The Third Temptation
Satan saw that he prevailed nothing with Christ in his second great
temptation. “And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain,
shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.
And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the
glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will
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I give it. If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine.”
In the first two great temptations Satan had not revealed his true
purposes or his character; he claimed to be an exalted messenger
from the courts of heaven, but he now throws off his disguise. In a
panoramic view he presented before Christ all the kingdoms of the
world in the most attractive light, while he claimed to be the prince of
the world.
This last temptation was the most alluring of the three. Satan knew
that Christ’s life must be one of sorrow, hardship, and conflict. And
he thought he could take advantage of this fact to bribe Christ to yield
His integrity. Satan brought all his strength to bear upon this last
temptation; for this last effort was to decide his destiny as to who
should be victor. He claimed the world as his dominion, and that he
was the prince of the power of the air.
He bore Jesus to the top of an exceeding high mountain, and then in
a panoramic view presented before Him all the kingdoms of the world
that had been so long under his dominion, and offered them to Him in
one great gift. He told Christ that He could come into possession of all
these kingdoms without suffering or peril. Satan promises to yield his
scepter and dominion, and to make Christ the rightful Ruler, for one
favor from Him. All he requires in return for making over to Him the
kingdoms of the world that day presented before Him, is that Christ
shall do him homage as to a superior.
The eye of Jesus for a moment rested upon the glory presented be-
fore Him; but He turned away and refused to look upon the entrancing
spectacle. He would not endanger His steadfast integrity by dallying
with the tempter. When Satan solicited homage Christ’s divine indig-
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