The tempter's offer is deceitful, cunning, brazen, and shameless: "Therefore if You worship (bow down) before me, it shall all be Yours." He says to Christ: "All this AUTHORITY (EXOUSIA) plus the power to use it along with all the accompanying fame and fortune of which You just received a glimpse will be Yours, IF, (and here is the boldness of Satan's stroke), You will do one single act of worship before me, ("worship" is an aorist subjunctive signifying a single act).

"Satan's proposition is this: God has turned over all these kingdoms to him, and he is willing to run them over to Jesus if, as Satan is under God, Jesus will place Himself under Satan. Satan thus offers to make Jesus the Mediator-King just as God wants Him to be King. It can all be done with one little act of prostration before Satan. Instead of a long, bitter journey to the throne, one short step will reach the crown.