Luke 23:34 - The First Word from the Cross

 

Since we are in the season of Lent, leading up to Good Friday, it's appropriate to look at what are traditionally called, "Jesus Seven Words from the Cross." Due to the mental and physical pain of crucifixion, His interaction and speech was limited. So we should pay attention to whatever words He was able to say under such pain and agony.

The first thing Jesus said was a prayer:
“Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.” (Luke 23:34, New Living Translation, 2015)

Jesus had previously prayed for his own endurance--even for His possible release--from this excruciating execution. (Matthew 26:39ff) Now He was praying for someone else--and asking God to forgive "them." The verse immediately preceding describes the soldiers nailing Jesus to a cross. The phrase following describes how the soldiers gambled for His clothing. So it's logical to assume that Jesus was praying for the soldiers. After all, they were just following orders, so they did all this in pardonable ignorance. Or did they?

Roman soldiers knew about Jesus. Earlier, it was a centurion who, having heard about Jesus, asked Him to heal his servant. Jesus honored the request and commended the soldier: "I haven't seen faith like this in all Israel." (Luke 7:9, NLT)

And after Jesus died, it was the centurion in charge of the execution who "worshiped God and said, 'Surely this man was innocent.'" (Luke 23: 47, NLT) Matthew records that not only the centurion, but the other soldiers also said, "This man truly was the Son of God." (Matthew 27:54)

In other words, these soldiers were aware of Jesus' claim to be the Son of God. So how could Jesus say, "they don't know what they are doing?"

Perhaps it was because they couldn't possibly comprehend how they played a role in fulfilling the prophecy of John the Baptist, "Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" (John 1:29, NLT)

So did God forgive the soldiers even without repentance and confession on their part? Jesus earlier words seem most appropriate in answering that question: "Unless you repent, you will will perish, too." (Luke 13:1-5, NLT) In other words, Jesus intercedes for us but we have a responsibility to repent and accept the forgiveness. Fortunately for some soldiers at the crucifixion, what they witnessed triggered faith in their hearts.

Father, Apart from Your grace working in my own life, I wouldn't be able to pray that You'll forgive those who wrong me. But give me the courage and love to mean it when I pray, "Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us." I want to go through life with that assumption--that I'll forgive, I'll ask You to forgive, and I'll leave the accountability for their confession and repentance in Your court of truth. Amen.

PS - Stephen echoed Jesus' example. When he was stoned to death for his faith, Stephen "...fell to his knees, shouting, 'Lord, don’t charge them with this sin!' And with that, he died.” (Acts 7:60, NLT) Imagine that as someone's final prayer as they are executed.

The sculpture is one of the Via Crucis in Gharb, Island of Gozo, Malta. Photo by pisani2011.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/61830304@N02/5627347758