Divine Mercy: The Heart of the Gospel

20 Divine Mercy: The Heart Of The Gospel of the verses unique to Luke do not contain a word identified as trans­ lating the Old Testament concept o f hesed or Mercy! Although many scripture commentators have accepted this premise and only address Divine Mercy in the context of hesed, I propose that this does not solve any of our problems with translations and meanings. But rather, the quick acceptance of this Hebrew word hesed as a word for word translation of Divine Mercy limits and clouds our understand­ ing and keeps us from a deeper understanding o f God’s Mercy. Let me restate this. If St. Luke’s Gospel is the Gospel o f Mercy, it is not because he uses one Greek word eleos for the Hebrew for mercy, hesed, more often, or in more unique passages than do the other Gospel writers.14 A key question we need to ask ourselves at this point is this: “Why does Luke consciously use these unique verses if not for a word for word translation of eleos for hesedV I propose that Scripture commentators today have lost sight of a basic translation problem that Luke understood immediately as he did his study and research in planning and compiling his Gospel. A quick check in any concordance will show that there are other words in Hebrew that are used to convey the concept of Mercy. Of course we have hesed (2617)15 which means kindness, pity or mercy. It comes from the root word chacad (2616) which means to bow the neck (only) in courtesy to an equal, to be kind or merciful. There is chanan (2603) a prime root word which means to bend or stoop in kindness to an inferior, to have pity on, or be merciful. There is racham (7356) which means compassion or mercy and comes from the word racham (7355) a prime root which means to fond le as a child, to be compas­ sionate or have mercy. Another Hebrew word, which comes from this prime root, gives a nuance to mercy that is truly unfathomable to a Western mind: the Hebrew word rechem (7358) also from racham (7356). Rechem (7358) is the Hebrew word for the womb o f a woman. Our Hebrew ancestors understood the opening of the womb of a woman and giving new life as a divine act o f Mercy: Lo, children are a heritage o f the Lord: and the fruit o f the womb is his reward (Psalm 127:3).