Temptation by Satan

Mark writes, “And immediately the Spirit brought Him out into the wilderness.” The word “immediately” is a characteristic of the Gospel of Mark (ref. v. 10). Mark portrays Jesus’ activeness, thinking of the Roman readers. Now, Mark briefly mentions the temptation in the wilderness, but let’s look at what this temptation was like, in conjunction with the descriptions in the other gospels. (1) The Holy Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness. This temptation was to atone Adam’s sin in the Garden of Eden and also to atone the sins of the Israelites in the wilderness. (2) Jesus spent 40 days in the wilderness. This is related to the Israelites’ 40 years in the wilderness. The expression “He was with the wild animals” indicates the harsh environment which Jesus was placed in at that time. (3) After 40 days of fasting, Jesus heard the voice of Satan. The same Satan who tempted the first Adam attempted to tempt the last Adam, Jesus. (4) Satan tempted Jesus to use His power to satisfy His own needs. This temptation was like a touchstone to determine what kind of Messiah Jesus would become – whether He would be a Messiah who provides bread, promises political prosperity, and performs miracles, or the Messiah who walks the path to the cross.

Victory over temptation

Jesus used the words from Deuteronomy to rebuke Satan’s temptations and chose the path to the cross. Salvation comes only through believing in the message of the cross. Let us remember the love of the Lord Jesus, who got on the cross for us, and offer our prayer of thanksgiving. When faced with Satan’s temptations, we can shatter the enemy’s schemes by drawing out appropriate Scripture and applying it to the situation. This is the essence of spiritual warfare. To gain victory in spiritual battles, it’s essential to store the Word of God in our hearts. Memorizing and applying Scripture is the key to leading a victorious Christian life. If you are currently facing challenging circumstances, try applying appropriate Scriptures to your situation.