Having been tied up the past few weeks with lots of RL commitments, much of my meditation/thinking/introspection time has been grabbed in little bits and chunks here and there, rather than in the larger periods I favor.
In one of these few times, though, I ran across a particular quote that shows up multiple times within the Talmud (such as Ecclesiaticus Rabbah 7:36) which many Jewish and Christian scholars have tagged as one of the underpinned beliefs distilled in Jesus’ teaching about Justice and Mercy:
Kol hamerachem al haachzarim, besofo yachzer al harachamim
Those who are merciful to the cruel will be cruel to the merciful.
This sentiment is also echoed from Solmon’s observation that the “kindest acts of the wicked are cruel.”
And so it is that we can observe this in daily life – where the very same people who will hold candle-light vigils at the executions of confessed killers by night will be found vehemently supporting abortion by day. Where conservative and liberal Christians, alike, find their Peck-sniffian voices – showing benevolence to those who shouldn’t be coddled and exuding disdain for those who truly do show mercy to the lost.
This is why Justice and Mercy must live hand-in-hand – this is where true “discernment” is required. This is Exhibit A in demonstrating that there is obviously little discernment to be found in the Armchair “Discernment” “Ministry” blogosphere…
10 Comments(+Add)
Sorry – Didn’t mean for the comments to be closed – our defaults are messed up, and I forgot to set the comments to be “on”…
I really like this quote, though I’m having a hard time completely unraveling it. Does it mean that we are to be cruel to those who are cruel (hard and just against those who are hard and cruel to others) and merciful to those who are merciful (gentle and forgiving toward those who do the same)?
Isn’t there a slight difference between “Those who are merciful to the cruel will be cruel to the merciful”
and
Solmon’s observation that the “kindest acts of the wicked are cruel.”
and your observation about ODM ?
The first quote seems to imply a act by anyone,the second says a act by the wicked..
Most ODM are saved and theirfore not wicked, but being transformed by Christ..
How important is the Talmud to Christians? Wasn’t it written years after Christ lived…I’m aware theres a oral aspect to it,but how much of the oral conversation would Christ been aware of,a lowly carpenter?
How much of the Talmud takes into account a man can be saved by Christ, zero? Doesn’t that taint any of its findings about scripture?
I think it is probably better to take this as descriptive as prescriptive. If God showed mercy only to the merciful… Well there goes my salvation “KABOOM”!
I think you’re right Eugene – it’s describing the way things are, not the way they should be. I see it as very similar to this passage in Titus 1:15-16
I think it is also sounds proverbial in nature…
Yes – it is descriptive/proverbial in nature, not prescriptive/proscriptive (which describes much of what is written in the Talmud – which was recorded after the first century, but much of which was carried down orally during the intertestamental period).
Sorry I didn’t make that clearer!
Andy – Solomon’s observations about the “wicked” would refer to peoples’ actions/character, not salvatory state (a later concept than Solomon). So, in my application of Solomon’s word, I am keeping the original context.
Or…could it be…
Those who can find it in themselves to show mercy to the cruel can find it in themselves to show mercy to just about anyone and everyone except the unmerciful?
At least that’s my experience…
But then again…I have a demon…
sorry…couldn’t resist.
The heart of God is mercy.