And Mercy for All
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Matthew 5:7
It was scandalous—eating at a tax collector’s house. Socializing with Roman sympathizers, those traitorous, greedy sinners. Yes, sinners. The tax collectors were certainly violating Mosaic Law by charging a fellow Jew interest (Deuteronomy 23:19-20).
Yet here was this teacher, a so-called prophet of God, acting as if tax collectors were respected citizens rather than social outcasts. The man’s lack of propriety had to be addressed. So the Pharisees straightened their self-righteous backs and asked Jesus’ disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” (Matthew 9:11)
And Jesus, recognizing their arrogance, replied, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners” (v. 12).
Matthew doesn’t record the Pharisees’ response. But Jesus’ words must have made them wince, at least a little. His words certainly make me wince. I am too much like the Pharisees: I think Jesus should be hanging around “good” people like me. I forget that I am a sinner in need of a Savior.
In fact, that’s exactly why Jesus ate with tax collectors, embraced the lepers, and sat next to Samaritans. They all knew they had no chance of entering heaven on their own merit. Their only hope was mercy—exactly what Jesus gave away so freely.
The Greek word for mercy is eleeo, “to help one afflicted or seeking aid, to bring help to the wretched.” In reference to God, it means “granting even to the unworthy favor, benefits, opportunities, and particularly salvation.” *
Those who recognize how much they need mercy are much more likely to extend mercy to others. The merciful do not think, “I take care of myself and so should they.” The merciful mindset is “I have been helped by many people in many ways. The least I can do is to help someone else.” Their hearts and hands are open—open to give mercy and therefore open to receive mercy.
What is my mindset? Am I aware of how much mercy I receive each day? Do I extend it to others as graciously as Jesus offers it to me?
DIG DEEPER:
Read Matthew 9. Who receives mercy in this chapter? What do they all have in common? To whom did Jesus speak harshly? Why?
Read Psalm 25. What blessings does David list as evidence of God’s mercy in his life? What evidence of God’s mercy have you seen in your life this week?
Read Philemon 4-21. Paul encourages Philemon to be merciful to a runaway slave, Onesimus. What specifically does he ask Philemon to do? Is there someone you need to extend mercy to?
Denise K. Loock
*Blue Letter Bible. “Dictionary and Word Search for eleeō (Strong’s 1653)“. Blue Letter Bible. 1996-2013. 16 Jun 2013. < http:// www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=G1653&t=KJV >