In Matthew 9:10-13, Jesus called a tax collector to become one of His disciples. The Pharisees objected, and Jesus’ response is truly instructive: “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 13 But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice.’ For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.’” The complainers would have agreed that “publicans and sinners” were “sick” with sin, but they did nothing to help them! (They were unwilling to “defile” themselves to help others.)
Jesus’ words show that this hardhearted attitude jeopardized their spiritual condition: “Go and learn” was what they should have done before presuming to criticize others! In Matthew 5:7, the Master says those who obtain mercy from God also gain blessings by exercising mercy toward others.
What IS mercy? A familiar (but simplistic) definition says mercy is “what all desire, but none deserve.” The word Jesus used means “to take pity on,” or “to exercise compassion or sympathy toward – to help one who is afflicted, or seeking aid.” This is what the blind men in Matthew 20:30 asked of Jesus — to feel pity for them. This is also exactly what the publican of Luke 18:13 desired from God in his prayer, and this is precisely what the Pharisees had left OUT of their practice of Moses’ law, according to Jesus in Matthew 23:23! “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone.”
Mercy presupposes two things: First, distress — a need that the object of mercy cannot supply for himself; and second, a willingness to provide what is needed. Hebrews 4:16 says Heaven’s mercy is “found” at the throne of (God’s) grace. Because He loves us and desires to “do us good” (to extend grace to us), our Father offers us mercy in the face of our sins.
How are we “blessed” by being merciful? “Mercy” does not overlook, or pretend it cannot see sin: It recognizes the miserable consequences of sin. Joseph – in power in Egypt – showed mercy to the brothers who had wronged him (Genesis 50:15-21). Stephen prayed for mercy toward those who were stoning him (Acts 7:59).
A true measure of Christian maturity is the ability to “trade places” with one who does us wrong, and thus show mercy when what we “want” is revenge. (Here is the sin of the unjust servant of Matthew 18:28 – unwillingness to offer what he had received).ÿThe natural outgrowth of being “at peace” with God is the desire to SHARE that blessing with others (Matthew 5:9). “Peacemakers” share God’s solution for sin with others, Isaiah 59:2 – His mercy! They can say with Isaiah, “‘Come now, and let us reason together,’ Says the LORD,…” (Isaiah 1:18).
All strife – between man and God, and among men – comes from sin. The true recipe for “peace on earth” is to eliminate sin, and peace between man and God is made by the Father’s mercy in accepting Jesus’ blood as the “covering” for our sins (Colossians 1:20-22). We receive this blessing through obedience to the gospel (Romans 6:1-6), and we are blessed by being merciful (to others) because in this we are acting like our heavenly Father!
Those who show mercy are thus blessed to receive further mercy: In Romans 12:8, the merciful person is to “show” his mercy with cheerfulness (“readiness of mind,” willingness). God is “rich” in mercy (Ephesians 2:4), and Christians are supposed to be LIKE HIM (Ephesians 5:1)! Jesus Himself told the disciples in Luke 6:36, “Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful.” The commentator Albert Barnes observed, “Nowhere do we imitate God more than in showing mercy.” When we practice mercy, we draw others toward God by treating them as HE would! When we grasp the immense blessing that God offers US — His mercy, through the Christ – how can we NOT extend that same blessing to those around us in this sin-sickened world?
-Dave Rogers
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