The Beatitudes – The Merciful

Just past the halfway point of the Beatitudes, we find this promise: “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy” (Matthew 5:7). It’s a simple statement, but the order of it feels a little topsy-turvy. When we think about the mechanics of mercy, the catalyst for the whole process is typically God. It’s part of God’s nature to show us unfathomable love and mercy, and without Him, we aren’t able to show those same qualities to others. In Ephesians 2:4–6, Paul describes this idea so well. He writes, “But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love that He had for us, made us alive with Christ even though we were dead in trespasses.” God is not just merciful; He is rich in mercy—and out of that abundance of love and compassion for His people, He sent His Son to save us. Our lives and entire faith hinge upon that truth, but in this fifth Beatitude, God’s mercy is secondary; it sounds like it is contingent upon whether or not we ourselves are merciful.

Though we may venture off course, if we keep seeking God, He will keep guiding us back into the light.

This kind of reciprocity is not a foreign concept in Jesus’ teachings. When Jesus taught His disciples to pray, He mentioned mutual forgiveness not once but twice. In the middle of the Lord’s Prayer, He said, “And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors” (Matthew 6:12). Then, right after concluding the prayer, Jesus reminded His disciples that “if you forgive others their offenses, your heavenly Father will forgive you as well. But if you don’t forgive others, your Father will not forgive your offenses” (Matthew 6:14–15). At first glance, it seems like these verses depict an easy two-step process: Step 1: Forgive others. Step 2: Be forgiven. Rinse. Repeat. But we know that God’s forgiveness is not contingent upon our actions—we are saved by grace through faith, not by our works (see Ephesians 2:8–9). So, instead, these verses seem to be reminding us that the way we treat others is intricately tied to our relationship with God. As we read in 1 John 2:10–11, the one “who loves his brother or sister remains in the light,” but the one “who hates his brother or sister is in the darkness.” Our character is a reflection of our proximity to God—and when we are merciful to others, it reflects our nearness to the Lord, who is rich in mercy. 

That said, nearness to God runs deeper than our actions, as evidenced by the Pharisees who lived during the time of Jesus. The Pharisees were extremely religious and kept the law to a T. They made sure not to work on the Sabbath, tithed precisely the right amount (even down to a tenth of their spices), and never ate with people they viewed as unrighteous (like tax collectors). Yet their meticulous rule-following did not earn them God’s favor. Instead, Jesus rebuked them three times for neglecting “the more important matters of the law​—justice, mercy, and faithfulness” (Matthew 23:23). Referencing a call for repentance from the Old Testament prophet Hosea, Jesus reminded the Pharisees that God “desire[s] mercy and not sacrifice” (Hosea 6:6). Hosea—and later, Jesus—emphasized the importance of knowing God, not just knowing facts and information about Him. Our relationships with God are far more transformative than any empty religious rituals, but the Pharisees were unable to see that. Jesus gave the Pharisees second chances and showed them mercy, but instead of reciprocating that compassion, they crucified Him. They continued to dwell in darkness, but we do not have to follow in their footsteps. Though we may venture off course, if we keep seeking God, He will keep guiding us back into the light. Our good God will always show us mercy, which enables us to be merciful to others—and through our relationships with Him, we will be blessed, just as Jesus promised.