Blessed Are the Merciful: Understanding the Meaning of Matthew 5:7
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The Power of Mercy: Understanding "Blessed Are the Merciful" (Matthew 5:7)
In our daily meditations, we closely examine Jesus’ teachings about the heart attitudes of those who walk with Christ in what’s commonly called The Sermon on the Mount. We now come to the four Beatitudes that point toward our heart attitude toward those around us. We have looked at the first four in verses 3-6, so now we look at what the Lord Jesus teaches in verse 7:
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy (Matthew 5:7).
Once we enter a covenant relationship with God and begin to walk with Him, God's gracious attitude toward others wells up within us. Believers in Christ have an inner desire to extend God's mercy to those around them. When we allow God's Spirit to lead and guide us, we are drawn to those who are hurting and in need of Him. We feel compassion for people experiencing painful circumstances.
The Heart of Mercy: A Lesson from Simon the Pharisee
This lesson was what Simon the Pharisee had to learn when the sinful woman came to the table and wept over Jesus' feet (Luke 7:36-49). Simon showed no mercy to the sinful woman whose heart was touched by Jesus. The merciful person remembers the guilt and unhappiness he once felt and has the care and tender-heartedness to extend God's mercy to others. Simon the Pharisee never felt the weight of guilt for his sin, so he could not feel compassion for the sinful woman. Jesus spoke of a loving response to the woman’s debt of sin being forgiven.
Letting Others "Off the Hook"
People who are thankful for being forgiven their sin debt let others off the hook when they sin against them. To let someone off the hook is to pardon, release, or allow one to escape blame, responsibility, obligation, or difficulty. When believers live out this attitude before the world, it is unnatural to the world system in which we live. This is how Jesus lived, and even as He was being crucified, He extended mercy to those who nailed the spikes into His hands, praying, "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do" (Luke 23:34).
The Test of Mercy: Why We Struggle to Forgive
God often tests His servants' faith to see how they respond to those who have hurt them in the past. Is there still a desire within us to see them receive the punishment they deserve for the way they have hurt us? Can we extend grace and mercy to those who don't deserve it? After receiving God's mercy in the test, God grades us according to how we behave toward others. Matthew records Jesus speaking a parable about this attitude of being merciful:
21Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother who sins against me? Up to seven times?” 22Jesus answered, “I tell you, not just seven times, but seventy-seven times! 23Because of this, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24As he began the settlements, a debtor was brought to him owing ten thousand talents. 25Since the man was unable to pay, the master ordered that he be sold to pay his debt, along with his wife and children and everything he owned.26Then the servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Have patience with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ 27His master had compassion on him, forgave his debt, and released him. 28But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii. He grabbed him and began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ 29So his fellow servant fell down and begged him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you back.’ 30But he refused. Instead, he went and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay his debt. 31When his fellow servants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed, and they went and recounted all of this to their master. 32Then the master summoned him and declared, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave all your debt because you begged me. 33Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had on you?’ 34In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should repay all that he owed. 35That is how My heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart” (Matthew 18:21-35).
Finding Personal Freedom Through Forgiveness
Have you been emotionally hurt by your parents, friends, or spouse? Can you release them from the justice you demand they receive for the wrong done to you? Again, the word "they" in the Greek text is emphatic: Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy, meaning [they alone] shall obtain mercy. When we pardon another, we also free our souls from the bondage of hurt and pain that unforgiveness holds over us. This is a spiritual principle as real as a physical one, such as gravity. May you know the inner freedom that comes from being merciful to others.
Application: How to Live Out This Meditation
1. The "Hook" Inventory
In our text, we used the phrase "letting others off the hook."
The Action: Sit in silence for two minutes and ask, "Who am I currently keeping on a hook?" It might be a spouse who forgot an anniversary or a parent who was cold ten years ago.
The Prayer: "Lord, I have been forgiven a debt I could never pay. Today, I choose to unhook [Name] from the debt I feel they owe me."
2. Mercy as a "Reflex," Not a Choice
We mentioned that mercy is "unnatural to our world system."
The Action: Can I challenge you to practice "Micro-Mercy" this week? If someone cuts you off in traffic or a cashier is rude, instead of reacting with justice (demanding better behavior), react with mercy (assuming they are having a hard day). It’s "mercy-gymnastics" to prepare for the big hurts.
3. Emotional Inventory vs. Spiritual Reality
The Action: mercy is a decision of the will, not a feeling of the heart. You can show mercy while your heart still hurts. Application means choosing to stop "replaying the tape" of the offense. Every time the memory comes up, consciously hand the "invoice" back to God and say, "This debt is canceled." Keith Thomas
Continue Your Journey…
The Beatitudes teaching video is available at the following link:
Consider bookmarking the following link: Browse our free 3-minute Bible Meditations:
Read our in-depth study at the following link: The Beatitudes: 8 Keys to a Blessed Life
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