COMPASSION
By Johnny Hunton
The Scripture has some foundational passages that set the stage for our understanding and application of the concept of compassion.
But Thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth. Psalm 86:15
The Lord is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger and of great mercy. The Lord is good to all, and His tender mercies are over all His works. Psalm 145:8-9
It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is Thy faithfulness…For the Lord will not cast off forever: but though He cause grief, yet will He have compassion, according to the multitude of His mercies. Lamentations 3:22-23, 31-32
Compassion is defined by Vine (Vine’s Dictionary of the Bible) as follows: to have pity, a feeling of distress through the ills of others; to suffer mentally with others in their problems; to yearn toward individual sufferers.
The following verses show many acts of compassion done by our Lord Jesus Christ.
In Matthew 9:36 we see his compassion for the multitudes. After this Jesus healed a man sick of the palsy, visited in the house of Matthew, the publican/tax-collector, healed a woman diseased with a blood issue, raised a ruler’s daughter, healed two blind men, cast out a devil, He “went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.” Matthew 9:35. These acts of compassion were a great, tender demonstration of the love, mercy, and grace of the Lord.
When He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd. Then He said unto His disciples, ‘The harvest truly is plenteous, but the laborers are few; pray therefore the Lord of the harvest, that He will send forth laborers into His harvest.’ Matthew 9:36-38
Here are four more illustrations of the compassion of Jesus Christ.
In Matthew 20:30-34 we see the compassion of Jesus reaching out to two blind men.
In Matthew 23:37 Jesus expressed his great compassion for Jerusalem.
In Mark 1:40-41 he was moved with compassion, and healed a leprous man.
In Mark 5:19 after casting out a demon, Jesus told the man to go home to your friends, and tell them how great things the Lord has done for you, and has had compassion on you.
Hebrews 4:15 Jesus Christ, our High Priest, is touched with the feelings of our infirmities/is compassionate.
Jesus spoke of examples of compassion. In Matthew 18:23-27 he tells of a master who showed compassion on one who owed him much money. The man who was shown compassion then shamefully showed no compassion for a man who owed money to him. In Luke 10:33 we are told of the compassion of the “good Samaritan.” Luke in 15:11-32 recites the story from Jesus of a father who had great compassion for the “prodigal son.”
We who are believers have a great number of ways to offer compassion. Paul tells us in II Corinthians 1:3-4 that God comforts/shows compassion for believers in their trials so that they can show compassion on others who are going through similar experiences. In Romans Paul gives this twofold directive.
“Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.” Romans 12:15
Peter states the same principles concisely and plainly in this verse.
Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous: not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing, but contrariwise blessing; knowing that you are thereunto called, that you should inherit a blessing. I Peter 3:8-9
In II Corinthians 5:14-15 we notice that the Apostle Paul was motivated by the love of Christ, demonstrated at the cross of Calvary. Christ “died for all, that they which live should not live unto themselves, but unto Him Who died for them and rose again.” Paul was an example of a man of compassion. He got his power from God. See I Corinthians 2:2-5. He said, “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.” Philippians 4:13. And he followed this with this powerful statement. “My God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19.
In writing to the Galatian believers, Paul gave us good news about the success that we can have by walking/living in the Holy Spirit. We can be people of compassion, if we yield to the Spirit in order to have Christ-like traits.
But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering (forbearance, patience), gentleness, kindness, goodness (benevolence), faith (some translators say ‘faithfulness’), meekness (humility), temperance (self-control). Galatians 5:22-23
The choice for us believers – if we desire to truly be compassionate – is to commit ourselves to “walk in the Spirit.”
