Extending Mercy

This morning I felt like reading about mercy, and the following verses are quite an interesting study in the subject of mercy.

Matthew 9:9-13 NIV:

[9] "As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector's booth. “Follow me,” he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him.

[10] While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew's house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples. [11] When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”

[12] On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. [13] But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

This is Jesus' second statement about mercy, the first was during His sermon on the mount (Matt. 5:7).  However, in this statement He adds some clarity that is good for us to think on.  He equates mercy with reaching out to sinners, to those who are lost.  In fact, the word is often times translated as compassion and Jesus expressed compassion when He saw the crowds of the lost (see Matt 9:36 or Matt 14:14).

When I read the word mercy I tend to think of doing something nice to someone who is down on their luck, or not treating someone as their behaviors deserve. I thought it would be interesting to take a look at a comparison of the original Greek compared to the English translation.

When we read the English word mercy, we would generally apply the following definition (Webster's Dictionary):

1 a : compassion or forbearance shown especially to an offender or to one subject to one's power; also : lenient or compassionate treatment  
b : imprisonment rather than death imposed as penalty for first-degree murder
2 a : a blessing that is an act of divine favor or compassion
b : a fortunate circumstance
3 : compassionate treatment of those in distress


In the original Greek, the word that was translated mercy is Eleos.

 Definition

1) mercy: kindness or good will towards the miserable and the afflicted, joined with a desire to help them
2) of men towards men: to exercise the virtue of mercy, show one's self merciful
3) of God towards men: in general providence; the mercy and clemency of God in providing and offering to men salvation by Christ
4) the mercy of Christ, whereby at his return to judgment he will bless true Christians with eternal life

While the two definitions are similar, there is one major difference, as I read them, and that is the offer of salvation, through Christ Jesus.  This is help for the soul, not just help for the physical needs.

The idea I think that Jesus is pressing into here is that mercy, from the Father's perspective, means the opportunity to receive salvation, and enter into relationship with Him.  He does not just understand the sinners situation, but has a desire to help them, and thus He sent His Son Jesus, not to just help them, but to know them as well.  He is not after our sacrifices, or religious acts, but rather desirous of our extending His mercy and invitation to relationship to those we meet, to the lost and lonely, wounded and worried, the sinner, the rejected, the down-trodden.

I find it interesting that Jesus extends an invitation to Matthew, to follow Himself, and the first thing we see that He does is go eat dinner at Matthew's house.  We don't know what Jesus said to Matthew in between the invitation and the dinner party, but the pursuit of relationship is evident.  In fact, Jesus didn't just want to get to know Matthew, but wanted to know his whole family, and his friends. He operates in the same way in our lives, desiring to know us and enter into every area of our life.

Finally the original Greek word translated "sick" in verse 12, is the word Kakos, and this means miserable, to be ill or improperly, wrongly.  I think the fuller meaning is more appropriate, as Matthew and his friends were not physically ill, but rather were thinking about themselves improperly or wrongly, and their souls were sick.  Jesus was not after right action (sacrifice) but right identity and relationship, which when embraced brings health, healing and salvation.  Jesus does not look down on them for having a wrong perspective of their identity, as the Pharisees would have, instead He comes into their lives and through interaction and relationship brings revelation and ultimately salvation.

In summary, we are invited and called to offer the same mercy to those around us who are in need.  He is our source of power and stirs our hearts to have compassion, even as He is compassionate. Let us embrace His mercy in our own lives, and extend it to those around us, our family and friends.