If you are like me, I am sure you have a couple of quotes you were taught at school that stuck in your brain. It could be due to your love for the subject, the mannerisms of your teacher or memorable events happening at the time. One of those quotes that I have always remembered is "Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely". This quote was attributed to Lord Acton.

This quote by Lord Acton suggests that gaining power is a test of character and that unchecked power inevitably leads to corrupt behaviour. We have witnessed this many times when politicians make decisions based on their own selfish interests. This begs the question, "Does power itself corrupt or is it used as a tool by a corrupt mind?" To answer this question, I thought of an account in Scripture which interestingly had to do with the promise of conferring power in response to a request.

In Matthew 4:1, we read that Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. Note that the tempter came to Jesus when he was vulnerable. He had just finished fasting for 40 days and nights and was hungry. I personally think the word 'hungry' there was an understatement. If any of us were to be denied food for one day, we would be starving and here we are talking about someone who had not eaten for 40 days. It therefore makes sense that the first temptation would be the need to satiate that hunger.

In Matthew 4:3 we read, "The tempter came to him and said, 'If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.'"

The temptation was not only about challenging Jesus to miraculously turn stone to bread. It was about questioning Jesus' authority. "If you are the Son of God…" Jesus promptly responded, "It is written: 'Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'" (v4) 

That was round one to Jesus but the devil was not done yet. He takes Jesus to the holy city and at the highest point of the temple and says again, "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down." This time, he decides to use Scripture to press his advantage and quotes Psalms 91:11-12, "He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone." Once again, Jesus shows the devil that the weapon of the Word was more potent in His hands, "It is also written: 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.'"

Finally, it was time for the devil to pull the joker. He took Jesus to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and its trappings of power. "All this I will give you," he said, "if you will bow down and worship me." (Matthew 4:9) Again, Jesus defeats the devil with a final blow, "Away from me, Satan! For it is written: 'Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.'" (Matthew 4:10) This time, there was no comeback and the devil left with his tail between his legs.

This final temptation reflects the statement that Lord Acton made in his letter. Power in itself is not corrupt but when you combine power with a corrupt environment it is inevitable that the people conferred with that power become corrupted. Those that refuse to be corrupted will not likely survive in such environments.

This brings us back to our original question: does power itself corrupt or is it merely a tool exploited by a corrupt mind? The apostle James provides clarity on this matter. In James 1:13-15, he writes, "When tempted, no one should say, 'God is tempting me.' For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death."

James reveals that the root of corruption lies not in external circumstances but within the human heart. Power does not create corruption; it merely reveals and amplifies what already exists within us. When someone gains power and becomes corrupt, it is because their own evil desires have been given the opportunity to flourish. Power acts as a magnifying glass, exposing the true nature of our character. It offers us choices and the means to act upon our desires, whether righteous or evil.

This is precisely why Jesus remained incorruptible despite being offered all the kingdoms of the world. There was no evil desire within Him to be enticed. The devil's temptations found no foothold because Jesus had nothing within Him that resonated with the offers of worldly power and glory. His heart was pure and His desires were perfectly aligned with the Father's will. The same power that would corrupt others remained a tool for righteousness in His hands.

What made Jesus different? He possessed ultimate authority yet remained incorruptible. The answer lies not in the absence of power, but in the source of His strength and the purity of His purpose. Jesus derived His power from complete submission to the Father's will. He had nothing to prove and nothing to gain through compromise. His identity was secure, His mission was clear and His allegiance was unwavering.

The wilderness temptations reveal a fundamental truth: power does not corrupt those who are already surrendered to a higher authority. When our source of strength is rooted in God and our purpose aligned with His will, we too can resist the corrupting influences that surround us. 

The question for us today is not whether we will encounter opportunities for compromise, but whether we will choose to ground ourselves in the incorruptible power of God's Word and His presence. 

In a world where power continues to corrupt, may we follow the example of Christ, wielding whatever influence we have been given not for selfish gain, but in faithful service to the only One worthy of our worship.