The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness.
Mark 1:12
Upon first reading this passage, I was struck by its brevity and power. The Gospel of Mark relates the Temptation of Christ in the first chapter, using only two sentences. Unlike the Gospel of Matthew, where the story is related in 11 verses in the fourth chapter, or Luke, who uses 13 verses in the fourth chapter, Mark notes the event and moves quickly on. Why this difference, I wondered? This passage is harsh. The use of the words “immediately,” and “drove,” are not at all as gentle as those used in Matthew or Luke’s versions. In Matthew, Jesus is led by the Spirit into the wilderness. In Luke, Jesus wanders in the wilderness, led by the Spirit. The Gospel According to Mark, is widely considered to be the oldest of the gospels. Did Matthew and Luke, who must have been familiar with Mark’s work, decide he left too much to the imagination? Did they think Mark moved too quickly past this important event which introduces the conflict between Jesus and Satan? Or, were they trying to make a readable version of Jesus’ life and death? The remainder of Mark’s Gospel clearly reveals that Mark is greatly concerned about this conflict between Jesus and Satan. Life in Jesus’s time was much different than our present world. It is difficult for us to relate to that world. In his brevity, Mark coveys the stark reality of the powers of evil that so often make an appearance when we least expect them.
Mary Hoffman
