SOAP Bible Study on Matthew 12:7: What Did Jesus Mean by ‘I Desire Mercy, Not Sacrifice’?

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A couple weeks ago in life group, we unpacked Matthew 12:7 from the context of what Jesus’s words meant in regards to how we handle relationships with one another. This verse stuck with me so much that it led me down a rabbit hole to unpack what Jesus’ words meant. 

S.O.A.P Bible Study Explained:

Before diving into the passage, I wanted to quickly explain the SOAP Bible study method so you can follow the structure of the blog easily, and use this method for your own Bible Study time if you find it helpful.

SOAP stands for Scripture, Observation, Application, and Prayer.

First, you write out (or highlight) key verses as you're reading your Bible. Then you make observations about what the text is saying in its context (if you need help unpacking the context of verses, check out the ESV Bible I use below). After making your observations, you reflect on how the text you just read applies to your life today. Then, you respond to God through prayer.

Now, let's dive into the Bible Study :)

Scripture:

“And if you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the guiltless” ~ Matthew 12:7 ESV

Observation:

For context, in Matthew 12, Jesus is walking with His disciples through a grain field and they get hungry so they begin to “pluck heads of grain and to eat.” (Matthew 12:1). For some reason, maybe because the activity involved some sort of labor, the Pharisees were indignant that Jesus would allow His disciples to do that on the Sabbath. In response to their indignation, Jesus started giving them various examples of people in the Old Testament who did things that were considered unlawful in extreme circumstances, and were not condemned by God (Matthew 12:3-5 ESV).

Because the Pharisees were the Bible scholars of their time, they would have been familiar with the examples Jesus quoted and known that He was telling them the truth. Also, by saying "and if you had known what this means..." Jesus is challenging the Pharisees' true understanding of the scriptures and basically calling them out for their lack of understanding, causing them not to treat God's people the way they should have.

This is not the first time Jesus questioned their understanding of God desiring mercy and not sacrifice. This comes up in Matthew 9:13 as well, where He tells the Pharisees: “Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.” ~ Matthew 9:13 ESV

In this context, Jesus was at a table with sinners and tax collectors, and the Pharisees questioned His disciples by saying, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” ~ Matthew 9:11 ESV

He then responded to them by saying, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.  Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.” ~ Matthew 9:12-13 ESV

Again, in this chapter, Jesus is responding to a challenge from the Pharisees by questioning their true understanding of the scripture, “I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.” 

Based on the context in which He says it, we can imply what He is trying to say, but I wanted to dive deeper into what He meant by that. 

The ESV Bible note on Matthew 9:13 says that: “I desire mercy and not sacrifice is a quotation from Hosea 6:6. “Sacrifice” here refers to keeping religious rituals. “Mercy” translates the idea of covenant faithfulness, which should have led the Pharisees to care for these sinners as Jesus did.” 

This confirmed my assumption that through that verse, Jesus is telling the Pharisees that they should not be so concerned with people keeping the laws outlined in the Old Testament that they miss caring for the actual people as He did and modeled while He lived on earth. 

Let’s take it a step further and look at the actual verse being quoted by Jesus in Hosea 6:6: 

“For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.” ~ Hosea 6:6

In this translation, mercy is changed to “steadfast love” and I feel like it drives the point home more that God desires our love of Him more than our sacrifices to Him. 

The ESV Bible note on Hosea 6:6 says that: “God desires real participation in the covenant by his people, here expressed as steadfast love and knowledge of God.” 

Application:

I don’t know about you, but to know that real participation in a relationship with God looks like steadfast love and knowledge of God feels more attainable than striving to earn His love.

The fact that God knows we’re not perfect, that we will always fall short, so He sent His one and only son as a sacrifice to create a way for us to be able to repent and be reunited with Him is such an example of His love for us! 

Now taking all of this into consideration, what does it mean for us and our relationship with others that Jesus desires mercy, and not sacrifice? 

For us, I think it means that we do not have to worry about striving and being perfect, because Jesus would rather us have steadfast love for Him than trying to keep up with religious rituals all the time. Does that mean we stop reading our Bibles and obeying His commands because of that? Of course not! But it does mean that we can rest knowing that our steadfast love of God and the pursuit of deeper knowledge of God is enough. 

For our relationship with others, I think it means we have to try our best not to be the Pharisees of our time. We can’t be so concerned about what sins others are committing/not committing that we forget to “care for these sinners as Jesus did” (ESV Bible Note on Matthew 9:13). 

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, thank you for this reminder from your word that you desire mercy and steadfast love more than you desire religious performance. Help me grow in my knowledge of you and help me embrace the truth that my steadfast love of you is enough. Guard my heart from becoming like the Pharisees were and teach me what it looks like to love people the way Jesus did. Thaw my heart towards the people around me Lord, and help me extend to them the same grace you would have. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.

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