Nearby there is a new art installation which is proving controversial...
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| Our local Mayor said our City gave support to the artwork expressing compassion |
"Why a foreigner?" some say. The image is of NZ Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern giving comfort, showing compassion, after a native-born Australian carried out a horrendous slaughter on unsuspecting people there. So much to grieve and be sad about. Like NZ, these shores have seen so much blood spilled to satisfy anger, fear, prejudice and greed. (No way to go back where we came from!)
The hero in one of Jesus’ stories (perhaps the best known of his parables) is characterised as showing compassion where others did not. Faced with a bash-and-run victim, the religious prominenti saw, and passed by on the other side.
Then a despised Samaritan came along, and when he saw the man, he felt compassion for him. (Luke 10:33, NLT). We read on of the Samaritan's kindness in action. How it must have stung, to have a foreigner held up to the "upright", as exemplifying God's ways...
The people who observed Jesus more than once noted his compassion. Jesus saw many people who seemed to be adrift or confused about God or harried or all of those, and he wished he could be their guide and protector. He spent himself on their behalf, with no limit.
When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. And he began to teach them many things (Mark 6:34, ESV). They, like us, needed to know God.
At one time many people had gathered themselves to be with Jesus and seemed loathe to leave as time passed - "3 days" were spent. Some had a distance to return home. Matthew specified that there were women and children, as well as 4,000 men. Jesus expressed his compassion for the crowd, and his close followers understood the astonishing fact that he wanted them to provide food!
Then Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I have compassion for the crowd, because they have been with me now for three days and have nothing to eat; and I do not want to send them away hungry, for they might faint on the way” (Matthew 15:32, NRSV). They did not expect the solution!
Jesus and a throng came one day to a place named Nain, He saw a weeping widow following the corpse of her only son being carried to his burial.
And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her and said to her, “Do not weep.” Then he came up and touched the bier, and the bearers stood still. And he said, “Young man, I say to you, arise.” And the dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus[a] gave him to his mother. (Luke 7:13-15, ESV) Jesus thus created a sensation in that locality, and widely throughout Judea - this northern man Jesus seemed to replicate the prophet of old. What did it all mean?
On a day of contention between religious experts and Jesus’ followers a man seeking Jesus’ compassion and mercy brought his poor boy. The boy was showing symptoms of uncontrolled muscular spasms and being unable to avoid danger. The father had no joy from the followers.
And it has often cast him into fire and into water, to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” And Jesus said to him, “‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes.” Immediately the father of the child cried out[a] and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!” And when Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.”(Mark 9:22-25, ESV). Jesus met their need by getting rid of a demon or unclean spirit. Jesus always has compassion. His followers may fail; he does not.
(Many versions render the word "compassion" as"pity". Jesus, please pity me...)
Paul the Apostle wrote to chosen people in Colossae (a city doomed to future destruction by earthquake) whose ruins lie in Asiatic Turkey. Paul reminded them of the demands of the mercy they received:
Therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and dearly loved, put on compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, (Colossians 3:12, CSB). God's family are called to reflect the family likeness.
In a very different discussion on the situation of those who had rejected Jesus, the same Paul cited the ancient writing in Exodus: What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God's part? By no means! For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” So then it depends not on human will or exertion,[b] but on God, who has mercy (Romans 9:14-16, ESV). In the cited Old Testament pericope (Exodus 33:19) we read the answer God gave to Moses, who was struggling with the burden of true leadership. God determines what God does.
“In everything do to others as you would have them do to you; for this is the law and the prophets.
“Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road is easy[a] that leads to destruction, and there are many who take it. For the gate is narrow and the road is hard that leads to life, and there are few who find it (Matthew 7:12-14, NRSV). Does he not speak to modern "church adherents"? (I take it that "life" is about the quality of the here and now, and the future prospect.)
I hope none of us take Jesus, or his way, lightly. Life or destruction are stark alternatives. Does this hold with his being compassionate?
The compassion of God for stumbling and errant (ordinary) humans is ultimately portrayed in Jesus' deliberate laying down of his life, a ransom for many (see previous post). He came to seek and to save the lost; he knew abandonment - that is how merciful and compassionate God is.
https://www.jesussaviour4unme.com/2019/04/abandoned.html
Scripture quotations marked (CEV) are from the Contemporary English Version Copyright © 1991, 1992, 1995 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.
The hero in one of Jesus’ stories (perhaps the best known of his parables) is characterised as showing compassion where others did not. Faced with a bash-and-run victim, the religious prominenti saw, and passed by on the other side.
Then a despised Samaritan came along, and when he saw the man, he felt compassion for him. (Luke 10:33, NLT). We read on of the Samaritan's kindness in action. How it must have stung, to have a foreigner held up to the "upright", as exemplifying God's ways...
The people who observed Jesus more than once noted his compassion. Jesus saw many people who seemed to be adrift or confused about God or harried or all of those, and he wished he could be their guide and protector. He spent himself on their behalf, with no limit.
When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. And he began to teach them many things (Mark 6:34, ESV). They, like us, needed to know God.
At one time many people had gathered themselves to be with Jesus and seemed loathe to leave as time passed - "3 days" were spent. Some had a distance to return home. Matthew specified that there were women and children, as well as 4,000 men. Jesus expressed his compassion for the crowd, and his close followers understood the astonishing fact that he wanted them to provide food!
Then Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I have compassion for the crowd, because they have been with me now for three days and have nothing to eat; and I do not want to send them away hungry, for they might faint on the way” (Matthew 15:32, NRSV). They did not expect the solution!
Jesus and a throng came one day to a place named Nain, He saw a weeping widow following the corpse of her only son being carried to his burial.
And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her and said to her, “Do not weep.” Then he came up and touched the bier, and the bearers stood still. And he said, “Young man, I say to you, arise.” And the dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus[a] gave him to his mother. (Luke 7:13-15, ESV) Jesus thus created a sensation in that locality, and widely throughout Judea - this northern man Jesus seemed to replicate the prophet of old. What did it all mean?
On a day of contention between religious experts and Jesus’ followers a man seeking Jesus’ compassion and mercy brought his poor boy. The boy was showing symptoms of uncontrolled muscular spasms and being unable to avoid danger. The father had no joy from the followers.
And it has often cast him into fire and into water, to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” And Jesus said to him, “‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes.” Immediately the father of the child cried out[a] and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!” And when Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.”(Mark 9:22-25, ESV). Jesus met their need by getting rid of a demon or unclean spirit. Jesus always has compassion. His followers may fail; he does not.
(Many versions render the word "compassion" as"pity". Jesus, please pity me...)
Paul the Apostle wrote to chosen people in Colossae (a city doomed to future destruction by earthquake) whose ruins lie in Asiatic Turkey. Paul reminded them of the demands of the mercy they received:
Therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and dearly loved, put on compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, (Colossians 3:12, CSB). God's family are called to reflect the family likeness.
In a very different discussion on the situation of those who had rejected Jesus, the same Paul cited the ancient writing in Exodus: What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God's part? By no means! For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” So then it depends not on human will or exertion,[b] but on God, who has mercy (Romans 9:14-16, ESV). In the cited Old Testament pericope (Exodus 33:19) we read the answer God gave to Moses, who was struggling with the burden of true leadership. God determines what God does.
God is compassionate and is sovereign.
The people of God are to live compassion.
Jesus exhibited compassion.
Jesus' coming into the world was out of compassion.Jesus also warned very clearly - no self-indulgent indifference to his rule, nor subservience to personal gratification. He was speaking to his co-religionists, not to modern pagans when he said:
“In everything do to others as you would have them do to you; for this is the law and the prophets.
“Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road is easy[a] that leads to destruction, and there are many who take it. For the gate is narrow and the road is hard that leads to life, and there are few who find it (Matthew 7:12-14, NRSV). Does he not speak to modern "church adherents"? (I take it that "life" is about the quality of the here and now, and the future prospect.)
I hope none of us take Jesus, or his way, lightly. Life or destruction are stark alternatives. Does this hold with his being compassionate?
The compassion of God for stumbling and errant (ordinary) humans is ultimately portrayed in Jesus' deliberate laying down of his life, a ransom for many (see previous post). He came to seek and to save the lost; he knew abandonment - that is how merciful and compassionate God is.
https://www.jesussaviour4unme.com/2019/04/abandoned.html
Scripture quotations marked (CEV) are from the Contemporary English Version Copyright © 1991, 1992, 1995 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.
Scripture quotations marked (CSB) are from the Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission.
All rights reserved worldwide.
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked (NRSV) are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Note: I retain in the publishers' text where they occur the references to footnotes, but usually not the notes. You can check them out by viewing the text on-line. Often they are replicated in different translations.
Bible passages accessed via BibleGateway.com
Image: author
Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission.
All rights reserved worldwide.
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked (NRSV) are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Note: I retain in the publishers' text where they occur the references to footnotes, but usually not the notes. You can check them out by viewing the text on-line. Often they are replicated in different translations.
Bible passages accessed via BibleGateway.com
Image: author
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