Sermon Tone Analysis

Mercy and Compassion

Mercy and Compassion

Mercy and compassion denote care, concern, and empathetic feeling for another person.

In the Bible, mercy and compassion are most perfectly demonstrated and characterized by God’s own merciful and loving care for his people, and in particular by the gift of mercy through Jesus Christ

Mercy and compassion denote care, concern, and empathetic feeling for another person.

In the Bible, mercy and compassion are most perfectly demonstrated and characterized by God’s own merciful and loving care for his people, and in particular by the gift of mercy through Jesus Christ

Mercy and compassion denote care, concern, and empathetic feeling for another person.

In the Bible, mercy and compassion are most perfectly demonstrated and characterized by God’s own merciful and loving care for his people, and in particular by the gift of mercy through Jesus Christ.

Concept Summary

In the OT, several Hebrew roots are central to the semantic domain of mercy and compassion: רחם (rḥm, “compassion”); חנן (ḥnn, “grace”); חמל (ḥāmal, “pity”); חסד (ḥsd, “loves”); נחם (nḥm, “have compassion”).

The verb רָחַם (rāḥam, “to be merciful”) and the words רַחֲמִים (raḥămîm, “compassion”) and רַחוּם (raḥûm, “compassionate”) tend to refer to displays of compassion (e.g., ; ).

The verb חָנַן (ḥānan, “to show grace”) and its related terms refer to divine or human gracious acts that help people in need (e.g., ; ).

The Hebrew verb חָמַל (ḥāmal, “to have pity”) often means taking pity on someone and sparing them from something.

The verb נָחַם (nāḥam, “to comfort, show compassion”) can also indicate the experience of feeling pity or compassion ().

Finally, the Hebrew term חֶסֶד (ḥesed, “mercy”) frequently describes Yahweh’s covenant faithfulness and his merciful love for his people.

several Hebrew roots are central to the semantic domain of mercy and compassion: רחם (rḥm, “compassion”); חנן (ḥnn, “grace”); חמל (ḥāmal, “pity”); חסד (ḥsd, “loves”); נחם (nḥm, “have compassion”).

The verb רָחַם (rāḥam, “to be merciful”) and the words רַחֲמִים (raḥămîm, “compassion”) and רַחוּם (raḥûm, “compassionate”) tend to refer to displays of compassion (e.g., ; ).

The verb חָנַן (ḥānan, “to show grace”) and its related terms refer to divine or human gracious acts that help people in need (e.g., ; ).

The Hebrew verb חָמַל (ḥāmal, “to have pity”) often means taking pity on someone and sparing them from something.

The verb נָחַם (nāḥam, “to comfort, show compassion”) can also indicate the experience of feeling pity or compassion ().

Finally, the Hebrew term חֶסֶד (ḥesed, “mercy”) frequently describes Yahweh’s covenant faithfulness and his merciful love for his people.

Regarding mercy and compassion in the NT, the verbs ἐλεέω (eleeō, “to have mercy”) and ἐλεάω (eleaō, “to have mercy”), along with the substantival form ἔλεος (eleos, “mercy”), explicitly refer to mercy.

Other Greek terms related to the concepts of mercy and compassion include the verb σπλαγχνίζομαι (splagchnizomai, “to have compassion”) and the related noun σπλάγχνον (splagchnon, “compassion”); and οἰκτίρω (oiktirō, “to have compassion”) and the related noun οἰκτιρμός (oiktirmos, “compassion”) and adjective οἰκτίρμων (oiktirmōn, “compassionate”).

Theological Overview

Compassion and mercy are abiding attributes of God (e.g., ; ).

Because God requires his people to emulate his holiness (), he commands mercy in his law (e.g., ), and divine wisdom teaches mercy and compassion (e.g., ; ).

According to Scripture, God’s mercy and compassion cannot be earned by human beings.

Instead, God bestows mercy upon whomever he chooses and according to his prerogative (e.g., ; ).

In the Bible, God’s people experience his mercy after they have engaged in periods of sinful activity, disobedience, or complacency (e.g., ; ; ; ; ).

In many of these cases, God’s mercy prompts individuals to repent and return to God (e.g., ).

are abiding attributes of God (e.g., ; ).

Because God requires his people to emulate his holiness (), he commands mercy in his law (e.g., ), and divine wisdom teaches mercy and compassion (e.g., ; ).

According to Scripture, God’s mercy and compassion cannot be earned by human beings.

Instead, God bestows mercy upon whomever he chooses and according to his prerogative (e.g., ; ).

In the Bible, God’s people experience his mercy after they have engaged in periods of sinful activity, disobedience, or complacency (e.g., ; ; ; ; ).

In many of these cases, God’s mercy prompts individuals to repent and return to God (e.g., ).

Many of the references to mercy and compassion in the OT are pleas to God to show mercy out of his loving kindness and covenantal faithfulness.

For example, the psalmist pleads with God: “Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions” ( ESV; compare ; ; ; ; ; ).

In , Moses promises the people of Israel that God will keep his covenant with them because he is a merciful God (compare ).

In the NT, the Gospels present compassion and mercy as fundamental characteristics of the mission and message of Jesus (e.g., ; ; ; ).

The NT also teaches that mercy is foundational to salvation in Christ (e.g., ; ; ).

As a result, believers may confidently approach God “to receive mercy and find grace” in times of need ().

The NT authors repeatedly affirm mercy as a common virtue that Christians should practice among the community of faith (e.g., ; ; ; ; ; ; ; , ; ).

Frederick, J. (2014).

Mercy and Compassion.

D. Mangum, D. R. Brown, R. Klippenstein, & R. Hurst (Eds.),

Lexham Theological Wordbook.

Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.