Perfection and Mercy

Matthew 5:48 "Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect (SN#5046).

Luke 6:36 "Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful (SN#3629) .

The Greek words [teleiov] (SN#5046) and [oiktermov] (SN#3629) are used interchangably in these passages. To be merciful is to be perfect. The context of the passage, in Matthew, says as much. We are admonished to be like our heavenly father, who lets the rain and sunshine fall on the just and unjust.

The word translated "merciful" in Luke is used just one other time in the NT:

Jas 5:11 We count those blessed who endured. You have heard of the endurance of Job and have seen the outcome of the Lord’s dealings, that the Lord is full of compassion and is merciful <3629>.

The word is used about 60 times in the LXX. It is often used as in the passage in James. It refers to the character of God in his gracious dealings. When David was given choice of judgment, he chose the Lord to judge him because of his mercies:

2Sa 24:14 Then David said to Gad, "I am in great distress. Let us now fall into the hand of the LORD for His mercies (SN #3629) are great, but do not let me fall into the hand of man."

The term in the Greek OT 2 Sam 24:14 translated "mercies" is the same word or a closely related word translated as "merciful" in Luke 6:36.

Note: The "Apostolic Bible" translation of the LXX by Charles Vanderpool has coordinated the Strong's numbering system with the Greek OT. In Strong's, OT word numbers begin with a "0". In Vanderpool's system, the OT word numbers correspond to the Greek; therefore, no "0" appears in front of the number.

Note the use of the term in the following passages:

Ne 1:11 "O Lord, I beseech You, may Your ear be attentive to the prayer of Your servant and the prayer of Your servants who delight to revere Your name, and make Your servant successful today and grant him compassion (SN#3629) before this man." Now I was the cupbearer to the king.

Ps 37:21 The wicked borrows and does not pay back, But the righteous is gracious (SN# 3629) and gives.

Ps 78:38 But He, being compassionate (SN#3629), forgave their iniquity and did not destroy them; And often He restrained His anger And did not arouse all His wrath.

Ps 103:13 (102:13) As a father pities (SN# 3629) his children, the Lord pities them that fear him.

Pr 12:10 ¶ A righteous man has pity (SN#3629) for the lives of his cattle; but the bowels of the ungodly are unmerciful.

There is a practical aspect involved with the term translated as merciful. People who are merciful lend, care for their children, their livestock, grant favors and so forth.