Albert Barnes Commentary Matthew 4:9

"and he said unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me." — Matthew 4:9 (ASV)

All these things, etc. All these kingdoms. All these dominions Satan claimed a right to bestow on whomever he pleased, and with considerable justice. They were excessively wicked; and with no small degree of plausibility, therefore, he asserted his claim to give them away. This temptation had much plausibility.

Satan regarded Jesus as the King of the Jews. As the Messiah, Satan supposed that Jesus had come to take possession of all that country. Jesus was poor, unarmed, and without followers or armies. Satan proposed to put Jesus in possession of it at once, without any difficulty, if Jesus would acknowledge him as the rightful lord and disposer of that country; if Jesus would trust in him, rather than in God.

Worship me. (See the notes on Matthew 2:2).

The word "worship" here seems to mean acknowledging Satan as having a right to give these kingdoms to Jesus, acknowledging dependence on Satan rather than on God; that is, truly rendering religious homage. We may be surprised at Satan's boldness. But he had been twice foiled. He supposed this was an object dear to the heart of the Messiah, and he seemed not to be asking too much, if he gave them to Jesus, that Jesus should be willing to acknowledge the gift and express gratitude for it. So plausible are Satan's temptations, even when blasphemous; and so artfully does he present his allurements to the mind.