Argument
Mercy
Overview
Mercy (, MUR-see; from Middle English, from Anglo-French merci, from Medieval Latin merced-, merces "price paid, wages", from Latin merc-, merxi "merchandise") is benevolence, forgiveness, and kindness in a variety of ethical, religious, social, and legal contexts.
In the social and legal context, mercy may refer both to compassionate behavior on the part of those in power (e.g. mercy shown by a judge toward a convict), or on the part of a humanitarian third party (e.g., a mission of mercy aiming to treat war victims).
Overview adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0; see the article history for authors).
In the original texts
Passages from public-domain books where Mercy is discussed.
_I answer that,_ Mercy is especially to be attributed to God, as seen in its effect, but not as an affection of passion. In proof of which it must be considered that a person is said to be merciful [misericors], as being, so to speak, sorrowful at heart [miserum cor]; being affected with sorrow at the misery of another as though it were…
Aquinas Thomas, Summa Theologica, Part I
names the idea; states what it is; opens on it
The quality of mercy is not strained: it droppeth, as the gentle rain from heaven, Upon the place beneath: it is twice bless'd; It blesses him that gives, and him that takes: 'Tis mightiest in the mightiest: it becomes The throned monarch better than his crown: His scepter shows the force of temporal power, The attribute to awe and majesty, Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings; But mercy is above this…
E. Nesbit, Beautiful Stories from Shakespeare
names the idea; a chapter is titled for it; states what it is; opens on it
The third kind of mercy is a continual and daily protection and defence against all the dangers of death, into numbers of which we continually fall; and into more and greater of which we should fall by fire, by water, by sword, by pestilence, and other means of destruction, and be destroyed by them on account of the deserts of our sins, if God did not in his mercy prevent and save and preserve our lives. The fourth…
Martin Luther, A manual of the book of Psalms
names the idea; states what it is; opens on it
He could only be corrected with a rod or reed or the like, as we have stated in Mishneh-torah. Besides, if the master strikes the slave too hard and kills him, he is punished with death as for ordinary murder. Mercy is also the object of the law, “Thou shalt not deliver unto his master the servant that is escaped from his master” (Deut. xxiii.
Moses Maimonides, The guide for the perplexed
states what it is; names the idea; opens on it
Surely _God is my Father._--His goodness and mercy are a _divine_ goodness and mercy, such as only God has and can have, a _perfect_ and _never-failing_ goodness and mercy. My Father is the _Father Almighty,_ who daily will and can provide for and protect His children. _"His compassions fail not. They are new every morning."_ Lam.
George Mezger, Lessons in the Small Catechism of Dr. Martin Luther For the Senior Department of Lutheran Sunday-Schools and for General Use
names the idea; states what it is
Philosophers who discussed Mercy
Related ideas
- Five Pillars of Islam
- Anglo-Norman language
- Hinduism
- Immaculate Conception
- Judaism
- Jainism
- John Locke
- Latin
- Middle Ages
- Catechism of the Catholic Church
- Augustine of Hippo
- New Testament
- Pope John Paul II
- Buddhism
- Quran
- Bodhisattva
- God
- Christianity
- Iconography
- Islam
- Catholic Church
- Confessions (Augustine)
- Caravaggio
- Medieval Latin
Place in the tradition
Part of Atheism.