Then the devil took him into the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple.
In this passage the second temptation begins, where Satan takes Jesus to Jerusalem, the holy city, and sets Him on the pinnacle of the temple, trying to entice Him to display His divine power. Here the Temple, as a symbol of God’s presence, becomes the place of testing, where Jesus must decide whether to prove His sonship to the world or to remain obedient to the Father’s will. In order to tempt Him, Satan tries to use the very holy place and a spiritual appearance. This shows that temptation can often come even when it is mixed with the image of holiness. Yet Jesus stands firm, not to display His power, but to obey the Father’s will.