Mercy Themes in the Song of Zechariah

Being at a Sisters of Mercy university means that the concept of mercy, and what it means for our educational context, our pedagogy, and our institution, is often part of the conversation.  Today I was struck by the way in which mercy is explicitly invoked in the infancy narrative of Luke’s Gospel in the Song of Zechariah (Luke 1:68-79) Though not necessarily a psalm sung by the early Christians, this passage does seem to reflect the Jewish milieu of the early church and also probably reflects themes and expressions prominent in early Christian worship, particularly with its psalm-like style. For a detailed treatment of the psalm as a kind of didactic hymn, see pp. 311-314 in my book Teaching through Song in Antiquity. There I argue that hymns, psalms, and prayers included in other genres (such as narratives and epistles) often have a didactic function: while ostensibly directed in praise of God, they serve to instruct the reader by promoting a particular view of reality that the reader is urged to embrace. The power and impact of using a hymn in this way is that the author can move out of the normal expression of writing history or a letter, and can engage the reader or hearer with language, imagery, and expressions that have a greater affective impact. Thus, the ways in which hymns and psalms convey their instruction is somewhat different than the direct instruction of someone simply saying, “This is how it is.” The didactic impact of a hymn or song is in some ways more "caught" than directly taught.

In the case of the Song of Zechariah (commonly referred to as the Benedictus), by including it in the narrative Luke is able to highlight a number of themes important to his overall Gospel. In particular, through the psalm style and allusions to key events of deliverance in the history of Israel, Luke is able to show that Jesus and John are both to be understood as part of that history of God’s mercy. The reader learns this without Luke ever having to say it explicitly. The portions of the passage that explicitly invoke the theme of mercy are:

Thus he has shown the mercy promised to our ancestors (v. 72a)

And

By the tender mercy of our God,
the dawn from on high will break upon us,
to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the way of peace. (vv. 78-79)

It is thus the mercy of God which is the originating impetus behind a number of favorable results for humanity. Following the logic of the psalm, we might note that this divine mercy results in: incarnation (faithful presence of the promised savior); illumination (light for those in darkness); guidance; progress along a good path; and peace (shalom; well-being). These are the kinds of values and practices that Luke promotes by including this hymnic passage within his narrative. In singing this song, Zechariah serves as a model of someone who recognizes and experiences God’s mercy and responds with praise. He has also become a teacher, instructing the reader in the way in which the story of Jesus is to be understood, and holding up the values to be put into practice within the Christian community. The story of Jesus is thus a story of God’s mercy resulting in the sending of the savior (v. 68) and the resulting illumination of those living in darkness.

Those seeking to embody and practice this kind of mercy today can consider ways in which they can participate in the same kinds of redemptive tasks: embodying faithful presence to those in need; offering illumination and instruction that can change lives; offering guidance and mentoring to the next generation; and working for the well-being of humanity and of our world. To participate in these kinds of redemptive tasks today, even on the smallest scale, would seem to be ways of bringing the mercy of God to those who need it: all of us.