σοὶ δώσω. In the emphatic order of the original, ‘To thee will I give this power, all of it, and the glory of them.’

ὅτι ἐμοὶ παραδέδοται. ‘Because to me it has been entrusted (and therefore,’ the perfect implies, ‘it is permanently mine,’ commissam habeo potestatem). Hence the expression, “the prince of this world,” John 12:31; John 14:30; “the prince of the power of the air,” Ephesians 2:2. Satan is in one sense “a world-ruler (κοσμοκράτωρ) of this darkness” (Ephesians 6:12). The Rabbis went even further, and called him ‘lord of this age’ (sar hâolâm), and even ‘another god’ (êl achêr), which is Manicheeism; whereas in this verse, by the very admission of Satan all Manicheeism is excluded. The Tempter subtly implies that the proposed homage will only be a recognition of the Divine permission by which he exercises this world-power.

ᾧ ἐὰν θέλω δίδωμι αὐτήν. Comp. Revelation 13:2, “the dragon gave him (the Beast i.e. Nero) his power, and his seat, and great authority.” Here however we note the exaggeration of the father of lies. How different was the language of our Lord to His ambitious disciples (Matthew 20:5).

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Old Testament