Satan's role as a tempter, and his claim to own the world (Matthew 4:9), is often seen as a contradiction to his presentation in the Old Testament. The former is actually quite evident in Job, where Satan's whole purpose was to tempt Job to forsake God.

However, his claim to be able to turn the world over to Jesus is seen by some as having no parallel in Job at all. If it isn't bravado on Satan's part (hubris, an element that IS clearly visible in Job), then it is an offer to turn over those persons who are under his sway.

In Job, Satan says that he has been:

> "going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it."

Given his character, he was undoubtedly looking after his own interests. Since his primary interest in Job is to turn Job away from God, it is logical in context that whatever else he was doing was intended to serve the same interest. This implies directly that Satan had been out swaying people over to his side already. Satan's own profession in Job is to be doing what Peter says he is doing as 'a roaring lion, [who] walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.' Satan's role as a deceiver in the NT also comes under this rubric. Additionally, Satan's role as head over demonic powers (Matthew 12:26) is best understood as one of the universal motifs grounded in reality. There is no historical leap in supposing that any figure or person would or could gather helpers or assistants over time.