The “ruler of the world” refers to Satan. “He has nothing in me” is a Greek legal idiom that means, “He has no claim against me,” or “There’s no case to be made.” In ancient Greek usage, this phrase carried the weight of legal disqualification. Satan has no legal ground, no authority, no rights and no standing to accuse or condemn Jesus.
Albert Barnes Notes on the Bible (Bible commentary) says about this phrase, “There is in me no principle or feeling that accords with his, and nothing, therefore, by which he can prevail.”
Satan was always looking for a way to influence Jesus, but he could find nothing to grab onto; Jesus could not be swayed. He was completely crystallized as “the way, the truth, and the life.”
Satan was coming to attempt to turn Jesus’ voluntary sacrifice into a doubt-filled failure regarding obedience to his Father’s will. Satan would try, but he would fail.
