“And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season.”
When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time — when the devil had finished all this tempting: the three temptations are comprehensive (Luke's phrasing suggests all possible forms of temptation have been represented). He left him until an opportune time (achri kairou, until a season): the testing is not over — the devil departs and waits for the next opportunity. The Gethsemane prayer and the passion narrative are the recurring moments when the opportune time returns.
Church Fathers on Luke 4:13
The next weapon he uses is that of boasting, which always causes the offender to fall down; for they who love to boast of the glory of their virtue descend from the stand and vantage ground of their good deeds. Hence it is said, And he led him to Jerusalem.
He followed evidently as a wrestler, gladly setting out to meet the temptation, and saying, as it were, Lead me where you will, and you will find me the stronger in every thing.
The devil entered not into a contest with God, (for he durst not, and therefore said, you are the Son of God,) but he contended with man whom once he had power to deceive.
Read all 21 entries in the readerCatena Aurea · St. Thomas Aquinas, tr. J. H. Newman · public domain
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