Question 1

Why did the Spirit drive Jesus into the wilderness?

Accepted Answer

The Spirit driving Jesus into the wilderness shows that this time of testing was part of God’s plan, not an accident. Jesus had just been baptized and publicly named as God’s Son. Now he is sent away from people, into a lonely place, to face Satan’s temptations. This prepares him for his work as the promised Savior, and it shows he is willing to obey the Father even in hard, hidden places. It also comforts believers, because it shows that God is still present and working even when we pass through trials.

Question 2

What is the meaning of Jesus being tempted by Satan for forty days?

Accepted Answer

The forty days of temptation show Jesus stepping into a real battle with evil. Satan tests him over a long period, trying to pull him away from his Father’s will. The number forty reminds us of long times of testing in Scripture, like Israel in the desert. Unlike Israel, Jesus does not fall. He stands firm, which shows he can represent his people and save them. His temptations were real, but he did not sin. This helps us trust him as the one who can both understand our struggles and overcome sin for us.

Question 3

Why does Mark mention that Jesus was with the wild beasts?

Accepted Answer

The note about wild beasts shows how harsh and lonely the wilderness was. Jesus was not in a village or near friends, but in a place where dangerous animals lived. Yet he is unharmed. This hints at his authority as Lord over creation and at God’s care for him in a place where people were absent. It also highlights how different this is from his later rejection by people. Wild animals do not harm him, but later many people will oppose him. This small detail underlines both his innocence and God’s quiet protection.

Question 4

What does it mean that angels ministered to Jesus?

Accepted Answer

When it says the angels ministered to Jesus, it means God sent his heavenly servants to care for him after the temptations. He had fasted and faced Satan’s attacks, and then the angels came to serve him, likely giving him what he needed for his body and strengthening him. This shows that God did not leave him alone in the struggle. It also reminds believers that God can use unseen help to support his people. Yet the main strength for Jesus’ work came from the Spirit, who had led him and remained with him.

Question 5

What was happening when Jesus came into Galilee preaching?

Accepted Answer

Jesus began preaching in Galilee after John had been put in prison for speaking against sin. John’s public work of preparing the way was now ending, and Jesus’ open ministry was beginning. Galilee was a region with many common people, not a grand religious center. There Jesus walked among them, announcing that God’s promised rule had come near in a new way. So the setting is a time of change: the messenger is silenced by prison, and the Son steps forward with the full message of the good news.

Question 6

What does “the time is fulfilled” mean in this passage?

Accepted Answer

“The time is fulfilled” means that the long-awaited moment God had planned and promised had finally arrived. The period pointed to by the law and the prophets had reached its goal. God had set a time for the Messiah to appear and for a new stage in his work with his people to begin. When Jesus says this, he is telling the crowd that they are not just in any ordinary moment. God’s plan has reached a key point, and now his saving rule is breaking in through the message Jesus brings.

Question 7

What is the kingdom of God that is said to be at hand?

Accepted Answer

The kingdom of God here is God’s rule coming near in a fresh way through Jesus. It is not about armies or political power, but about God taking charge of his people’s lives, bringing righteousness, peace, forgiveness, and a new way of living. When Jesus says it is “at hand,” he means it is close, already beginning in his own person and message. God is drawing near to govern hearts and lives. This kingdom spreads as people hear the good news, turn from sin, and trust the Savior whom God has sent.

Question 8

What does it mean to repent and believe the gospel?

Accepted Answer

To repent means to turn around in your heart and life. It is not just feeling sorry, but leaving old sins and wrong ideas, and turning to God. In this passage, that includes dropping false hopes of earning God’s favor or expecting only an earthly king. To believe the gospel means to trust the good news that God freely forgives and saves through Jesus. Jesus joins the two on purpose. Real faith includes turning from sin, and real repentance rests on trusting what God has done, not on our own efforts.

Question 9

How does Jesus’ temptation and preaching speak to believers today?

Accepted Answer

This passage helps believers in two main ways. First, Jesus’ temptation shows that he knows what it is to be tested and lonely, yet he did not sin. So we can come to him when we are tempted, knowing he understands and can help. Second, his message in Galilee is still for us: God’s time has come in Jesus, his kingdom is near, so we should repent and believe the good news. Every day we are called to turn from sin and keep trusting what God has done in Christ, instead of trusting ourselves.

Mark 1:12

And immediately the Spirit driveth him into the wilderness.

The Temptation and Preaching of Jesus

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Mark 1:12

And immediately the Spirit driveth him into the wilderness.

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The Temptation and Preaching of Jesus

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