This passage is the start of Mark’s Gospel. It does not include the story of the Nativity, no baby in the manger. But in a way, it is a birth of sorts – the birth of Jesus’ ministry. It starts with Jesus coming to John the Baptist, who is preaching and baptizing in the Jordan River. Jesus and John knew one another – their mothers were friends. Jesus is baptized and John sees the heavens part and the spirit descending on Jesus like a dove. This same spirit drives Jesus away into the wilderness and into the hands of angels and with wild beasts. Quite a dramatic scene – I imagine that Jesus wordlessly walks away from the River Jordan and into a spiritual and physical wilderness for forty days, since Mark records no further words by Jesus or John. This is a transition – John preaches no more as he is imprisoned. Jesus ministry begins.
The wilderness plays a very important part in formation of Jesus’ ministry. Like a lifelong Christian, Jesus was dedicated and informed in his Jewish faith. We know he attended temple and possessed knowledge of biblical texts. But this is not enough. Jesus does not rise from the Jordan, dry off and immediately start preaching and recruiting disciples. He starts preaching and gaining disciples after his time in the wilderness.
Like Jesus, our baptism starts the journey of our own ministry. Unlike Jesus, many of us never get to the wilderness, to wrestle with demons and be ministered to by angels. This is a loss. By avoiding the wilderness, remaining comforted by the daily rhythm and interruptions of our familiar life, we lose out on opportunities to be challenged and changed by God. May you find time in Lent to withdraw from your daily life, even for a short period, and let angels minister to you while you wrestle with demons. You will return changed.
—Christopher Breunig
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