When Love Reaches Out: Discovering the Depth of Jesus’ Compassion

As I read through the book of Matthew, one characteristic of the life of Christ stands out above the rest: His incredible compassion for the people He interacts with. Time and again, where I might have responded with irritation, Jesus responds with mercy. The more I see His compassion on display, the more I stand in awe of Him – and the more I love Him.

According to Hebrews 1:3, the Son is “the exact imprint” of God’s nature. It follows then, that our Lord Jesus would exhibit God’s loving, merciful and righteous nature (see Exodus 34:6-7 and Jeremiah 9:23-24). In this post, I would like to focus on two accounts in Matthew’s gospel that demonstrate Jesus’ deep compassion: Matthew 8:1-4 and Matthew 14:13-14.

Healing the Outcast – Matthew 8:1-4

Having just finished preaching the greatest sermon ever heard (Matthew 5–7), Jesus comes down the mountain with a large crowd following Him. Suddenly, a man with leprosy approaches and kneels before Him, saying “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean”. In the old Testament, people with leprosy were considered unclean and were forced to live as outcasts “outside the camp” according to the law (Leviticus 13:45-46). Now imagine this scene: Jesus is surrounded by the crowd and here comes a leper approaching. You can almost hear the gasps, fingers pointing directly at the leprous man, and picture the Pharisees watching intently, waiting to see how Jesus will respond. Perhaps the disciples instinctively move to protect their Master, or maybe some of the crowd start to flee. Whatever the reactions were, they were unimportant to Matthew; instead, he highlights only the response of Christ to the man. We are told nothing about the crowd’s reaction, but only that “Jesus reached out His hand and touched the man.”

Here is a man who has not felt the tender touch of another human being in years, and yet, he is touched by a man who has never met Him. The gospel of Mark (1:41) tells us that “moved with compassion, Jesus stretched out His hand” to heal the leper. Although the NIV uses the word “indignant” instead of “compassion”, which differs from other translations, the true meaning of compassion is a deep pity for someone or a situation that compels you to take action. In this moment, Jesus’ compassion led Him to heal the man.

Jesus responds to the man’s plea by saying “I am willing” (verse 2) and the man is miraculously healed (verse 3). Leprosy, as depicted in the Bible, is often used as a symbol of sin and how it should be dealt with in our lives. When we apply this understanding of leprosy to this passage, we realise that we, too, are like the leper—sinners (Psalm 51:5, Ephesians 2:1-3, Romans 3:9-18) in desperate need of a saviour. We must humbly make this same request to Christ “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean”.

In this passage, we see how Christ responds to us: In compassion, our Saviour stretches out His hand and says these words “I am willing.” This is how our Lord responds to all sinners who come to Him.

“All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away.”

Compassion in the Midst of Grief – Matthew 14:13-14

The sad news of the death of John the Baptist reached Jesus, and He withdrew to a solitary place – likely to pray, as immediately after this account, we read that Jesus went to the mountain to pray (verse 23). However, the crowd, driven by their need, followed Him on foot. When Jesus arrived, He found the crowd waiting for Him (verse 14). And again, we are told that “He had compassion on them and healed their sick”.

How might we respond in a similar situation? We all know people who seem more concerned about us solving their problems than about our own well-being. Perhaps you have begun to notice this pattern in your own relationships. In this way, the crowd was to Jesus—they didn’t care if He had eaten, rested, or had any time to Himself. All they wanted was for Him to heal their sick, perform miracles, and solve their problems (John 6:26).

Imagine this then: after a long day of work, hitting the gym, running errands, dealing with your energetic kids, you are absolutely exhausted. Finally, you get into your PJs, switch off the lights, and look forward to some peace and rest. Just as you start to settle in, your phone rings, and it’s that friend – again – calling to share their problems. Frustration builds up inside, and your initial reaction might be impatience. You could leave the call ringing, hang up, or answer but remain distracted and absent-minded from the conversation, masking your true feelings with frowns and inward sighs.

Well, here is Jesus in a similar situation. He had just received the sad news about John the Baptist’s death and was and was seeking solitude, likely to pray and process His grief. When He arrives at the place He had hoped would offer rest, He is met by a crowd of people waiting for Him. And yet, instead of reacting with irritation or frustration, He shows compassion. He doesn’t sigh or roll His eyes. He doesn’t walk away. Instead, He heals their sick.

What? How does He do this? There is no sign of anger or resentment, no “I’m too tired for this” expression. Just pure compassion. His eyes are filled with care and His face likely lit up with kindness, as He lovingly calls the sick to come to Him for healing. The hymn writer, Wilbur Chapman, beautifully captures this truth in his words. Christ is not only a wonderful saviour, but also a compassionate saviour, one in whom we can place our full trust.

The Posture of Christ: Open Arms Over a Pointed Finger

In his book Gentle and Lowly, Dane Ortlund beautifully writes, “He (Jesus) is the most understanding person in the universe. The posture most natural to Him is not a pointed finger but open arms” [2]. What a comforting truth! No matter our struggles, failures, or doubts, Jesus does not stand with condemnation but with compassion. His arms are always open to receive those who come to Him. Come to Him today, and He will respond in love and mercy.

[1] Louis, “Was Jesus Angry or Compassionate According to Mark 1:41? The NIV vs. NLT,” The Baker Deep End Blog, Sep. 10, 2012. https://bbhchurchconnection.wordpress.com/2012/09/10/was-jesus-angry-or-compassionate-according-to-mark-141-the-niv-vs-nlt/ (accessed Oct. 16, 2024).
[2] Ortlund, Gentle and Lowly, p.19.