Luke 4:13, the devil departed from
Christ "for a time, because, later on, he returned, not to tempt Him,
but to assail Him openly"--namely, at the time of His Passion.
Nevertheless, He seemed in this later assault to tempt Christ to
dejection and hatred of His neighbor; just as in the desert he had
tempted Him to gluttonous pleasure and idolatrous contempt of God.
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FOURTH ARTICLE [III, Q. 41, Art. 4]

Whether the Mode and Order of the Temptation Were Becoming?

Objection 1: It would seem that the mode and order of the temptation
were unbecoming. For the devil tempts in order to induce us to sin.
But if Christ had assuaged His bodily hunger by changing the stones
into bread, He would not have sinned; just as neither did He sin when
He multiplied the loaves, which was no less a miracle, in order to
succor the hungry crowd. Therefore it seems that this was nowise a
temptation.

Obj. 2: Further, a counselor is inconsistent if he persuades the
contrary to what he intends. But when the devil set Christ on a
pinnacle of the Temple, he purposed to tempt Him to pride or
vainglory. Therefore it was inconsistent to urge Him to cast Himself
thence: for this would be contrary to pride or vainglory, which
always seeks to rise.

Obj. 3: Further, one temptation should lead to one sin. But in the
temptation on the mountain he counseled two sins--namely,
covetousness and idolatry. Therefore the mode of the temptation was
unfitting.

Obj. 4: Further, temptations are ordained to sin. But there are seven
deadly sins, as we have stated in the Second Part (I-II, Q. 84, A.
4). But the tempter only deals with three, viz. gluttony, vainglory,
and covetousness. Therefore the temptation seems to have been
incomplete.

Obj. 5: Further, after overcoming all the vices, man is still tempted
to pride or vainglory: since pride "worms itself in stealthily, and
destroys even good works," as Augustine says (Ep. ccxi). Therefore
Matthew unfittingly gives the last place to the temptation to
covetousness on the mountain, and the second place to the temptation
to vainglory in the Temple, especially since Luke puts them in the
reverse order.

Obj. 6: Further, Jerome says on Matt. 4:4 that "Christ purposed to
overcome the devil by humility, not by might." Therefore He should
not have repulsed him with a haughty rebuke, saying: "Begone, Satan."

Obj. 7: Further, the gospel narrative seems to be false. For it seems
impossible