Mark 1:12-15
Gospel according to Mark 1:12-15
“After Jesus was baptized, the Spirit drove him out into the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan; and he was with the wild beasts; and the Angels waited on him. Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the Good News of God and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.”
Reflections
The gospel reading of today recounts the events that preceded the start of Jesus’ ministry. From Nazareth, where he grew up, Jesus went south to the river Jordan, where he was baptized by John. John indicated to his disciples that Jesus was the “Lamb of God” (John 1:29). The Holy Spirit descended on Jesus in the form of a dove, and the voice of the Father from heaven could be heard, “This is my Son, with whom I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:17). Next, Jesus went into the Judean Desert for forty days to fast and to pray to prepare for his mission.
The Judean Desert lies further south from the river Jordan. It is located between Jerusalem and the Dead Sea, visible from the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem. (1) It is a mountainous and hilly terrain, spanning 1,500 square kilometers, with an elevation ranging from 1,000 meters above sea level in the Judean Mountains and the Judean hills, and lowering toward the Dead Sea, reaching 400 meters below sea level in the east. (1) It is joined by the Negev, another large, desertic area in the south. Since ancient times, the Judean desert has been home to nomadic tribes, such as the Bedouin, who graze animals on the hills, small settlements, such as the kibbutzim, and it has some small cities and towns, such as Bethlehem, where Jesus was born. (2)
The desert has a long history dating back to 12,000 years. (2) The ancient city of Jericho, one of the world’s oldest cities, was built here. (3) King Saul and King David sought refuge in its hills. Ein Gedi, a six-thousand-year-old nature reserve is found in this desert, as well as Masada, a fortress that was erected during the first Jewish-Roman War between 37 and 31 BC. The Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered here in 1947, written by the Essenes, a small ascetic Jewish group. (2) Small communities, hermits, and monks sought refuge in the desertic crevices and wadis, and it was and remains a place offering solitude for meditation, and for prayer, for the refreshment of the soul.
The climate of the desert is dry. The hottest months are June to September, when temperatures can reach above 40 degrees Celsius during the day. During the winter, from December to early March, the temperatures vary between 10 to 20 degrees. Although rare, some precipitation falls during this time for about thirty days. (4) The animal species that inhabit the Judean desert include the Nubian Ibex, a long-horned goat, the Desert Lynx, Sinai Agama, a type of lizard, and the Arava gazelle. Foxes, hyenas, and leopards are predators. The desert is home to a large variety of birds, but there are also venomous vipers, scorpions, and fish and amphibians in the streams and water holes. (4)
In 1400 BC, Jericho was the first city attacked by the Israelites after they crossed the river Jordan, and entered the Canaan, the “Promised Land.” (5) Today Jericho is known as Tell as-Sultan, with a mostly Muslim population. (5) Close to ancient Jericho is the Mountain of Temptation, or in Arabic, the Jebel Quruntul; Mount Quarantal, indicating forty in Greek. Its elevation is about 400 meters above sea level. There is a Greek Orthodox monastery called the Monastery of Temptation at the location, where, according to Christian tradition, Jesus was tempted by the Devil. (6)
After forty days of fasting and praying in the Judean Desert, Jesus was tired and hungry. Satan approached him, offering to turn the stones into bread. Jesus refused this temptation by quoting a verse from Deuteronomy (containing the Ten Commandments), “Man does not live on bread alone, but all that comes from the mouth of God” (Deuteronomy, 8:3). Next, Satan spoke to Jesus standing on the top of the Temple in Jerusalem, suggesting throwing himself down because God the Father will send Angels to catch Him, and He will not be hurt. Jesus refused this temptation by quoting a verse about not tempting God in vain, “Do not put your Lord God to the test” (Deuteronomy 6:16). The third temptation was to suggest to Jesus to worship Satan and receive dominion over all the word. Jesus refused by repeating the verse: “Worship the Lord your God and serve Him alone” (Deuteronomy 6:13). After this, he ordered Satan to leave. And an angel came to serve Him.
According to Catholic dogma, Jesus was fully human and fully God (7). He was tempted as a human being can be tempted, first to satisfy a need, such as hunger. Next, to gain fame or popularity by jumping from a high point and not getting hurt. Third, by gaining power through worshiping the Devil. This last temptation would have meant entirely turning away from God and God’s plan, including the suffering that he would have to endure on the cross.
Throughout this ordeal of being teased, and taunted by the Devil, Jesus showed himself steadfast and entirely obedient to the Father’s will. He did not falter and did not give Satan a chance. Jesus accepted the cross of going hungry if it was the will of His Father. He accepted being lonely and unpopular, if that was the will of His father. He accepted to be the Suffering Servant, as described by Isiah, if that was the will of His Father. By turning away from the deception of the devil and from sinful ways, Jesus’s only aim was to remain faithful to his Father, even if it meant that as a human being he would be mocked, rejected, spat upon, made to carry his cross, and to be nailed to it, as if he were a criminal. While in the desert, Jesus again reaffirmed that He accepted this mission, which meant to turn the other cheek, to pray for those who did not know what they were doing, and to die for those who did not know God.
As God, Jesus was aware of the future that awaited Him. He knew that he would die on the cross. The ultimate sacrifice that he gave for humanity was to offer His life as a sacrifice for the sins committed so that God the Father can use this pure offering of His own Son for the victory of good over evil. Jesus’ death was not the end of the story of salvation. His death opened the door through which the miracle of the resurrection could happen; grace and healing without end could flow.
By saying “No” to Satan, Jesus said “no” to anything that would detract from the plan of God and take away from His plan of saving the world. “Therefore, God exalted Him, and gave Him the name above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:9-11).
Returning from the desert, Jesus was confirmed in His mission, and He went about proclaiming that “the Kingdom of God has come near.” He was ushering in a time for repentance and reconciliation to mend what is broken and to turn away from following the temptations of the Devil, and instead, to turn our full attention to God and in obedience to His will.
As we enter the Lenten period that lasts forty days, here are some of the points that stand out from today’s reading:
Lent is a time when we accompany Jesus for forty days into the desert. As we anticipate recounting the story of His passion and His death, we are invited to walk the path of the desert with Him. Examine our ways and reflect on what are the stones and the stumbling blocks that we have encountered. What are the temptations in our lives and what are the ways in which we follow either the will to pleasure, or the will to power, the will to success, to the detriment of being faithful to God’s commandments and His will in our lives.
Like Jesus, we are invited to stand face to face with those ways that take away from our full dignity as Children of God and diminish our light in the world. We can say “no” to the ways that are deceiving, or misleading. We can regain courage to stand with Jesus and reject corruption in its many ways and forms.
When we ask, God grants forgiveness and strength to rebuild ourselves.
With the grace of reconciliation, we can follow Jesus on His mission to Jerusalem. We can emerge from the tomb that was holding us back. We can enter the freedom of space and arise with a renewed sense of mission to proclaim: “Alleluia, the Kingdom of God has come close.”
Resources:
B2Israel (2019). The Judean Desert. B2israel.com.
Tourist Israel (2024). Judean Desert. Touristisrael.com
Ramos, A. (2016). Early Jericho. World History Encyclopedia. Wordhistory.org
DeadSea.com (2024). The Judean Desert—Significant Discoveries and Unforgettable Experience. Deadsea.com
UNESCO World Heritage Centre (1992). Ancient Jericho/Tell es-Sultan. Whc.unesco.org
Mason. M. (2021). Jesus in the Wilderness: The Mount of Temptation. Mikemasonbooks.com
Murtoff, J. (2024). Two Natures of Christ. Britannica. Britannica.com