What does the Bible say about empathy?
Empathy is a central aspect of Christian faith and practice. Though the term "empathy" itself may not appear explicitly in biblical texts, the concept permeates Scripture through its narratives, teachings, and emotional expressions. The Bible consistently portrays God as one who understands human suffering and calls believers to a similar compassionate understanding of others. This empathetic dimension is particularly evident in the Psalms, where authors express raw emotions that resonate across generations. As David writes in Psalm 56:8, "You have kept count of my tossings; put my tears in your bottle. Are they not in your book?" This powerful image suggests that God not only witnesses our suffering but treasures and remembers our emotional experiences, establishing a divine model of empathy.
The gospel message itself centers on God's empathetic response to human brokenness through the incarnation of Jesus Christ. In Hebrews 4:15, we read that Jesus is "one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin," highlighting Christ's ability to fully understand human experience. This divine empathy motivated the ultimate act of compassion: "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16). The gospel extends beyond mere forgiveness of sins to encompass restoration and reconciliation of the whole person, addressing the physical, emotional, and spiritual dimensions of human experience. As Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 5:18-19, "All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself."
Within the context of God's kingdom, empathy functions as a cornerstone of Christian community and witness. Jesus established empathy as essential to kingdom living when he summarized the law with the commands to love God and "love your neighbor as yourself" (Mark 12:31). This self-referential standard for love necessarily involves understanding others' experiences and needs. The early church exemplified this empathetic community as described in Acts 4:32, where "the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul." Paul reinforces this communal empathy in Romans 12:15, instructing believers to "Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep." These practical expressions of empathy create the loving fellowship that Jesus indicated would be the distinguishing mark of his disciples (John 13:35).
Even challenging biblical texts that seem to conflict with modern notions of empathy—such as imprecatory psalms calling for judgment on enemies—can be understood within the larger biblical narrative of God's justice and redemption. These passages often express the genuine human emotions of those suffering under oppression, crying out for divine intervention. The Bible does not shy away from depicting the full range of human experience, including anger and desire for justice. However, Jesus reframes our understanding of how to respond to enemies in Matthew 5:44, teaching, "Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you." This progression reveals God's ultimate purpose of redemption and reconciliation, which can only be achieved through empathy that transcends tribal boundaries and seeks the restoration of all people to a right relationship with God and each other.
The Bible's emphasis on empathy culminates in the vision of the new creation, where God himself "will wipe away every tear from their eyes" (Revelation 21:4). This tender image of God's personal attention to human suffering represents the ultimate expression of divine empathy. As believers journey toward this future hope, they are called to embody Christ's empathy in the present. In Colossians 3:12, Paul exhorts Christians to "put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience." Through cultivating these empathetic virtues, believers participate in God's redemptive work, bringing glimpses of the coming kingdom into the present world. The biblical narrative thus presents empathy not as a peripheral virtue but as fundamental to understanding the character of God and the calling of his people.
