We see the intimate bond between idolatry and the diabolical in Deuteronomy 32, where Israel is repeatedly described as being in thrall to idols who are manifestations of the diabolic: “they stirred him to jealousy with strange gods, with abominations they provoked him to anger. They sacrificed to demons that were no gods, to gods they had never known” (Deuteronomy 32:16-17). There is a metaphysical principle underpinning this relationship. Idolatry is the exchange of the Creator for the creature, as St. Paul says in Romans 1:25. God created the world suffused by angelic administration. Angels inhabit water, lightning, fire, wind, trees, and stone. And a hypostasis always enacts its nature, whether for good or ill. A devil is a fallen angel who is always directing attention towards itself rather than speaking out the logos in which it was made to sing praise to God. The angels were created to tutor the children of Adam in the wisdom of creation- to direct our minds to the glory of God. But in taking the creature as opposed to the Creator, in separating creation from the divine revelation embedded in it, we take the diabolic approach to reality as opposed to the divine. And this is why Israel’s worship of the golden calf is more than foolish use of metals: it is a diabolic plot, designed to seize the Children of Abraham and force them back to where they began the story of Exodus: building houses for idolatrous devils (Exodus 1:11)- remembering that Pharaoh himself is analogized to a serpent (Exodus 2:15, 4:3).
Jesus is the totus Israel, head and body. Moses was the head, whose life-story prior to the exodus anticipated and prepared the way for the replication of that life story in the body of Israel. Jesus ties both stories into one in Mark 1. The description of heaven being opened so that the Spirit can descend on Jesus also calls to mind the prophetic calling of Ezekiel, in which “the heavens were opened” so that Ezekiel beheld the glory of God coming in the Spirit (Ezekiel 1:1, 1:4), who filled and lifted Ezekiel upon his feet (Ezekiel 2:1-2). Ezekiel is the prophet who is called to carry the divine presence into exile: with the desolation of the temple by the departure of the glory of God (Ezekiel 10), the glory of God goes with the prophet. He is thus elevated to a status closely analogous to the high priest, despite not being of the lineage of high priests. For this reason, Ezekiel is prohibited from ritually mourning his bride (Ezekiel 24:15-18), following the ritual prescriptions appropriate to the high priest (Leviticus 21:10). Jesus is in a similar situation, at the culmination of Israel’s history. He is anointed with the divine presence from Heaven and constituted as true High Priest. He fulfills the whole fabric of Biblical imagery from Moses to Ezekiel. He is the High Priest after the Order of Melchizedek.
And He goes into the wilderness to do battle with the devil, to defeat the one whose wiles led the woman into transgression, led Israel to idolatry with a metal cow, led Manasseh to offer his own children in burning fire, and led the whole human race astray into his kingdom of dust. There, in the forty days where Israel had fallen to transgression, Jesus strikes the devil by the blade of the Spirit which He wielded. Returning victorious, He begins to gather His disciples around Himself (Mark 1:16-20) and strikes at the devil’s servants. He goes to the synagogue and there drives out an unclean spirit (Mark 1:21-28)- healing the place of Israel’s worship. And having swept up the place of worship- a figural extension of the temple- He goes into the place of Israel’s domestic life- the family home of His own disciples- and cleanses that as well (Mark 1:29-34). This is what characterizes the high priestly ministry of Jesus, the conquering King. Mark begins with His investiture by the Spirit and concludes with His triumphant ascension and the Spirit-empowered ministry of the apostolic church to extend His Kingdom.