Sárospataki Füzetek 20. (2016)
2016 / 2. szám - ARTICLES / STUDIEN - Jaap Doedens: Lierary Wormholes: Wild Animals and Angels in Mark 1:13
Jaap Doedens Abstract This study focuses on the short temptation narrative in Mark 1:13. Mark only tells his readers that Jesus “was in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan; and he was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered to him”. This short narrative is an example of how the Gospel of Mark employs a literary style full of enigmatic descriptions. These riddles are a challenge to the reader to discover a hidden meaning. They form a kind of “literary wormholes” through which the reader is transported to the symbolic universe of the Old Testament. Based on Old Testament and Second Temple literature, it is argued that a common Jewish belief described how only people who were righteous could live without fear for animals. Mark, however, not only depicts Jesus as such a righteous person, but also as Israel’s Messiah. Jesus being “among wild animals” evokes, therefore, the messianic visions of the Old Testament prophets about peaceful being together of otherwise natural enemies. The mention of the wilderness and being tempted forty days, reminds the reader of the “test” of Israel in the wilderness. In this way, Jesus is viewed as the Messiah who represents the “true Israel” and “true humanity” by being faithful to God, and as such will bring about a new creation. 66 Sárospataki Füzetek 20. évfolyam 2016-2
