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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadPaul Kretzmann Commentary - Luke 6:36 - 6:38
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The measure of mercifulness:
v. 36. Be ye therefore merciful as your Father also is merciful.
v. 37. Judge not, and ye shall not be judged; condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned; forgive, and ye shall be forgiven;
v. 38. give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.
Not only kindness and goodness is enjoined upon the Christians, but also mercy or mercifulness, something of that divine quality which had compassion upon us in Christ, our Savior. This will include refraining from officious judging and condemning of our neighbor, of his person and manner of life. Some forms of judging are enjoined by Scripture, as that of the erring brother, Mat_18:15, that of people in public office under a democratic form of government, and others. But so far as the personal life and transgressions of our neighbor are concerned, we must practice forgiveness if we wish to receive forgiveness. We must give if we hope to receive; the measure of God's gracious kindness being filled in proportion to our sympathetic compassion: a good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and flowing over the top will be our portion if we practice the kindness whose example we have received so richly in our own lives. The generousness of our own nature and the graciousness of God's spirit are placed side by side, for our emulation, since the thought of His plenteous redemption should be a spur for us, Psa_130:7. "Where this mercy is not found, there is no faith. For if thy heart is full of faith that thou knowest that thy God has shown Himself thus to thee, with such mercy and goodness, without thy merit and altogether for nothing, while thou wert still His enemy and a child of eternal curse: if thou believest this, thou canst not refrain from showing thyself to thy neighbor in the same manner, and all that for love of God and for the benefit of thy neighbor. See to it, then, that thou make no difference between friend and enemy, worthy and unworthy; for thou seest that all those mentioned here have earned the opposite of our love and goodness. " "Therefore, if thy brother be a sinner, cover his sins and pray for him. If thou reveal his sin, thou art truly not a child of the merciful Father, for else thou wouldst be merciful like Him. That surely is true, that we cannot show such mercy to our neighbor as God has shown to us, but that is our great wickedness, that we act contrary to mercy; and that is a sure sign that we have no mercy."