SABBATH THOUGHT 2025-02-22—COMPASSION & CHESED
May God bless you on His Sabbath day!
Which would you rather have from God? His compassion or mercy? Actually, it is a trick question. Compassion is sympathy for the sufferings of others whereas mercy is taking action to alleviate that suffering. To be completely accurate, compassion is a heartfelt reaction to the plight of others that is FOLLOWED by mercy, works that relieve suffering. Do you see the connection?
SYMPATHY = Pity or sorrow toward those who suffer.
MERCY = Beneficent works.
COMPASSION = Sympathy + Mercy.
DEFINITION: Compassion is heartfelt sympathy for people who suffer, followed by works of mercy to relieve the suffering. Compassion without mercy is merely sympathy because compassion, by definition, includes works of mercy.
In the end, all desire God’s compassion from which come works of mercy that relieves our burdens. God’s compassion is His motivation for His mercy to relieve our afflictions, but many Bible translations do not properly translate compassion and mercy. The English words are either used interchangeably or swapped. Notice one example comparing the KJV with The Scriptures (2009)[1]:
[KJVN] PSALM 103:8 The LORD is merciful [rachuwm] and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in mercy [chesed].
[TS2009] PSALMS 103:8 [The LORD] is compassionate [rachuwm] and showing favour, patient, and great in loving-commitment [chesed].
The KJV almost always mistranslates the two Hebrew words racham (H7356) and chesed (H2617) and their various forms. (This is a little technical, but bear with me.) Racham means compassionate, not merciful and most of the time one should mentally insert ‘compassionate’ when reading Scripture. The other word, chesed, does not translate into English well at all. The KJV usually translates it mercy, goodness, lovingkindness, etc. However, this does not give a proper sense of the meaning of chesed.
The TS2009 translates chesed as the hyphenated word loving-commitment, indicating it has components of love and fidelity. There is no single word in the English for chesed, which conveys the idea of covenant loyalty and devotion[2]. Devotion covers the range of love, affection, faithfulness, and fidelity. This is what the TS2009 is trying to convey with loving-commitment and why the meaning of chesed is completely lost when it is translated mercy in the KJV. It is important to understand the meaning of chesed because God’s COMPASSION and CHESED are founded in every covenant with Him. Notice this verse:
[TS2009] LUKE 1:72 [God spoke] to show compassion toward our fathers and to remember His [holy] covenant,
God’s purpose behind all of our prayers is CHESED—loyalty and devotion to His covenant. Translating chesed simply as mercy is inadequate because there is no connection to a COVENANT with God. Chesed has everything to do with a covenant because God’s loyalty and devotion is the basis for fulfilling it. When His people cry out to Him for help, they seek His COMPASSION, which is His motivation to show mercy and fulfill His covenant promises. Most often our hope is to receive His mercy NOW and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that; however, God’s covenant loyalty and devotion—His chesed—govern His response to our supplications. He is always compassionate but His response—His merciful WORKS to alleviate our suffering—is dependent upon His greater purpose of bringing eternal children into His Kingdom:
2 PETER 3:15 and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation–as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you,
In other words, He is always compassionate toward our prayers but His merciful response may be delayed, come from an unexpected place, or be something unrelated. Why? Because “we must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God.” (Acts 14:22). If His response is not what or when we had hoped for, know of a certainty that whatsoever He does is to make “all things work together for good”[3] for the greater purpose of fulfilling His covenant by changing us from the physical to spiritual. This is evident in these verses:
[TS2009] ROMANS 9:15, 23 For He [God] says to [Moses], “I shall favour whomever I favour, and I shall have compassion on whomever I have compassion.” … 23 and that He might make known the riches of His esteem [or favor] on vessels of [His] compassion, which He had prepared beforehand for esteem [or favor],
God assesses our spiritual needs in this physical life because “we are His workmanship” (Eph. 2:10). The WORK He is doing in each of us is to create eternal children. Eternity influences His decisions of how and when our prayers are answered. God’s vision is from the eternity past to the eternity to come so His chesed—covenant loyalty and devotion—is EVERLASTING:
[TS2009] PSALM 136:1 Give thanks to [the LORD], for He is good! For His loving-commitment [chesed] is everlasting.
God’s chesed—covenant loyalty and devotion—will never fail. Likewise, God’s “compassions [racham] fail not” (Lam. 3:22). Together, His compassion and chesed—covenant loyalty and devotion—are for the purpose of eternal life:
[TS2009] PSALM 103:4 [The LORD] redeems your life from destruction, who crowns you with loving-commitment [chesed] and compassion,
DEFINITION: God’s compassion leads to His MERCY, which is rooted in His chesed—covenant loyalty and devotion—because His ultimate purpose is “bringing many sons [and daughters] to glory [or favor].”[4]
But chesed—covenant loyalty and devotion—is what God also desires from US:
[TS2009] HOSEA 6:6 “For I [God] delight in loving-commitment [chesed] and not slaughtering, and in the knowledge of Elohim more than ascending [burnt] offerings.
God also desires compassion from all who are in covenant with Him:
[TS2009] 1 TIMOTHY 1:16 But because of this I [Paul] received compassion, so that in me first, [Jesus Christ] might display all patience, as an example to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life.
[FV] 1 JOHN 3:17 But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his feelings of compassion from him, how can the love of God be dwelling in him?
God demands both compassion and chesed—covenant loyalty and devotion—among all those of the ekklesia. Why? Because everyone under the same New Covenant with God has received compassion and chesed for their sins:
[TS2009] PSALMS 51:1 Show me favour, O Elohim, according to Your loving-commitment [chesed]; according to the greatness of Your compassion, blot out my transgressions.
Jesus Christ suffered and died for our sins because of His compassion and chesed. The depths of His agape love is unsearchable:
EPHESIANS 3:17-19 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height– 19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
The is why Jesus Christ commanded that we have agape love for one another as HE loves us[5]. Although Scripture says this is a “new commandment,” it has actually existed from days of old in the form of compassion and chesed:
[TS2009] ZECHARIAH 7:9 “Thus said [the LORD] of hosts, ‘Execute true right-ruling, show loving-commitment [chesed] and compassion everyone to his brother.
All of this is why it is chesed is not simply mercy. Notice how the correct translation changes one of the most well-known verses of the Bible:
[TS2009] MATTHEW 5:7 “Blessed are the compassionate, because they shall obtain compassion.
Works of mercy without compassion or sympathy are done for selfish purposes. Many these days donate money to charitable organizations but they do not actually care for those who need the help—they do it for tax write-offs. To truly be merciful requires compassion and God BLESSES those who are compassionate AND merciful.
Compassion is not just a feeling. It ALWAYS responds with works of mercy. When Jesus encountered people who were suffering, Scripture says “He was moved with compassion.”[6] Why does it say He was MOVED? Because He ACTED with works of mercy to alleviate the suffering He saw. Notice the case when He fed the 5,000:
MATTHEW 14:14-16 And when Jesus went out He saw a great multitude; and He was moved with compassion for them, and healed their sick. 15 When it was evening, His disciples came to Him, saying, “This is a deserted place, and the hour is already late. Send the multitudes away, that they may go into the villages and buy themselves food.” 16 But Jesus said to them, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.”
Not only did He heal the sick, but He also fed them. He was MOVED with compassion to DO works of mercy. Agape love produces compassion toward those who suffer, compassion results in mercy, and mercy produces Good Works. This is the full circle of the agape love of God in us!
May God’s grace and peace be upon you!
Steven Greene
https://sabbathreflections.org
[1] The TS2009 is an excellent translation with better literal accuracy than the KJV while maintaining readability. This is particularly true with subtleties like compassion and mercy. However, it uses Hebrew names such as הוהי (YHWH). These have been changed to match the KJV for readability.
[2] For more information, refer to the Sabbath Thought 2023-04-15 – Hesed = Covenant Loyalty & Devotion.
[3] Rom. 8:28.
[4] Heb. 2:10.
[5] John 13:34; 15:12.
[6] Matt. 9:36; 14:14;18:27; Mark 1:41; 6:34.
1 comment
Lee
THANK YOU Steven for yet another ENLIGHTENING, INSIGHTFUL, and INSPIRING message!! I listened to this with a smile on my face; waiting for the words “AGAPE LOVE” because I knew they were forthcoming. This message also brought Romans 8:28 to mind. “And we know that ALL THINGS work together for GOOD to those who love God, to those who are called according to HIS purpose.” I empathized the word “HIS” because like you mentioned in your message: “For we are HIS workmanship, being created in Jesus Christ unto the GOOD WORKS that God ordained beforehand in order that we might WALK IN THEM.” (Eph. 2:10) He is most interested in our ETERNAL WELFARE!! “He is longsuffering toward us, not desiring that ANY should perish, but that ALL should come to repentance.” I can only speak for myself; but I believe that it is human nature to want things to work out according to how WE think they should work out. “For My thoughts are NOT your thoughts, nor YOUR ways, My ways,” says the LORD.” “For as the heavens are HIGHER than the earth, so are My ways HIGHER than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.” (Is. 55:8-9) We can take confidence in the fact that God *ALWAYS* has *OUR* BEST INTERESTS at heart when He makes a decision!! Once again, it comes back to AGAPE LOVE!! “And we have known and have believed the love that God has toward us. God IS LOVE, and the one who dwells in love is dwelling in God, and God in him. By this spiritual indwelling, the love of God is PERFECTED within us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgement because even as He is, so are we in this world.” (1 John 4:16-17) “Being confident of this very thing, that He Who began a GOOD WORK in you WILL COMPLETE IT until the day of Jesus Christ.” (Phil. 1:6) Where would any of us be without God’s CHESED and RACHUWM? Definitely something worth contemplating!! THANKS AGAIN Steven!!