Why is Jesus Hanging Out with Wild Animals in Mark 1:13?
Introducing "Research Notes"
Isn’t being pleasantly surprised just the best? You know, like when you put on a jacket for the first time in a long while and find a $5 bill in the pocket.
In a somewhat similar fashion, that’s been my experience through writing weekly on this platform over the last year. At first, I took it on as an exercise to help me articulate some of my thoughts on different facets of the Bible (there’s something about writing, by the way, which forces you to carefully think through why you believe what you believe).
But over the last several months, it’s become more than an intellectual exercise. I have found writing to be a tremendous joy (as well as an affordable hobby!). And I pray that its been a blessing to you!
I’ve also had a lot of fun experimenting with a variety of different content forms which have now become their own categories: Bible Deep Dives, Video Reviews, Treasured Truths, Music for Your Monday, and Family & Ministry Updates all have their own designated spot in my writing calendar each month.
And today I’m adding one more: Research Notes.1
What is Research Notes?
Oftentimes, while I’m reading the Bible or a book about the Bible, I’ll find myself going down different rabbit trails (as pastors are prone to do). And usually these have been passing thoughts that I pursue for a few minutes before picking the book back up and reading again. But a recent conversation with a friend and fellow pastor prompted me to capture these questions so that I can pursue them further at a later time (here’s looking at you,
). And after some more thought, I’ve decided to share them with you too through this new section.2 These articles will invite you into the questions I’m currently thinking through and wrestling with. And I would love to get your thoughts on them too, if you would be interested!Who is it for?
Research Notes will be available to paid subscribers as my way of saying, “thank you!”3 So, to help you decide if this is something you would like to pursue, I’ve included a preview below. I hope you enjoy!
Research Notes Preview
Why Is Jesus Hanging Out with Wild Animals in Mark 1:13?
In Mark’s narration of Jesus’s temptation in the wilderness, he alone includes this little detail: “And Jesus was with the wild animals” (Mk. 1:13b).
The word for “wild animals” here is θηρίον (thay-reon). And this little detail prompted me to do a search for the word in the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Old Testament which dates to around 250 BC). And come to find out, it’s used quite a bit.
θηρίον in the Torah
In Genesis, the term is used to refer to animals generally (cf. 1:24-25, 7:14, 8:1, 9:2). And an important detail, I think, is that they are a part of the world that humanity was commissioned to exercise dominion over:
And God blessed them. And God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.
—Genesis 1:28
This is very interesting in light of Deuteronomy 7:22.
In that passage, the LORD promises Israel that when they enter the promised land, He will drive out the nations before them. But, He says, He will dispossess the nations gradually, “lest the wild beasts (θηρία) grow too numerous for you” (the different ending on the word indicates a plural).
Post-Genesis 3, then, the wild animals that we were to have dominion over now pose a threat to human life. Could it be that they function as symbols of a chaotic world now marred by sin?
Similar notions can also be detected among some of the prophets.
θηρίον in the Prophetic Literature
In Isaiah, for example, the LORD says that He will remove all θηρίον from Zion when He restores His people from exile (Isa. 35:8). Again, this gives me the sense that the term may, at times, take on some moral overtones. At the very least, they are portrayed as threatening to human life — which is very similar to its usage in Deuteronomy 7.
In Jeremiah, the moral overtone of θηρίον is made a bit more explicit, as they are used by God as instruments of His judgement (see Jer. 12:9 & 15:3).
Along a similar line, yet another interesting usage is found in Daniel.
Specifically, in Daniel 2:38 Nebuchadnezzar is told by Daniel that it was the LORD who gave him such a vast kingdom and caused him to rule over, "the children of man, the beasts (θηρίον) of the field, and the birds of the heavens..." Similar to how God commissioned Adam to rule over the beasts (θηρίον) in Genesis 1:28, so Nebuchadnezzar was given a similar charge. But because of his stubborn pride, he himself is said to have become like a θηρίον (Dan. 4:16). This makes me wonder if Nebuchadnezzar is being stylized as a kind of anti-Adam whose pursuit of self-glory makes him less than human.4 To pit it another way, Nebuchadnezzar is representative of how humanity’s commission to rule over the θηρίον has been spoiled through sin, making us more like the θηρίον themselves (I recall the Bible Project guys touching on this idea at some point). This, in turn, sets up nicely for the coming Son of Man who will function as the new Adam depicted in Daniel 7:13-14:
I saw in the night visions,
and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed."
The language of ruling and dominion is hard to miss. And that original commission now becomes a key part of the Messianic task. A task which is then picked up, I think, in Mark 1:13.
Back to Mark 1:13
So here’s what I’m thinking…
I’m wondering if Mark is inviting us to pick up on this broader storyline when he mentions Christ being with the wild animals in the wilderness.
Here’s what I mean: Perhaps Mark is presenting Christ as the new Adam,5 the true Son of Man and rightful King from Daniel 7, who will reign over a new creation (note also the language of “beginning of the Gospel in 1:1 - perhaps an echo of Gen 1?).
There’s still a lot more work here to define the relationships between these texts. But I’m feeling convinced that there’s got to be one. What do you think? I’d love to hear your thoughts!
Beginning in February, my weekly Friday articles will follow this schedule:
1st Friday — Drew Video Reviews
2nd Friday — Research Notes
3rd Friday — Treasured Truth
4th Friday — Bible Deep Dive
5th Friday — Family & Ministry Update
Due to the nature of these articles then, they usually won’t be fully articulated thoughts.
Since I write for the love of the game, paid subscriptions will be used to help me continue my life mission of knowing the Word of God well so that I may know the God whose Word it is… and help others do the same. How so? Well, it will go toward helping me continue to grow in my understanding of the Word through tools like books, Bible study software, membership fees to the Evangelical Theological Society, coffee ;) etc.
This could be the reason John uses in θηρίον in Revelation -- Those who follow the beast (which I take to be wicked human empires) will become subject to eschatological judgment (cf. Rev. 6:8, 13:1-4, 11-12, 14-15, 17-18, 14:9, 11, 15:2, 16:2, 10, 13, etc.).
He also seems to be depicted as the New Israel — Notice His designation as Son of God in 1:1 — This could be picking up on Israel's corporate title as God's "son" too; (cf. Hos 11:1, Exod. 4:22-23).