The Prince of This World
Now we come to the second guide in men's walk through life; and we see, first, The misery of all nature, in respect of subjection of Satan, who as a prince rules over and governs "the children of disobedience." Secondly, That Satan, as well as the world, is a cause of that sinfulness that is in the hearts and lives of men: they the exemplary and he the impelling cause, both as a prince and a spirit Thirdly, A descriptive greatness of Satan's kingdom interwoven to shew man's misery the greater and the more; "the prince of the power of
the air," the spirit that works in the children of
disobedience." The scope of all these three particulars was to stir up the Ephesians' hearts to thanksgiving for the great deliverance, which in their conversion had brought them out of darkness into the light (out of the kingdom of darkness
into the kingdom of His dear Son (Col. 1:13). Now the kingdom of power, glory experienced by the Church and Christ is the more endeared and enriched to us by our rescue from the empire of Satan and the world whose domain is the air and will end with the air, whereas ours are in heavenly
places. -Thomas Goodwin.
TO THE HOLY SPIRIT, the substitute, representative and successor of Jesus Christ, was committed this work of breaking the deadly power of the world by breaking the power of its prince. There was the necessary and continuous reminder that the devil occupied the royal position of the world's prince, already adjudged and condemned, and upon whom the sentence and penalty were to be executed. "Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: It is expedient for you that I go away; for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment; of sin because they believe not on me; of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged."
“The prince of this world" he is, though the awful doom awaiting unbelief, sin and unrighteousness are his. In these declarations of Jesus Christ, we have the clear revelation of what the devil is in his relation to the world as a prince and ruler. We understand why the world is so alien to God, to God's Son, to His cause, and how attachment to the world is at once estrangement and bitter enmity to God, because in the world's beauty and charms there is the enmity of the devil to God. The world is the beauteous harlot with her snares of death and hell.
The devil is recognized by Jesus Christ to be the prince of this world, not lawfully, but in its rebellion against God, not to be submitted to, but to be renounced as a lawless one, dethroned as a usurper and conquered as a rebel. To secure these ends, to dethrone and conquer the devil, the mission of the Son of God is charged. We see how readily Jesus Christ acknowledges the position and power of the devil. It is of the devil He speaks, and conjoins him with the world. The stroke of the Son of God falls on both: “Now is the judgment of this world; now shall the prince of this world be cast out. And I, if I be lifted up, will draw all men to me." The world is condemned by the power of the cross. The sweet attractive potencies of the cross dissolve the fatal fascinations of the world. The power of that same cross casts out from his world ruling throne the prince of this world. Christ affirms the devil's high position, but signs and seals his destiny and doom. “God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power; who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil, for God was with him."
Again does the Son of God recognize the position which the devil holds as crowned prince by the world's franchises. How his presence quiets the Son of God. Man's words are not to be victors in this conflict. God's words in the temptation broke the power of his assault and defeated his fell intents, but left him still a sovereign with his kingly crown. The Son of God is awed into silence at the devil's approach. The cross, its agony and shame, its deep humiliation, bitter agony and untold shame, its defeat and despair, all these it would take to lift the crown from Satan's brow and bring his throne down to dust and ashes. The adorable Son of God “saw the travail of His soul in that hour and was satisfied." He saw also what it would cost Him, and what it would cost every son of heaven, to discrown that prince, and He lapsed into a solemn silence, the prestige of His victory. “Hereafter I will not talk much with you, for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me."