Mark 1:13Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

And the reason why He does not simply say, that He went into the wilderness, but was driven, is, that thou mayest understand that it was done according to the word of Divine Providence. By which also He shews, that no man should thrust himself into temptation, but that those who from some other state are as it were driven into temptation, remain conquerors.

Mark's remark that "And the angels ministered unto Him" is further elaborated upon in the Gospel of Matthew. The first part of verse 12, which mentions that Jesus "was in the wilderness forty days and was tempted by Satan," aligns more closely with the parallel account found in Luke (4:2). Both Matthew and Luke recount this event in a remarkably similar fashion; however, the primary distinction lies in the sequence of the temptations: what Matthew lists as the second temptation, Luke designates as the third, and vice versa for Matthew's third. It can be argued that Matthew's order reflects the true sequence since it seems improbable that the devil would persist in tempting Christ after receiving the authoritative command, "Get thee behind Me, Satan" (Matthew 4:10).

For instance, when Apostle Peter urged Jesus to avoid the impending crucifixion, that was a form of temptation. Additionally, the Pharisees challenged Him by demanding a sign from heaven, and during His crucifixion, the devil’s own taunts were a temptation: “If You are the Son of God, come down from the Cross” (Matt. 27:40). There were surely other instances of temptation not detailed by the Evangelists, as their goal was not to provide a comprehensive recounting of Christ's life. Thus, Luke’s description of the temptations during the forty days of fasting is completely credible; Matthew's failure to mention those preliminary trials does not diminish his account's trustworthiness.

Mark’s concise account hints that Jesus was among wild beasts in the wilderness. This statement serves a greater purpose than merely depicting the desolation of the wilderness where Christ fasted; it holds profound significance. When the seventy disciples returned, reporting that demons were subject to them, Jesus affirmed, “I give you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions and all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you” (Luke 10:19). When sending His Apostles to proclaim the Gospel to all nations, He assured them that they would handle serpents, and they would not be harmed (Mark 16:18). If true followers of Christ are meant to reign over the creatures of the earth, exerting their will over them through their holiness and spiritual authority, then certainly Jesus, during His time in the wilderness, exercised dominion over the wild beasts with the same power of sinlessness and holiness that He imparts to His followers.

It may seem perplexing to contemplate how one can be surrounded by wild beasts and remain safe. But why are these creatures perceived as perilous and hostile? Is it not due to humanity’s initial actions of attacking and slaying them? Have humans not injected in them fear and animosity, feelings that have been transferred through generations, fostering a lasting enmity? Was it not different in the beginning when the earliest humans coexisted safely among wild beasts, much like Christ in the wilderness? When the devil withdrew from Jesus, angels came to serve Him (Matt. 4:11), achieving victory over the forces of evil.

The temptation narrative can be referenced in Matthew 4:3-11. When the devil departed from Jesus, the angels came and ministered to Him (Matt. 4:11), triumphing over the spirit of evil.

However, Christ, the sinless God-Man, entered the wilderness untainted by this age-old resentment toward the animal kingdom. His boundless compassion allowed the tranquility once found in Eden to be restored in His presence between mankind and the beasts. As attested by the evangelist, He was accompanied there by the beasts. This observation is not simply meant to emphasize the wildness and desolation surrounding Him but signifies a profound truth: the animals, which typically instinctively feared humanity, recognized in Christ the primal purity and goodness inherent to human nature, approaching Him without fear, yielding to Him just as they once yielded to Adam in the garden.

According to the Apocryphal Gospels, even during His infancy, this remarkable relationship with creatures was evident. During His flight into Egypt, the fierce denizens of the wilderness—lions and leopards—laid down beside Him in humility, posing no threat. Now, as the mature God-Man, this dynamic is fully realized, revealing His initial victory over the strife that had entered creation due to humanity's breach of God’s fundamental command. This triumph marked the inception of Christ's redemptive mission, with its benefits accessible to all who faithfully follow Him.

For those who embody the love that Christ signifies as the hallmark of His discipleship and the primary virtue of His kingdom, the promise extends that they will “take up serpents” and “tread upon serpents and scorpions” without harm from even the most fearsome symbols of discord between humanity and nature (Mark 16:18, Luke 10:19). Many of the great saints of God have exemplified this promise. The Apostle Paul cast off the venomous snake that had entwined itself around his hand, emerging unscathed (Acts 28:5), much to the astonishment of those who witnessed it.

Furthermore, the lives of New Testament saints often recount instances of their authority over wild beasts, showcasing their commands being obeyed even by the most untamed creatures. They are depicted summoning fish to heed their teachings, crossing rivers upon the backs of crocodiles, engaging amiably with the fierce denizens of wilderness, and performing a host of extraordinary miracles. St. Sergius of Radonezh offers a notable example; he shared a unique friendship with a bear, which followed his commands and displayed the gentle demeanor of a lamb.

“What cannot virtue accomplish?” reflected Saint Plato of Moscow, pondering the transformation of ferocity into meekness through love and righteousness. It is acknowledged, however, that even in their natural state, individuals can occasionally master the ability to tame wild animals, as remnants of their royal authority persist. “Every nature of beasts and birds, as well as reptiles and sea creatures, is tamed by the nature of man,” leading to a reality where “we put bridles in the mouths of horses that they may obey us” (James 3:3, 7). Today, there are trainers for lions and snakes, but such authority is often fleeting for sinful humanity, who resorts to various artificial means, and wild creatures may retaliate against their captors.

Christ, however, as the sinless Being, exercised full dominion, calming the animal kingdom with the innate royal essence of His holy nature. The evangelist's note that Christ was in the wilderness with the beasts highlights this distinction. Historical accounts of holy martyrs reveal instances where wild animals were released upon them in arenas, yet instead of exhibiting their typical savagery, they sensed the royal dignity of true humanity in those free from the usual passions and even treated them with reverence, much like their sovereigns.

It is likely that the tempter's efforts were ongoing during the entirety of the Savior's time in the wilderness, though they were less overt until the conclusion of the forty days when the Lord was famished. It was then that the devil boldly approached Him, presenting the temptations recorded by Matthew and Luke; prior to this, his tactics were more insidious. The Evangelists do not specify the nature of the temptation during the forty days, but inferring from the final trials, one can surmise that the forces of darkness attempted to plant thoughts in Christ that were contrary to His true Messianic mission, aligning instead with the distorted beliefs of the Jewish contemporaries of His time. However, his efforts were ultimately fruitless, as evidenced by Jesus Christ's triumph over the later, direct temptations. The phrase "And was with the beasts" highlights a unique aspect, which may suggest that amidst the wild animals in the desolate and fearsome wilderness, the tempter's attacks were particularly perilous. Yet, these were overcome through the Lord's might. Alternatively, it symbolizes Christ as the restorer of humanity to its original paradisiacal condition, reminiscent of Adam's experience in Eden, where even the fiercest creatures were submissive and unthreatening to Him, contrasting the serpent's role in the original fall of mankind. "And the angels ministered unto Him" indicates that celestial beings came to serve the Lord after His trials had concluded (Matt. 4:11). Mark's concise narrative omits this detail, emphasizing that during the temptation, Christ stood alone, ensuring that the victory over the devil was achieved solely through His own strength.