“Once more, the Tempter took Jesus to the height of a tall mountain, and showed him the great empire of the earth and its splendor. The Tempter said, ‘All of this, and everything with them I’ll give you if you’ll fall down and worship me'” (Matthew 4.8-9).
All cards are on the table now. Everything else was the soup and salad, this is the entree. Just you and me up here amidst the snow. Look. Look as far as you can see. You know what that is right? The Roman Empire. The greatest power on this earth. Power that has brought peace, commerce, and wealth clear to every horizon you can see.
Think of what you could do on that throne. Pax Romana? How about Pax Christi? Your peace, spread across all these lands.
And it doesn’t have to stop there. Oh no. Empires are not static entities. No, yours will continue to grow, east and south, west and north. There’s more world out there than you realize, more than that mortal brain can comprehend.
Every bit of it can be yours. Just submit to me.
Hold on, before you say no, I want you to think about it. Really think about it. Consider what it could mean not just for you but for every person living within the borders of your Empire. Because, you know how this is going to go, right? The powerful, the underlings of the man who sits on that throne north-west of here, they will kill you.
And what happens then? More of the same. People will go on fighting and killing and demeaning one another. They’ll bloody swords and even deadlier weapons as the years go on. And some of them will even do it in your name. The rich will get richer and, somehow, find ways to make the poor even poorer. Everything you did will be for…well, nothing seems harsh. But the world will remain, strangely, unchanged.
But, there, on that throne you can change it. You can remake all of history. Heck, you can be history, write its story in your own voice. Just think of it. Think.
What about me? Oh, come now, you know I’m not going to interfere with you. I’m not going to be sitting there whispering in your ear, telling you what law to sign and what to veto. Please, I haven’t got time for that. I’ll just ask, now and then, for a little change here and there. Nothing big, of course. I’m all for giving people food and making sure everyone’s got a comfy place to sleep. There just may be a conflict or two you might…encourage. Maybe step back on that economic plan a little bit. Competition’s good after all. And nothing encourages competition like a little extra money and a nicer car, eh? Besides, conflict’s good for people. Keeps them sharp.
So what do you say? Think about all the good you’ll be able to do. Think of all the people you’ll help and save.
Really, what’s bowing down to me in light of seeing your dreams come true.
Tempted One, teach me to question the means to learn if they are justified by the ends.