1 Maccabees 13:41-48: a reflection

41In the one hundred seventieth year, the yoke of the Gentiles was taken away from Israel. 42The people began to write in their instruments and contracts, “In the first year of Simon, the great high priest and captain and leader of the Jews.” 43In those days Simon encamped against Gazara, and surrounded it with troops. He made a siege engine, and brought it up to the city, and struck a tower, and captured it. 44Those who were in the engine leaped out into the city; and there was a great uproar in the city. 45The people of the city tore their clothes, and went up on the walls with their wives and children, and cried with a loud voice, asking Simon to give them his right hand. 46They said, “Don’t deal with us according to our wickednesses, but according to your mercy.” 47So Simon was reconciled to them, and didn’t fight against them; but he expelled them from the city and cleansed the houses where the idols were, and then entered into it with singing and giving praise. 48He removed all uncleanness out of it, and placed in it men who would keep the law, and made it stronger than it was before, and built a dwelling place for himself in it.

When Simon besieged the city of Gazara and its people, facing defeat, cried out to him for mercy, he did not deal with them as their wickedness might have deserved, but showed them mercy. Don't deal with us according to our wickednesses, they pleaded, but according to your mercy. And Simon was reconciled to them, and didn't fight against them, sparing the city that had appealed to his mercy. Though he had them in his power and might have dealt harshly with them, he showed mercy to those who pleaded for it. There is something worth noting here: when those who are at our mercy plead for it, appealing not to their own merit but to our mercy, there is grace in granting it, in dealing with them according to mercy rather than strict deserving. Simon spared those who cast themselves on his mercy. To show mercy to those in our power who plead for it, rather than dealing with them by strict deserving, is a grace worth showing. When people appeal to our mercy, mercy is worth granting.

Notice the plea, and Simon's response: they asked for mercy, not according to their deserving, and he granted it. The people, facing defeat and in Simon's power, did not plead their own innocence or merit; they appealed to his mercy, asking to be dealt with not according to their wickedness but according to his mercy. And Simon, though he had them at his mercy and might have dealt harshly, showed them mercy and spared them. There is a grace in this: to show mercy to those in our power who plead for it, to deal with them according to mercy rather than strict deserving. When those who have wronged us or opposed us are at our mercy and appeal to it, there is grace in granting mercy rather than exacting the full measure of what they might deserve. This echoes, too, how we ourselves appeal to God: not according to our deserving, but according to his mercy. To show mercy to those who plead for it, when they are in our power, is to reflect the mercy we ourselves depend on. Mercy granted to the one who pleads for it is a grace worth showing. To spare those at our mercy who ask for it is a reflection of grace.

That is worth taking to heart, for there is grace in showing mercy to those in our power who plead for it, rather than dealing with them by strict deserving. When those who have wronged or opposed us are at our mercy and plead for it, appealing not to their merit but to our mercy, we can deal with them harshly, by strict deserving; but Simon showed mercy to the city that pleaded, dealing with them according to mercy rather than wickedness. There is grace in granting mercy to those who plead for it, and it reflects the mercy we ourselves depend on from God. Do not deal harshly, by strict deserving, with those in your power who plead for mercy; show them mercy, as Simon spared the city that appealed to his. Show mercy to those in your power who plead for it, dealing with them according to mercy rather than strict deserving, as Simon spared the city of Gazara that pleaded to be dealt with not according to their wickedness but according to his mercy; for there is grace in granting mercy to those who cast themselves on it, and to show mercy to those at our mercy who appeal to it reflects the mercy we ourselves depend on from God, so that to spare those who plead for mercy rather than exacting strict deserving is a grace worth showing.

Lord, when Simon besieged the city of Gazara and its people, facing defeat, cried out to him for mercy, he did not deal with them as their wickedness might have deserved, but showed them mercy. Don't deal with us according to our wickednesses, they pleaded, but according to your mercy. And Simon was reconciled to them, and didn't fight against them, sparing the city that had appealed to his mercy. Though he had them in his power and might have dealt harshly with them, he showed mercy to those who pleaded for it. There is something worth noting here: when those who are at our mercy plead for it, appealing not to their own merit but to our mercy, there is grace in granting it. Show me the plea, and Simon's response: they asked for mercy, not according to their deserving, and he granted it. The people, facing defeat and in Simon's power, did not plead their own innocence; they appealed to his mercy. And Simon, though he had them at his mercy, showed them mercy and spared them. There is a grace in this: to show mercy to those in our power who plead for it, to deal with them according to mercy rather than strict deserving. This echoes, too, how I myself appeal to you: not according to my deserving, but according to your mercy. To show mercy to those who plead for it is to reflect the mercy I depend on. Take that to my heart, for there is grace in showing mercy to those in my power who plead for it. When those who have wronged or opposed me are at my mercy and plead for it, I can deal with them harshly, by strict deserving; but Simon showed mercy to the city that pleaded. Keep me from dealing harshly, by strict deserving, with those in my power who plead for mercy; help me show them mercy, Lord, as Simon spared the city that appealed to his, reflecting the mercy I myself depend on from you.