The Gospels of Matthew and Luke speak of three distinct temptations presented by the devil, reflecting on the words from Scripture which the devil uses, we may see the three temptations revolving around one main point.

We are taught in Paul's Letter to the Philippians [Phil 2:6-11 that Jesus emptied himself of his divinity and became like us. This reaffirms all that the New Testament teaches about the necessity and importance of the incarnation. The devil's three temptations are all aimed at this great grace of the incarnation: the devil is saying to Jesus: take back everything you have given up and abandon this work of the Incarnation. The temptations touch the mystery of the Son of God become man for our redemption. The whole mystery of Jesus' temptations goes much deeper than changing stones into bread or jumping down from the pinnacle of the Temple.