The Temptation of Jesus (Mark 1:12-15)

LECTIO DIVINA, FIRST SUNDAY OF THE LENT 2024

The Temptation of Jesus (Mark 1: 12-15)

12 The Spirit immediately (εὐθὺς) drove (ἐκβάλλει) Jesus out into the wilderness (ἐρήμῳ). 

13 He was in the wilderness forty days, tempted (πειραζόμενος) by Satan (Σατανᾶ);

 and he was with the wild animals; and the angels ministered (διηκόνουν) him.

14 After John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming good news (εὐαγγελίῳ) of God, 

15 and saying, “The time (καιρὸς) is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God (βασιλεία τοῦ θεοῦ) has come near; repent (μετανοεῖτε), and believe (πιστεύετε) in the good news.” 

Basic Questions 

1. Why Gospel of Mark does not speak about three temptations? 
2. The Spirit immediately comes from where? How he is leading Jesus? 
3. Why he was in the wilderness (not the desert), for forty days, (not fifty days)?
4. Was Jesus tempted by Satan? 
5. Angels are present only in Mark, what they are doing? 
6. Where Jesus is using the Word of God? Coming out of the desert! The message is repentance/belief.

Synthesis: 

Understanding Mk 1:12-15: Jesus after Baptism, full of spirit, driven forcefully by the Spirit to the wilderness, to be tempted by the devil. He came not to be served but to serve, to give His life as a ransom for many, which means all. The sinless Son of God took my place when He was actually and severely tempted by Satan for forty days. Jesus proclaims good news, time has come, time of salvation, time of the Kingdom of God. Our response is repentance and belief.

CONTEXT

The Gospel reading for the first Sunday of the Lent is always the temptation of Jesus. The parallels to Mark 1:12-13 are Matthew 4:1-11 and Luke 4:1-13. Matthew treats the Temptation in 11 verses, Luke in 13 verses, and Mark in only 2. Mark is the basis of the composition (original) of Matthew and Luke. The idea that Mark presents the original tradition, out of which the longer accounts of Matthew and Luke were elaborated. The initial events of the gospel are Baptism, the temptation of Jesus and the proclamation of his ministry and here the journey of Jesus starts. Thus, Lent is a journey of repentance and faith, beginning with Ash Wednesday. 

Immediately: At once the Spirit sent him out into the desert, "At once," Immediately, straightway and directly after Jesus' baptism, he was driven by the H. Spirit. There is a close connection between two events Baptism and temptation. The Spirit doesn’t give Jesus time to celebrate his baptism. The Spirit who had descended so gently on Jesus in baptism in the form of dove, now drives him out into the desert wilderness. 

Immediately is a Mark’s favourite word. Because in Mark’s Gospel Jesus was portrayed as Son of Man to serve. God the Father sent Jesus the Son into the world to bring about the defeat of sin and death, and it is time to get on with the job. There will be time for celebration later—after the resurrection—when the job is finally done. 

Drove (ekballei): (Most of the times, in the Gospel, this term was used to refer the exorcism of the devils; Jesus drove out or cast out devils, this stronger verb is not used in other gospels). The Holy Spirit, who had anointed Jesus for His work, is the subject of this experience in the desert. It doesn't mean that Jesus went against His own will. The Father was not tempted, nor the Holy Spirit, Only the incarnate Son was tempted. but it was willed by Father and driven by Spirit. The idea is not that Jesus was forced against His will, or that he was reluctant to go and thus had to be driven. There was a strong urge of the Spirit met the consent of Jesus. Jesus was brought into his by his Father's own Spirit. The divine Spirit is the real initiator/protagonist of the event and not the devil. Here, as elsewhere in the NT and in Judaism, the devil is not simply dualistically God’s equal opponent. It is the plan of the Spirit that Jesus to be tempted by the devil, Spirit allows to be tempted by the devil. 

Wilderness:

Throughout OT and particularly in Israel’s history, the wilderness has been present. The Testing of Jesus in the New Testament and the testing of Israel in the Old Testament has a close link in Mark. Jesus spends forty days in the wilderness, as Moses spent forty days on Mount Sinai, where he received the Law. Elijah walked forty days and forty nights to the mountain of God, Horeb -with fasting into the desert. (1 Kings 19:8). Israel passed forty years in wilderness to reach the promised land. The wilderness is the testing period for the people of God. Israelites and Jesus have been tested in the wilderness. The difference between the two is in their response, for Jesus succeeds where Israel failed. 

Tempted: Jesus is tempted by Satan. The Greek word peirazo can mean tempt or test. To tempt is to entice a person to do what is wrong; to test is to give a person the opportunity to choose what is right. To tempt is to hope for failure; to test is to hope for success. Testing has precedents in the Old Testament (see Genesis 22:1-19; Deuteronomy 8:2-5).

Satan: it is not diabolos; Satan is a Hebrew word which means adversary or opponent or enemy. In mark’s Gospel, there is a specific Messianic secrecy, nobody knows the truth about Son of God, because it has to be secret. But only one knows better, the evil spirits. They know him. because he conquered them. 

Jesus was with “wild animals” and “the angels were serving (diekonoun) him”. The angels that we expected following Jesus’ baptism finally come to wait on (diekonoun) him. Diekonoun is the word from which we get the word “deacon” and has to do with service. Prophet Elijah was making a journey of forty days and forty night, when he slept, the angel provided the bread and he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God.

The final clause of Mark 1:13 reads "and the angels were serving Him (Jesus)." This implies that Jesus conquered Satan when He was tempted. These angels were not sent to help Jesus in His temptation. Matthew 26:53-56 rules that idea out. Jesus could have asked the Father for the help of legions of angels. But He did not. He was tempted and suffered alone, all alone, in our stead.  The Temptation of Jesus is a great comfort for us. He was tempted vicariously for all men, though He was sinless. Read Hebrews 2:14-18 and 4:14.15. He was tempted IN ALL THINGS JUST AS WE ARE TEMPTED but He was without sin. What a comfort!

The Son could be tempted, because he became man. . . He alone (of the three persons of the Trinity), by his human nature, was made dependent on His Father. . . Temptation was possible for Jesus only from the side of his human nature. . . The greatness of the strength tested changes nothing about the reality of the test to which it is subjected. The strain applied is just as real when the strength endures it, as when the strength is too weak to endure it. Jesus as the Stronger stood unmoved under all the force that Satan, the strong one, could bring to bear against him. . . The test or temptation was real in every way and no illusion. . . When the test was made, the outcome was not in doubt for a single moment. Yet the agony and the death were real, though Jesus bore them triumphantly.

Proclaiming the good news (εὐαγγελίῳ): Jesus used Word of God is the sole instrument (in Mt 4 and Lk 4) which we must use in our constant fight with Satan. People cannot win in their struggle with their own flesh and Satan unless they hear the Word of God and keep it. For Mark, the Word of God is the good news/mission that you preach through the person of Jesus. 

Period of repentance (metanoia/shub)and belief: believing is not enough, it is a journey of changing one’s mind and heart towards the different direction. It is a spiritual U turn. 

Synthesis: Jesus after Baptism, full of spirit, driven forcefully by the Spirit to the wilderness, to be tempted by the devil. He came not to be served but to serve, to give His life as a ransom for many, which means all. The sinless Son of God took my place when He was actually and severely tempted by Satan for forty days. Jesus proclaims good news, time has come, time of salvation, time of the Kingdom of God. Our response is repentance and belief.

Transfiguration (Mark 9:2-9)

LECTIO DIVINA ON THE SECOND SUNDAY OF THE LENT

Context of the scene of transfiguration in Mark 9:

• Theophany event; Central page of the Gospel of Mark. 
• The turning point of Jesus’ ministry: Until now, teaching/healing Jesus, after this, he begins his journey to Jerusalem.
• The situation of disciples; misunderstanding the identity of the Master.

LECTIO: Mark 9:2-9 (NRSV), The Transfiguration

2 Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and John and led them up a high mountain apart, by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, 3 and his clothes became dazzling bright, such as no one on earth could brighten them. 

4 And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, who were talking with Jesus. 

5 Then Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; let us set up three tents: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” 6 He did not know what to say, for they were terrified. 

7 Then a cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud, there came a voice, “This is my Son, the Beloved; listen to him!” 

8 Suddenly when they looked around, they saw no one with them anymore, but only Jesus. 

9 And as they were coming down the mountain, he charged them to tell no one what they had seen, until the Son of Man had risen from the dead. 

Meaning of some of the Root words:

• Μεταμορφόω – a complete change (not a mere change, but a transformation), a caterpillar is transformed into a butterfly.
• Καλός – beautiful by appearance, uncertain beauty
• Σκηνή – tent or roof (in OT it referred to the Tabernacle, where dwelling presence of God)
• ἐπισκιάζω – overshadow (Mary was overshadowed by the power of the Holy Spirit)

Context: 

• Theophany event: god the father manifestation, Central page of the Gospel of Mark. 
• Immediately before the transfiguration, Peter confessed that Jesus was the Messiah (8:27-30), and Jesus foretold his death and resurrection which Peter expressed serious objection (8:31-33).
• The Transfiguration is the turning point of Jesus’ ministry: after this, Jesus is faster, Until now, Jesus has been teaching and healing. Now he will begin his journey to Jerusalem, where he will die.
• Situation of disciples; until now they have not understood the identity of Jesus, son of God and son of man, Peter confessed that he was the Messiah, but partially. They forbid that he should not suffer/die. For the disciples, this scene gives hope, encouragement and reason. 

Before and after this section there is a healing of a blind man (8:22-26; 10:46-52)—but the disciples remain blind throughout. They misunderstand throughout the gospel unless undergo the same journey in their life.

During the transfiguration itself (vv. 2-9), Jesus does not speak even one word. The transfiguration reaffirms Jesus’ identity, reveals his glory, and calls the disciples to listen to him. it is an anticipation of his glory, but not real, he starts his journey again going down. Jesus is the messiah—the Son of God.

“After six days” (v. 2a) is another way of saying “on the seventh day.” Sabbath day. God created the world and man for six days and he rested. They go to the mountain on that day. 

“Jesus took with him Peter, James, and John, and brought them up onto a high mountain privately by themselves” (v. 2b). Peter, James, and John constitute Jesus’ inner circle. Jesus chose them to accompany him at special occasions, such as the healing of Jairus’ daughter (5:37) Jesus’ apocalyptic prophecies (13:3), and Gethsemane (14:33). Mark double-emphasizes that, on the Mount of Transfiguration, Jesus leads these three “apart, by themselves” (v. 2), their solitude signaling an event of great significance.

“up onto a high mountain” (v. 2b). The high mountain is more significant theologically than geographically. Mount Hermon or Mount Tabor are the possibilities, but Mark does not count it important to tell us its name. mountain is the place of God experience.

Figure of Moses: Is there anyone in OT, who met God face to face? His face was shining? This account closely parallels the story of Moses at Sinai (Ex 24, 34). Three men accompanied Moses (Ex 24:9; Mark 9:2). A cloud covered the mountain for six days, and God spoke from the cloud (Ex 24:16; Mark 9:2, 7). Moses saw, at least in part, God’s glory (Ex 33:17-23; Mark 9:3). When he came down from the mountain, the skin of Moses’ face shone dazzling bright (Ex 34:30; Mark 9:3), The people of Israel were afraid (Ex 34:30). On coming down from the mountain, Moses encountered faithless “disciples” (Ex 32:7-8; Mark 9:14-29).

Changed - “and he was changed into another form in front of them” (v. 2c). On this high mountain, Jesus is transfigured (metemorphothe—changed or transformed) before them. Metemorphothe is the Greek word from which we get our word metamorphosis, which we use to describe the process by which a caterpillar becomes a butterfly—a truly dramatic transformation.

Incarnation gave him another appearance, but now fully transformed, It simply reveals Jesus’ true identity—an identity that he had from the beginning (Luke 1:31-35; John 1:1-4). Suddenly, the disciples are suddenly able to see Jesus’ glory—glory that Jesus always possessed but that has been veiled until this moment.

Jesus’ clothing becomes dazzling white, like the snow-white clothing of the Ancient of days in Daniel 7:9. In that account we read: he saw the vision of four beasts, afterwards there is son of man, who clothed white as snow, dazzling white, it was prophesied by Daniel many years ago, the son of man was wearing white as snow, 

The glimpse of Christ’s glory at the transfiguration speaks more loudly than any words to promise these disciples that Jesus’ prediction of suffering and death is not the whole picture. Jesus will undergo suffering and death, as well his disciples, but their final destination will be glory.

“Elijah and Moses appeared to them, and they were talking with Jesus” (v. 4). The order of the names is the reverse of what we would expect. Moses came first chronologically, and was the more important of the two. It could be that Mark puts Elijah first because he is remembering God’s promise to send Elijah before the coming of the Day of the Lord (Malachi 4:5). Matthew and Luke, who both use Mark’s Gospel as one of their key sources, “correct” Mark’s order (Matthew 17:3; Luke 9:30), placing Moses’ name before Elijah’s.

It has oft been noted that Moses was the great lawgiver and Elijah the great prophet, so these two men embody the Law and the Prophets. However, if Mark intended them to embody the Law and Prophets, we would expect Moses’ name to appear first so that we would have the traditional order, Law and Prophets, rather than Prophets and Law.

Tent means tabernacle, such as those in which Jews dwell to observe the Feast of Booths or Tabernacles (Leviticus 23:42-44), which commemorates the Ex and the wanderings of the Israelites in the wilderness. Peter is suggesting to celebrate the Feast of Booths had taken on an eschatological flavor, promising Israel’s deliverance (Evans 242).

“A cloud came, overshadowing (episkiazousa) them” (v. 7a). Throughout scripture, clouds symbolize the presence of God, beginning with the pillar of cloud that led the Israelites through the wilderness by day (Ex 13:21). The most obvious parallel is the cloud that covered Mount Sinai when Moses ascended it (Ex 24:15ff), but clouds are associated with the presence of the Lord in both testaments (Ex 13:21-22; 16:10; 19:9; Daniel 7:13; Mark 9:7; 13:26; 14:62; Luke 21:27; Revelation 1:7; 14:14-16).

It is the same verb that is used to describe the power of the Most High overshadowing Mary (Luke 1:35), which resulted in her conceiving the child who would be the Son of God/Son of Man.

“This is my beloved Son” (v. 7c). These are very nearly the same words that God spoke at Jesus’ baptism, except that at the baptism God addressed Jesus, while on this mountain God addresses the disciples.

“Listen to him!” The disciples need to hear that. Repetition of theophany at baptism. Jesus has told them that he will suffer and die (8:31-33), but they did not listen. Even after this voice from the cloud says, “Listen to him!” they will fail to hear Jesus when he speaks of suffering and death (9:31; 10:33-34). The path that Jesus will take is so different from their expectations that they cannot accept his words. It is interesting to note that, just before the transfiguration, Jesus healed a blind man (8:22-26). Shortly after the transfiguration, he will heal another blind man (10:46-52). The disciples, however, continue not to see—not to hear—not to listen. Only after the resurrection-Emmaus experience will they begin to understand that the way to glory is through suffering and sacrifice, while breaking bread, their eyes will be opened.

“Suddenly looking around, they saw no one with them anymore, except Jesus only” (v. 8). Suddenly Elijah and Moses disappeared. Only Jesus remains because only Jesus is needed. The disciples find themselves, not alone, but in the presence of the Beloved Son of God. Elijah and Moses were no longer needed.

V. 9a: They were coming down from the mountain. It becomes difficult for the disciples to come away from fantasy to reality, It is necessary to descend into the everyday world of work and responsibility and commerce and ordinary people. Transfiguration is a beautiful/overwhelming experience of only some time, spent in contemplation and glory. But it is not a reality. Coming down from the mountain, very soon Jesus will climb another mountain Golgotha, his garments streaming with white light, will be thrown. There will not be the voice of theophany from God, but there will be the silence from god. Disciples were pleased to be near him, they would escape from him. This is the paradox of two realities of life.  

“he commanded them that they should tell no one what things they had seen: In Mark's Gospel, Jesus always kept the messianic secrecy: Earlier, Jesus told the demons not to make him known (3:12). Disciples should not speak about the master until every thing is fulfilled through his death and resurrection. Only after that, the disciples should follow the life of their Master.