What does Luke 4:5 mean?

Christ is being tempted by Satan after forty days of fasting, alone in a desolate area (Luke 4:1–4). This is the second of three temptations recorded by Luke.

Much has been made of the difference in the order of temptations, as recorded by Luke and Matthew (Matthew 4:1–11). Even if the order was important—and it's not—Luke doesn't use chronological terms. Where Matthew says "then," as translated into English, Luke simply connects using the word "and." The same is true from passage to passage in Luke's gospel. In literal terms, Matthew indicates the three temptations happened in a certain order. Luke simply indicates that they happened. Another possibility is that Satan made similar temptations to Christ during the forty days, and Matthew's account focuses on the final, strongest versions of those tests.

Another criticism raised against this moment is the idea of Jesus seeing "all the kingdoms" of earth at once. This has been called either an absurdity or evidence that New Testament writers believed in a flat earth. The more reasonable explanation is that Satan is showing Jesus a vision. Taking Jesus to a high place would be part of the temptation's dramatic nature.

This temptation is about raw power and prestige. What Satan offers is the classic "selling one's soul" in exchange for worldly influence (Luke 4:6–7). Christ will reject this temptation, as well (Luke 4:8).