But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth. (Psalm 86:15)
But when He (Jesus) saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd. (Matthew 9:36)
The principle of compassion is the very heart of God. The ministry of Jesus flowed from His heart of compassion toward those in need. Compassion is a word of action. It is not observing from the sidelines; it is the heartfelt care for another with both the intent and action. It exemplifies the character of God in who He is and how He responds to His children. But what exactly does Scripture teach us about compassion? What is the believer’s responsibility?
Compassion in the Old Testament
Throughout the Old and New Testaments the revelation of God’s compassionate character is revealed through His acts of kindness and concern for human suffering. From the beginning of creation God reveals himself as a God of covenant love — one who cares for His people. Though humankind sinned, God again and again performed overt acts of kindness and love to people.
The significance of God’s prevailing grace is seen in His clothing Adam and Eve after their fall and in the deliverance of Noah’s household prior to the Flood that would cover the earth. After the Flood, God set His rainbow in the sky to symbolically declare the Noahic covenant as God’s gracious response of an unconditional promise that there would not be a worldwide catastrophe until the last day. The covenant was a sign and expression of God’s love. This same love would be expressed in the scattering of humankind at the Tower of Babel. Despite the fallen-ness of the human race, God consistently demonstrates that He is both a God of judgment and a God of mercy.
Though punishment often results from sin, God’s grace provides humans the opportunity for new beginnings. Because of this, God creates a nation for himself through Abraham (Genesis 15). God would now deal specifically with one extended family to provide salvation for all the people of the earth. God’s plan was that through Israel all nations would see and experience God’s “Hesed.”
“Hesed” is one of the most important concepts revealed in the Old Testament. It rests at the center of the Lord’s self-revelation of His attitude toward His people. The Hebrew word Hesed is translated as mercy, steadfast love, or loving kindness. In regard to human activity, “Hesed” signifies the type of love and duty toward God by which the people of God live in obedience to His ways. In reference to divine activity, “Hesed” is always in the context of covenant and becomes the central term in expressing the relationship between Israel and God. Maintenance of the covenant is expected on both sides through the duty of mutual service and acts of loving kindness. Because of this, Israel held to a strong conviction that God’s kindness and readiness to help them is something they can expect because of His established covenant relationship with them.
This concept of loving kindness would reverberate throughout biblical history. God leads, guides, provides for, and protects His people — all based on His love. (Exodus 15:13; 20:6; Psalm 118:1-3) The covenantal love of God is joined together with God’s compassion in Exodus 34:6,7. The Hebrew word for compassion is “raham.” It means to love deeply, to have mercy, to be compassionate. The basis of God’s compassion toward Israel is His covenant with them. He maintains it by His covenant love. The evidence shows that God’s loving kindness holds together the ideas of love with a stronger emphasis on the practical more than the emotional. The relationship between humans, and between God and humans, encompasses the basic aspects of affection, loyalty, and responsibility. Compassion holds the basic meaning of sympathizing with others in distress with the desire to alleviate their suffering.
God’s compassion toward His people resulted in the Israelites understanding that they are to display similar actions toward their brethren ( Isaiah 1:17; Proverbs 19:17; Micah 6:8). Acts of compassion toward those of other nationalities that choose to live within the borders of Israel is required (Exodus 22:21, 23:9; Deuteronomy 10:18). Human mercy in the Old Testament is experienced and expected as a duty in the context of family relationships. Compassion is to extend to neighbor and stranger, and especially to those who are in need or oppressed (Proverbs 21:10; Psalm 72:12-14; Exodus 22:21-23), just as God’s compassion reaches out to those in need of His care (Deuteronomy 10:18,19).
Compassionate care for people is part of the broader duty of keeping God’s commandments. God’s people are to love their neighbors. The “Hesed” of God is the foundational truth on which God’s love and care for His people is displayed by those who protect the weak, promote justice, and maintain peace (Leviticus 19:9-18; Psalm 11:7). The compassion that causes an individual to help the weak, the sick, and the disenfranchised or marginalized in society, is not limited to the children of Israel; it finds greater depth in the life of Jesus and is one of the cardinal virtues expected of the people of God in the New Testament (James 2:1-13).
Compassion in the New Testament
Christ demonstrates fully the compassion and steadfast love of God. Because compassion is the character of God, the prophets declare that the same is required of the people of God (Micah 6:8). In Christ, all the fullness of God dwells (Colossians 1:19), and Jesus clearly shows compassion in how He treated people from every lifestyle — not just those of God’s chosen people, Israel. Christ’s teaching challenges the parameters of compassion normally experienced by the Jew — from compassion for friends and neighbors, to all without exception, even to the point of loving one’s enemies (Matthew 5:43-48; Luke 10:30-37).
A significant aspect of Christ’s ministry is His compassion toward those who are suffering (Matthew 9:35,36). Jesus’ model of ministry focused on God’s concern for the physical, social, and spiritual needs of others. The Incarnation reveals the nature of Jesus’ ministry. Jesus adapts His message in such a way that it is both understandable and good news, regardless of each person’s station in life. The incarnational model Jesus passes on to His followers proclaims the importance of serving others. This indicates that He will go to all lengths to communicate His love to the world (1 John 4:9,10).Through the demonstration of His life, Jesus calls the people of God to practice love, kindness, compassion, and servanthood toward those they encounter on a daily basis. The uniqueness of Jesus’ ministry rests in His concern for persons — He truly loves people and considers them worthy of respect and compassion because of what they are — bearers of the divine image of God.
The compassion of Christ carries the notion of tenderness and affection. It is a feeling with and for others that is a fundamental and distinctive quality of God. He is the God of all comfort and the Father of compassion (Psalm 116:5; 2 Corinthians 1:3-5). Christ’s compassion has no limits. He ignores categories of people that are set within society and touches those who would come to Him — no matter who they are or what they have done. The attitude of Jesus to the multitudes surrounding Him is characterized by the profound compassion He has for their weaknesses (Matthew 15:22; Mark 8:2).
In Luke 10, Jesus tells the story of the Good Samaritan in answer to the lawyer’s inquiring question as to who is his neighbor. The lawyer is searching for limits and boundaries to set on whom he has to love. First-century Judaism is ordered by boundaries with specific rules regarding how Jews should treat Gentiles or Samaritans, how priests should relate to others, how men should treat women, and so on. These boundaries allow certain groups to establish positions of power and privilege. The command to love one’s neighbor is a religious duty (Leviticus 19:18) and the lawyer is seeking to know the limits required for kindness. In answering the lawyer’s question, Jesus broadens the concept of compassion and pity toward those in need by insisting that it is not just confined to members of the Jewish nation, but should be an act of love toward all peoples. Jesus’ answer does not distinguish between two separate areas of human life, but shows two complementary aspects of human responsibility.
Compassion in the Church
The message is clear — one cannot love God and not love those whom God loves. And the converse is also true. An individual cannot love his neighbor with divine quality without loving God deeply. Without question, loving God is basic. Love for God is the foundational factor for loving one’s neighbor. Love for God and love for humankind must support and pervade one another. For Jesus, the concepts of love and neighbor are as broad as human need; He sets no limit on love or compassion.Jesus is the ultimate example of selflessness and sacrifice. Believers are mandated to be imitators of God and to live a life of love (Ephesians 5:1,2).
The intimation is to become like God himself (Matthew 5:44; Luke 6:36; 2 Peter 2:21). It is fundamental to view suffering persons as created in the image of God; each one known and cared for by God. God is not a respecter of persons (Deuteronomy 10:17; 2 Chronicles 19:7; Acts 10:34-35; Galatians 2:6; 1 Peter 1:17), therefore, those belonging to Him are not to hold impartial judgment against another.
The poor, disenfranchised, suffering, and marginalized in society are precious to God (Isaiah 61:1; Luke 4:18; 6:20; 7:22). Jesus cares for the oppressed and downtrodden (Luke 4:18,19). God’s overall view of caring with compassion for those who are suffering can be summed up in Galatians 6:10, “Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially those who belong to the family of believers.” The Church is to be the conduit through which people experience the steadfast love and compassion of God. It is the responsibility of the Church to minister to those in need, to bring the healing and comforting touch of Christ without partiality. Isaiah 30:18 says, “The Lord longs to be gracious to you; He rises to show you compassion.” The Church can do no less.
But when He (Jesus) saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd. (Matthew 9:36)
The principle of compassion is the very heart of God. The ministry of Jesus flowed from His heart of compassion toward those in need. Compassion is a word of action. It is not observing from the sidelines; it is the heartfelt care for another with both the intent and action. It exemplifies the character of God in who He is and how He responds to His children. But what exactly does Scripture teach us about compassion? What is the believer’s responsibility?
Compassion in the Old Testament
Throughout the Old and New Testaments the revelation of God’s compassionate character is revealed through His acts of kindness and concern for human suffering. From the beginning of creation God reveals himself as a God of covenant love — one who cares for His people. Though humankind sinned, God again and again performed overt acts of kindness and love to people.
The significance of God’s prevailing grace is seen in His clothing Adam and Eve after their fall and in the deliverance of Noah’s household prior to the Flood that would cover the earth. After the Flood, God set His rainbow in the sky to symbolically declare the Noahic covenant as God’s gracious response of an unconditional promise that there would not be a worldwide catastrophe until the last day. The covenant was a sign and expression of God’s love. This same love would be expressed in the scattering of humankind at the Tower of Babel. Despite the fallen-ness of the human race, God consistently demonstrates that He is both a God of judgment and a God of mercy.
Though punishment often results from sin, God’s grace provides humans the opportunity for new beginnings. Because of this, God creates a nation for himself through Abraham (Genesis 15). God would now deal specifically with one extended family to provide salvation for all the people of the earth. God’s plan was that through Israel all nations would see and experience God’s “Hesed.”
“Hesed” is one of the most important concepts revealed in the Old Testament. It rests at the center of the Lord’s self-revelation of His attitude toward His people. The Hebrew word Hesed is translated as mercy, steadfast love, or loving kindness. In regard to human activity, “Hesed” signifies the type of love and duty toward God by which the people of God live in obedience to His ways. In reference to divine activity, “Hesed” is always in the context of covenant and becomes the central term in expressing the relationship between Israel and God. Maintenance of the covenant is expected on both sides through the duty of mutual service and acts of loving kindness. Because of this, Israel held to a strong conviction that God’s kindness and readiness to help them is something they can expect because of His established covenant relationship with them.
This concept of loving kindness would reverberate throughout biblical history. God leads, guides, provides for, and protects His people — all based on His love. (Exodus 15:13; 20:6; Psalm 118:1-3) The covenantal love of God is joined together with God’s compassion in Exodus 34:6,7. The Hebrew word for compassion is “raham.” It means to love deeply, to have mercy, to be compassionate. The basis of God’s compassion toward Israel is His covenant with them. He maintains it by His covenant love. The evidence shows that God’s loving kindness holds together the ideas of love with a stronger emphasis on the practical more than the emotional. The relationship between humans, and between God and humans, encompasses the basic aspects of affection, loyalty, and responsibility. Compassion holds the basic meaning of sympathizing with others in distress with the desire to alleviate their suffering.
God’s compassion toward His people resulted in the Israelites understanding that they are to display similar actions toward their brethren ( Isaiah 1:17; Proverbs 19:17; Micah 6:8). Acts of compassion toward those of other nationalities that choose to live within the borders of Israel is required (Exodus 22:21, 23:9; Deuteronomy 10:18). Human mercy in the Old Testament is experienced and expected as a duty in the context of family relationships. Compassion is to extend to neighbor and stranger, and especially to those who are in need or oppressed (Proverbs 21:10; Psalm 72:12-14; Exodus 22:21-23), just as God’s compassion reaches out to those in need of His care (Deuteronomy 10:18,19).
Compassionate care for people is part of the broader duty of keeping God’s commandments. God’s people are to love their neighbors. The “Hesed” of God is the foundational truth on which God’s love and care for His people is displayed by those who protect the weak, promote justice, and maintain peace (Leviticus 19:9-18; Psalm 11:7). The compassion that causes an individual to help the weak, the sick, and the disenfranchised or marginalized in society, is not limited to the children of Israel; it finds greater depth in the life of Jesus and is one of the cardinal virtues expected of the people of God in the New Testament (James 2:1-13).
Compassion in the New Testament
Christ demonstrates fully the compassion and steadfast love of God. Because compassion is the character of God, the prophets declare that the same is required of the people of God (Micah 6:8). In Christ, all the fullness of God dwells (Colossians 1:19), and Jesus clearly shows compassion in how He treated people from every lifestyle — not just those of God’s chosen people, Israel. Christ’s teaching challenges the parameters of compassion normally experienced by the Jew — from compassion for friends and neighbors, to all without exception, even to the point of loving one’s enemies (Matthew 5:43-48; Luke 10:30-37).
A significant aspect of Christ’s ministry is His compassion toward those who are suffering (Matthew 9:35,36). Jesus’ model of ministry focused on God’s concern for the physical, social, and spiritual needs of others. The Incarnation reveals the nature of Jesus’ ministry. Jesus adapts His message in such a way that it is both understandable and good news, regardless of each person’s station in life. The incarnational model Jesus passes on to His followers proclaims the importance of serving others. This indicates that He will go to all lengths to communicate His love to the world (1 John 4:9,10).Through the demonstration of His life, Jesus calls the people of God to practice love, kindness, compassion, and servanthood toward those they encounter on a daily basis. The uniqueness of Jesus’ ministry rests in His concern for persons — He truly loves people and considers them worthy of respect and compassion because of what they are — bearers of the divine image of God.
The compassion of Christ carries the notion of tenderness and affection. It is a feeling with and for others that is a fundamental and distinctive quality of God. He is the God of all comfort and the Father of compassion (Psalm 116:5; 2 Corinthians 1:3-5). Christ’s compassion has no limits. He ignores categories of people that are set within society and touches those who would come to Him — no matter who they are or what they have done. The attitude of Jesus to the multitudes surrounding Him is characterized by the profound compassion He has for their weaknesses (Matthew 15:22; Mark 8:2).
In Luke 10, Jesus tells the story of the Good Samaritan in answer to the lawyer’s inquiring question as to who is his neighbor. The lawyer is searching for limits and boundaries to set on whom he has to love. First-century Judaism is ordered by boundaries with specific rules regarding how Jews should treat Gentiles or Samaritans, how priests should relate to others, how men should treat women, and so on. These boundaries allow certain groups to establish positions of power and privilege. The command to love one’s neighbor is a religious duty (Leviticus 19:18) and the lawyer is seeking to know the limits required for kindness. In answering the lawyer’s question, Jesus broadens the concept of compassion and pity toward those in need by insisting that it is not just confined to members of the Jewish nation, but should be an act of love toward all peoples. Jesus’ answer does not distinguish between two separate areas of human life, but shows two complementary aspects of human responsibility.
Compassion in the Church
The message is clear — one cannot love God and not love those whom God loves. And the converse is also true. An individual cannot love his neighbor with divine quality without loving God deeply. Without question, loving God is basic. Love for God is the foundational factor for loving one’s neighbor. Love for God and love for humankind must support and pervade one another. For Jesus, the concepts of love and neighbor are as broad as human need; He sets no limit on love or compassion.Jesus is the ultimate example of selflessness and sacrifice. Believers are mandated to be imitators of God and to live a life of love (Ephesians 5:1,2).
The intimation is to become like God himself (Matthew 5:44; Luke 6:36; 2 Peter 2:21). It is fundamental to view suffering persons as created in the image of God; each one known and cared for by God. God is not a respecter of persons (Deuteronomy 10:17; 2 Chronicles 19:7; Acts 10:34-35; Galatians 2:6; 1 Peter 1:17), therefore, those belonging to Him are not to hold impartial judgment against another.
The poor, disenfranchised, suffering, and marginalized in society are precious to God (Isaiah 61:1; Luke 4:18; 6:20; 7:22). Jesus cares for the oppressed and downtrodden (Luke 4:18,19). God’s overall view of caring with compassion for those who are suffering can be summed up in Galatians 6:10, “Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially those who belong to the family of believers.” The Church is to be the conduit through which people experience the steadfast love and compassion of God. It is the responsibility of the Church to minister to those in need, to bring the healing and comforting touch of Christ without partiality. Isaiah 30:18 says, “The Lord longs to be gracious to you; He rises to show you compassion.” The Church can do no less.
