What are the Bible's teachings on compassion?

Definition and Importance of Compassion

Compassion in Scripture involves empathetic love that motivates a person to act mercifully on behalf of someone else’s need (cf. Luke 10:33–34). The term embraces not only feeling but also a desire to alleviate suffering. It is deeply woven into the fabric of biblical teaching, reflecting the character of the One who formed the heavens and the earth. Throughout Scripture, compassion stands as both a virtue commanded for God’s people and as an attribute displayed by God Himself.

Divine Compassion in the Old Testament

God’s revelation of Himself repeatedly highlights His compassionate nature. In Exodus 34:6, He is proclaimed as “compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in loving devotion and faithfulness.” This theme continues throughout the narratives, poems, and prophecies of the Old Testament:

• In Deuteronomy 4:31, God is called “a merciful God,” who does not abandon His covenant people.

• Psalm 145:8–9 declares: “The LORD is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in loving devotion. The LORD is good to all; His compassion rests on all He has made.”

Archaeological finds, such as the Dead Sea Scrolls (discovered in 1947), preserve entire books of the Old Testament, including Isaiah. The consistency of the texts in these manuscripts underscores the reliability of scriptural accounts of God’s mercy. For example, Isaiah 54:10 remains consistent, affirming God’s unwavering compassion: “Though the mountains may be shaken and the hills be removed, My loving devotion will not depart from you, and My covenant of peace will not be broken.”

Compassion Revealed in the Life of Christ

The New Testament portrays Christ’s ministry as the fullest expression of compassion. In Matthew 9:36, Jesus “had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” Numerous miracles underscore this compassion:

• Mark 1:40–41 records Jesus responding to a leper’s plea: “Moved with compassion, Jesus reached out His hand and touched the man. ‘I am willing,’ He said, ‘be clean.’”

• In Luke 7:13–14, seeing a widow’s grief, “the Lord saw her and had compassion on her,” and resurrected her son.

Early manuscript evidence—such as Papyrus 66 (P66) and Papyrus 75 (P75)—aligns with the broader manuscript tradition, consistently conveying Jesus’s compassionate acts. These accounts emphasize the historical trustworthiness and theological depth of His merciful character.

Calls to Compassion in the Epistles

A hallmark of New Testament teaching is the call for believers to reflect God’s compassion:

• Colossians 3:12 exhorts, “Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with hearts of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.”

• 1 John 3:17 warns that indifference to others’ needs contradicts genuine faith.

This ethical instruction is rooted in the reality that Jesus’s followers have received boundless mercy through His sacrificial work. The epistles place a clear emphasis on translating the understanding of God’s mercy into practical care for others, regardless of societal, economic, or ethnic distinctions.

Compassion in Daily Christian Living

Scripture outlines concrete ways to exercise compassion:

1. Meeting Physical Needs: The parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25–37) illustrates that true mercy involves stepping out of one’s own convenience to care for someone in desperate straits.

2. Emotional Support: Romans 12:15 teaches believers to “weep with those who weep,” recognizing that sharing emotional burdens is part of loving one’s neighbor.

3. Spiritual Care: James 5:16 urges believers to pray for one another, indicating compassionate concern extends beyond the physical realm to the spiritual well-being of others.

Christian communities throughout history have modeled this perspective by establishing hospitals, orphanages, and relief efforts, often motivated by the biblical call to compassion. Historical accounts of early believers in the Roman Empire—such as Dionysius’s testimony of Christians caring for the sick during plagues—demonstrate how compassion became a hallmark of Christian witness.

Old Testament Models of Compassionate Behavior

Various characters illustrate compassion in the Hebrew Scriptures:

• Boaz in Ruth 2–3 shows kindness to Ruth, providing for her and ultimately protecting her future.

• David’s loyalty to Jonathan’s family, notably to Mephibosheth (2 Samuel 9), underscores compassionate generosity toward the vulnerable.

Associated archaeological and historical studies affirm the cultural contexts of these narratives, revealing that God’s people were called to stand apart by living mercifully in societies often marked by harshness and exploitation.

Foundational Motivation: God’s Compassion for Humanity

The ultimate motivation for showing mercy is rooted in God’s own compassion:

• Ephesians 2:4–5 sums up salvation itself as an act of divine compassion: “But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ.”

• Hebrews 4:15–16 affirms that Jesus, our High Priest, sympathizes with our weaknesses and invites us to approach His throne of grace with confidence.

Evidence for the reliability of these New Testament texts springs from the wealth of manuscript evidence—including tens of thousands of partial and complete manuscripts dating from the second century onward—that consistently present this central teaching of divine and human compassion.

Compassion as a Reflective Attribute of Believers

Compassion signals alignment with God’s heart. The merciful believer mirrors the mercy received, pointing those who suffer toward the ultimate source of comfort. In Philippians 2:1–2, Paul appeals for unity and selflessness, implying that compassion achieves its highest form when it serves to uphold the unity and love of a community.

Within the broader biblical timeline, the theme of compassion remains steady from the earliest covenant promises to the final visions of Scripture. Multiple lines of ancient textual testimony, corroborated by established manuscript evidence, uphold the continuity of this message. This coherence reinforces the enduring emphasis that mercy is indispensable to both our understanding of God and our fellowship with each other.

Practical Application

1. Intentional Neighborliness: Seek out practical ways to assist those in crisis, whether through local ministries or simple acts of love toward acquaintances.

2. Intercession: Regularly pray for those who are hurting, trusting God to bring comfort, healing, and resources.

3. Confronting Injustice: Show compassion by defending the voiceless. Proverbs 31:8–9 instructs leaders to “speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves.”

4. Adopting a Gracious Posture: In face-to-face interactions, reflecting a gentle demeanor and kind words can demonstrate empathy that opens the way for deeper help.

Conclusion

From Genesis to Revelation, compassion remains a defining attribute of the Creator and a foundational requirement for His people. The reliability of the Scriptures, preserved in extensive manuscript evidence such as the Dead Sea Scrolls and papyrus fragments, confirms that this message has not wavered through history. God’s own dealings with humanity set the standard: He is compassionate and gracious, and those who follow Him are called to embody that same compassion in all areas of life.

In recognizing the biblical emphasis on compassion, believers are reminded that divine mercy is designed to shape their attitudes, relationships, and responses to a hurting world. By reflecting the compassion so abundantly shown to us, we participate in the very heart and mission that Scripture consistently proclaims.