of Jesus. For, his way of living is the only sure way that leads to eternal life. We too have angels who eagerly minister to us. We also have Jesus’ word that he will send the Holy Spirit as our guide and helper (Acts 1:3-4). His own experience and response in the wilderness are reason enough to believe that Jesus will keep his word.
