Forgiven

 This is a message that was preached for a Good Friday communion service on April 2, 2021. It focuses on the words of Jesus as he was being crucified, "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do."

Written Excerpts:

Introduction:

A pastor recently posted this quote on Facebook: Octavius Winslow (1808-1878) – So completely was Jesus bent upon saving sinners by the sacrifice of Himself, He created the tree upon which He was to die, and nurtured from infancy the men who were to nail Him to the accursed wood.

I don’t think I have ever considered the crucifixion in that way before. It certainly magnifies the infinite Grace of God! I think the latter portion of the quote, “[He] nurtured from infancy the men who were to nail Him to the accursed wood,” relates to the passage of Scripture I want to focus on tonight.

Lk. 23:34 records the first of seven statements that Jesus made while he was hanging on the cross. “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.”

It is hard to imagine all that Jesus has already endured. On Wednesday night I watch the movie, The Passion of the Christ, by Mel Gibson again. It has been a number of years since I have seen it, so I decided to watch it again this year. If you’ve seen the movie, you know how gripping it is to see the portrayal of all the torture He likely endured even before being suspended on the cross.

One writer said, “He might have prayed for justice and just retribution; but his love rises above his suffering, he prays for pardon for his enemies.” (Lenski)

Let us take a few moments to consider some observations about this prayer of Jesus.

1. His prayer indicates He had not yet been forsaken. (A later statement from the cross reveals the Father has “forsaken” him.)

(Lenski NT Commentary) – His Father is with him and hears his Son say, "Father," and what this Son now utters will meet a full response in the Father's heart, for he so loved the world that he sent his own Son to die for the world, and this dying is now at hand.

The Father knows why His Son was sent to earth, and the Son knows why He came – to save sinners/rebels.

John 3:17 (NKJV) For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

The Bible teaches us that there has always been 100% unity and harmony in the Trinity. There was agreement on the purpose for Him coming to the earth, and now the Son is praying a prayer that is also in agreement with the mission – pardon/forgiveness.

2. There are various people who share the ignorance.

“They know not what they do.”

We are told that the structure of this sentence in the original language would indicate that the pronouns “them/they,” specifically refer back to the Roman soldiers. I think we can imagine how the Roman soldiers would not really have any idea that they were brutally beating and killing an innocent man.

They obviously understood they were inflicting pain and death but may not have any knowledge of Jesus’ true identity or his message. (Although, it’s hard to see how anyone living in those days wouldn’t have at least heard about the “Prophet/Healer” from Nazareth.)

The point is, I think we can agree that these soldiers would have a limited degree of knowledge but not full knowledge. There are others who also have some level of ignorance and guilt.

Peter’s Sermon – Acts 3:13-17 (NKJV) ¹³  The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified His Servant Jesus, whom you delivered up and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let Him go. ¹⁴  But you denied the Holy One and the Just, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, ¹⁵  and killed the Prince of life, whom God raised from the dead, of which we are witnesses. ¹⁶  And His name, through faith in His name, has made this man strong, whom you see and know. Yes, the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all. ¹⁷  Yet now, brethren, I know that you did it in ignorance, as did also your rulers.

Paul’s sermon in Antioch – Acts 13:26-28 (NKJV) ²⁶  Men and brethren, sons of the family of Abraham, and those among you who fear God, to you the word of this salvation has been sent. ²⁷  For those who dwell in Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they did not know Him, nor even the voices of the Prophets which are read every Sabbath, have fulfilled them in condemning Him. ²⁸  And though they found no cause for death in Him, they asked Pilate that He should be put to death.

Paul’s letter to Corinth – 1 Corinthians 2:7-8 (NKJV) ⁷  But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, ⁸  which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

(Albert Barnes' Notes on the NT) …though they had abundant evidence, if they would look at it, that he was the Messiah, and enough to leave them without excuse, yet they did not, in fact, believe that he was the Saviour promised by the prophets, and had not, in fact, any proper sense of his rank and dignity as "the Lord of glory." …we cannot suppose that they would knowingly put to death their own Messiah….

When we take all of these passages into consideration, we can understand the words, “they know not what they do” to apply in some measure to those who put Him to death as well as those who consented to His death. In spite of their lack of knowledge, they still needed forgiveness.

3. Pardon is available but not guaranteed.

In his commentary, R.C.H. Lenski clarifies this prayer of Jesus as a prayer of intercession, not a declaration of absolution. This was a sincere request/intercession from the Son to the Father. It was a clear revelation of His own spirit and motive of love, even for those who condemned Him and crucified Him. It gives us a glimpse of how thorough the sacrifice would be that He is making. If it provides for the forgiveness of such a brutal death, then it provides forgiveness for every sin.

Commentators indicate that this prayer for forgiveness is not the same thing as those times during His earthly ministry when Jesus declared, “Your sins are forgiven.” The message of Jesus and the apostles was that repentance was necessary to receive forgiveness. Every time Jesus offered those soothing words “Your sins are forgiven,” there was ample evidence of true repentance and turning from old life.

This is an intercessory prayer that their sins may be forgiven at such time when they gain sufficient knowledge to repent. Peter’s sermon and Paul’s sermons/letters provided the knowledge and the admonition to repent and believe in the pardon that was already provided.

Conclusion:

Isaiah 53:12 (NKJV) Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great, And He shall divide the spoil with the strong, Because He poured out His soul unto death, And He was numbered with the transgressors, And He bore the sin of many, And made intercession for the transgressors.

Octavius Winslow: So completely was Jesus bent upon saving sinners by the sacrifice of Himself, He created the tree upon which He was to die, and nurtured from infancy the men who were to nail Him to the accursed wood.

Jesus’ prayer is for us today. We who have understood our participation in His death and have turned from sin to faith, can have assurance of the forgiveness for which He prayed.

Song: Were You There?