Triumph in the Wilderness

Defeating Satan in the Desert, Jesus Is Now Able to Set Us Free

All three synoptics say that, after his baptism, Jesus retired into the wilds; all three attribute this decision to the Holy Spirit: “At once the Spirit drove him out into the desert” (Mark 1:12). Luke, who is the most sensitive of all to the Holy Spirit’s activity in Jesus’ life, duplicated the mention of the Holy Spirit here and says that “filled with the Holy Spirit, Jesus returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the desert” (Luke 4:1).

Jesus himself explains the meaning of this struggle, saying, “No one can enter a strong man’s house to plunder his property, unless he first ties up the strong man. Then he can plunder his house” (Mark 3:27). In the wilderness, Jesus “tied up” the Adversary. He has, we might say, settled accounts with him before setting to work, and can now carry his campaign forward into enemy territory.

Jesus frees himself from Satan to free everyone from Satan; this is the meaning of the episode of the temptations, seen in the light of the whole gospel. And indeed, as we read on, we really do get the impression of an irresistible advance, as it were, of the front of light as it throws back the demonic front of darkness. At Jesus’ approach, the demons take fright, they tremble, they beg…

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