John Calvin Commentary Matthew 4:8

"Again, the devil taketh him unto an exceeding high mountain, and showeth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;" — Matthew 4:8 (ASV)

The devil takes him to a very high mountain. We must keep in mind what I have already stated: that it was not due to any weakness of Christ’s nature, but to a voluntary divine allowance and permission, that Satan produced this effect upon his eyes. Again, while his senses were moved and powerfully affected by the glory of the kingdoms that was presented to them, no inward desire arose in his mind; whereas the lusts of the flesh, like wild beasts, are drawn, and hurry us along, to the objects that please us: for Christ had the same feelings as we do, but he had no irregular appetites.

The kind of temptation here described was that Christ should seek, apart from God, the inheritance that he has promised to his children. And here the daring insolence of the devil is manifested in robbing God of the government of the world and claiming it for himself. All these things, he says, are mine, and it is only through me that they are obtained.

We have to contend every day with the same imposture: for every believer feels it in himself, and it is still more clearly seen in the whole life of the ungodly. Though we are convinced that all our support, and aid, and comfort depend on the blessing of God, yet our senses allure and draw us away to seek assistance from Satan, as if God alone were not enough.

A considerable portion of mankind disbelieves the power and authority of God over the world and imagines that everything good is bestowed by Satan. For why is it that almost all resort to wicked contrivances, to robbery and fraud, but because they ascribe to Satan what belongs to God—the power of enriching whomever he pleases by his blessing? True, indeed, with the mouth they ask that God will give them daily bread (Matthew 6:11), but it is only with the mouth, for they make Satan the distributor of all the riches in the world.