This past week we talked about the compassion of Christ as found in Matthew 20:34. The Scpriture goes something like this: Jesus was passing by and a couple of blind guys sitting by the side of the road yelled out, “Jesus! Have mercy on us!” The crowd tried to get the blind guys to shut up, but they again shouted, trying to get Jesus’ attention. And so they did, Jesus came over and asked, “What do you want me to do for you” (wow! what if Jesus asked you this…or maybe He is?). They said, “We want to see.” (great answer by the way, maybe this should be our response as well). And then the Scripture says this “Jesus had compassion on them.” And thus He healed them.

The Greek word here for compassion is: ’splangchnizomai”

This Greek verb is usually translated “to be moved with compassion.” But its meaning is more profound and powerful. The verb is derived from the noun which basically means intestines, bowels, entrails, that is to say the inward parts from which the strongest emotions arise. The ancient Greeks believed life was in the belly and not in the “heart.” That is why in English we usually translate this as: His heart went out to them. But even these verbs do not capture the deep physical flavor of the Greek word for compassion. The compassion that Jesus felt was quite different from simply pity or sympathy. His heart was torn. His gut wrenched, the most vulnerable part of His being laid bare.

Henri Nouwen writes this:

Splangchnizomai is related to the Hebrew word for compassion, rachamim, which refers to the womb of Yahweh. Compassion is such a deep, central and powerful emotion in Jesus that it can only be described as a movement of the womb of God. There all the divine tenderness and gentleness lies hidden. There, God is Father and mother, brother and sister, son and daughter. There, all feelings, emotions and passions are one in divine love.

Wow. I think Jesus wants to have compassion upon us but the question is this: We will allow him to cover us in His “splangchnizomai”?