There is a recounting in the chapter of John of the Pharisees sending temple guards to arrest Jesus. But they come back awestruck and empty-handed. The Pharisees are disgusted with them.
Finally the temple guards went back to the chief priests and the Pharisees, who asked them, "Why didn't you bring him in?"
"No one ever spoke the way this man does," the guards replied.
"You mean he has deceived you also?" the Pharisees retorted. "Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed in him? No! But this mob that knows nothing of the law—there is a curse on them." John 7:45-49
"This mob." The Greek word is ochlos (ὄχλος) and means "a crowd, multitude, the common people … by implication, the rabble." I think this arrogant, condescending attitude of the Pharisees may have been one of the things that most distressed our Lord. Because this rabble, this common, low, uneducated mob, are the ones on which Jesus had compassion. The ones he healed and fed and taught.
When he saw the crowds (ochlos), he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Matthew 9:36
When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd (ochlos), he had compassion on them and healed their sick. Matthew 14:14
The people were amazed when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled made well, the lame walking and the blind seeing. And they praised the God of Israel. Jesus called his disciples to him and said, "I have compassion for these people (ochlos) …" Matthew 15:31-32
When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd (ochlos), he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things. Mark 6:34
I have compassion for these people (ochlos); they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat. Mark 8:2
I have compassion for these people.
The word translated "compassion" is splagchnizomai (σπλαγχνίζομαι). It is the "[m]iddle voice from splagchnon; to have the bowels yearn, i.e. (figuratively) feel sympathy, to pity -- have (be moved with) compassion."1
Charles Spurgeon preached about this word that attempts to communicate the unprecedented compassion of Jesus.
"This [that he had compassion] is said of Christ Jesus several times in the New Testament. The original word is a very remarkable one. It is not found in classic Greek. It is not found in the Septuagint. The fact is, it was a word coined by the evangelists themselves. They did not find one in the whole Greek language that suited their purpose, and therefore they had to make one. It is expressive of the deepest emotion; a striving of the bowels--a yearning of the innermost nature with pity. As the dictionaries tell us-- Ex intimis visceribus misericordia commoveor [I am moved with compassion from my inmost bowels]. I suppose that when our Saviour looked upon certain sights, those who watched him closely perceived that his internal agitation was very great, his emotions were very deep, and then his face betrayed it, his eyes gushed like founts with tears, and you saw that his big heart was ready to burst with pity for the sorrow upon which his eyes were gazing. He was moved with compassion. His whole nature was agitated with commiseration for the sufferers before him." -- Charles Spurgeon2(emphasis mine)
Isn't that amazing that Jesus' compassion for the "mob" was so great that the language couldn't contain it, they needed to come up with a new word?
Jesus told a story, to those who looked down on others, about a Pharisee and a tax collector praying in the Temple.
He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt … The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.' I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.' But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, 'God, have mercy on me, a sinner.'" Luke 18:9 (ESV)
Yet, Jesus said that it was the despised, but humble and repentant, tax collector who went home justified.
I have a feeling that when the Pharisees threw the woman taken in adultery contemptuously down at the feet of Jesus, she was alone because her equally guilty partner was some important person in the community, a rich man, a noble, or perhaps even another Pharisee.
It seems to be an inescapable trait of us humans to put people in boxes with labels so that we can stack them up like blocks and place our box on top. It seems that no matter how low we ourselves are, we look for someone to place and despise as even lower, to make ourselves feel better, smarter, more important, righteous, justified in our attitudes and actions.
I want to have compassion on those on whom Jesus had compassion. I want to be careful not to despise and label those for whom Jesus died. The hungry, the hopeless, the homeless crowding the sidewalks, the masses of immigrants flooding the borders. Reveal to me my wrong thinking, any judgements and condemnation of others that I secretly hold. Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! (Psalm 139:23 ESV).
Write a new Word in me. Create a new heart in me. Your great heart of compassion. Let me carry it, carefully and consciously, as precious healing salve and lavishly dispense it upon your precious rabble, your cherished mob, your harassed and hungry sheep without a shepherd – not as condescending, but as your servant washing feet.
See that you do not despise (contemn*, despise, disdain, think little or nothing of, think against, disesteem) one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven. Matthew 18:10
1All definitions from Strong's Exhaustive Concordance.
2The Compassion of Jesus, a sermon (No. 3438), published on Thursday, December 24th, 1914, at the Metropolitan Tabernacle, Newington.
*From Merriam-Webster Dictionary: to view or treat with contempt: scorn.
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