Mercy Study
Collected by Tim Estes
Matthew 5:7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
Editor’s Note: This study is limited to Merciful and Mercy, as found in Matthew 5:7.
Merciful defined (as found in Matthew 5:7):
- Strong
- Ἐλεήμων; eleēmōn; el-eh-ay’-mone
- From G1653; compassionate (actively): – merciful.
- Thayer
- Ἐλεήμων; eleēmōn;
- 1) merciful
- Mounce
- Ἐλεήμων; eleēmōn
- 2x: merciful, pitiful, compassionate, Mathew 5:7; Hebrews 2:17.
- New American Standard Exhaustive Concordance (NASEC)
- Ἐλεήμων; eleēmōn;
- from 1653; merciful:—
- merciful(2).
- Vines New Testament
- eleemon (G1655), “merciful,” akin to A, No. 1, not simply possessed of pity but actively compassionate,
Mercy defined (as per Matthew 5:7)
- Strong
- Ἐλεέω; eleeō; el-eh-eh’-o
- From G1656; to compassionate (by word or deed, specifically by divine grace): – have compassion (pity on), have (obtain, receive, shew) mercy (on).
- Thayer
- Ἐλεέω; eleeō
- 1) to have mercy on
- 2) to help one afflicted or seeking aid
- 3) to help the afflicted, to bring help to the wretched
- 4) to experience mercy
- Mounce
- Ἐλεέω; eleeō
- 28x: also formed as ἐλεάω 4x, to pity, have compassion on;
- to receive pity, experience compassion, Matthew 5:7; Matthew 9:27; Matthew 15:22;
- to be gracious to any one, show gracious favor and saving mercy towards;
- to be an object of gracious favor and saving mercy, Romans 11:30-31;
- to obtain pardon and forgiveness, 1 Timothy 1:13; 1 Timothy 1:16.
- NASEC
- ἐλεέω and ἐλεάω; eleeō and eleaō;
- from 1656; to have pity or mercy on, to show mercy:—
- found mercy(1), had mercy(4), has mercy(2), have mercy(15), mercy(1), received mercy(3), receive mercy(1), show mercy(1), shown mercy(3), shows mercy(1).
- Vines N.T.
- Eleeo
- (b) in the passive voice, “to have pity or mercy shown one, to obtain mercy,” Matthew 5:7; Romans 11:30, Romans 11:31; 1 Corinthians 7:25; 2 Corinthians 4:1; 1 Timothy 1:13, 1 Timothy 1:16; 1 Peter 2:10.
Merciful Scriptures
- Matthew 5:7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
- Hebrews 2:17 Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.
Mercy Scriptures
- Total KJV Occurrences: 42
- mercy, 27
- Matthew 5:7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
- Matthew 9:27 And as Jesus passed on from there, two blind men followed him, crying aloud, “Have mercy on us, Son of David.”
- Matthew 15:22 And behold, a Canaanite woman from that region came out and was crying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely oppressed by a demon.”
- Matthew 17:14-15 And when they came to the crowd, a man came up to him and, kneeling before him, (15) said, “Lord, have mercy on my son, for he has seizures and he suffers terribly. For often he falls into the fire, and often into the water.
- Matthew 20:30-31 And behold, there were two blind men sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was passing by, they cried out, “Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!” (31) The crowd rebuked them, telling them to be silent, but they cried out all the more, “Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!”
- Mark 10:47-48 And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” (48) And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”
- Luke 16:24 And he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.’
- Luke 17:12-13 And as he entered a village, he was met by ten lepers, who stood at a distance (13) and lifted up their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.”
- Luke 18:35-39 As he drew near to Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging. (36) And hearing a crowd going by, he inquired what this meant. (37) They told him, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.” (38) And he cried out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” (39) And those who were in front rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”
- Romans 9:15-16 For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” (16) So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy.
- Romans 9:18 So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills.
- Romans 11:30-32 For just as you were at one time disobedient to God but now have received mercy because of their disobedience, (31) so they too have now been disobedient in order that by the mercy shown to you they also may now receive mercy. (32) For God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all.
- Romans 12:8 the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.
- 1 Corinthians 7:25 Now concerning the betrothed, I have no command from the Lord, but I give my judgment as one who by the Lord’s mercy is trustworthy.
- 2 Corinthians 4:1 Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart.
- Philippians 2:27 Indeed he was ill, near to death. But God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow.
- 1 Timothy 1:13 though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief,
- 1 Timothy 1:16 But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life.
- 1 Peter 2:10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
- obtained, 6
- Romans 11:30 For just as you were at one time disobedient to God but now have received mercy because of their disobedience,
- 1 Corinthians 7:25 Now concerning the betrothed, I have no command from the Lord, but I give my judgment as one who by the Lord’s mercy is trustworthy.
- 1 Timothy 1:13 though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief,
- 1 Timothy 1:16 But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life.
- 1 Peter 2:10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
- compassion, 3
- Matthew 18:33 And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’
- Mark 5:19 And he did not permit him but said to him, “Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.”
- Jude 1:22 And have mercy on those who doubt;
- obtain, 2
- Matthew 5:7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
- Romans 11:31 so they too have now been disobedient in order that by the mercy shown to you they also may now receive mercy.
- showeth, 2
- Romans 9:16 So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy.
- Romans 12:8 the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.
- pity, 1
- Matthew 18:33 And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’
- received, 1
- 2 Corinthians 4:1 Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart.
Select Commentaries
- Coffman Commentary
- All types of unmerciful conduct are condemned by this verse. Cruel amusements, punishments, speeches, newspaper articles, letters – in short, ALL kinds of unmerciful and inhumane behavior are proscribed by the Son of God in this beatitude. Such things are forever excluded from the kingdom of heaven. …
- The quality of mercy is not strained. It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven Upon the place beneath. It is twice bless’d: It blesses him that gives and him that takes. ‘Tis mightiest in the mightiest. It becomes The throned monarch better than his crown. (Shakespeare)
- They shall obtain mercy … This is to say that those who are merciful toward others shall receive for themselves mercy from Almighty God.
- Clarke
- The merciful – The word mercy, among the Jews, signified two things: the pardon of injuries, and almsgiving
- Mercy supposes two things:
- A distressed object: and,
- A disposition of the heart, through which it is affected at the sight of such an object.
- This virtue, therefore, is no other than a lively emotion of the heart, which is excited by the discovery of any creature’s misery; and such an emotion as manifests itself outwardly, by effects suited to its nature. The merciful man is here termed by our Lord ελεημων, from ελεος, which is generally derived from the Hebrew חיל chil, to be in pain, as a woman in travail: or from ילל galal, to cry, or lament grievously; because a merciful man enters into the miseries of his neighbor, feels for and mourns with him.
- Preacher’s Homiletical
- —Not “merit.”
- Pulpit Commentary
- The merciful (οἱἐλεήμονες). The mercy referred to here is not so much the almost negative quality which the word usually suggests to us (not dealing harshly, not inflicting punishment when due, sparing an animal or a fellow-man some unnecessary labour), as active kindness to the destitute and to any who are in trouble. As compared with οἰκτίρμονες (Luke 6:36), it seems to lay more stress on the feeling of pity showing itself in action and not only existing in thought. To this statement of our Lord’s, that they who show mercy to those in need shall themselves be the objects of mercy (i.e. from God) in their time of need,
- Albert Barnes Commentary
- That is, those who are so affected by the sufferings of others as to be disposed to alleviate them.
- This should be done with a wish to glorify God; that is, in obedience to his commandments, and with a desire that he should be honored, and with a feeling that we are benefiting one of his creatures. Then he will regard it as done to him, and will reward us.
- Nowhere do we imitate God more than in showing mercy. In nothing does God delight more than in the exercise of mercy, Exodus 34:6; Ezekiel 33:11; 1 Timothy 2:4; 2 Peter 3:9. To us, guilty sinners; to us, wretched, dying, and exposed to eternal woe, he has shown his mercy by giving his Son to die for us; by expressing his willingness to pardon and save us; and by sending his Spirit to renew and sanctify our hearts. Each day of our life, each hour, and each moment, we partake of his undeserved mercy. All the blessings we enjoy are proofs of his mercy. If we, then, show mercy to the poor, the wretched, the guilty, it shows that we are like God. We have his spirit, and shall not lose our reward. And we have abundant opportunity to do it. Our world is full of guilt and woe, which we may help to relieve; and every day of our lives we have opportunity, by helping the poor and wretched, and by forgiving those who injure us, to show that we are like God.
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
- Not that our mercifulness comes absolutely first. On the contrary, our Lord Himself expressly teaches us that God’s method is to awaken in us compassion towards our fellow men by His own exercise of it, in so stupendous a way and measure, towards ourselves.
- In the parable of the unmerciful debtor, the servant to whom his lord forgave ten thousand talents was naturally expected to exercise the small measure of the same compassion required for forgiving his fellow servant’s debt of a hundred pence; and it is only when, instead of this, he relentlessly imprisoned him till he should pay it up, that his lord’s indignation was roused, and he who was designed for a vessel of mercy is treated as a vessel of wrath