MERCY, MERCIFUL
Mercy (French merci) is traced, through ecclesiastical Latin, to merces (reward); it seems to have got its meaning from the exclamation of the alms-receiver, Merci! i.e. Reward to you (in heaven)! May God reward you!the expression passing from the acknowledgment made to the bounty given, and then to the spirit prompting it. Thus mercy is by derivation allied to merit, merchant, mercenary, amerce.
1. In the OT, noun and adjective render two quite different Hebrew terms. (1) meaning primarily bowels (see Gen_43:30, 1Ki_3:26), then compassion or yearning, occurs as noun, adjective, or verb (have mercy, show mercy), with the tr. [Note: translate or translation.] mercy over 60 times (Gen_43:14, Exo_34:6, Hab_3:2, are typical examples),often mercies or tender mercies for the noun, imitating the Hebrew plural. In 5 instances the EV [Note: English Version.] translates by pity, pitiful (see Psa_103:13, Lam_4:10), in 17 by compassion. In Gen_19:16 merciful renders a synonym of the above, which appears elsewhere (2Sa_12:8, Isa_63:9 etc.) as pity.
(2) is a familiar OT word, occurring passim in the Psalms, denoting kindness or benignity, almost confined to the noun-form in this sense. It is rendered 43 times by kindness (often on the part of men), and 30 times by lovingkindness (always of God, and mostly in Ps.), by mercy some 150 times in AV [Note: Authorized Version.] ; other renderingsgoodness, favour, and pityare occasional RV [Note: Revised Version.] frequently, the American Revisers uniformly, substitute lovingkindness (wh. see) for mercy where God is the subject. This attribute of J″ [Note: Jahweh.] lies nearer to the grace (wh. see) than the mercy of the NT, without implying necessarily, like the former, ill-desert in the object. It is associated frequently with truth (wh. see) in J″ [Note: Jahweh.] lovingkindness (mercy) and truth being the regnant qualities of His dealings with Israeland with covenant (Deu_7:9, 1Ki_8:23, Neh_1:6; Neh_9:32, Psa_89:28, Isa_55:8, Dan_9:4), as well as with goodness and compassion (above); while it is contrasted with anger, judgment, and sacrifice (Mic_7:18, Psa_101:1, Hos_6:6). The word describes what one may call the characteristic temper of J″ [Note: Jahweh.] , His gracious disposition towards His chosen regarded in their dependence and necessities, His readiness to help, bless, relieve, forgive themJ″ [Note: Jahweh.] s leal love (G. A. Smith).
(3) A third root, the noun of which is translated grace (wh. see) and its adjective gracious, appears in the verb 16 times as be gracious or the like, and 16 times as have or show mercy in AV [Note: Authorized Version.] (Deu_7:2, Psa_4:1 etc.), thrice as pity. This term seems to imply more of inclination, and (2) more of active disposition.
(4) The expression be merciful in AV [Note: Authorized Version.] of Deu_21:8; Deu_32:43 is corrected by RV [Note: Revised Version.] to forgive and make expiation.
2. Mercy in NT plays a part subordinate to that of love (wh. see). It represents a pair of Greek synonyms, both chiefly, but not exclusively, applied (in Scripture) to God. (a) As used in the LXX [Note: Septuagint.] , the ordinary term (noun, adjective, and verb) in its noun-form reproduced commonly (2) of the Hebrew words above indicated; but in adjective and verb more often (3), less frequently (1). It denotes compassion as a temper and motive of action rather than a sentimenteleçmosynç (alms) is one of its derivatives; like mercy, the Greek eleos regards its objects as weak or suffering, and is therefore narrower in range than the Hebrew (2) above defined. Out of the 27 examples of this noun in NT, 9 occur in OT allusions, 7 in salutations or benedictions; other examples are Mat_5:7, Luk_16:24, Rom_9:23, 2Co_4:1, Jam_3:17. The verb is more frequent. (b) The second of the Greek synonymsverb, noun, and adjectiveis more pathetic, and corresponds to (1) of the OT terms; hence the Hebraizing combinations of Php_2:1, Col_3:12, Jam_5:11 (Hebraistic equivalents replace the regular Greek terms in Eph_4:32, 1Pe_3:8). This tenderer significance mercy hears in Luk_6:36, Rom_12:1, 2Co_1:3, Heb_10:28, also in Mat_18:33 (RV [Note: Revised Version.] , where AV [Note: Authorized Version.] reads pity). (c) Of tender mercies in Jam_5:11 (AV [Note: Authorized Version.] ; RV [Note: Revised Version.] merciful) represents a Hebraistic compound nearly the same as that rendered tender-hearted in Eph_4:32 and 1Pe_3:8 (RV [Note: Revised Version.] ; AV [Note: Authorized Version.] pitiful). Akin to these adjectives is the verb occurring 12 times in the Synoptic Gospels, which is rendered moved with compassion (moved to mercy), describing the emotion stirred in the breast of Jesuse.g. by the cry, Have mercy on us, of Mat_20:31-34.
G. G. Findlay.
Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible
Edited by James Hastings, D.D. Published in 1909