Grace (G-d's mercy) was always present, it's not a newer church invention. G-d never changes; His mercy never changes, the Way of salvation never changes. Man has always understood that G-d is merciful and forgiving towards him; Yeshua did not introduce the concepts of mercy and salvation, He *fulfilled* the *ancient promises* of mercy and salvation.
This verse best shows that Yeshua was fulfilling a promise made to Israel. He wasn't introducing a new concept!
Before Messiah's office was fully understood, mercy and salvation were linked. Many dispensationalists act as if the "old testament" way of salvation was works, but thankfully, now we have Grace. But that is a false dichotomy --- G-d's grace was always present, since the very beginning. Below is a long list of such passages showing dependance on mercy --- never works!
Psalms 13:5 (13 -6) But as for me, in Thy mercy do I trust; my heart shall rejoice in Thy salvation.
Psalms 69:13(69-14) But as for me, let my prayer be unto Thee, O LORD, in an acceptable time; O God, in the abundance of Thy mercy, answer me with the truth of Thy salvation.
Psalms 86:13 For great is Thy mercy toward me; and Thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest nether-world.
Psalms 98:3 He hath remembered His mercy and His faithfulness toward the house of Israel; all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.
Psalms 109:21 But Thou, O GOD the Lord, deal with me for Thy name's sake; because Thy mercy is good, deliver Thou me.
Psalms 109:26 Help me, O LORD my God; O save me according to Thy mercy;
Psalms 98:1 O sing unto the LORD a new song; for He hath done marvellous things; His right hand, and His holy arm, hath wrought salvation for Him.
Psalms 136:12 With a strong hand, and with an outstretched arm, for His mercy endureth for ever.
Romans 11:27 says "For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins." There are many references in the Tanakh that G-d would remove their sins. *Their* sins, not just future generations who followed them, but their own.
Isaiah 1:18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD; though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
Isaiah 53:5 But he was wounded because of our transgressions, he was crushed because of our iniquities: the chastisement of our welfare was upon him, and with his stripes we were healed.
Jeremiah 31:34 and they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying: 'Know the LORD'; for they shall all know Me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD; for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin will I remember no more.
Jeremiah 36:3 It may be that the house of Judah will hear all the evil which I purpose to do unto them; that they may return every man from his evil way, and I may forgive their iniquity and their sin.'
Daniel 9:24 Seventy weeks are decreed upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sin, and to forgive iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal vision and prophet, and to anoint the most holy place.
Grace in the Tanakh - "An Answer from Scripture for Dispensationalists"
Ellen Kavanaugh
Luke 1:69-72 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people, And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David; As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began: That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us; To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant.
2 Samuel 22:51 A tower of salvation is He to His king; and showeth mercy to His anointed, to David and to his seed, for evermore.
Now, G-d made these promises not to the church, but to Israel --- centuries prior to Yeshua's coming. Can we usurp the promises and apply them only to the "new church program" the dispensationalists teach? What happens to those who came before Yeshua's atoning death? The implications, in denying that grace extends from and to the past is in effect say no one received salvation prior to Yeshua. Then we have problems with Abraham and Noah who were found righteous before YHVH (and therefore 'saved') before Yeshua came. Yeshua's blood pours back in time, it covers all the faithful. Yeshua was the means of G-d's promised salvation.
Romans 3:25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God."