Mercy

eleos

A simple definition of mercy is “the withholding of deserved punishment and relieving distress.” The Greek eleos (1656) speaks of “compassion, pity.” One Greek lexicon tells us, “Kindness or good will towards the miserable and afflicted, joined with a desire to relieve them.” Even the pagans of Greece felt pity. Aristotle wrote that tragedy aroused pity and even fear that the same tragedy might befall them.

This word appears in Matthew 23:23, for example, where our Lord calls the Pharisees hypocrites because while they fastidiously counted out a tenth of the seeds of herbs to give as tithes, they ignored the more important matters of mercy and faith. In a graphic example of mercy, after the Lord told the disciples the parable of how the Good Samaritan showed mercy (Luke 10:25–37), He then told them to “Go, and do thou likewise.”

Paul also used this word often in his letters as a simple reminder of God’s mercy, a reminder that none of us can hear too often (Rom. 9:23; 11:31; Gal. 6:16). In one of the most pointed verses in Scripture about salvation not being by works, Paul wrote to Titus: “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost” (3:5). This word was so imbedded in Paul’s thinking, in fact, that he even used it often in salutations (1 Tim. 1:2; 2 Tim. 1:2; Titus 1:4).

So mercy is obviously always to the helpless. Moreover, as Ephesians 2:1–3 show, we deserve whatever tragedy, affliction, misery, depression, heartache, and all other pain that befall us, but God relieves it by His undeserved mercy. In short, we deserve God’s wrath, but He is merciful; He relieves us out of His incomprehensible compassion.

Before we close, let us note the important distinction between mercy and grace:

• Mercy – the withholding of what is deserved (e.g., death and hell).
• Grace – the bestowing of what is not deserved (e.g., life and heaven).

Or as one commentator puts it, “Mercy pities. Grace pardons.”

Scriptures for Study: Upon whom does God show mercy, according to Luke 1:50?As Christians, where do we continually find mercy (Heb. 4:16)?