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The author cannot see past his doctrines, even when he manages to properly define the word "mercy."
The author cannot see past his doctrines, even when he manages to properly define the word "mercy."
Many Christians are locked into the unbiblical idea that God sits up in heaven, holds his nose, and says, "Ok, I'll save you even though you don't deserve it." And then after we're saved, people like the author insist that God then tells us, "Yes I saved you, but you most certainly don't deserve my blessings."
Neither idea is found in the pages of the Bible. Check it yourself, dear reader.
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23 Οὐαὶ ὑμῖν, γραμματεῖς καὶ Φαρισαῖοι ὑποκριταί, ὅτι ἀποδεκατοῦτε τὸ ἡδύοσμον καὶ τὸ ἄνηθον καὶ τὸ κύμινον καὶ ἀφήκατε τὰ βαρύτερα τοῦ νόμου, τὴν κρίσιν καὶ τὸ ἔλεος καὶ τὴν πίστιν· ταῦτα [δὲ] ἔδει ποιῆσαι κἀκεῖνα μὴ ἀφιέναι. Matthew 23:23 (NA28)
23 Woe to you Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for you tithe mint and dill and cumin, but you have neglected the more important things of the Law: justice and mercy and faith; but these things you should have done without neglecting the others. Matthew 23:23 (translated from the NA28 Greek text)
A simple definition of mercy is “the withholding of deserved punishment and relieving distress.” The Greek ἔλεος (eleos) speaks of “compassion, pity.” (Here it it. The author in the space of two sentences oddly contradicts himself. He provides his doctrinal perspective first, then the Greek translation of the word eleos. But this word contains no element of the idea of "deserved punishment." The author is reading this into the word based on his doctrinal lens.
23 Οὐαὶ ὑμῖν, γραμματεῖς καὶ Φαρισαῖοι ὑποκριταί, ὅτι ἀποδεκατοῦτε τὸ ἡδύοσμον καὶ τὸ ἄνηθον καὶ τὸ κύμινον καὶ ἀφήκατε τὰ βαρύτερα τοῦ νόμου, τὴν κρίσιν καὶ τὸ ἔλεος καὶ τὴν πίστιν· ταῦτα [δὲ] ἔδει ποιῆσαι κἀκεῖνα μὴ ἀφιέναι. Matthew 23:23 (NA28)
23 Woe to you Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for you tithe mint and dill and cumin, but you have neglected the more important things of the Law: justice and mercy and faith; but these things you should have done without neglecting the others. Matthew 23:23 (translated from the NA28 Greek text)
A simple definition of mercy is “the withholding of deserved punishment and relieving distress.” The Greek ἔλεος (eleos) speaks of “compassion, pity.” (Here it it. The author in the space of two sentences oddly contradicts himself. He provides his doctrinal perspective first, then the Greek translation of the word eleos. But this word contains no element of the idea of "deserved punishment." The author is reading this into the word based on his doctrinal lens.
In fact, it this definition makes no sense as the Bible commonly uses it. For example, in the passage regarding the Good Samaritan we read:
Lk. 10:36-37 “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” 37 The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”
Obviously the man who was beaten and robbed, then rescued by the merciful Good Samaritan, did not "deserve punishment."
There is no instance in the NT that employs eleos in the context of deserving punishment. Again dear reader, check it for yourself.)
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, ἔλεος (eleos), appears in the passage I placed at the top of this post, Matthew 23:23. In it 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 told them to “Go and do 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 (Romans 9:23; 11:21; Galatians 6:16). In one of the most pointed verses in Scripture about salvation not being by works, Paul wrote to Titus: “He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit” (3:5) This word was imbedded in Paul’s thinking, in fact, that he even used it often in salutations (1 Timothy 1:2; 2 Timothy 1:2; Titus :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, (?? Where in the Bible do we find this astoundingly offensive idea?)
This word, ἔλεος (eleos), appears in the passage I placed at the top of this post, Matthew 23:23. In it 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 told them to “Go and do 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 (Romans 9:23; 11:21; Galatians 6:16). In one of the most pointed verses in Scripture about salvation not being by works, Paul wrote to Titus: “He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit” (3:5) This word was imbedded in Paul’s thinking, in fact, that he even used it often in salutations (1 Timothy 1:2; 2 Timothy 1:2; Titus :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, (?? Where in the Bible do we find this astoundingly offensive idea?)
but God relieves it by His underserved (sic) mercy. In short, we deserve God’s wrath, but He is merciful; He relieves us out of His incomprehensible compassion.
What is the difference between mercy and grace?
What is the difference between mercy and grace?
- Mercy – the withholding of what is deserved (e.g., death and hell). (The author was previously able to accurately tell us the word means compassion or pity, but again he substitutes his own errant ideas.)
- Grace – the bestowing of what is not deserved (e.g., life and heaven). (This is also spectacularly incorrect. Grace, χάρις [charis] is not “the bestowing of what is not deserved.” It is
“God freely extending Himself [His favor, grace], reaching [inclining] to people because He is disposed to bless [be near] them.”
There is no element of either deservedness or non-deservedness. It's simply God's nature that He desires to come near, regardless of whether we deserve it or not.)
Soli Deo Gloria!
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