{Every temptation} (panta peirasmon). These three kinds
exhaust the avenues of approach (the appetites, the nerves, the
ambitions). Satan tried them all. They formed a cycle (Vincent).
Hence "he was in all points tempted like as we are" ( Heb 4:15 ).
"The enemy tried all his weapons, and was at all points defeated"
(Plummer). Probably all during the forty days the devil tempted
him, but three are representatives of all. {For a season} (achri
kairou). Until a good opportunity should return, the language
means. We are thus to infer that the devil returned to his attack
from time to time. In the Garden of Gethsemane he tempted Jesus
more severely than here. He was here trying to thwart the purpose
of Jesus to go on with his Messianic plans, to trip him at the
start. In Gethsemane the devil tried to make Jesus draw back from
the culmination of the Cross with all its agony and horror. The
devil attacked Jesus by the aid of Peter ( Mr 8:33 ), through the
Pharisees ( Joh 8:40ff. ), besides Gethsemane ( Lu 22:42,53 ).