Immediately Driven
Mark 1:12-13 - The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. And he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. And he was with the wild animals, and the angels were ministering to him.
Paul tells us Jesus fulfills everything Adam couldn’t:
1 Corinthians 15:45 - Thus it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being”; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit.
Jesus here enters the wilderness, surrounded by wild beasts, to do battle with Satan - just like Adam in Eden, surrounded by all the animals God had made.
The Spirit landed on Jesus after his baptism and “immediately drove him” into the desert. This is a strong, forceful verb used here. The NIV renders it with a weak “sent him.”
The sense is that the Spirit expels and compels Jesus, with haste, to go on the attack. It’s like Satan is being put on notice.
Adam failed in his temptation. Jesus dominates with the Spirit’s aid. This is the same Spirit who stands ready to help those in Christ kill our sinful nature!
Romans 8:13 - For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.
“Don’t give in to sin,” the Spirit urges! “Let me kill it! Let me fly into battle! Satan and sin shrivel before me!”
1 Samuel 17:47 - “the battle is the Lord’s…”
Come, Spirit! Kill temptation and our sinful nature!