Jesus Teaches Us Mercy

One place that we find Jesus teaching about Mercy is in the the sixth Chapter of Luke in what many bibles label "The Sermon on the Plain". The section of this sermon on mercy begins:

"Be merciful as your Father is merciful."

Jesus them goes on to list seven examples of being merciful in our human to human relationships. I paraphrase these as:

1. Stop judging and you will not be judged. [verse 37]

2. Stop condemning and you will not be condemned. [Verse 37]

3. Forgive and you will be forgiven. [verse 37 and "Our Father" prayer]

4. Give and gifts will be given to you. [verse 38]

5.The measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you.
                                                                                    [Verse 38 and the parable of the unjust servant]


6. No disciple is superior to the teacher; but when fully trained,
                                                 every disciple will be like his teacher. [Verse 40]

7.  Remove the wooden beam from your eye first; then you will see clearly
                           to remove the splinter in your brother’s eye. [Verses 41 and 42]
                                                   

Perhaps an expanded paraphrase of Jesus' introductory verse could makes it even clearer:

"Be merciful (to each other) as (God) is merciful (to you)."

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