The following excerpt is taken from What Every Christian Should Know About Satan. Order your copy in print, Kindle, or Audible versions here.

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It’s good to be sultan. Just ask Hassanal Bolkiah, who rules the Nation of Brunei, one of the world’s few absolute monarchies. The sultan is among the richest persons on the planet. Since 1967, he has presided over a tiny state that boasts an exceptionally high standard of living, thanks to substantial oil and gas reserves. 

The sultan and his subjects pay no taxes. In addition to his role as sultan, Bolkiah is the prime minister, head of the defense and finance ministries, a general in the armed forces, an honorary admiral in the Royal Navy, and inspector-general of police. He lives in the largest palace in the world, the Istana Nurul Iman, which features 1,788 rooms. Perhaps most notably, he owns one of the longest names known to modern-day monarchs: Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien Sultan and Yangdi-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam Jones (okay, fine, I tossed in Jones).  

While the sultan has a lot going for him, he can’t hold a candle to another monarch who is far richer, more powerful, and more influential, whose kingdom can’t be confined to national boundaries, and who has ruled over his subjects far longer than the sultan’s half-century of dominance. Scripture reveals his many names, including Satan, the devil, the evil one, Beelzebul, and the ruler of this world. 

In this post and several to follow, we explore how Jesus and the New Testament writers brand Satan the ruler of the world, the ruler of this world, the god of this age, and the ruler of the power of the air. Our main focus is on the words of Jesus in three passages in the Gospel of John. 

John 12:31

Jesus is preparing Philip and Andrew for the Messiah’s imminent death. “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified,” he says. “Truly I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains by itself. But if it dies, it produces much fruit” (John 12:23-24). Soon after, Jesus confesses, “Now my soul is troubled. What should I say ​— ​Father, save me from this hour? But that is why I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name” (vv. 27-28).

The Father speaks from heaven, “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again” (v. 28). A crowd has gathered. Hearing the voice, some think it is thunder. Others believe an angel has spoken.

Jesus responds, “This voice came, not for me, but for you. Now is the judgment of this world. Now the ruler of this world will be cast out. As for me, if I am lifted up from the earth I will draw all people to myself” (vv. 30-32, emphasis added). He says this to indicate the type of death he faces: crucifixion.

Jesus clearly has Satan in mind when he refers to “the ruler of this world.” To better understand what Jesus means in this passage, and in future references to the evil one, we should take a moment to explore the terms ruler and world. 

Ruler

The word ruler in John 12:31 comes from the Greek archon, which is sometimes translated “prince,” “chief,” or “magistrate.” It means “a first in rank or power.” In the New Testament, archon depicts several different kinds of rulers: rulers over nations (Matt. 20:25; Acts 4:26); rulers of synagogues, as well as other Jewish leaders (Matt. 9:18, 23; 23:13; Acts 3:17); and city authorities (Acts 16:19). 

At the same time, New Testament writers employ archon to describe rulers in the unseen realm. For example, Beelzebul is called the archon (prince, ruler) of demons (Matt. 12:24; Mark 3:22; Luke 11:15). And, Jesus calls Satan the archon of this world  (John 12:31; 16:11; cf. Eph. 2:2).

So, if Jesus and the New Testament writers acknowledge Satan as one with authority over this world, what do they mean by world?

World

The English word world in the New Testament usually is a translation of the Greek kosmos, which means “that which is ordered or arranged.” It’s where we get the English term cosmetics. It is related to a verb that means “to set in order,” or “to adorn, decorate.” As William Mounce explains, “In classical Greek and the LXX [Septuagint, or the Greek translation of the Old Testament], kosmos communicated the idea of order and adornment, and from this it developed into the basic term for the cosmos or the universe.”

New Testament writers employ kosmos nearly two hundred times in a variety of ways. First, kosmos refers to the universe, which God designed and created to have order. In his address on Mars Hill, Paul notes, “The God who made the world [kosmos] and everything in it ​— ​he is Lord of heaven and earth ​— ​does not live in shrines made by hands” (Acts 17:24). And in his high priestly prayer, Jesus tells the Father, “I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, so that they will see my glory, which you have given me because you loved me before the world’s [kosmos] foundation” (John 17:24).

Second, kosmos describes the planet Earth. It is mankind’s dwelling place as contrasted with heaven. After Jesus feeds five thousand, the people marvel at this miracle and remark, “This truly is the Prophet who is to come into the world [kosmos]” (John 6:14). Later, Jesus invites his disciples to accompany him to Judea as he works his way toward the home of his recently deceased friend, Lazarus. When the disciples remind him that the Jews in Judea just tried to stone him, Jesus replies, “Aren’t there twelve hours in a day? If anyone walks during the day, he doesn’t stumble, because he sees the light of this world [kosmos]” (John 11:9).

Third, kosmos depicts all humanity. In what is perhaps Jesus’ most memorable statement, he says:

“For God loved the world [kosmos] in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world [kosmos] to condemn the world [kosmos], but to save the world [kosmos] through him” (John 3:16-17). 

Paul writes this about the apostles’ mistreatment:  “Up to the present hour we are both hungry and thirsty; we are poorly clothed, roughly treated, homeless; we labor, working with our own hands. When we are reviled, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; when we are slandered, we respond graciously. Even now, we are like the scum of the earth [kosmos], like everyone’s garbage” (1 Cor. 4:11-13). 

Fourth, kosmos summarizes the totality of human existence in this present life, with all its experiences, possessions, and emotions. Jesus uses kosmos in this way as he challenges his disciples to deny themselves:

“If anyone wants to follow after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of me will find it. For what will it benefit someone if he gains the whole world [kosmos] yet loses his life? Or what will anyone give in exchange for his life? For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will reward each according to what he has done. Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom” (Matt. 16:24-28).

Paul uses kosmos in a similar way in his discussion of the impact of marriage on service to the Lord:

The unmarried man is concerned about the things of the Lord ​— ​how he may please the Lord. But the married man is concerned about the things of the world [kosmos] ​— ​how he may please his wife ​— ​and his interests are divided. The unmarried woman or virgin is concerned about the things of the Lord, so that she may be holy both in body and in spirit. But the married woman is concerned about the things of the world [kosmos] ​— ​how she may please her husband. I am saying this for your own benefit, not to put a restraint on you, but to promote what is proper and so that you may be devoted to the Lord without distraction (1 Cor. 7:32-35).

Finally, kosmos identifies the world order alienated from God, in rebellion against him, and condemned for its godlessness. This is the world over which Satan rules, according to Jesus and the New Testament writers. In a blunt discussion with Israel’s leaders, Jesus distinguishes “this world” from the heavenly realm. He tells them, “You are from below … I am from above. You are of this world [kosmos]; I am not of this world [kosmos]. Therefore I told you that you will die in your sins. For if you do not believe that I am he, you will die in your sins” (John 8:23-24).

The apostle Paul writes about the folly of human wisdom as expressed in this world system: “For the wisdom of this world [kosmos] is foolishness with God, since it is written, He catches the wise in their craftiness; and again, The Lord knows that the reasonings of the wise are futile” (1 Cor. 3:19-20). Paul further instructs Christians to exercise church discipline when a professing Christian lives like a citizen of Satan’s world:

I wrote to you in a letter not to associate with sexually immoral people. I did not mean the immoral people of this world [kosmos] or the greedy and swindlers or idolaters; otherwise you would have to leave the world [kosmos]. But actually, I wrote you not to associate with anyone who claims to be a brother or sister and is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or verbally abusive, a drunkard or a swindler. Do not even eat with such a person. For what business is it of mine to judge outsiders? Don’t you judge those who are inside? God judges outsiders. Remove the evil person from among you (1 Cor. 5:9-13).

There is little doubt that Satan rules over this broken world system, as both Jesus and Paul make clear. Further, in his first epistle, John tells us “the whole world is under the sway of the evil one” (1 John 5:19, emphasis added).

These and other Scripture verses help define the tension in which Christians live. We are not of this world. That is, followers of Jesus are citizens of his kingdom, not Satan’s crumbling empire. Even so, we must live for a time as resident aliens in the evil one’s sinful and fallen domain. 

This means, for one thing, to live faithfully is to be hated, as Jesus explains: “If the world hates you, understand that it hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own. However, because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of it, the world hates you” (John 15:18-20).

This truth surfaces again in Jesus’ high priestly prayer to the Father, in which Jesus refers to the world (kosmos) multiple times:

“I have given them your word. The world hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I am not praying that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. I sanctify myself for them, so that they also may be sanctified by the truth” (John 17:14-19).

Dead to the world

There are several other truths related to believers’ relationship with the world. First, we are to regard ourselves as dead to the world. That is, we understand the inherently evil nature of Satan’s domain and separate ourselves from it. As Paul writes, “The world has been crucified to me through the cross, and I to the world” (Gal. 6:14). James adds, “Pure and undefiled religion before God the Father is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself unstained from the world” (Jas. 1:27).

Second, we must not ride the fence between this world and the world to come. In light of eternity, we cannot possess dual citizenship. Whoever wants to be a friend of this world makes himself or herself an enemy of God (Jas. 4:4). 

Third, our love reveals our loyalties. As John writes:  “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world ​— ​the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride in one’s possessions ​— ​is not from the Father, but is from the world” (1 John 2:15-16).

Finally, we are encouraged to take the long view. The sinful and fallen world in which we live is passing away, but the person devoted to Christ remains forever (1 John 2:17). Our focus should not be on what we temporarily experience with our five senses, but on what is unseen and eternal (2 Cor. 4:18).

Jesus does not dispute Satan’s claim of authority over this world. During the wilderness temptations, the evil one takes Jesus to a high mountain and shows him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. “I will give you all these things if you will fall down and worship me,” Satan promises (Matt. 4:8). 

Jesus does not challenge the evil one’s ability to deliver on his promise – to regale the Son of Man with wealth and fame. Instead, Jesus cuts to the heart of Satan’s temptation – the evil one’s motivation to exalt himself before the second Adam and thus ruin God’s plan of redemption. To the devil’s alluring pledge, Jesus replies, “Go away, Satan! For it is written: Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him” (Matt. 4:10). 

Satan departs, but only for a time (Luke 4:13). 

Taken together, Jesus’ words to his disciples – “the ruler of this world will be cast out” – now become clear. Our Savior acknowledges the evil one as a ruling authority, one whose world is an ordered rebellion against the Creator. It is a powerful system that attracts fallen human beings through “the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride in one’s possessions” (1 John 2:16). However, Satan’s rebellion is temporary and destined for failure. His place, long ago prepared, welcomes him one future day with torment forever and ever (Matt. 25:41; Rev. 20:10).

It should be noted that two other Greek words sometimes are translated “world” in the New Testament. One is oikoumene, which means “inhabited world,” and the other is aion, which refers to an age or period of time. 

Next: Ruler of this world (continued)