Jesus’ Favourite Verse

Someone once said that Jesus had a favourite Bible verse. There’s no question that Scripture shaped his life and ministry, yet it actually isn’t that often that Jesus quotes the Bible. One text does stand out, though, because He quotes it twice. The passage is Hosea 6:6, where the Lord says through his prophet,

I desire mercy and not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings. 

On one occasion Jesus has to defend himself against the Pharisees, who were rebuking him for eating with tax collectors. Christ turns their rebuke around by echoing the words of Hosea, “Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice’” (Matt 9:13). In other words, Jesus says, for all of their legalistic criticism, the Pharisees have problems of their own—namely, they have a fine outer crust of religion, while their inside is hollow and loveless.

Another occasion, the Pharisees scold Jesus for how his disciples were plucking grain on the Sabbath. After defending his men, Jesus turns attention to how it was actually the Pharisees who were living out of sync with God’s law: “If you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the guiltless’” (Matt 12:6).

Two references probably aren’t enough to make Hosea 6:6 his favourite text. But this does show a key idea for his ministry of teaching: Jesus calls his believers to a life that is marked by genuine mercy. God had always commanded his people to do sacrifice and ceremony, but if these observances never touched the inner places of a person, then they weren’t worth very much at all. 

Hasn’t this always been a danger, from the days of Hosea, to the days of Jesus and the Pharisees, to today in the Christian church?

It’s easy to be satisfied with our various activities in religion. We’ve done what was expected. We’ve kept to a standard. “I was at church every Sunday, wasn’t I? Didn’t I pray for all my meals, and put money in the collection, and send the kids to a Christian school? Don’t I keep the Sabbath and avoid most bad movies?”

I’ve performed what I needed to.             

But what’s the real reason that we come to God with our obedience, with worship and gifts? What’s the heart behind our prayers and songs, and what’s the motivation for our serving the church?

The Lord teaches that a life of true worship is marked by something simple, yet essential. It goes back to the teaching of Moses. Think about what he asked the people of Israel in Deuteronomy 10:12, “And now, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul?”

What does God require of you? He wants your heart, your soul, your very being—offered in love.

Mercy, not sacrifice. Knowledge of God, instead of burnt offerings.

Of course, God commanded that sacrifices be brought to the temple. That was in his law. But strip it all away, and what is a true offering? It’s one with a genuine motive: the longing to glorify God. It arises from a heart that has repented from sin. A right prayer is offered by the person who relies on God’s grace, because he knows that Christ is his only hope.

And such worship will lead to a life of mercy. The word “mercy” is much more than being a nice person. Literally, it speaks of a “loyal love,” most often describing God’s covenant faithfulness to his people. He’s attentive to the promises He’s made, and He fulfills them all in his grace. God is merciful—so what should his people be like?

We too, should be people of loyal love. Do we seek the good of others and put their interests ahead of our own? Do we have an eye for those who are suffering? Do we want to bless people by our kindness, even if they can’t offer anything in return?

It’s quite simple that this is what God requires. This is what the proper knowledge of God and a good relationship with the Lord looks like: “Mercy, not sacrifice.” Simple, yet we need so much help in overcoming our lack of love and our lack of faith. And there’s good news. The one, true sacrifice has already been presented. Jesus Christ came before the Lord his God and He presented himself in perfect obedience. With his precious blood, He has atoned for every sin, He has covered every failing.  

Jesus gives every reason to come before God with worship. Our Saviour gives every reason to make Hosea 6:6 your life’s work, your calling, your purpose.

In Christ, and for Christ, and by his mighty Spirit, may He help you today fulfill the good requirements of the Lord: mercy and the knowledge of God.