And the devil said to him, All this power will I give you, and the glory of them: for that is delivered to me; and to whomsoever I will I give it.
All.
John 8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
2 Corinthians 11:14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
Revelation 12:9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
and the.
Esther 5:11 And Haman told them of the glory of his riches, and the multitude of his children, and all the things wherein the king had promoted him, and how he had advanced him above the princes and servants of the king.
Isaiah 5:14 Therefore hell hath enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure: and their glory, and their multitude, and their pomp, and he that rejoiceth, shall descend into it.
Isaiah 23:9 The LORD of hosts hath purposed it, to stain the pride of all glory, and to bring into contempt all the honourable of the earth.
and to.
John 12:31 Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.
John 14:30 Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.
Ephesians 2:2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
he said.
The speaker here is Satan, who is often referred to as the adversary or accuser in Scripture. His role in this passage is to test Jesus' obedience and faithfulness to God. This encounter is reminiscent of the testing of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, where Satan also used deception and temptation. The dialogue between Jesus and Satan underscores the reality of spiritual warfare and the need for discernment and reliance on God's Word.
For it has been relinquished to me,
Satan claims that authority over the kingdoms has been given to him. This statement reflects the biblical understanding that, due to humanity's fall into sin, the world is under the influence of evil. Passages such as 2 Corinthians 4:4 refer to Satan as the "god of this age," indicating his temporary dominion over earthly matters. However, this authority is limited and ultimately subject to God's sovereign control. The relinquishment of authority can be seen as a result of human sinfulness and the consequences of the fall.
and I can give it to anyone I wish.
Satan's claim to distribute authority suggests a level of autonomy in his operations, yet it is important to recognize that his power is not absolute. Throughout Scripture, it is clear that God remains the ultimate authority, and any power Satan possesses is permitted by God for a time. This phrase also serves as a reminder of the deceptive nature of Satan, who often promises what he cannot truly deliver. The temptation to seek power apart from God's will is a recurring theme in the Bible, warning believers to trust in God's provision and timing.
• The speaker is the devil, addressing Jesus during the wilderness temptation (Luke 4:1-2).
• He dangles “authority”—real power to rule—mirroring the serpent’s earlier promise, “you will be like God” (Genesis 3:5).
• Yet true authority belongs to Christ alone: after His resurrection He declares, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me” (Matthew 28:18).
• The temptation tries to shortcut the Father’s plan of the cross and resurrection (Philippians 2:8-11).
• The offer is global—every earthly realm, every bit of pomp and splendor (Daniel 7:14; Revelation 11:15).
• Satan targets the human appetite for:
– Power (“the pride of life”)
– Possessions (“the lust of the eyes”) (1 John 2:16-17).
• Jesus later gains the kingdoms through obedience, not compromise (Hebrews 2:8-9).
• Luke highlights who is talking so we recognize the source: “There is no truth in him… he is a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44).
• Every word must therefore be weighed against God’s Word (Psalm 119:105).
• Adam’s fall opened the door for satanic influence; the devil is called “the ruler of this world” (John 12:31) and “the god of this age” (2 Corinthians 4:4).
• His dominion is:
– Delegated and temporary (Job 1:12; Revelation 20:10).
– Subject to God’s ultimate sovereignty (Psalm 24:1).
• Satan claims the right to distribute power, yet God alone “removes kings and establishes them” (Daniel 2:21; Psalm 75:7).
• The offer is conditional—implied worship of the devil (Luke 4:7)—revealing the cost: allegiance away from the Father.
• Jesus rejects the shortcut, choosing the path of suffering that secures eternal dominion the right way (Hebrews 12:2).
Luke 4:6 records a real but deceitful offer: Satan, wielding limited authority gained through human sin, tries to lure Jesus with immediate worldwide rule and glory—if only the Son will bypass the cross. Jesus’ refusal exposes the enemy’s counterfeit power and affirms that true, lasting authority comes only from the Father and is obtained through faithful obedience, not compromise.
(6) For that is delivered unto me.--Better, hath been delivered unto me. The specific assertion of the usurped dominion, though implied in St. Matthew, is in its form peculiar to St. Luke. (See Note on Matthew 4:9.) The notion that any such delegated sovereignty had been assigned to the Tempter, either before or after his fall from his first estate, has, it need hardly be said, no foundation in Scripture. It asserts that "the earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof" (Psalm 24:1); and the claim of the Tempter was a lying boast, resting only on the permitted activity and temporary predominance of evil in the actual course of the world's history.