This compassion comes in waves over and over again in Christ’s ministry, driving him to heal the sick (“and he had compassion on them and healed their sick,” Matt. 14:14), feed the hungry (“I have compassion on the crowd because they have been with me now three days and have nothing to eat,” Matt. 15:32), teach the crowds (“and he had compassion on them . . . and he began to teach them many things,” Mark 6:34), and wipe away the tears of the bereaved (“and he had compassion on her and said to her, ‘Do not weep,’” Luke 7:13). The Greek word for “compassion” is the same in all these texts and
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