The quality of mercy

‘But I say to you that listen, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also; and from anyone who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt. Give to everyone who begs from you; and if anyone takes away your goods, do not ask for them again. Do to others as you would have them do to you.

‘If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. If you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive as much again. But love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High; for he is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

‘Do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven; give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap; for the measure you give will be the measure you get back.’

- Luke 6:27-38

In these words, Jesus lays down the rule of mercy. It is mercy that will be characteristic of his ministry and with which he is now charging his disciples to operate in their own work for the kingdom. If we could qualify in general that which is characteristic of these teachings, it would be summed up in the word "mercy." I think it is of note, as I have probably written elsewhere on this blog, that the Greek word for "mercy," eleos, is related to the word for olive oil. At this time in history, this oil was not simply the cooking oil that we think of now, but it was the basis for balm, or healing ointments. So when we read the biblical eleos, it once again reminds us of the nature of this ministry: mercy is in fact a part of healing. When we ask for mercy, and when we give mercy, we share that which must address all ailments. So, it is appropriate that our physician, Luke, reminds us of this central reality of eleos as the key to Jesus' teachings.

Jesus speaks of mercy as a kind of overbalancing of the books. In the judgment of the kingdom, it is mercy that becomes the currency that makes a difference. Human judgment is different; it doesn't include mercy in its summing up of what is equal and fair. But the logic of the kingdom asks for something different. If we wish the books to be balanced in our favor, we must add one ingredient, mercy. We must go further than human judgment would require of us. We are to pray for our enemies, to do good to those who harm us, to give when we don't expect to get a return.

At first when I read these statements I wonder how I (or anybody) could take them literally. If someone robs me, am I not to report it and be happy I've "given" to someone? But I think this is a false understanding of these teachings. First of all we must remember that Jesus here is charging his disciples with behavior that will appropriately represent him and represent his kingdom and his work to the world. This kingdom, more than anything else, must be characterized by love, and by mercy. If we as followers are to represent properly the kingdom, to be truly "children of the Most High", then we must learn its logic, its rules. And this is what Jesus points out - mercy is the characteristic of the kingdom, so therefore we as disciples who wish to be members of this kingdom must reflect that mercy also.

I don't believe we are necessarily literally to allow ourselves to be abused or beaten, or robbed or any of the above. On the contrary, I believe Jesus is once again using his great capacity for language to illustrate what it is to balance the books properly: we are to go the extra mile in loving and merciful behavior. We're not to use human judgment. We are to use kindness and love and mercy in our dealings with people. We are to show the love and understanding, and any form of treatment, that we would wish for ourselves. As merciful as we ask God to be for ourselves, so we are to be to others. For the record, I have had remarkable experiences after praying for my "enemies." It may not change people altogether, but it has had a totally unexpected - if perhaps temporary - change and opening in the relationship, creating a chance for better communication and negotiation.

This logic of the kingdom isn't about appearances, it's not about evening up the books in the way that human beings necessarily would judge or perceive a situation. But this kingdom is an added dimension to our perceptions and to our lives, and in that dimension we have to understand its currency of love, kindness, understanding: mercy. We must remember that we are praying for healing of all our ailments when we pray for mercy, and that we are also capable of giving that healing to others.