Literature. — Bernard, Mental Characteristics of the Lord Jesus Christ ; Adamson, Studies of the Mind in Christ ; Latham, Pastor Pastonun ; Du Hose, Gospel in the Gospels ; art. Char- acter OF Christ, and the Literature there cited.
E. P. Boys-Smith. MERCHANT.— See Trade and Commerce.
MERCY.— 1. Mercy of God. — Mercy is 'that essential perfection in God whereby He pities and relieves the miseries of His creatures ' (Cruden). In the OT the mercy of God (ipn, c^qn ; ]in ' to show mercy ') is souglit and celebrated in view of distress caused by sin (Ps 51', La 3'^-^), or more frequently where no connexion with sin is expressed (Ps 89^ 118'). Sin and the distre.ss which is the con- sequence of it are not always separated in thought (Ps 41^ 798' 9).
In the NT a clearer division can be made of places where the mercy spoken of is temporal or spiritual. Those who came to Christ for help asked for mercy, that is, for pity and relief (Mt 9'-^ 15-- 171s 2030 ; cf. Mk 51"). The word used is iXeeZv, while Christ's twofold response is expressed by (nrXayx" Iff dels, 'moved with compassion,' and by His act of healing (Mt 20»^). Along with these may be placed Lk l-'«, Ph 2"", 1 Co V^, where particular instances of mercy are mentioned. On the other hand, the words ^Xeos, eKeeZv are used of the whole of God's saving work in Christ (Lk V--''^, Ro 11=*», 2Co 41, Eph 2\ 1 Ti V^- ^ Tit S^-^ Jude^i). In the pulilican's prayer, 'God, be merciful to me the sinner' (Lk 18'^), the more exact translation is ' be propitiated' (IXaadr^Ti), as also in He 8'- (i'Xfws). In these places the obstacle of sin is recognized, and the mercy described i.s such as overcomes sin.
Generally in the NT sin is described not only as the source of human miserj% but as itself the
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greatest evil fiom wliicli men need to be delivered ; and actordingly the work of God's mert-j' is to save truni sin (see Eph 2^"'", Tit 3»-"). In Ro lP"-»- soMietliing is said of the Divine purpose in per- mitting sin, so that ve may believe that the severities of God's judgments are not inconsistent ^^ iih • that essential perfection of mercy whereby He idties and relieves the miseries of His creatures.' Hut of this as croatures we have not the Hnal right to judge (lio 9^^- -^). A deepened sense of the hope- lessness of separation from God brings it about that no other deliverance is to be for a moment coinjjared with salvation from sin (Eph 2^"^; cf. Gal l\ Jude -i).
This is also seen to be the meaning of mercj' when the method of God's mercy in the Gospel is considered, and the aim of it.
(1) Its method. — Christ's work teaches us that God's mercy seeks a higher good for men than the relief of temporal distress. We must think of Christ as abiding in the constant sense of the mercy of His Father, and communicating the same to men in word and deed. ' Be ye therefore merciful [oiKTipfj.ove'i), as your Father also is merciful' (Lk G'"'). ' Love one another, as I Ii.ave loved you. Greater love hath no man than this' (Jn 15'--^^). That is to say, the mercy of God beginning with compassion went on to action, in the Incarnation and Atonement. ' This is he that came bj- water and blood' (I Jn 5''). ' I lay down my life that I may take it a^ain. . . . This commandment have I received of my Father' (Jn 10'"- ^^ cf. 1 P P).
Following upon the work of Christ, it is said of believers that they have obtained mercy (2 Co 4\
1 Ti V-^- 1", 1 P 2'") ; and that they look for the mercy of the Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life (Jude -^). And mercy is still continuous!}' needed, asked for, and received by believers (He 4"', Pli 2-"^,
2 Ti li«- 18). Also the jirayers in 1 Ti P, 2 Ti P, Gal 6"^, 2 Jn *, Jude "-, indicate that it becomes us to go in piaj'er to seek the mercy which it remains always with God to bestow. It is noteworthy that mercy is .added to the usual ' grace ' and ' peace ' of the salutations just in those jjlaces where some more intimate ati'ection and tender sympathy is naturallj- to be expected (e.g. Gal G'", the Letters to Timothy, and Jude's Epistle). Whatever there is painful in the experience of believers constitutes for them a new need of the Divine mercy, and is to be explained as a jtart of God's i)urpose of greater good by saving them more and more completelj' from sin.
(2) Its aim. — The aim of God's mercy is expressed in Christ's words, ' That ye maj' be the children of your Father which is in heaven' (Mt 5^). The parable of the Unmerciful Servant (Mt 18^) sets forth the jjurjiose of God negatively, and in 1 Jn oi 412. n ^jjg positive side is given. God's mercy or love to us comes to perfect realization when we have learned to be like Him. Because He loves us He will have us to be merciful, that we maj' be at our best. In this way also the progress of the Kingdom of God among men is assured, as we see in a concrete instance in 2 Co 4-7 (cf. Ac 20'^"^).