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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadJames Hastings Dictionary of the NT: Mercy
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( ἔëåïò , ïἰêôéñìüò )
Ἔëåïò means properly ‘a feeling of sympathy,’ ‘fellow-feeling with misery,’ ‘compassion.’ In the sense of God’s pity for human woe, which manifests itself in His will of salvation, ἔëåïò is found not infrequently in the apostolic writings (cf. Rom_9:23; Rom_15:9, 1Pe_1:3, Jud_1:21, 2Ti_1:16; 2Ti_1:18). It is found joined with ἀãÜðç in Eph_2:4, with ìáêñïèõìἰá in 1Ti_1:16, and with ÷Üñéò in Heb_4:16. We find the group, grace, mercy, peace, in the greetings of 1Ti_1:2, 2Ti_1:2, 2Jn_1:3; mercy and peace together in Gal_6:16, Jud_1:2.
The verb ἐëåÝù is found in a similar sense in Rom_9:15-16; Rom_11:30-32, 2Co_4:1, 1Ti_1:13; 1Ti_1:16, 1Pe_2:10. It is also found of the mercy of man towards his fellow (Rom_12:8, 1Co_7:25, Php_2:27).
ïἰêôéñìüò also means ‘compassion,’ ‘pity,’ ‘mercy,’ and with the adj. ïἰêôßñìùí and the verb ïἰêôåßñù is used both of God’s compassion for men and of men’s compassion for one another. In the NT ïἰêôéñìüò is mostly used in the plural, conformably to the Heb. øַçֲîִéí , which it translates in the Septuagint . Cf., for ïἰêôéñìüò with reference to God, Rom_12:1, Heb_10:28. In 2Co_1:3 God is called ‘the Father of mercies.’ ïἰêôéñìüò is used of human pity in Col_3:12; cf. ïἰêôßñìùí (of God) Jam_5:11, ïἰêôåßñù (of God) Rom_9:15.
In the sub-apostolic writings the usage is parallel. 1 Clem. is specially fond of both ἔëåïò and ïἰêôéñìüò (cf. ix. 1, xviii. 2, xxii. 8, xxviii. 1, l. 2, lvi. 5, xx. 11, lvi. 1). In Polyc. Phil. we have ‘mercy’ ( ἔëåïò ) and ‘peace’ in the introduction.
In conclusion, it may be pointed out that the doctrine of the Divine mercy is an OT rather than a NT doctrine. In the OT it is represented by the ascription to God of the following attributes: ‘(a) tender compassion, raḥǎmîm, etc., for man’s misery and helplessness; (b) a disposition to deal kindly and generously with man, ḥanan, etc.; (c) the divine affection and fidelity to man, on which man may confidently rely, as he would on the loyalty of his tribe or family, ḥeṣedh’ (W. H. Bennett in Hasting's Dictionary of the Bible (5 vols) iii. 345). Bennett points out that the NT use of the corresponding terms is neither frequent nor characteristic, and is only a faint reflexion of OT teaching. ‘The great ideas represented in OT by raḥǎmîm, ḥanan, ḥeṣedh, and their cognates, are mostly expressed in NT by other terms than ἕëåïò , ïἰêôéñìïß , etc. One might almost say that ḥeṣedh covers the whole ground of ÷Üñéò , ἕëåïò , åἰñÞíç (but see Hort on 1Pe_1:2), and implies the NT doctrine of the Divine Fatherhood.’
Literature.-H. Cremer, Bibl.-Theol. Lexicon of NT Greek3, Eng. translation , 1880, p. 248 f.; W. H. Bennett in Hasting's Dictionary of the Bible (5 vols) iii. 345 f.
R. S. Franks.