Having failed twice the Devil launched his final attack, against the citadel of the spirit.  More than anything else Jesus wanted to bring the whole world under the sovereign rule of God and the third temptation was to accomplish that by unlawful means – to secure the kingdoms of the world by paying homage to the Devil.  Two ways were open: an earthly throne, the power of force or the Cross, the power of love.  He could found the Kingdom by suffering and dying in shame and humiliation: or he could win the world using the methods of the world and become its dictator by misusing his supernatural powers.

Such ambitions he rejected: it was to be the way of the Cross with all its seeming failure, or nothing.  “Get thee hence, Satan…” he said and the temptations ceased – for a time (King James Bible, Matthew 4:10; Luke 4:13).