Mark 1:12-13-- Testing In The Wilderness

Immediately the Spirit impelled Him to go out into the wilderness. And He was in the wilderness forty days being tempted by Satan; and He was with the wild beasts, and the angels were ministering to Him.

Jesus was directed by the newly given Spirit to go to the wilderness, where evil spirits lived, and be tested by Satan, which is a Hebrew word for “accuser” or “prosecuting attorney”. Satan was trying to test Jesus, on the assumption that he needs to prove that he is worthy to be the Son of God, that was declared in the last paragraph. But the Father assisted Jesus by giving him angels to serve him and assist him throughout the time.  The longer passages in Matthew 4 and Luke 4 are certainly more well known, as they give much more detail.  Mark does, however, add the detail of the wild beasts, a threat in addition to his attack by Satan.

If it was necessary for Jesus to be tested by Satan, to fast and to suffer to be ready to do God's work, then it must be so for us as well. It is a part of human nature-- we cannot function well or in a peaceable way unless we pass through suffering. Only when we learn to love and trust in the midst of suffering will we be able to truly love and trust in the ideal circumstances. Because love and trust can only be truly understood in the context of difficulty.