11. The Great Temptation

        ¹²The Spirit drove him out into the wilderness.^{a 13}And he was in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan; and he was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered to him .
        (Mk. 1:12–13)

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a   “The Spirit drove him out into the wilderness.”—Each of the four gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) treat the temptation of Jesus somewhat differently. Mark recounts the event in two short verses (quoted above). Matthew and Luke tell a detailed story but differ in the order of temptations. The gospel of John does not mention the event at all .
        The gospel writers recount the temptation as taking place immediately following Jesus' submission to baptism by John. However, since John's baptism marked the actual beginning of Jesus' public ministry, it is more likely that the 40 days following John’s baptism was a time of communion with God and planning the proclamation of the kingdom. Perhaps Jesus' temptation occurred just before his baptism and the two events were combined in the gospel record. This would be consistent with the Father's expression of approval at Jesus' baptism—“This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased.” (Ch. 14, Mt. 3:17)—which would naturally occur after Jesus had met and overcome his “great temptation.”

Mk. 1:12  Spirit drove / Spirit immediately drove (RSV)   (134:7,8/1492–4)




Jesus by L. Mullins

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