Mark 1:13 - Printer Friendly

ESV: 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.

NIV: and he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and angels attended him.

NASB: And He was in the wilderness for forty days, being tempted by Satan; and He was with the wild animals, and the angels were serving Him.

CSB: He was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and the angels were serving him.

NLT: where he was tempted by Satan for forty days. He was out among the wild animals, and angels took care of him.

KJV: And he was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted of Satan; and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered unto him.

NKJV: And He was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan, and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered to Him.

The Temptation of Jesus is recorded much more thoroughly in Matthew 4:1–11 and Luke 4:1–13. Jesus spent the forty days following His baptism alone in the desert wilderness. This time of solitude included temptation and dangers from wild animals, but also the blessings of angels "ministering" to Him or serving Him.

Satan tempts Jesus in three circumstances. The first temptation is to cut short the time of discipline the Holy Spirit had given Him. Jesus is enticed to cater to His physical needs after forty days of fasting. Jesus chooses instead to rely on God's Word.

Second, Satan tempts Jesus to abuse His power. Jesus responds by pointing out that it is sin to test God.

Finally, Satan tries to bargain with Jesus, offering Him authority over sinful man if He will worship Satan. Satan's interaction with the human race is an attempt to gain the attention and worship he thinks he deserves; he is more than willing to forgo our considerations to get God's. But Jesus knows that salvation is found only in God and His plan for Jesus' sacrifice. Had Christ accepted that offer, humanity might have shed the earthly influence of Satan, but would also have lost access to a Savior. "Rescuing" us from Satan's influence would condemn us for eternity. Not to mention, we are to worship God alone.

This is one of only five times Mark directly mentions angels (Mark 8:38; 12:25; 13:27, 32). Here they minister on earth, but elsewhere in Mark, angels come from heaven to earth or are already in heaven. Mark describes angels as being closely associated with God the Father. In associating angels here with Jesus, Mark is again showing Jesus is more than a prophet, but rather is served by angels just like God the Father. Only the Messiah, the Son of God, would be served by angels in this way.

Mark 1:1–13 rapidly introduces the ministry of Jesus, as introduced by John the Baptist. While other Gospels include many details, the Gospel of Mark briefly sets the stage for Jesus' baptism by John. In a few short verses, we are told that John preached a message of repentance, that Jesus came to be baptized, and that Jesus spent forty days being tempted in the wilderness. The narrative quickly moves on to describe Jesus' miraculous healings.

John the Baptist is introduced as a figure preparing the world for the arrival of the Messiah. John's baptism teaches people about their need for repentance. When Jesus arrives, and is baptized, it signals the coming of God's fulfillment and the need of people to recognize their Savior. Mark briefly notes Jesus' baptism, desert temptation, and the calling of the first four disciples. After this, Jesus begins teaching in the synagogue and performs miraculous healings which spread His fame around the region.

The first chapter of the Gospel of Mark sets the tone for the rest of the story. Mark's writing is concise, action-packed, and short on details. Within a few verses, Mark establishes the transition from the wilderness ministry of John the Baptist to the healing and preaching of Jesus Christ. This first chapter includes the calling of Jesus' earliest disciples, His early miracles, and His early teaching. This establishes the pattern shown throughout the Gospel of Mark, where Jesus mingles His teaching with miraculous signs.

The Gospel of Mark emphasizes both Jesus' servanthood and His role as the promised Messiah: the Son of God. This is done through a concise, action-packed style. Mark provides relatively few details, instead focusing on actions and simple statements. This relates to the Gospel's authorship, which is believed to be based on the memories of the apostle Peter. These include many of Jesus' miracles, in contrast to other Gospels which include many more of Jesus' teachings and parables. Mark also makes frequent mention of Jesus' ministry being misunderstood by others.