Jesus’ prayer: “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do”
(Luk 23:34) And Jesus said: Father, forgive them. For they do not know what they do. And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.
(Luk 23:35) And the people stood watching. And the rulers also scoffed at him, saying: He saved others. Let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, His chosen!
(Luk 23:36) And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him offering vinegar, and saying:
(Luk 23:37) If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself.
(Luk 23:38) And there was also a written notice above him: This is the King of the Jews.
(Luk 23:39) And one of the criminals that hung there hurled insults at him, saying: Are not you the Christ? Save yourself and us.
The scene is set with Jesus being crucified between two thieves, with the Roman soldiers and the crowd gathered around. The soldiers are gambling for Jesus’ clothing, and the thieves are reviling him. The crowd is also mocking and blaspheming him. It was not until Jesus actually died on the Cross that a Roman soldier realized what he had done. He realized he was truly righteous.
(Luk 23:46) And Jesus, crying with a loud voice, said: Father, into your hands I commend my spirit. And having said this, he breathed his last.
(Luk 23:47) And when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying: Certainly this was a righteous man.
(Luk 23:48) And all the crowds that came together to this sight, when they saw the things that were done, returned, striking their breasts.
Jesus’ prayer is a cry of compassion and forgiveness towards those who are responsible for his death. He is not asking for his own forgiveness, but rather for the forgiveness of those who are about to take his life. The phrase “they know not what they do” suggests that the people involved in his crucifixion are unaware of the true nature of their actions. They are not aware that they are participating in the sacrifice of the Son of God.
Jesus’ prayer is significant because it reveals his character and his mission. It also highlights the depth of Jesus’ love and compassion, as he prays for those who are about to take his life.
Jesus’ prayer has implications for all of humanity. It shows that God is a God of forgiveness and mercy, and that he desires to forgive those who are unaware or ignorant of their actions. It also highlights the importance of forgiveness, as Jesus’ prayer is an example of how we should respond to those who have wronged us.
There are many examples I can give where I truly forgive from the heart, especially those of our enemies of a sinful nature and motive.
I will give one of my Dad's experiences during WWII. He was born then in Poland, today again, it's part of the Ukraine. He was raised in a small village, of a simple life although my grandfather was a forester the caretaker of thousands of acres of forest land, and also raised many horses. My great-grandfather was a senator. He died, a victim of hate with a bullet in him by a the KGB or a Soviet soldier.
For me, I do forgive that Soviet solider or the KGB agent for killing my Great-Grand father, through their same level of ignorance and lack of concern for human life as the Roman soldiers, who killed Christ. And the death in these Polish/Ukrainian killing fields were just as cruel as any Roman crucifixion, with men impaled on fence posts all lined in a row, or skinned alive and stretched out on tree branches and flat boards.
Jesus did not hate the Pharisees as individuals, but He did condemn their evil works and hypocrisy.
As Jesus, I too hate the works of the ruling powerful men that placed these foot soldiers in the killing fields in Judea, not the Roman Governor. It is those powerful evil and blinded Pharisees, bent on ridding themselves of any opposition by oppression, torture and death.
As we know, the Romans as a military fight force faded into the dark pages of history. And for the Pharisees, the same, they ceased to exist as an organized entity. God used the same Romans who killed his Son, the same armies, for their final demise, about 40 years later.
Today however, we have the same type of evil people, who are bent on killing off this same Christ, his Body of believers.
These forces and powerful people I do not bless or support in any way, and surely I shall not bow down to their evil works.
Bad sinful human-natured conduct and offense in general is one thing, they are surely forgiven. The evildoers, their evil works I will always condemn and oppose, as their father is the devil or Satan.
And these powerful, wealthy and influential people are the same servants of evil, who still carry the same spirit of the Pharisees in their hearts today.
