In Matthew 9, during Jesus’ ministry in Galilee, we find Jesus engaged in His mission. We’re told in Matthew 9:35-36 that “35 Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. 36 But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd.””
It is in this passage that we discover Jesus’ threefold ministry. In verse 35 Jesus is teaching and preaching the gospel of the kingdom. The good news of the coming kingdom of God had been anticipated for hundreds of years (Daniel 2:44). Jesus also went about healing every sickness and disease among the people. Prophetically, this was understood to be a sign of the coming Messiah (Isaiah 35:4-6).
Jesus’ third aspect of His ministry was to show compassion. In verse 36 we’re told that when Jesus saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. In Ezekiel 34 the people of Israel understood that one day the Lord would be their shepherd. He, Himself, would be the One who would spiritually nurture His people.
The phrase “to have compassion” in verse 36 is translated from the one Greek word splanchnizomai. It is the verb form of splanchna and means “to feel deep sympathy.” The noun splanchna is usually translated as sympathy, affection, or inward feelings.
What is important for us to understand is that Jesus showed compassion in more than one way in our text. In verse 35 Jesus’ showed compassion for the physical needs of the people. Remember, He did heal every sickness and disease among the people. Jesus also showed compassion by preaching the gospel of the kingdom. Lastly, Jesus showed compassion by calling and empowering the Twelve to do the same things He was doing because “they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd.” Jesus saw the people being abuse by the religious leaders. Jesus saw that they were without any true spiritual guidance. As the Good Shepherd, Jesus showed the people compassion by making sure that they could find real spiritual leadership, not only in Himself, but also in His Apostles (Matthew 10).
Today, those who make up the Lord’s church are to show the same kind of compassion Jesus showed to those suffering, distressed, vulnerable, or in misery. Like Jesus we are to share the Good News of the Kingdom of God. This shows compassion because becoming a part of God’s Kingdom puts our struggles into perspective and gives us hope now and for the future.
As Christians we also show compassion by tending to the physical needs of people. While we cannot miraculously heal people like Jesus and the Apostles, we can help provide or point people to resources to help meet their physical needs. Lastly, we can show compassion by helping guide people in their faith. We can help lead them to Christ and the truth of His Word. We can help them find answers and overcome doubt in order to be able to better follow Jesus and His teachings. We can show them the same kinds of compassion that Jesus showed.
