(Mark 1:12-13 ESV)
Mark tells us how the Spirit DROVE Jesus out in to the wilderness whereas the Matthew passage tells us that the Spirit LED Jesus into the wilderness. Gives a different feel those two words doesn't it? It does make me wonder why they used a different word to indicate the same action. Both accounts tell us it happened right after Jesus was baptized.
I wonder if it's to show how some people desbribe their Christian life after they make their confession of faith. they say "i'm a Christian and immediately it seems they are best by the temptation do do what they know is wrong. Some e people feed driven and others feel more led. Either way, making that public profession of faith seems to be the trigger. It's as if Satan now has permission to test the out.
Either way, Jesus stands firm. Despite being tempted for 40 days.
Can you imagine it?
One on one with the Devil. Being tempted. The Matthew passage gives us some specific examples of how Jesus was tempted.
but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple 6 and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written,
“‘He will command his angels concerning you,’
and
“‘On their hands they will bear you up,
lest you strike your foot against a stone.’”
7 Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’” 8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 9 And he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” 10 Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written,
“‘You shall worship the Lord your God
and him only shall you serve.’”
Matthew 4:1-11
Do you notice though what Jesus does? Does he fight the Devil all on his own?
Heavens NO!!!
He gives us such a fine example.
He doesn't fight the Devil under his own power (though he is also God so he could but he was tempted as a person). So he gives us the example that we need to follow.
When we are tempted.. we need to FOLLOW GOD. Turn to God for help.
Knowing the Scriptures well helps us to do this.
Jesus quoted the scriptures that he knew so well.
And so the devil was defeated.
Mark doesn't go into all that detail. He's more of a man who says "Yep, Jesus was tempted for 40 days/nights. At the end of it he was helped out by the angels".
Short and sweet eh?
But think about it. Jesus made it through more than a month of temptation and at the end of it... THE ANGELS MINISTERED to him.
Do you think that when you make it through a period of temptation that God ignores you?
He doesn't you know. He helps us in our recovery. That relief, that knowing we've done right... that's a God thing you know. It really is.
So when tempted, let us not give us. Let us persevere. Let us turn to God in our time of need. He will see us through it and minister to us after.
Do not give up!