Among all of Jesus’ teachings, his Sermon on the Mount is thought to be his most famous. We can find it in Matthew 5-7. Preaching upon a mountainside overlooking the Sea of Galilee, with his disciples gathered around him and a crowd of curious people before him, Jesus detailed how to live a life fully pleasing to God and in perfect alignment with God’s will.
Jesus began this sermon with what is known as “the Beatitudes,” eight declarations of blessing spoken by him about the joy and perfect contentment we will experience when we follow his teachings.
In essence, Jesus is telling us how we should live in an encouraging manner, so we can enjoy this life of blessedness. From the peacemakers to the pure to those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, he names various traits and the blessings they will receive in return.
This is where we find the beatitude “blessed are the merciful.” The full verse is, “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy” (Matthew 5:7).
What does the beatitude “blessed are the merciful” mean? Who are the merciful, and what does it mean to be shown mercy?
What Is Mercy?
The word mercy is defined as compassion or forgiveness shown toward someone whom it is within one's power to harm or punish. For example, a judge might show mercy on a criminal offender by granting a more lenient punishment, such as community service, instead of prison time.
The Greek word used for “mercy” and “merciful” in Matthew 5:7 is eleeo or eleemon, from eleos. It means to have compassion or show pity to another who is in deep need.
Is God Merciful?
We know God is merciful and claims that truth about himself. When he passed in front of Moses, God proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion, and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation” (Exodus 34:6-7).
In the Bible, God repeatedly shows mercy toward his rebellious and sinful people. When Adam and Eve disobeyed God by eating from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, God could have destroyed them, but instead, he exiled them from the garden, both for their protection and creation (Genesis 3).
When the people grew impatient and anxious over how long Moses took on Mount Sinai and turned instead to worship a golden calf, God was furious at their lack of faith and loyalty. But he showed mercy on them and did not destroy them (Exodus 32-34).
God also showed mercy when he sacrificed his son, Jesus, on the cross to pay our sin debt and create a path for us to eternal salvation.
Jesus, as part of the triune God — Father, Son, and Spirit, three in one — also is merciful. And as his followers, people called Christians, we are to emulate him and strive to be like Jesus in every way possible.
Even though we can never be Jesus and certainly never be good enough or righteous enough to earn our way to salvation, we are to consider him our role model and do our best to mimic his ways and obey his teachings.
When the Pharisees asked why Jesus ate with sinners, he told them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners” (Matthew 9:12-13).
Why Are Those Who Are Merciful ‘Blessed’?
The full Scripture tells us those who are merciful are blessed because they will be “shown mercy.” It seems we can infer from this that if we show mercy to other people, even (and perhaps especially) those who do not deserve this mercy, then we, too, will be shown mercy by the Lord God, even though we are sinners and do not deserve God’s mercy.
It’s the same concept Jesus expressed in Matthew 6:14-15 about forgiveness: “For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.”
This is also a part of the Lord’s Prayer, “Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors” (Matthew 6:12).
Being blessed means not only receiving benefits and provisions but also a state of inner peace and satisfaction, a soul contentment, and feeling of happiness.
Not only are we blessed by the fact that God will show us mercy, but we are blessed by the good and right feeling we enjoy when we heed our Creator and his wishes and will for us.
The Bible tells us humans were made in the image of God (Genesis 1:27). Therefore, it’s a good feeling when we reflect that image in every sense of the word — by mimicking and practicing behaviors and attributes that are Godly and good.
When we are merciful (and forgiving, just, righteous, true, and compassionate), we enjoy a close kinship with the Lord.
What Else Did Jesus Teach about Mercy?
When Jesus healed a man possessed by many demons in Mark 5, the man was overcome with joy and gratitude and wanted to go with Jesus.
But Jesus had another job for him, urging the man to “go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you” (Mark 5:19).
In Matthew 18:23-27, Jesus told the people a parable about a servant who received a generous gift of mercy from his ruler. The servant owed the ruler a massive amount of money, and he and his family were to be sold to repay the debt.
But when the servant begged the ruler for patience, the ruler forgave the debt entirely. This illustrates the kind of mercy God has for us in creating a path to salvation for a people vastly undeserving.
What Are Some Ways We Can Be Merciful Today?
Mercy is not only forgiveness but compassion, tenderness, and kindness. There are so many ways we can exhibit mercy today, even if we feel we are powerless.
It is important to know that everyone who believes in Christ has the power of the Holy Spirit alive within them. Because we are all united in God, we all carry a piece of that power together for the greater good.
Therefore, whenever we shine God’s light in the world through compassion, kindness, empathy, and care, we do God’s will and share God’s great mercy.
For example, let’s say someone is rude to us in the grocery store. Yet later, we see them stumble with their shopping cart in the parking lot. We can help them and even push their cart to their car.
Or let’s say we pass someone clearly living on the streets, yet we have an unopened bottle of water in our backpack or a crisp five-dollar bill in our pocket. We can give what we have to them.
Maybe we encounter someone who has a speech impediment or another disability. We can choose to look them in the eyes and interact with gentleness and compassion.
Jesus said that whenever we visit someone in prison, clothe someone naked, feed someone hungry, or welcome someone in genuine hospitality and care, we are caring for him (Matthew 25:40). This is how we show mercy: when we love someone in this manner.
We have many opportunities to shine God’s light and grace in the world. Let’s choose to do so mercifully in the name of Jesus.
For further reading:
Why Does the Bible Describe Both Grace and Mercy?
How Are Those Who Hunger and Thirst for Righteousness Blessed?
How Is it That the Meek Shall Inherit the Earth?
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