Matthew 5:7 Elucidation

Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.^{Matthew 5:7}

What Does It Mean to Be Merciful?

Jesus told us a story that went, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee. Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves? And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.^{Luke 10:30-37}

A Samaritan, who had nothing to with a man, went out of his way to do all he could to improve that man's life. That is mercy.

Jesus once said, Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.^{Matthew 25:34-36} All these things are mercy. The personal act of providing for another in their time of need, and taking away their hunger and loneliness.

But it should be a personal act. A gift of some water, a dinner here or there. Perhaps in our day in age, a ride in the car to wherever the needy wants to go. But corporate mercy doesn't seem to be a concept to Jesus. No where does Jesus say, "Start a business in my father's name and have a thousand people give money to you so that you can give food and water to the poor." In fact, this seems to be something Jesus held against the Pharisees. They put together a business of selling pigeons and other goods so that people may sacrifice, but Jesus cast them all out.^{(Matthew 21:12, Mark 11:15.)}

Likewise, the rich man who owned the gates that Lazarus laid outside of could very well have provided many jobs for many needy people, allowing them a method to earn their own pay, but that certain rich man ended up burning nonetheless.

What Does It Mean to Obtain Mercy? ^{Back to Top ↑}

When two blind men followed Jesus, they cried unto him, saying, Thou Son of David, have mercy on us.^{Matthew 9:27b} When Jesus healed them two verses later, do you think that these two men obtained mercy? They found themselves in a desolate state, without the joy or pleasure of sight, and then suddenly they received sight. They did nothing but ask Jesus for some mercy.

It's the same with us and eternal life. Right now we are living on a wretched Earth which doesn't contain our father God nor our brother Jesus. Sin is abound, and we are desolate. But should we do the will of God by seeking his kingdom and his righteousness,^{(Matthew 6:33.)} we too will be granted mercy by obtaining eternal life.

And, just like in the previous beatitudes, we obtain this blessing through the kingdom of Heaven.

Why Are the Merciful Granted Mercy? ^{Back to Top ↑}

The merciful understand God's will. There is nothing on this Earth for us. Our brother Jesus has left us to prepare a place for us.^{(John 14:2-3.)} Our father God is in Heaven, not on Earth. The only family we have is each other, but even so, being separated from our father is hard. But we know we will be rejoined with him, but for others who are lost and may never find God, this may be their only lives. And they care for it a lot.

Jesus acknowledged this when he said, Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek.)^{Matthew 6:31-32a} But for this, we can also look around at the world and see the truth. Everywhere and everything seems to be about prolonging and improving this life, from our better technology to hospitals to make-up to entice better partners for our lives.

The merciful understands that there is another life, and so they can withstand all the punishment in this world. They are able to forgive every trespass against them, and that means that God will also forgive them for their trespasses.^{(Matthew 6:14.)} Because the merciful understand the nature of this world, they can focus on the things here and now. They're not worried about rushing to their job and back home, they can look around them and see the homeless on the streets, and go and visit them.

And, when they are found to be worthless salt for only helping the needy and not providing to the betterment of society as a whole, they will end up being trodden under food of man.^{(Matthew 5:13.)} But, they can smile and have joy in their persecution.^{(Matthew 5:11.)} For each and every little act of personal kindness was them shining before man,^{(Matthew 5:14-16.)} so that all those heavy laden may take up the yoke of Jesus Christ and find rest.^{(Matthew 11:28-30.)}

By being merciful, they can love all and forgive all. And so they fulfill Jesus's words when he says, But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven.^{Matthew 5:44-45a}

Against the Blood Sacrifice of Jesus Christ. ^{Back to Top ↑}

This verse also speaks against the blood sacrifice that the self-proclaimed apostle Paul likes to speak about. According to Jesus, the merciful obtain mercy, not those that believe in the blood atoning human sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Those that believe in the blood sacrifice for the remission of sins have not listened to Jesus, for Jesus said, For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.^{Matthew 6:14-15}

It is mercy to forgive men their sins, just as it is mercy for our father to forgive our sins. The blood of Jesus Christ is merely his teachings that we have to drink and absorb, so that they may be spread throughout our whole body and assimilate into us. It does us no good for us to pour this blood on an alter instead of drinking it. Jesus echoed Hosea when saying, But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.^{Matthew 9:13 cf Matthew 12:7, Hosea 6:6}

Hitler, himself, could very well have believed in the blood atonement of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins. But he granted no mercy to those he sent to his camps. According to the self-proclaimed apostle Paul, Hitler may indeed be found worthy for entrance into the church. But for Jesus, who cared about the kingdom of God, Hitler will not be found worthy, for Hitler was not merciful.