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Divine Mercy Attribute and Biblical Definition

Divine mercy is a core attribute of God's character, frequently described in biblical texts as compassion for the miserable [1]. It is an aspect of God's general goodness, exercised particularly in response to the suffering of creation [2]. The Hebrew Bible often portrays God as "merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness" (Psalm 103:8) [6].

Biblical descriptions emphasize the vastness and constancy of divine mercy. It is called "great" (Numbers 14:18; Isaiah 54:7), "rich" (Ephesians 2:4), "manifold" (Nehemiah 9:27), "plenteous" (Psalm 86:5, 15), and "abundant" (1 Peter 1:3) [3]. Furthermore, God's mercy is depicted as "sure" (Isaiah 55:3), "everlasting" (1 Chronicles 16:34; Psalm 136:1-26), and "new every morning" (Lamentations 3:23) [3]. Its scope is immense, reaching "high as heaven" (Psalm 36:5) and extending "over all his works" (Psalm 145:9) [3]. The very names of individuals in the Bible can reflect this attribute, such as Hanniel, meaning "grace or mercy of God," and Jerahmeel, meaning "the mercy, or the beloved, of God" [4, 5].

In Christian theology, divine mercy is understood as being fully manifested through the atoning sacrifice of Christ, which opens a way for its exercise in harmony with God's truth and righteousness [1]. The New Testament also identifies mercy as a Christian grace, encouraging believers to be merciful (Matthew 5:7; 18:33-35) [1]. John Gill, commenting on Ephesians 2:4, explains that God is "rich in mercy" because He is free and liberal in dispensing it, though special mercy is exhibited only in Christ Jesus [12]. Augustine of Hippo, in his anti-Pelagian writings, connects divine mercy to God's initiative in human salvation, stating that "it comes from His mercy, not their merit, that God wills to impart this to some" [15].

Theological traditions have further elaborated on the nature of divine mercy. Thomas Aquinas, in his Summa Theologica, attributes mercy to God not as an "affection of passion" but as an effect. He defines a merciful person (misericors) as one who is "sorrowful at heart" (miserum cor) at another's misery and endeavors to dispel it [11]. For Aquinas, this desire to relieve misery is an effect of God's will, not a passive emotion [11].

Jewish rabbinic tradition also extensively discusses God's attribute of mercy. The Babylonian Talmud, for instance, interprets the term vayḥal in Exodus 32:11 as Moses causing the Divine Attribute of Mercy to take effect [7, 8, 9]. Rabbi Levi, in Midrash Rabbah, interprets Psalm 145:9 ("The Lord is good to all, and His mercy is upon all His works") to mean that God is beneficent to everyone because they are all His creations, or that mercy is simply His inherent attribute [10]. Another rabbinic teaching suggests that God overlooks each first transgression as an act of mercy, though the sin is not entirely erased if the individual's overall actions remain sinful [16, 17]. The attribute of beneficence is also understood to take effect more quickly than the attribute of punishment [18].

In Kabbalistic and philosophical Jewish thought, the divine name Yod Hei (the Tetragrammaton) is often associated with the attribute of mercy, contrasting with the name Aleph Dalet, which represents the attribute of justice [13]. This distinction highlights the balance between God's justice and His compassion.

Divine mercy is not dependent on human works, but rather on God's own character and promises. As John Calvin articulated in his Institutes of the Christian Religion, divine mercy depends not on the works of believers, but on God's fulfillment of the promise of salvation to those who are truly His children, guided by His Spirit [14]. This understanding underscores that mercy is a free gift of God, rooted in His nature rather than human deserving.

Sources

  1. Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Mercy — Compassion for the miserable. Its object is misery. By the atoning sacrifice of Christ a way is open for the exercise of mercy towards the sons of men, in harmony with the demands of truth and righteousness (Gen. 19:19; Ex. 20:6; 34:6, 7; Ps. 85:10; 86:15, 16). In Christ mercy and truth meet together. Mercy is also a Christian grace (Matt. 5:7; 18:33-35).”
  2. Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Goodness of God — A perfection of his character which he exercises towards his creatures according to their various circumstances and relations (Ps. 145:8, 9; 103:8; 1 John 4:8). Viewed generally, it is benevolence; as exercised with respect to the miseries of his creatures it is mercy, pity, compassion, and in the case of impenitent sinners, long-suffering patience; as exercised in communicating favour on the unworthy it is grace. "Goodness and justice are the several aspects of one unchangeable, infinitely wise, and sovereign moral perfection. God is not sometimes ”
  3. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Mercy of God, The — Is part of his character -- Ex 34:6,7; Ps 62:12; Ne 9:17; Jon 4:2,10,11; 2Co 1:3. Described as Great. -- Nu 14:18; Isa 54:7. Rich. -- Eph 2:4. Manifold. -- Ne 9:27; La 3:32. Plenteous. -- Ps 86:5,15; 103:8. Abundant. -- 1Pe 1:3. Sure. -- Isa 55:3; Mic 7:20. Everlasting. -- 1Ch 16:34; Ps 89:28; 106:1; 107:1; 136:1-26. Tender. -- Ps 25:6; 103:4; Lu 1:78. New every morning. -- La 3:23. High as heaven. -- Ps 36:5; 103:11. Filling the earth. -- Ps 119:64. Over all his works. -- Ps 145:9. Is his delight -- Mic 7:18. Manifested In the sending of Christ. ”
  4. Hitchcock's Bible Names “Hitchcock's Bible Names: Hanniel — grace or mercy of God”
  5. Hitchcock's Bible Names “Hitchcock's Bible Names: Jerahmeel — the mercy, or the beloved, of God”
  6. Psalms “Yahweh is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness. -- Psalms 103:8”
  7. Babylonian Talmud (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Babylonian Talmud, Berakhot 128b.63:21: Rava, also interpreting this verse, said that Rav Yitzḥak said: The term vayḥal teaches that he caused the Divine Attribute of Mercy to take effect [ heḥela ] upon them.”
  8. Babylonian Talmud (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Babylonian Talmud, Berakhot 128a.63:21: Rava, also interpreting this verse, said that Rav Yitzḥak said: The term vayḥal teaches that he caused the Divine Attribute of Mercy to take effect [ heḥela ] upon them.”
  9. Babylonian Talmud (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Babylonian Talmud, Berakhot 32a.21: Rava, also interpreting this verse, said that Rav Yitzḥak said: The term vayḥal teaches that he caused the Divine Attribute of Mercy to take effect [ heḥela ] upon them.”
  10. Midrash Rabbah (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Midrash Rabbah, Bereishit Rabbah 33:3: “The Lord is good to all, and His mercy is upon all His works [ maasav ]” (Psalms 145:9) – Rabbi Levi said: “The Lord is good to all, [and His mercy is] upon” everything, because they are “His works.” 5 God is beneficent and good to everyone, because they are all His creations. Rabbi Shmuel said: “The Lord is good to all, and His mercy is upon” everyone, because that is His attribute, that He is merciful. 6 He interprets maasav to mean: This is His attribute. Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin said in the name of Rabbi Levi: “The Lord is good to all” and imparts s”
  11. theology (Catholic (Scholastic)) “Aquinas, Summa Theologica, First Part (Prima Pars), The Justice and Mercy of God, Art. 3: Article: Whether mercy can be attributed to God? I answer that, Mercy is especially to be attributed to God, as seen in its effect, but not as an affection of passion. In proof of which it must be considered that a person is said to be merciful [misericors], as being, so to speak, sorrowful at heart [miserum cor]; being affected with sorrow at the misery of another as though it were his own. Hence it follows that he endeavors to dispel the misery of this other, as if it were his; and this is the effect of”
  12. Ephesians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Ephesians 2:4: But God, who is rich in mercy,.... Mercy is a perfection of the divine nature, and is essential to God; and may be considered with respect to the objects of it, either as general, extending to all men in a providential way; or as special, reaching only to some in a way of grace; for though mercy is his nature, yet the display and exertion of it towards any object, is the act of his will; and special mercy, with all the blessings and benefits of it, is only exhibited in Christ Jesus: and God is said to be "rich" in it, because he is free and liberal in dispensing it,”
  13. Sefaria (Jewish (Kabbalistic/Philosophical)) “Ramban (Nachmanides) on Deuteronomy 3:24: G-D THE ETERNAL — “merciful in judgment.” This is Rashi’s language. Now, the Rabbi did not consider that the first Divine Name is spelled with the letters Aleph Dalet and the second Name is spelled with the letters Yod Hei [i.e., the Tetragrammaton]. 8 The gist of Ramban’s comment is as follows: The Divine Name which begins with the letters Aleph Dalet represents the attribute of justice; the Name beginning with the letters Yod Hei signifies the attribute of mercy. Since of the two Divine Names mentioned here in the verse, the first one is with Aleph D”
  14. CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 72: Divine mercy depends not on the works of believers, but that God himself fulfill the promise of salvation to those who by right conduct correspond to their calling, because he recognizes the true badges of sons in those only who are directed to good by his Spirit. To this we may refer what is said of the members of the Church, “Lord, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill? He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart,” &c. ( Ps. 15:1, 2 ). Again, in Isaiah, “”
  15. Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 5: Augustine — Anti-Pelagian — CHAP, 31.--GRACE IS GIVEN TO SOME MEN IN MERCY; IS WITHHELD FROM OTHERS IN JUSTICE AND TRUTH.: Forasmuch then as our turning away from God is our own act, and this is evil will; but our turning to God is not possible, except He rouses and helps us, and this is good will,--what have we that we have not received? But if we received, why do we glory as if we had not received? Therefore, as "he that glorieth must glory in the Lord," s it comes from His mercy, not their merit, that God wills to impart this to some, but from His truth that He wills not to imp”
  16. Babylonian Talmud (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Babylonian Talmud, Rosh Hashanah 70b.33:13: A Sage from the school of Rabbi Yishmael taught in a baraita : He overlooks each and every first transgression, and that is the attribute of mercy, that God forgives one’s first sin, and therefore He tips the scale in favor of the merits. Rava said: But that sin itself, which God overlooks, is not completely erased; if the individual’s actions are still mostly sins, God counts the overlooked sin with them and metes out punishment accordingly.”
  17. Babylonian Talmud (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Babylonian Talmud, Rosh Hashanah 70a.33:13: A Sage from the school of Rabbi Yishmael taught in a baraita : He overlooks each and every first transgression, and that is the attribute of mercy, that God forgives one’s first sin, and therefore He tips the scale in favor of the merits. Rava said: But that sin itself, which God overlooks, is not completely erased; if the individual’s actions are still mostly sins, God counts the overlooked sin with them and metes out punishment accordingly.”
  18. Babylonian Talmud (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Babylonian Talmud, Shabbat 97a.6: On this topic, Rava said, and some say that it was Rabbi Yosei, son of Rabbi Ḥanina, who said: The divine attribute of beneficence takes effect more quickly than the divine attribute of punishment. From where is this derived? While, with regard to the divine attribute of punishment, it is written, “And he took it out and behold, his hand was leprous like snow” (Exodus 4:6), with regard to the divine attribute of beneficence it is written: “And He said: Return your hand to your bosom, and he returned his hand to his bosom and he took it out from his bosom and b”
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