A ccouple of mornings ago, I felt like I should spend some time reflecting on mercy, which is certainly a worthy topic of thought. I decided to start in Matthew and look at some of the first statements Jesus made about mercy. Probably His two most famous statements are found in the following verses - Matthew 5:6-8 NIV:
[6] "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
[7] Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
[8] Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God."
- and -
Matthew 9:10-13 NIV:
[9] "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.”
Webster's Dictionary defines mercy as follows:
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
The Greek word that is translated mercy is the word Eleeo and whose root is Eleos, which is defined as follows:
1) mercy: kindness or good will towards the miserable and the afflicted, joined with a desire to help them
a) of men towards men: to exercise the virtue of mercy, show one's self merciful
b) of God towards men: in general providence; the mercy and clemency of God in providing and offering to men salvation by Christ
c) the mercy of Christ, whereby at his return to judgment he will bless true Christians with eternal life
Mercy is one of the attributes that God named about Himself when He showed Moses Himself as described in the following encounter - Exodus 33:18-19 NIV:
[18] "Then Moses said, “Now show me your glory.”
[19] And the Lord said, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the Lord, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion."
In these verses from Exodus, the original language is Hebrew, so in this case the word used in Chanan, and it is defined as follows:
1) to be gracious, show favour, pity
2) (Qal) to show favour, be gracious
3) (Niphal) to be pitied
4) (Piel) to make gracious, make favourable, be gracious
5) (Poel) to direct favour to, have mercy on
6) (Hophal) to be shown favour, be shown consideration
7) (Hithpael) to seek favour, implore favour
The different forms of the word are shown above in the definition, and it is clear that it is related to divine favor and goodness towards someone. God in this case is saying that it is desire and will to express mercy and compassion. It is interesting that when Moses asked to see God's glory, God responded, "I will cause my goodness to pass in front of you." Apparently God's glory is closely related to His goodness, mercy and compassion! Thus, as we reflect on mercy we are reflecting on one of His key glorifying attributes, those things that set His apart from all others.
The New Testament Greek adds to the Hebrew definition a sense of goodness to those in great need or to those who don't deserve it. Jesus in introducing the mercy in the first verses quoted above calls us as Christian's, as His followers, to extend mercy, so that we might receive mercy! These verses are from His sermon on the mount, which many consider the "constitution" of His Kingdom. Thus, we find mercy as one of the key attributes that we should possess as His followers.
God's goodness is demonstrated in His extending favor to those who are in desperate need, and those who don't deserve His favor. I am reminded that this is one of the reasons that seemingly evil people prosper. It is not because God doesn't care, it is because He Loves them in spite of their sinful and evil ways and extends to them His favor, even though they don't deserve it! We can look at that situation and think He is being unfair, but the truth is that we should look at that and be grateful that He is merciful.
Consider this, if that is how He treats those who we would consider His enemies, how much more favor would He extend to those who follow Him and are obedient to His will?? If we look at Jesus' actions in having dinner with the "sinners", the tax collectors, and other unsavory people, He is extending them great mercy, for He is gracing them with His physical presence, and in relating to Him they are seeing the Father, well represented by Jesus. He is interested in their lives, and speaking into them Truth. He is calling them to follow Him to encounter Him in relationship. The Pharisees and "religious" would not have given them (sinners) the time of day, for these people were judged as sinners, and thus a danger to potentially make them (the religious) unclean.
I love the fact that God's glory is seen in the extension of mercy towards those who don't deserve His favor and blessing! We can be participants in giving Glory to God by being messengers of His mercy! When we pray for those who persecute us; when we are kind to those who treat us poorly; when we love our enemies, we are proclaiming the Glory of God!
Back to Jesus' statement about mercy and sacrifice. The typical Jew in hearing this would recognize that sacrifice was related to religious acts, that were supposed to make them righteous. Jesus is quoting from Hosea 6:6 when He makes this statement, so He is drawing them back to the scriptures, and helping them to realize that God is after more than their acts, but desirous that they understand His heart.
The reality is that this is God's invitation to all of us, to learn what is in His heart for us, and for one another. Once we understand that He loves us, that He desires to have mercy on us, not judge us, and that His mercy and compassion are for all of us! He desires that we know His goodness, that we experience it in real ways, and that as we do, our hearts and minds are turned towards Him.
Finally, Paul writes an interesting bit on the goodness and kindness of God towards sinners (Definition of mercy), and our proclivity to judge others rather than extending mercy. Here are the verses - Romans 2:3-4 NIV:
[3] "So when you, a mere human being, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God's judgment? [4] Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God's kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?"
God intends that His kindness, His goodness, His mercy to those in the world who don't know Him or follow Him, is intended to lead them to repentance! He doesn't want to scare them or judge them into relationship, but rather wants to woo them with mercy, love, goodness and kindness. We, as His followers, are supposed to be representatives of His heart, and that means extending mercy, not judgment as the primary path for repentance.
Lord, I am so grateful for Your mercy towards me! I know that I have not earned the right to Your mercy, but You extend it to me anyway! Thank You Lord! Help me to be an extender of Your mercy to all those around me!
Amen and Amen!
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