Jesus was forgiving from the cross

JESUS WAS FORGIVING FROM THE CROSS
EDITED BY GLENN PEASE
Luke 23:34 34Jesussaid, "Father, forgivethem, for
they do not know what they are doing." And they
dividedup his clothes by casting lots.
The First Cry From The Cross BY SPURGEON
“Then saidJesus, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they
do.”
Luke 23:34
OUR Lord was at that moment enduring the first pains of crucifixion. The
executioners had just then driven the nails through His hands and feet. He
must have been, moreover, greatly depressedand brought into a condition of
extreme weakness by the agony of the night in Gethsemane and by the
scourging and cruel mocking which He had endured all through the morning
from Caiaphas, Pilate, Herod and the Praetorianguards. Yet neither the
weakness ofthe past, nor the pain of the present could prevent Him from
continuing in prayer. The lamb of God was silent to men, but He was not
silent to God. Dumb as a sheepbefore her shearers, He had not a word to say
in His own defense to man, but He continues in His heart crying unto His
Father and no pain and no weakness cansilence His holy supplications.
Beloved, what an example our Lord here presents to us! Let us continue in
prayer so long as our heart beats!Let no excess ofsuffering drive us away
from the Throne of Grace, but rather let it drive us closerto it–
“Long as they live should Christians pray,
For only while they pray they live.”

To cease from prayer is to renounce the consolations whichour case requires.
Under all distractions of spirit and overwhelming of heart, greatGod, help us
still to pray and never from the MercySeatmay our footsteps be driven by
despair. Our blessedRedeemerperseveredin prayer even when the cruel iron
tore His tender nerves and blow after blow of the hammer jarred His whole
frame with anguish–and this perseverance may be accountedfor by the fact
that He was so in the habit of prayer that He could not cease from it–He had
acquired a mighty velocity of intercessionwhichforbade Him to pause. Those
long nights upon the cold mountainside–those many days which had been
spent in solitude, those perpetual ejaculations whichHe would dart up to
Heaven–allthese had formed in Him a habit so powerful, that the severest
torments could not slow its force.
Yet it was more than habit. Our Lord was baptized in the spirit of prayer. He
lived in it, it lived in Him. It had come to be an element of His Nature. He was
like that precious spice, which, being bruised, does not ceaseto give forth its
perfume, but rather yields it all the more abundantly. Becauseofthe blows to
the pestle, its fragrance is no outward and superficialquality, but an inward
virtue essentialto its nature–which the pounding does but fetch from it–
causing it to reveal its secretsoulof sweetness. So Jesusprays, even as a
bundle of myrrh gives forth its smell, or as birds sing because they cannot do
otherwise. Prayerwrapped His very soulas with a garment and His heart
went forth in much array. I repeatit, let this be our example–never, under
any circumstances,howeversevere the trial, or depressing the difficulty–let us
ceasefrom prayer.
Observe, further, that our Lord, in the prayer before us, remains in the vigor
of faith as to His Sonship. The extreme trial to which He now submitted
Himself could not prevent His holding fast His Sonship. His prayer begins,
“Father.” It was not without meaning that He taught us when we pray to say,
“Our Father,” for our prevalence in prayer will much depend upon our
confidence in our relationship to God. Under greatlosses andcrossesone is
apt to think that God is not dealing with us as a father with a child, but rather
as a severe judge with a condemned criminal. But the cry of Christ, when He
is brought to an extremity which we shall never reach, betrays no faltering in
the spirit of Sonship. And in Gethsemane, whenthe bloody sweatfell fast
upon the ground, His most bitter cry commencedwith, “My Father,” asking
that if it were possible the cup of gallmight pass from Him. He pleaded with
the Lord as His Father, even as He over and over again had called Him on
that dark and doleful night.

Here, again, in this, the first of His sevenexpiring cries, it is “Father.” O that
the Spirit that makes us cry, “Abba, Father,” may never ceaseHis operations!
May we never be brought into spiritual bondage by the suggestion, “Ifyou are
the Sonof God.” Or if the Tempter should so assailus, may we triumph as
Jesus did in the hungry wilderness. May the Spirit which cries, “Abba,
Father,” repel eachunbelieving fear. When we are chastened, as we must be
(for what sort is there whom his father chastens not?) may we be in loving
subjection to the Father of our spirits and live. But never may we become
captives to the spirit of bondage, so as to doubt the love of our gracious
Father, or our share in His adoption.
More remarkable, however, is the fact that our Lord’s prayer to His Father
was not for Himself. He continued on the Cross to pray for Himself, it is true,
and His lamentable cry, “My God, My God, why have You forsakenMe?”
shows the personality of His prayer. But the first of the sevengreatcries on
the Cross has scarcelyevenan indirect reference to Himself. It is, “Father,
forgive them.” The petition is altogetherfor others and though there is an
allusion to the cruelties which they were exercising upon Him, yet it is remote.
And, you will observe He does not say, “I forgive them”–that is taken for
granted–He seems to lose sightof the fact that they were doing any wrong to
Him. It is the wrong which they were doing to the Father that is on His mind.
The insult which they are paying to the Father, in the Personofthe Son–He
thinks not of Himself at all. The cry, “Father, forgive them,” is altogether
unselfish. He, Himself, is in the prayer, as though He were not. So complete is
His selfannihilation that He loses sightof Himself and His woes. MyBrethren,
if there had ever been a time in the life of the Son of Man when He might have
rigidly confined His prayer to Himself, without anyone complaining, surely it
was when He was beginning His death throes.
We would not marvel, if any man here were fastenedto the stake, orfixed to a
cross, if his first and even his last and all his prayers were for support under
so arduous a trial. But see, the Lord Jesus beganHis prayer by pleading for
others! Can’t you see whata greatheart is revealedhere? What a soul of
compassionwas in the Crucified! How Godlike, how Divine! Was there ever
such a one before Him, who, even in the very pangs of death, offers as His first
prayer an intercessionfor others? Let this unselfish spirit be in you, also, my
Brothers and Sisters. Look not every man upon his own things, but every
man, also, onthe things of others. Love your neighbors as yourselves and as
Christ has set before you this paragonof unselfishness, seekto follow Him,
treading in His steps.

There is, however, a crowning jewelin this diadem of glorious love. The Sun
of Righteousnesssets upon Calvary in a wondrous splendor, but among the
bright colors which glorify His departure, there is this one–the prayer was not
alone for others, but it was for His cruelestenemies. His enemies, did I say?
There is more than that to be considered. It was not a prayer for enemies who
had done Him an ill deed years before, but for those who were then and there
murdering Him! Not in cold blood did the Savior pray, after He had forgotten
the injury and could the more easilyforgive it, but while the first red drops of
blood were spurting on the hands which drove the nails! While yet the
hammer was stained with crimson gore, His blessedmouth poured out the
fresh warm prayer, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”
I say, not that that prayer was confined to His immediate executioners. I
believe that it was a far-reaching prayer, which included Scribes and
Pharisees,Pilate and Herod, Jews and Gentiles–yes,the whole human race, in
a certain sense, since we were allconcernedin that murder–but certainly the
immediate persons upon whom that prayer was poured like precious nard
were those who then and there were committing the brutal actof fastening
Him to the accursedtree. How sublime is this prayer if viewedin such a light!
It stands alone upon a mount of solitary glory! No other had been prayed like
it before. It is true, Abraham and Moses andthe Prophets had prayed for the
wicked–butnot for wickedmen who had pierced their hands and feet!
It is true that Christians have since that day offered the same prayer, even as
Stephen cried, “Lay not this sin to their charge,” andmany a martyr has
made his lastwords at the stake words ofpitying intercession for his
persecutors. Butyou know where they learned this. Let me ask you, where did
He learn it? Was not Jesus the Divine original? He learned it nowhere–it
leaped up from His own Godlike Nature. A compassionpeculiarto Himself
dictated this originality of prayer. The inward royalty of His love suggestedto
Him so memorable an intercession–whichmay serve us for a pattern–but of
which no pattern had existed before.
I feel as though I could better kneelbefore my Lord’s Cross at this moment
than stand in this pulpit to talk to you. I want to adore Him. I worship Him in
heart for that prayer! If I knew nothing else of Him but this one prayer, I
must adore Him–for that one matchless plea for mercy convinces me most
overwhelmingly of the Deity of Him who offered it and fills my heart with
reverent affection. Thus have I introduced to you our Lord’s first vocal
prayer upon the Cross. I shall now, if we are helped by God’s Holy Spirit,
make some use of it.

First, we shall view it as illustrative of our Savior’s intercession. Secondly, we
shall regard the text as instructive of the Church’s work. Thirdly, we shall
considerit as suggestive to the unconverted.
1. First, my dear Brethren, let us look at this very wonderful text as
ILLUSTRATIVE OF OUR LORD’S INTERCESSION. He prayed for
His enemies, then–He is praying for His enemies now. The past on the
Cross was anearnestof the present on the Throne. He is in a higher
place and in a nobler condition, but His occupationis the same–He
continues, still, before the EternalThrone, to present pleas on the behalf
of guilty men, crying, “Father, O forgive them.” All His intercessionis,
in a measure, like the intercessionon Calvary and Calvary’s cries may
help us to guess the characterof the whole of His intercessionabove.
The first point in which we may see the characterof His intercessionis this–it
is most gracious. Those forwhom our Lord prayed, according to the text, did
not deserve His prayer. They had done nothing which could call forth from
Him a benediction as a reward for their endeavors in His service. On the
contrary, they were most undeserving persons who had conspiredto put Him
to death. They had crucified Him! Crucified Him wantonly and malignantly.
They were even, then, taking awayHis innocent life. His clients were persons,
who, so far from being meritorious, were utterly undeserving of a single good
wish from the Savior’s heart. They certainly never askedHim to pray for
them–it was the last thought in their minds to say, “Intercede for us, You
dying King! Offer petitions on our behalf, You Son of God!”
I will venture to believe the prayer itself, when they heard it, was either
disregardedand passedoverwith contemptuous indifference, or perhaps it
was caughtat as a theme for jest. I admit that it seems to be too severe upon
humanity to suppose it possible that such a prayer could have been the theme
for laughter, and yet there were other things enactedaround the Cross which
were quite as brutal, and I can imagine that this, also, might have happened.
Yet our Savior not only prayed for persons who did not deserve the prayer,
but, on the contrary, merited a curse–persons who did not ask for the prayer
and even scoffedat it when they heard it.
Even so in Heaventhere stands the greatHigh Priest, who pleads for guilty
men–for guilty men, my Hearers!There are none on earth that deserve His
intercession. He pleads for none on the supposition that they do deserve it. He
stands there to plead as the Just One on the behalf of the unjust. Not if any
man is righteous, but, “if any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father.”
Remember, too, that our greatIntercessorpleads for such as never askedHim
to plead for them. His elect, while yet dead in trespassesandsins, are the

objects of His compassionate intercessions and while they even scoffat His
Gospel, His heart of love is entreating the favor of Heaven on their behalf.
See, then, Beloved, if such is the Truth of God, how sure you are to find favor
with God who earnestlyasks the Lord Jesus Christto plead for you. Some of
you, with many tears and much earnestness, have beenbeseeching the Savior
to be your Advocate. Will He refuse you? Stands it to reasonthat He can? He
pleads for those that reject His pleadings, much more for you who prize them
beyond gold! Remember, my dear Hearer, if there is nothing goodin you and
if there is everything conceivable that is malignant and bad, yet none of these
things can be any barrier to prevent Christ’s exercising the office of
Intercessorforyou! Even for you He will plead. Come, put your case into His
hands! Foryou He will find pleas which you cannot discoverfor yourselves
and He will put the case to God for you as for His murderers, “Father, forgive
them.”
A secondquality of His intercessionis this–its careful spirit. You notice in the
prayer, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” Our Savior
did, as it were, look His enemies through and through to find something in
them that He could urge in their favor. But He could see nothing until His
wiselyaffectionate eyes lit upon their ignorance–“theyknow not what they
do.” How carefully He surveyed the circumstances, andthe characters of
those for whom He prayed! Justso it is with Him in Heaven. Christ is no
carelessAdvocate for His people. He knows your precise condition at this
moment and the exact state of your heart with regardto the temptation
through which you are passing. More than that, He foresees the temptation
which is awaiting you and in His intercessionHe takes note of the future event
which His prescienteyes behold.
“Satanhas desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have
prayed for you that your faith fail not.” Oh, the condescending tenderness of
our great High Priest!He knows us better than we know ourselves!He
understands every secretgrief and groan. You need not trouble yourself about
the wording of your prayer–He will put the wording right. And even the
understanding as to the exactpetition, if you should fail in it, He cannot–foras
He knows what is the mind of God–so He knows whatis your mind, also. He
can spy out some reasonfor mercy in you which you cannotdetect in
yourselves and when it is so dark and cloudy with your soulthat you cannot
discern a foothold for a plea that you may urge with Heaven, the Lord Jesus
has the pleas ready-framed and petitions ready drawn up–and He can present
them acceptable before the MercySeat. His intercession, then, you will
observe, is very gracious andin the next place it is very thoughtful.

We must next note its earnestness. No one doubts who reads these words,
“Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do,” that they were
Heaven-piercing in their fervor. Brethren, you are certain, even without a
thought, that Christ was terribly in earnestin that prayer. But there is an
argument to prove that. Earnestpeople are usually witty and quick of
understanding to discoveranything which may serve their turn. If you are
pleading for life and an argument for your being sparedis askedof you, I will
guarantee you that you will think of one when no one else might. Now, Jesus
was so in earnestfor the salvationof His enemies, that He struck upon an
argument for mercy which a less anxious spirit would not have thought of–
“Theyknow not what they do.”
Why, Sirs, that was in strictestjustice but a scantreasonfor mercy! And
indeed, ignorance, if it is willful, does not extenuate sin and yet the ignorance
of many who surrounded the Cross was a willful ignorance. Theyshould have
known that He was the Lord of Glory. Was not Moses plain enough? Had not
Elijah been very bold in his speech? Were not the signs and tokens such that
one might as well doubt which is the sun in the firmament as the claims of
Jesus to be the Messiah? Yet, for all that, the Savior, with marvelous
earnestnessand consequentdexterity, turns what might not have been a plea,
into a plea, and puts it thus–“Father, forgive them, for they know not what
they do.” Oh, how mighty are His pleas in Heaven, then, in their earnestness!
Do not suppose that He is less quick of understanding there, or less intense in
the vehemence of His entreaties. No, my Brethren, the heart of Christ still
labors with the eternal God. He is no slumbering Intercessor, but, for Zion’s
sake, He does not hold His peace–andfor Jerusalem’s sakeHe does not cease–
nor will He, till her righteousness goesforth as brightness and her salvationas
a lamp that burns. It is interesting to note, in the fourth place, that the prayer
here offered helps us to judge of His intercessionin Heaven as to its
continuance, perseverance andperpetuity. As I remarkedbefore, if our Savior
might have paused from intercessoryprayer, it was surely when they fastened
Him to the tree–whenthey were guilty of direct acts of deadly violence to His
Divine Person, He might then have ceasedto present petitions on their behalf.
But sin cannot tie the tongue of our interceding Friend.
Oh, what comfort is here! You have sinned, Believer, you have grieved His
Spirit, but you have not stopped that potent tongue which pleads for you! You
have been unfruitful, perhaps, my Brother, and like the barren tree you
deserve to be cut down–but your lack of fruitfulness has not withdrawn the
Intercessorfrom His place. He interposes at this moment, crying, “Spare it yet
another year.” Sinner, you have provokedGod by long rejecting His mercy

and going from bad to worse, but neither blasphemy nor unrighteousness, nor
infidelity shall stop the Christ of God from urging the suit of the very chief of
sinners! He lives and while He lives He pleads–andwhile there is a sinner
upon earth to be saved, there shall be an Intercessorin Heaven to plead for
him. These are but fragments of thought, but they willhelp you, I hope, to
realize the intercessionofyour great High Priest.
Think yet again, this prayer of our Lord on earth is like His prayer in Heaven
because ofits wisdom. He seeksthe best thing and that which His clients most
need, “Father, forgive them.” That was the great point in hand–they needed
most of all, then and there, forgiveness from God. He does not say, “Father,
enlighten them, for they know not what they do,” for mere enlightenment
would but have createdtorture of conscienceandhastened on their Hell. No,
He cries, “Father, forgive.” And while He used His voice, the precious drops
of blood which were then distilling from the nail wounds were pleading, too,
and God heard and doubtless did forgive.
The first mercy which is necessaryto guilty sinners is forgiven sin. Christ
wiselyprays for the blessing most needed. It is so in Heaven–He pleads wisely
and prudently. Let Him alone, He knows what to ask for at the Divine hand!
Go to the Mercy Seatand pour out your desires as best you can, but when you
have done, always put it thus, “O my Lord Jesus, answerno desire of mine if
it is not according to Your judgment. And if in anything that I have askedI
have failed to seek forwhat I need, amend my pleading, for You are infinitely
wiserthan I.” Oh, it is sweetto have a Friend at court to perfect our petitions
for us before they come unto the greatKing!
I believe that there is never presentedto God anything but a perfect prayer
now. I mean that before the greatFatherof us all, no prayer of His people
ever comes up imperfect. There is nothing left out and there is nothing to be
erased, and this, not because their prayers were originally perfect in
themselves, but because the Mediatormakes them perfectthrough His infinite
wisdom–andthey come up before the MercySeatmolded according to the
mind of God Himself and He is sure to grant such prayers.
Once more, this memorable prayer of our crucified Lord was like His
universal intercessionin the matter of its prevalence. Those for whom He
prayed were, many of them, forgiven. Do you remember that He saidto His
disciples when He bade them preach, “beginning at Jerusalem.” And on that
day when Peterstoodup with the Eleven and chargedthe people that with
wickedhands they had crucified and slain the Savior, 3,000 ofthese persons
who were thus justly accusedofHis crucifixion became Believers in Him and
were baptized in His name. That was an answerto Jesus'prayer! The priests

were at the bottom of our Lord’s murder–they were the most guilty–and it is
said, “a greatcompany, also, of the priests believed.” Here was another
answerto the prayer!
Since all men had their share representatively, Gentiles as well as Jews, in the
death of Jesus, the Gospelwas soonpreachedto the Jews andwithin a short
time it was preachedto the Gentiles, also. Was not this prayer, “Father,
forgive them,” like a stone castinto a lake, forming, at first, a narrow circle
and then a wider ring and soona largersphere, until the whole lake is covered
with circling waves? Sucha prayer as this, castinto the whole world, first
createda little ring of Jewishconverts and of priests and then a wider circle of
such as were beneath the Roman sway!And today its circumference is as wide
as the globe itself, so that tens of thousands are savedthrough the prevalence
of this one intercession, “Father, forgive them.”
It is certainly so with Him in Heaven–He never pleads in vain. With bleeding
hands, He yet won the day. With feet fastenedto the wood, He was yet
victorious. Forsakenof God and despised of the people, He was yet
triumphant in His pleas. How much more so now the tiara is about His brow?
How much more so now His hand grasps the universal scepterand His feet
are shod with silver sandals and He is crownedKing of kings and Lord of
lords? If tears and cries out of weaknesswere Omnipotent, even more mighty,
if possible, must be that sacredauthority which, as the risen Priest, He claims
when He stands before the Father’s Throne to mention the Covenantwhich
the Fathermade with Him. O you trembling Believers, trust Him with your
concerns!
Come here, you guilty, and ask him to plead for you! O you that cannotpray,
come, ask Him to intercede for you. Brokenhearts and wearyheads and
disconsolatebosoms, come to Him who into the golden censerwill put His
merits and then place your prayers with them so that they shall come up as
the smoke ofperfume, even as a fragrant cloud into the nostrils of the Lord
God of Hosts, who will smell a sweetsavorand acceptyou and your prayers in
the Beloved!We have now opened up more than enoughroom for your
meditations at home this afternoon and, therefore, we leave this first point.
We have had an illustration in the prayer of Christ on the Cross ofwhat His
prayers always are in Heaven.
II. Secondly, the text is INSTRUCTIVE OF THE CHURCH’S WORK. As
Christ was, so His Church is to be in this world. Christ came into this world
not to be ministered unto, but to minister–not to be honored, but to save
others. His Church, when she understands her work, will perceive that she is
not here to gatherto herselfwealth or honor, or to seek anytemporal

aggrandizementand position. She is here unselfishly to live, and if need be,
unselfishly to die for the deliverance of the lost sheep, the salvationof lost
men. Brethren, Christ’s prayer on the Cross, I told you, was altogetheran
unselfish one. He does not remember Himself in it.
Such ought to be the Church’s life-prayer, the Church’s active interposition
on the behalf of sinners. She ought to live never for her ministers or for
herself, but always for the lostsons of men. Do you imagine that Churches are
formed to maintain ministers? Do you conceive that the Church exists in this
land merely that so much salarymay be given to bishops and deans, and
prebends and curates and I know not what? My Brethren, it were wellif the
whole thing were abolishedif that were its only aim! The aim of the Church is
not to provide backdoorrelieffor the younger sons of the nobility when they
have not brains enough to win their livelihood any other way! Churches are
not made so that men of ready speechmay stand up on Sundays and talk and
so win daily bread from their admirers!
No, there is another end and aim from this. These places ofworship are not
built that you may sit here comfortably and hear something that shall make
you pass awayyour Sundays with pleasure. A Church in London which does
not exist to do goodin the slums and dens and kennels of the city is a Church
that has no reasonto justify its existence anylonger! A Church that does not
exist to reclaim heathenism, to fight with evil, to destroy error, to put down
falsehood–aChurch that does not exist to take the side of the poor, to
denounce injustice and to hold up righteousness–is a Church that has no right
to be! Not for yourself, O Church, do you exist, any more than Christ existed
for Himself! His Glory was that He laid aside His Glory and the Glory of the
Church is when she lays aside her respectability and her dignity and counts it
to be her Glory to gathertogetherthe outcasts and her highest honor to seek
amid the foulestmire the priceless jewels forwhich Jesus shed His blood!
To rescue souls from Hell and lead them to God, to hope, to Heaven–this is
her heavenly occupation!O that the Church would always feelthis! Let her
have her bishops and her preachers and let them be supported and let
everything be done for Christ’s sake decentlyand in order, but let the end be
lookedto, namely, the conversionof the wandering, the teaching of the
ignorant, the help of the poor, the maintenance of the right, the putting down
of the wrong and the upholding at all hazards of the crownand kingdom of
our Lord Jesus Christ!
Now the prayer of Christ had a greatspirituality of aim. You notice that
nothing is sought for these people but that which concerns their souls, “Father
forgive them.” And I believe the Church will do well when she remembers

that she wrestles not with flesh and blood, nor with principalities and powers,
but with spiritual wickednessandthat what she has to dispense is not the Law
and Order by which magistrates may be upheld, or tyrannies pulled down,
but the spiritual government by which hearts are conquered to Christ and
judgments are brought into subjection to His Truth. I believe that the more
the Church of God strains after, before God, the forgiveness ofsinners and
the more she seeks in her life prayer to teachsinners what sin is and what the
blood of Christ is and what the Hell that must follow if sin is not washedout
and what the Heaven is which will be ensured to all those who are cleansed
from sin–the more she keeps to this–the better.
Press forwardas one man, my Brethren, to secure the rootof the matter in the
forgiveness ofsinners. As to all the evils that afflict humanity, by all means
take your share in battling with them! Let temperance be maintained, let
educationbe supported! Let reforms, political and ecclesiastical, be pushed
forward as far as you have the time and effort to spare!But the first business
of every Christian man and woman is with the hearts and consciences ofmen
as they stand before the Everlasting God. O let nothing turn you aside from
your Divine errand of mercy to undying souls! This is your one business. Tell
sinners that sin will damn them–that Christ, alone, can take awaysins–and
make this the one passionof your souls, “Father, forgive them, forgive them!
Let them know how to be forgiven. Let them be actually forgiven and let me
never rest exceptas I am the means of bringing sinners to be forgiven, even
the guiltiest of them.”
Our Savior’s prayer teaches the Church that while her spirit should be
unselfish and her aim should be spiritual, the range of her mission is to be
unlimited. Christ prayed for the wicked. What if I say the most wickedof the
wicked, that ribald crew that had surrounded His Cross? He prayed for the
ignorant. Does He not say, “They know not what they do”? He prayed for His
persecutors–the verypersons who were most at enmity with Him lay nearest
to His heart! Church of God, your mission is not to the respectable few who
will gatherabout your ministers to listen respectfully to their words!Your
mission is not to the elite and the eclectic,the intelligent who will criticize your
words and pass judgment upon every syllable of your teaching!Your mission
is not to those who treat you kindly, generously, affectionately!
Not to these, I mean, alone, though certainly to these as among the rest. But
your greaterrand is to the harlot, to the thief, to the swearerand the
drunkard, to the most depraved and debauched! If no one else cares for these,
the Church always must, and if there are any who are first in her prayers it
should be these who, alas, are generallylast in our thoughts. The ignorant we

ought diligently to consider. It is not enoughfor the preacher that he preaches
so that those instructed from their youth up canunderstand him. He must
think of those to whom the most common phrases of theologicaltruth are as
meaningless as the jargon of an unknown tongue. He must preachso as to
reachthe meanestcomprehension, and if the ignorant many come not to hear
him, he must use such means as best he may to induce them, no, compel them
to hear the GoodNews.
The Gospelis meant, also, for those who persecute religion–itaims its arrows
of love againstthe hearts of its foes. It there are any whom we should first
seek to bring to Jesus, it should be just these who are the farthest off and most
opposedto the Gospelof Christ. “Father, forgive them. If You pardon none
besides, yet be pleasedto forgive them.” So, too, the Church should be earnest
as Christ was. And if she is so, she will be quick to notice any ground of hope
in those she deals with. She will be quick to observe any plea that she may use
with God for their salvation. She must be hopeful, too, and surely no Church
ever had a more hopeful sphere than the Church of this presentage!If
ignorance is a plea with God, look on the heathens at this day–millions of
them never heard Messiah’s name!Forgive them, great God, indeed they
know not what they do!
If ignorance is some ground for hope, there is hope enough in this greatcity of
London, for have we not around us hundreds of thousands to whom the
simplest Truths of the Gospelwould be the greatestnovelties?Brethren, it is
sad to think that this country should still lie under such a pall of ignorance,
but the sting of so dread a fact is blunted with hope when we read the Savior’s
prayer aright–it helps us to hope while we cry, “Forgive them, for they know
not what they do.” It is the Church’s business to seek afterthe most fallen and
the most ignorant and to seek them perseveringly. She should never stop her
hand from doing good. If the Lord is coming tomorrow, it is no reasonwhy
you Christian people should subside into mere talkers and readers, meeting
togetherfor mutual comfort and forgetting the myriads of perishing souls.
If it is true that this world is going to pieces in a fortnight and that Louis
Napoleonis the Apocalyptic beast–orif it is not true–I care not a fig! It makes
no difference to my duty and does not change my service. Let my Lord come
when He will, while I labor for Him I am ready for His appearing! The
business of the Church is still to watchfor the salvation of souls. If she stood
gazing, as modern prophets would have her do–if she gave up her missionto
indulge in speculative interpretations–she might wellbe afraid of her Lord’s
coming. But if she goes abouther work and with incessanttoil searchesout

her Lord’s precious jewels, she shall not be ashamedwhen her Bridegroom
comes!
My time has been much too short for so vast a subject as I have undertaken,
but I wish I could speak words that were as loud as thunder, with a sense and
earnestnessas mighty as the lightning! I would gladly excite every Christian
here and kindle in him a right idea of what his work is as a part of Christ’s
Church. My Brethren, you must not live to yourselves!The accumulation of
money, the bringing up of your children, the building of houses, the earning of
your daily bread–all this you may do–but there must be a greaterobjectthan
this if you are to be Christ-like, as you should be, since you are bought with
Jesus'blood.
Beginto live for others!Make it apparent unto all men that you are not
yourselves the end-all and be-all of your own existence, but that you are
spending and being spent–that through the goodyou do to men God may be
glorified and Christ may see in you His own image and be satisfied.
III. Time fails me, but the lastpoint was to be a word SUGGESTIVE TO THE
UNCOVETED. Listenattentively to these sentences. Iwill make them as terse
and condensedas possible. Some of you here are not saved. Now, some of you
have been very ignorant and when you sinned you did not know what you did.
You knew you were sinners, you knew that, but you did not know the far-
reaching guilt of sin. You have not been attending the House of Prayerlong.
You have not readyour Bible. You have not Christian parents.
Now you are beginning to be anxious about your souls. Rememberyour
ignorance does not excuse you, or else Christ would not say, “Forgive them.”
They must be forgiven, even those that know not what they do, and therefore
they are individually guilty. But still that ignorance of yours gives you just a
little gleamof hope. The times of your ignorance Godwinked at, but now
commands all men everywhere to repent. Bring forth, therefore, fruits meet
for repentance!The God whom you have ignorantly forgottenis willing to
pardon and ready to forgive. The Gospelis just this–trust Jesus Christ who
died for the guilty and you shall be saved! O may God help you to do so this
very morning and you will become new men and new women–a change will
take place in you equal to a new birth–you will be new creatures in Christ
Jesus!
But ah, my Friends, there are some here for whom even Christ Himself could
not pray this prayer, in the widest sense atany rate, “Father, forgive them, for
they know not what they do,” for you have known what you did, and every
sermon you hearand especiallyevery impression that is made upon your

understanding and conscience by the Gospeladds to your responsibility and
takes awayfrom you the excuse ofnot knowing what you do! Ah, Sirs, you
know that there is the world and Christ and that you cannot have both! You
know that there is sin and God and that you cannot serve both! You know
that there are the pleasures of evil and the pleasures ofHeaven and that you
cannot have both! Oh, in the light which God has given you, may His Spirit
also come and help you to choose thatwhich true wisdom would make you
choose.
Decide today for God, for Christ, for Heaven! The Lord decide You for His
name’s sake. Amen. PORTION OF SCRIPTURE READ BEFORE
SERMON–Luke 23:1-34.
BIBLEHUB RESOURCES
Pulpit Commentary Homiletics
Magnanimity An Attainment
Luke 23:34
W. Clarkson
Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. When
- at what particular point did he say that? It is commonly believed that he
uttered this most gracious prayerjust at the time of the actual crucifixion.
Just when the nails were driven into those hands, the hands that had
constantly been employed in some ministry of mercy; into those feet that had
been continually carrying him on some errand of kindness; or just when the
heavy cross, with its suffering Victim fastenedupon it, had been driven into
the ground with unpitying violence; - just then, at the moment of most
excruciating pain and of intolerable shame, he opened his lips to pray for
mercy on his executioners. We have here -

I. A RARE INSTANCE OF HUMAN MAGNANIMITY.
1. Conscious,not only of perfectinnocence, but of the purest and even the
loftiest aims, Jesus Christ found himself not only unrewarded and
unappreciated, but misunderstood, ill treated, condemned on a totally false
charge, sentencedto the most cruel and shameful death a man could die.
What wonder if, under those conditions, all the kindliness of his nature had
turned to sourness ofspirit!
2. At this very moment he was the object of the most heartless cruelty man
could inflict, and must have been suffering pain of body and of mind that was
literally agonizing.
3. At such a time, and under such treatment, he forgets himself to remember
the guilt of those who were so shamefully wronging him.
4. Insteadof entertaining any feeling of resentment, he desired that they might
be forgiven their wrong-doing.
5. He did not haughtily and contemptuously decline to condemn them; he did
not hardly and reluctantly forgive them; he found for them a generous
extenuation; he sincerelyprayed his heavenly Father to forgive them. Human
magnanimity could hardly go further than that.
II. A BEAUTIFUL EXAMPLE OF HIS OWN LOFTY DOCTRINE. Whenin
his greatsermon, (Matthew 5-7.)he said, "Love your enemies... pray for them
which despitefully use and persecute you, that ye may be the children of your
Father which is in heaven," he urged upon us to cherishand to illustrate the
loftiest virtue on the highest grounds. This he now beautifully, perfectly
exemplified. He was literally and truly praying for those who were using him
despitefully, As the greatestgeneralsandcaptains have proudly and
honourably claimed that they "neverbade men do that which they were not
willing to do themselves," so this our glorious Leader, he who came to be the
"Leaderand Perfecterofthe faith" (Hebrews 12:2: Alford), never desiredof
us any virtue or grace whichhe did not possessanddid not himself adorn. He
could and did sayto his disciples, not only," Go thither in the way of
righteousness,"but also, "Follow me in every path of purity and love." We

may well love our enemies, and pray for those who despitefully use us, that we
may be the children of our Fatherin heaven, and that we may be followers of
our patient, magnanimous Master. And it is here, truly, that we have -
III. A CHALLENGE TO A GREAT ATTAINMENT.
1. To pray sincerelyfor those who do us wrong is one of the very highest
points, if not actually the very loftiest, of human magnanimity. To dismiss all
vindictive purpose, all resentful thought; to look at our enemy's procedure in
a kindly light, and to take, as Christ did here, a generous view of it; to cherish
a positive wish for his good;to put this wish into action, into prayer; - by these
stages we reachthe summit of nobility.
2. This is an attainment we should sedulously and devoutly pursue. There are
those of noble nature, men and womenwhom God endows with a most
"excellentspirit," to whom this may be plain and easy;to them it is not a
steepascentto be laboriously climbed, but a gentle slope along which they can
walk without difficulty. But to most men it is an attainment and not an
endowment. It is an attainment which ban only be securedby earnestand
continued cultivation. But we have for this great end the most effectual
means:
(1) the realization of the nearpresence of God, and the knowledge ofhis
Divine approval;
(2) the sense that when we succeedwe win the greatestofall victories;
(3) the efficacyof prayer - its subjective influence, and the aid which it brings
us from above;
(4) the inspiration of our Lord's example, and that of his most faithful
followers (Acts 7:60; 2 Timothy 4:16). - C.

Biblical Illustrator
Father, forgive them, for they know not.
Luke 23:34
The unknown depths of sin
P. Cooke.
I. HOW DO SINNERS COMEAT THEIR NOTION THAT SIN IS SO
TRIFLING AN AFFAIR?
1. They have a very limited view of their own feelings and purposes while in a
course of sin; and infer that they cannot be very guilty, because they have
never been conscious ofa very evil intention.
2. Many derive their limited views of their sins from their meagre conceptions
of the Divine law.
3. Others erecta bar to conviction of personalguilt out of materials taken
from infirmities incident to human nature.
4. Others diminish their conceptions oftheir guilt, by comparing themselves
with greatersinners.
5. Sin appears very different according to the different light and
circumstances in which it is seen.

6. Again, delay of punishment goes to confirm men in the opinion that sin is a
trifle.
II. THAT THEIR VIEWS OF SIN ARE EXCEEDINGLYLIMITED, OR
THAT SIN IS QUITE ANOTHER THING IN FACT, FROM WHAT IT IS
IN THE SINNER'S ESTIMATION.
1. It is very different in its effects from what they esteemit.
2. Sin is very different if we considerthe state of heart which gives birth to it.
3. The costly expiation for sin shows it to be no trifle.
4. The retributions of eternity will make sin to appear quite another thing
from what it is here esteemed.
(P. Cooke.)
Prayer for a murderer
JosephRobbins was a bridge watchman on a railway. He was murdered by a
neighbour who wantedto gethis money. The murderer was caughtdirectly
after. During the trial he made this confession in open court: — "I knew that
Robbins had just receivedhis month's wages, andI resolvedto have his
money. I got a shot-gun and went to the bridge. As I came near to the watch-
house, on looking through the window, I saw Robbins sitting inside. His head
and shoulders only could be seen. I raised the gun, took aim and fired. I
waited a few minutes to see if the report of the gun had alarmed any one, but
all was still. Then I went up to the watch-house door, and found Robbins on
his knees praying. Very plainly I heard him say: 'Oh, God, have mercy on the
man who did this, and spare him for Jesus'sake.'Iwas horrified; I did not
dare to enter the house. I couldn't touch that man's money. Insteadof this, I
turned and ran away, I knew not whither. His words have haunted me ever
since."
Christ's pardoning mercy

SenorCastelar.
"Godis great in Sinai. The thunders precede Him, the lightnings attend Him,
the earth trembles, the mountains fall in fragments. But there is a greaterGod
than this. On Calvary, nailed to a cross, wounded, thirsting, dying, He cries,
'Father, forgive them, they know not what they do!' Great is the religionof
power, but greateris the religion of love. Greatis the religion of implacable
justice, but greateris the religion of pardoning mercy."
(Senor Castelar.)
The first word of the dying Jesus
A Stucker.
Let the first word of the dying Jesus be the subject of our meditation. It is —
I. A word of peace in the storm of suffering.
II. A word of love in the tumult of hatred.
III. A word of excuse amid the depths of wickedness.
(A Stucker.)
Christ's intercessiononthe cross
TheologicalSketch-book.
I. OBSERVE THE PETITION ITSELF.
1. The magnitude of the blessing prayed for.
2. The extreme unworthiness of the objects.
3. The heinous nature of their offence.
4. The efficacyof the petition in securing the blessing prayed for.

II. THE PLEA BY WHICH THE PETITION IS ENFORCED — "THEY
KNOW NOT WHAT THEY DO."
1. It is such as would have not been found by any other advocate.
2. It is a plea which shows theft sin has different degrees ofguilt, according to
the circumstances under which it is committed.
3. It is a plea which teaches us that for some there was no mercy, though there
might be for those on whose behalf it was offered. There is a sin unto death,
which has no forgiveness in this world, nor in that which is to come (Matthew
12:32).
4. Though their ignorance affordeda plea for mercy, they were not to be
pardoned without repentance.Application:
1. We see there is that in the nature of sin which surpasses allour conceptions.
2. Still, we learn that notwithstanding the evil nature of sin, there is no reason
for despair, not even for the chief of sinners.
3. The conduct of our blessedLord is set before us in this instance as an
example, teaching us what must be our spirit towards our enemies and
persecutors. Stephenfollowedthis example, and we must learn to do the same
(Acts 7:60; Matthew 5:44, 45).
(TheologicalSketch-book.)
Christ's prayer for ignorant sinners
T. Kidd.
I. SIN IS FOUNDED IN MUCH IGNORANCE.
1. Men are ignorant of its extreme evil in the sight of God.
2. Men are ignorant of the baneful influence of sin upon themselves. They are
not aware how it hardens the heart, stupifies the conscience, settlesinto habit,
and at length gains complete ascendency.

3. Men are ignorant of the pernicious effectof sin on others. Few sins are
confined to the transgressoronly: they have a relative influence.
4. Men are ignorant of the dreadful consequencesofsin in another world.
There is a future state of gracious rewardfor the righteous, and of awful
retribution for the wicked.
II. IGNORANCE IS NO SUFFICIENT EXCUSE FOR SIN. In some instances
it mitigates offence.
1. Ignorance itselfis sin. In all cases it is so, where the capacityand
opportunity of knowledge are afforded.
2. The law of God condemns all sin, every kind and degree of sin.
3. Every act of sin implies a sinful nature: it springs from a depraved heart.
III. FORGIVENESSOF SIN IS AN ACT OF DIVINE MERCY, AND THE
FRUIT OF THE SAVIOUR'S INTERCESSION. Fromthe subject learn —
1. To regard the intercessionof Jesus in the forgiveness ofsins.
2. To imitate Jesus in the forgiveness ofinjuries.
(T. Kidd.)
Father, forgive them
C. H. Spurgeon.
! —
I. WE SEE THE LOVE OF JESUS ENDURING.
II. WE SEE THAT LOVE REVEALING ITSELF. Love can use no better
instrument than prayer. To this present our Lord Jesus continues to bless the
people of His choice by continually interceding for them (Romans 8:34;
Hebrews 7:25).

III. WE SEE FOR WHAT THAT LOVE PRAYS. Forgivenessis the first,
chief, and basis blessing. Forgiveness fromthe Father caneven go so far as to
pardon the murder of His Son. Forgivenessis the greatpetition of our Lord's
sacrifice. Love admits that pardon is needed, and it shudders at the thought of
what must come to the guilty if pardon be not given.
IV. WE SEE HOW THE LOVING JESUS PRAYS. Are there any so guilty
that Jesus would refuse to intercede for them?
V. WE SEE HOW HIS PRAYER BOTH WARNS AND WOOS. It warns, for
it suggeststhat there is a limit to the possibility of pardon. Men may so sin
that there shall remain no plea of ignorance;nay, no plea whatever. It woos,
for it proves that if there be a plea, Jesus will find it.
VI. WE SEE HOW HE INSTRUCTS FROM THE CROSS.He teaches us to
put the best constructionon the deeds of our fellow-men, and to discover
mitigating circumstances whenthey work us grievous ill. He teaches us to
forgive the utmost wrong (Mark 11:25). He teaches us to pray for others to
our lastbreath (Acts 7:59, 60). That glorious appeal to the Divine Fatherhood,
once made by the Lord Jesus, still prevails for us. Let the chief of sinners
come unto God with the music of "Father, forgive them," sounding in their
ears.
(C. H. Spurgeon.)
The prayer of Christ for His murderers
N. Emmons, D. D.
You have in these words an affecting prayer, enforcedby a plea equally
affecting.
I. Your attention is invited to the prayer, which, in whatever light regarded, is
fitted to awakenprofound emotion and salutary reflection.
1. Observe the persons on whose behalfit was presented — the men who
perpetrated the most flagitious and sanguinary deed that everstained with its

pollutions the face of the earth — the men who crucified the Son of God. The
moral turpitude of their crime was aggravatedby two considerations. In the
first place, the victim of their ferocity was guiltless of the smallestoffence.
They were guilty of innocent blood! In the next place, their conduct was
aggravatedby the more than ordinary rancour, the pitiless hatred with which
they pursued Him to the grave.
2. Notless remarkable is the subject of the prayer itself. It amounts to nothing
less than that the men who nailed Him to the cross might live to put off the
savage nature which could revel in the blood of innocence, and, through
repentance and faith, be qualified for an eternalalliance with Himself in the
glory of His mediatorial kingdom. Such is the compassionofJesus Christ.
3. The time and the circumstances ofthis prayer render it peculiarly
interesting. That which renders it worthy of particular notice, as illustrative of
the grace ofChrist, is, that He offered it up just at the time of His suspension
on the cross, atthe moment when His agonies were mostsevere, when His
nerves were rackedwith keenestsuffering. His languorand exhaustion might
be greaterafterwards, but His sensibility to pain was, perhaps, most exquisite
at this critical moment. Yet this is the point of time at which He breathes forth
the desires ofHis soul for mercy on His destroyers. There are two
observations suggestedby this fact. In the first place, the calmness, the self-
possession, the sustaineddignity of the mind of the Redeemerat this appalling
crisis, demonstrate the fixed resolutionwith which He was bent on the design
of His death. In the secondplace, I observe, that there was a remarkable
fitness in the prayer of Jesus Christ, presentedby Himself at this awful
season. He suffered and He died as the Lamb of the greatsacrifice for the
expiation of human guilt. And being Himself both the victim and the priest,
there was a peculiar fitness in His also interceding on behalf of the guilty, at
the time when, as the High Priest of our profession, He was offering the blood
of atonement.
II. This prayer is accompaniedby a plea not less remarkable and affecting.
"Forthey know not what they do!"

1. How far were the men who crucified our Lord ignorant of the nature of the
transactionin which they were engaged? Thatthey were implicated in
innocent blood they knew; but that their crime was still more deeply coloured
from the supernatural dignity of their victim, of this they were ignorant.
2. How far, then, was this their ignorance a plea for their forgiveness? The
plea does not proceed, I conceive, onthe concessionof their comparative
innocence, but upon the hopeless andinevitable ruin into which these blinded
wretches were hastening to plunge. It was the dreadful ruin to which the blind
madness of these men was hurrying them onwards, that awakenedthe pity of
the Redeemer, evenamidst the agonies ofHis own brokenheart, and drew
from His suppliant voice that prayer, "Forgive them, Father! they know not
what they do!" Oh, how mysterious, how ineffable, the compassionofJesus
Christi The prayer itself contained a touching proof of the infinite mercy of
the Redeemer;but, if possible, the plea by which He enforces that prayer,
multiplies that proof, and places His love to miserable men in a light still more
affecting and overwhelming.
(N. Emmons, D. D.)
Christ's prayer for His murderers
T. Manton, D. D.
The words of the dying are wont to be much observed. When men depart out
of the body, they are usually more serious and divine, and speak with greater
weight. Especiallythe speeches ofthe godly dying are to be regarded, who,
having laid aside worldly affairs and earthly thoughts, are wholly exercisedin
the contemplationof heavenly things. Now certainly, if any man's dying
speechesare to be observed, Christ's are much more.
I. Christ's request, "Father, forgive them." "Father" is a word of confidence
towards God and of love to His enemies;He mentioneth the sweetestrelation.
"Father" is a word of blandishment, as children, when they would obtain
anything at their parent's hands, cry, "Father!" Christ speaks as foreseeing
the dangerand punishment which they would bring on themselves as the fruit

of their madness and folly, and therefore He prays, "Father, forgive them."
This actwas provocationenough to move Godto dissolve the bonds of nature,
to cleave the earth, that it might swallow them up quick, or to rain hell out of
heaven upon them. Lesseroffenceshave been thus punished, and one word
from Christ's mouth had been enough. But, "Father, forgive them." We hear
nothing but words of mild pity. When He says, "Forgive," He means also
convert them; for where there is no conversionthere canbe no remission. I
shall look upon this prayer under a twofold consideration.
I. Let us look upon it AS A MORAL ACTION. He doth not threaten fearful
judgments, but prayed for His enemies;there was no stain of passionand
revenge upon His sufferings (1 Peter 2:21). One greatuse of Christ's death
was to give us lessons ofmeekness andpatience and humble suffering. In this
act there is an excellentlesson. Let us look upon the necessarycircumstances
that serve to set it off
(1)Forwhom He prays;
(2)When He prays;
(3)Why He prays;
(4)In what manner. Information:
1. It informeth us that the love of Christ is greaterthan we can think or
understand, much less express.
2. That all sins, even the greatest, exceptthat againstthe Holy Ghost, are
pardonable.
3. That remissionof sins is the free gift of God, and the fruit of His pity and
grace. Christaskethit of His Father.
4. That pardon of sins is a specialbenefit. Christ askedno more than,
"Father, forgive them." It is a specialbenefit, because it freeth us from the
greatestevil, wrath to come (1 Thessalonians1:10). And it maketh us capable
of the greatestblessing, eternallife (Titus 3:7).

5. That love of enemies, and those that bare wrongedus, is an high grace, and
recommended to us by Christ's own example. Sure it is needful that we should
learn this lesson, to be like God (Luke 6:36).
6. Reproofof those that are cruel and revengeful. How different are they from
Christ who are all for unkindness and revenge, and solicitvengeance against
God's suffering servants with eageraggravations!Oh, how canthese men look
upon Christ's practice without shame! How canthey look upon these
prodigies of love and grace, and not blush!
II. The next considerationofthis prayer of Christ is AS A TASTE AND
PLEDGE OF HIS MEDIATION AND INTERCESSION. So it is prophesied:
"He was numbered with the transgressors,and He bare the sins of many, and
made intercessionfor the transgressors" (Isaiah53:12).
1. It is an instance of Christ's love and bowels to sinners; He loved mankind so
well that He prayed for them that crucified Him. Look on the Lord Jesus as
praying and dying for enemies, and improve it as a ground of confidence.
2. See whatis the voice and merit of His sufferings, "Father, forgive them."
This is the speechthat Christ uttered when He was laid on the cross. Abel's
blood was clamorous in the ears of God (Genesis 4:10). Christ's blood hath
another voice, it speakethto God to pacify His wrath, and to pardon us, if
penitent and believing sinners; it speakethto conscience to be quiet, God hath
found out a ransom.
3. In the mediatory considerationit hinteth the coupling of His intercession
with His satisfaction. On the cross, there He dieth and there He prayeth; He
was both priest and sacrifice.
4. This is a pledge of His constantintercessionin heaven.
5. It shows the nature of His intercession.
6. The success ofChrist's intercession, "Father, forgive them." Was He heard
in this? Yes; this prayer converts the centurion, and those above "three
thousand" (Acts 2:41), and presently after five thousand more (Acts 4:4). In
the compass ofa few days above eight thousand of His enemies were

converted. Christ is goodat interceding; His prayers are always heard (John
11:42).
II. I come now to the argument used, "Theyknow not what they do."
(T. Manton, D. D.)
A prayer for ignorant sinners
J. Flavel.
I. THAT IGNORANCE IS THE USUAL CAUSE OF ENMITY TO CHRIST.
"These things" (saith the Lord) "will they do, because they have not known
the Father, nor Me" (John 16:3).
1. What was their ignorance, who crucified Christ? Ignorance is two-fold,
simple or respective. Simple ignorance is not supposable in these persons, for
in many things they were a knowing people. But it was a respective particular
ignorance, "Blindness in part is happened to Israel" (Romans 11:25). They
knew many other truths, but did not know Jesus Christ. In that their eyes
were held.Though they had the Scriptures among them, they misunderstood
them, and did not rightly measure Christ by that right rule.(1) They supposed
Christ to arise out of Galilee, whereasHe was of Bethlehem, though much
conversantin the parts of Galilee. And(2) they thought, because theycould
find no prophet had arisenout of Galilee, therefore none should. Another
mistake that blinded them about Christ, was from their conceitthat Christ
should not die, but live for ever (John 12:34). Thus were they blinded about
the personof Christ, by misinterpretations of Scripture-prophecies.
2. Another thing occasioning their mistake of Christ, was the outward
meanness and despicablenessofHis condition.
3. Add to this, their implicit faith in the learned rabbles and doctors, who
utterly misled them in this matter, and greatly prejudiced them against
Christ. Let us see, in the next place, how this disposed them to such enmity
againstChrist. And this it doth three ways.(1)Ignorance disposesmen to
enmity and opposition to Christ, by removing those hindrances that would

otherwise keepthem from it. As checks andrebukes of conscience, by which
they are restrained from evil; but conscience binding and reproving in the
authority and virtue of the law of God; where that law is not known, there can
be no reproofs, and therefore we truly say, that ignorance is virtually every
sin.(2) Ignorance enslaves andsubjects the soul to the lusts of Satan, he is "the
ruler of the darkness ofthis world" (Ephesians 6:12). There is no work so
base and vile, but an ignorant man will undertake it.(3) Nay, which is more, if
a man be ignorant of Christ, His truths, or people, he will not only oppose,
and persecute, but he will also do it conscientiously, i.e., he will look upon it as
his duty so to do (John 16:3).
1. How falselyis the gospelchargedas the cause of discordand trouble in the
world. It is not light, but darkness, that makes men fierce and cruel. As light
increases,so doth peace (Isaiah11:6, 9).
2. How dreadful is it to oppose Christ and His truths knowingly, and with
open eyes? Christ pleads their ignorance as an argument to procure their
pardon.
3. What an awful majesty sits upon the brow of holiness, that few dare to
oppose it that see it!
4. The enemies of Christ are objects of pity. Alas, they are blind, and know not
what they do.
5. How needful is it before we engage ourselvesagainstany person or way, to
be well satisfiedand resolvedthat it is a wickedpersonor practice that we
oppose.
II. THAT THERE IS FORGIVENESS WITHGOD FOR SUCH AS OPPOSE
CHRIST OUT OF IGNORANCE. I have two things here to do:
1. To open the nature of the forgiveness, andshow you what it is.
2. To evince the possibility of it, for such as mistakingly oppose Christ.For —
1. Forgivenessis God's gracious discharge ofa believing penitent sinner from
the guilt of all his sin, for Christ's sake.

2. Now, to evince the possibility of forgiveness for such as ignorantly oppose
Christ, let these things be weighed.(1)Why should any poor soul, that is now
humbled for its enmity to Christ in the days of ignorance, questionthe
possibility of forgiveness, whenthis effect doth not exceedthe power of the
cause;nay, when there is more efficacyin the blood of Christ, the meritorious
cause, than is in this effectof it?(2) And as this sin exceeds notthe power of
the meritorious cause offorgiveness, so neither is it anywhere excluded from
pardon by any word of God.
III. THAT TO FORGIVE ENEMIES, AND BEG FORGIVENESS FOR
THEM, IS THE TRUE CHARACTER AND PROPERTYOF THE
CHRISTIAN SPIRIT.
1. Let us inquire what this Christian forgiveness is. And that the nature of it
may the better appear, I shall show you both what it is not and what it is.(1)It
consists not in a stoicalinsensibility of wrongs and injuries.(2) Christian
forgiveness is not a politic concealmentof our wrath and revenge because it
will be a reproachto discoverit, or because we wantopportunity to vent it.
This is carnal policy, not Christian meekness.(3)Noris it that moral virtue for
which we are beholden to an easierand better nature and the help of moral
rules and documents.(4)Christian forgiveness is not an injurious giving up of
our rights and properties to the lusts of every one that hath a mind to invade
them. But, then, positively, it is a Christian lenity or gentleness ofmind, not
retaining, but freely passing by the injuries done to us, in obedience to the
command of God. This is forgiveness in a Christian sense.
2. And this is excellent, and singularly becoming the professionof Christ, is
evident, inasmuch as this speaks your religionexcellent that can mould your
hearts into that heavenly frame to which they are so averse, yea, contrarily
disposedby nature.Inference
1. Hence we clearlyinfer that Christian religion, exalted in its power, is the
greatestfriend to the peace and tranquillity of states and kingdoms.
2. How dangerous a thing is it to abuse and wrong meek and forgiving
Christians?

3. Let us imitate our pattern Christ, and labour for meek forgiving spirits. I
shall only propose two inducements to it — the honour of Christ, and your
own peace:two dear things indeed to a Christian.
(J. Flavel.)
The first cry from the cross
C. H. Spurgeon.
I. Let us look at this very wonderful text as ILLUSTRATIVE OF OUR
LORD'S INTERCESSION.
1. The first point in which we may see the characterofHis intercessionis this
— it is most gracious. Thoseforwhom our Lord prayed, according to the text,
did not deserve His prayer.
2. A secondquality of His intercessionis this — its carefulspirit. You notice in
the prayer, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do," our
Saviour did, as it were, look His enemies through and through to find
something in them that He could urge in their favour; but He could see
nothing until His wiselyaffectionate eye lit upon their ignorance:"they know
not what they do."
3. We must next note its earnestness.
4. It is interesting to note, in the fourth place, that the prayer here offered
helps us to judge of His intercessionin heaven as to its continuance,
perseverance,and perpetuity.
5. Think yet again, this prayer of our Lord on earth is like His prayer in
heaven, because of its wisdom. He seeksthe bestthing, and that which His
clients most need, "rather, forgive them." That was the greatpoint in hand;
they wanted most of all there and then forgiveness from God.
6. Once more, this memorable prayer of our crucified Lord was like to His
universal intercessionin the matter of its prevalence.

II. The text is INSTRUCTIVE OF THE CHURCH'S WORK. As Christ was,
so His Church is to be in this world.
1. Christ's prayer on the cross was altogetheranunselfish one. He does not
remember Himself in it. Such ought to be the Church's life-prayer, the
Church's active interposition on the behalf of sinners. She ought to live never
for her ministers or for herself, but ever for the lost sons of men.
2. Now the prayer of Christ had a greatspirituality of aim. You notice that
nothing is sought for these people but that which concerns their souls,
"Father, forgive them."
3. Our Saviour's prayer teaches the Church that while her spirit should be
unselfish, and her aim should be spiritual, the range of her missionis to be
unlimited.
4. So, too, the Church should be earnestas Christ was;and if she be so, she
will be quick to notice any ground of hope in those she deals with, quick to
observe any plea that she may use with God for their salvation.
5. She must be hopeful too, and surely no Church ever had a more hopeful
sphere than the Church of this present age. If ignorance be a plea with God,
look on the heathen at this day — millions of them never heard Messiah's
name. Forgive them, greatGod, indeed they know not what they do.
III. A word, in conclusion, TO THE UNCONVERTED. Rememberyour
ignorance does not excuse you, or else Christ would not say, "Forgive them";
they must be forgiven, even those that know not what they do, hence they are
individually guilty; but still that ignorance of yours gives you just a little
gleamof hope. "Bring forth, therefore, fruits meet for repentance." Butthere
are some here for whom even Christ Himself could not pray this prayer, in the
widest sense atany rate, "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they
do," for you have knownwhat you did, and every sermon you hear, and
especiallyevery impressionthat is made upon your understanding and
conscienceby the gospel, adds to your responsibility, and takes awayfrom you
the excuse ofnot knowing what you do. You know that there is sin and God,

and that you cannot serve both. You know that there are the pleasures of evil
and the pleasures of heaven, and that you cannothave both.
(C. H. Spurgeon.)
Christ's forgiveness
A. Watson, D. D.
This prayer included many. It included all who had any share in the mockery,
and crucifixion, and death of Christ. It included the.Romangovernor, who
had given authority to crucify Him; the Roman soldiers, whose duty it was to
see the sentence carriedout into execution; the Jewishpriests and rulers, who
cried out for judgment; the multitude, who were stirred up by their religious
guides and rulers. All these various classes were ignorantof the true nature of
the deed which they were committing, but all were not equally ignorant. Some
knew more than others; and according to their greaterknowledgewas their
guilt, according to their ignorance was their personalshare in the prayer
offered at the cross. Notone of these knew altogetherwhat he was doing, or
how greatwas the sin in which he was taking part; and eachof these
individuals or groups of individuals has some one or many to correspondto
them in our own day and amongst ourselves in this age. The cross is for ever
the signof the world's darkestcrime: it reveals what is lying at the root of all
sin; and it opens up the nature of that dread conflict which is ever going on
betweenthe kingdom of darkness and the kingdom of God. Christ's prayer to
His Fatheris to be regardedin the further light of a declarationof
forgiveness, andan assurance ofit. Forgiveness is easierforGod to give than
for man to take. Forgiveness cannotbe receivedby every one. If a man says he
forgives me, I can only accepthis word if I believe that I need his forgiveness
— in other words, if I am conscious that I have offended him and done
something wrong. If I am in my own mind sure that I hare not injured him, I
decline to place myself on the footing of a forgiven man. I put awayhis
forgiveness, Irefuse to take the benefit of it, and I stand towards him as one
claiming to have as much right to forgive him as he to forgive me. And if we
transfer this comparison from earth to heaven, and inquire into the

forgiveness whichcomes from God, we shall find that the only channel
through which we can receive it is by accepting forgivenessas men who have
done wrong, and who know the wrong they have done, and have confessedit
and hated it. There are many who have passeda long waythrough the
journey of life before they find out what they have been doing. Youth has
often to pass into age before a man truly says, "Remembernot the sins of my
youth"; the hour of angerhas to pass awaybefore a man hears the voice of
conscience, "Doestthou well to be angry." Perhaps it is only to-day that we
see yesterday's faults, and not until another year may we see the faults of this;
the scalesfallaway from our eyes, and we marvel that follies which are now so
plain were not observedby us; we wonder how it was possible for us to do
what we did, and not see its true characterall the while. Consciencedoes not
arouse us, and it is often not until the voice of memory cries aloud that the
soul of a man is awakened, andhis past life looks to him as if he had been
walking in his sleep. Is it not time for every one to bestir himself, and ask
whether he knows what his presentlife and actions mean? But there is
another turn which we may give to the words. We may acceptthem as
expressing our own spirit and our own life. And until we have received them
into our hearts as the law of our own being, we have failed to see their true
beauty and power. As He was in the world, so are we in the world.
(A. Watson, D. D.)
Ignorance and forgiveness
Bishop Cheney.
What makes so wide a difference betweenJudas and those who carried out
what Judas had begun? The answeris in the text: they knew not what they
did. Doubtless they knew that He was innocent; but of His person, office,
authority, they had no conception. Their ignorance did not wipe out their sin,
but it did palliate it. It mitigated the awful blackness ofthe crime which they
wrought. It brought it within the limits of Divine mercy.
I. OUR SINS OF IGNORANCE NEEDPARDON.

1. In matters that concernthe soul, much of our ignorance is simply the fruit
of neglecting or despising information.
2. A vast amount of religious ignorance springs from a willingness to be
misled. Let a book appear that controverts the clearly defined truths of
evangelicalbelief. Let popular clamour lift its voice in wild hue and cry
againstcreeds and dogmas. Multitudes of men are at once ready to fall in with
such a drift, not because they have carefully satisfiedtheir minds that the
current is bearing them in the right direction, but because it is in accordwith
what they wish were true.
II. WHAT IS IT WHICH MEN DO NOT KNOW? There is an ignorance of
our own doings which is absolutelymarvellous. Visiting a factorynot long ago
I was showna machine which produces a little article of commerce with an
inconceivable rapidity. But the ingenious inventor had contrived an apparatus
which registeredevery one produced. If it were a hundred in every minute,
eachone was noted by the contrivance that createdit. But it is a strange fact
that man, with all his powers of consciousness, keepshimself in utter
ignorance of much that makes up his action. Our actions flow out from us into
the greatworld so unheeded that they are forgottenas soonas done; as water
through the parted marble lips of a statue which does duty as a fountain.
1. Men know not the origin of what they do. Has it never puzzled, while it
saddenedyou, to talk with some friend in the last stages ofconsumption? The
hectic flush if on his cheek. There is an unnatural lustre in his eye. His
breathing is short and hurried. A hollow coughcontinually interrupts his
speech. But he tells you that he is perfectly well. Of course he sees these
symptoms. He freely acknowledgesthat they are unfavourable. But then be is
thankful that his lungs are wholly unaffected. It is the seatand origin of the
disease ofwhich he is ignorant. Preciselyidenticalis the way in which many
treat the whole question of sin.
2. Equally is it true that the vast majority of men know not the effects ofwhat
they do. How thoughtlesslywe sin I We may not think when we scattersparks
into a powder magazine, but it is none the less dangerous to do so.
(Bishop Cheney.)

Prayer for murderers
In 1831, whenthe cholera first broke out in Hungary, the Sclavic peasants of
the north, were fully persuadedthat they had been poisonedby the nobles, to
get rid of them. They accordinglyrose in revolt, and committed the most
dreadful excesses. A gentleman who, up to that moment, had been very
popular with the poorer classes, wasseizedby them, draggedfrom his house
into the streets, and beaten for severalhours, to make him confess where he
had concealedthe poison. Weary, at last, with inflicting blows, the frenzied
mob carried him to a blacksmith's shop, and applied hot ploughshares to his
feet. Exhausted with this excruciating torture, the innocent sufferer, finding
all explanations and entreaties vain, fell back from weakness, apparently
about to expire, when the dying prayer of his Lord and Saviour escapedhis
lips: "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do!" The savage fury
of the peasantrywas calmed in a moment, as if by a miracle; and convinced of
the innocence oftheir victim, and the enormity of their crime, they fled in
terror from the place.
And castlots
On gambling
Dr. Talmage.
Christ had been condemned to death, and His property was being disposedof.
He had no realestate. He was born in a stranger's barn, and buried in a
borrowedsepulchre. His personalproperty was of but little value. His coat
was the only thing to come into consideration. His shoes had been worn out in
the long journey for the world's redemption. Who shall have His coat? Some
one says:"Let us toss up in a lottery and decide this matter." "I have it!" said
one of the inhuman butchers. "I have it!" "Upon My vesture did they cast
lots." And there, on that spot, were born all the lotteries the world has seen.
On that spot of cruelty and shame and infamy there was born the Royal
Havana lottery, in which some of you may have had tickets. There was born

the famous New York lottery, which pretended to have over £144,400worthof
cashprizes. There was born the Topeka, Kansas, LaramierCity, Wyoming
Territory lotteries. There was born the Louisville lottery, with diamonds and
pearls, and watches by the bushel. There was born the Georgia lottery, for the
eastand the west. There was born the Louisiana lottery, sanctionedby
influential names. There was born the Kentucky lottery, for the city schoolof
Frankfort. All the lotteries that have swindled the world were born there.
Without any exceptionall of them moral outrages, whethersanctionedby
legislative authority, or antagonizedby it, and moral outrages though
respectable people have sometimes damagedtheir property with them, and
blistered their immortal souls for eternity. Under the curse of the lottery tens
of thousands of people are losing their fortunes and losing their souls. What
they call a "wheeloffortune" is a Juggernautcrushing out the life of their
immortal nature. In one of the insolvent courts of the country it was found
that in one village £40,000hadbeen expended for lotteries. All the officers of
the celebratedUnited States Bank which failed were found to have expended
the embezzled moneys in lottery tickets. A man won £10,000 in a lottery. He
sold his ticket for £8,500, and yet had not enoughto pay charges againsthim
for tickets. He owedthe brokers £9,000. The editor of a newspaperwrites:
"My friend was blessedwith £4,000in a lottery, and from that time he began
to go astray, and yesterday he askedof me ninepence to pay for a night's
lodging." A man won £4,000in a lottery. Flattered by his success,he bought
another ticketand won still more largely. Another ticketand still more
largely. Then, being fairly startedon the road to ruin, here and there a loss
did not seemto agitate him, and he went on and on until the selectmen of the
village pronounced him a vagabond and pickedup his children from the
street, half-starved and almostnaked. A hard-working machinist won £400 in
a lottery. He was thrilled with the success, disgustedwith his hard work,
opened a rum grocery, gotdebauched in morals, and was found dead at the
foot of his rum casks. Oh, it would take a pen plucked from the wing of the
destroying angel, and dipped in human blood, to describe this lottery business.
A suicide was found having in his pocketa card of address showing he was
boarding at a grog-shop. Beside thathe had three lottery tickets and a leaf
from Seneca's "Morals " in behalf of the righteousness ofself-murder. After a
lottery in England there were fifty suicides of those who held unlucky

numbers. There are people who have lottery tickets in their pockets — tickets
which, if they have not wisdom enoughto tearup or burn up, will be their
admission tickets atthe door of the lostworld. The brazen gate will swing
open and they will show their tickets, and they will go in, and they will go
down. The wheelof their eternal fortune may turn very slowly, but they will
find that the doom of those who rejectthe teachings ofGod and imperil their
immortal souls is their only prize.
(Dr. Talmage.)
What is gambling
Dr. Talmadge.
Gambling is risking something more or less valuable with the idea of winning
mote than you hazard. Playing at cards is not gambling unless a stake be put
up, while on the other hand a man may gamble without cards, without dice,
without billiards, without ten-pin alley. It may not be bagatelle, it may not be
billiards, it may not be any of the ordinary instruments of gambling, it may be
a glass ofwine. It may be a hundred shares in a prosperous railroad company.
I do not care what the instruments of the game are, or what the stakes are that
are put up — if you propose to get anything without paying for it in time, or
skill, or money, unless you get it by inheritance, you getit either by theft or by
gambling. A traveller said he travelled one thousand miles on Westernwaters,
and at every waking moment, from the starting to the closing of his journey,
he was in the presence ofgambling. A man, if he is disposedto this vice, will
find something to accommodate him; if not in the low restaurantbehind the
curtain, on the table coveredwith greasycards, or in the steamboatcabin,
where the bloated wretchwith rings in his ears winks in an unsuspecting
traveller, or in the elegantparlour, the polished drawing-room, the mirrored
and pictured halls of wealth and beauty. This vice destroys through unhealthy
stimulants. We all at times like excitements. There are a thousand voices
within us that demand excitements. They are healthful, they are inspiriting,
they are God-given. The desire is for excitement; but look out for any kind of
excitement which, after the gratification of the appetite, hurls the man back

into destructive reactions. Thenthe excitement is wicked. Beware ofan
agitationwhich, like a rough musician, in order to call out the tune, plays so
hard he breaks down the instrument. God never yet made a man strong
enough to endure gambling excitements without damage. It is no surprise that
many a man seatedat the game has lost and then begun to sweepoff
imaginary gold from the table. He sat down sane. He rose a maniac. The
keepers ofgambling saloons schoolthemselves into placidity. They are fat,
and round, and rollicking, and obese;but those who go to play for the sake of
winning are thin, and pale, and exhausted, and nervous, and sick, and have
the heart-disease, andare liable any moment to drop down dead. That is the
characterof nine out of ten of the gamblers. You cannotbe healthy and
practise that vice. It is killing to all industry. Do you notice that, just as soon
as a man gets that vice on him, he stops his work? Do you not know that this
vice has dulled the saw of the carpenter, and cut the band of the factory-
wheel, and sunk the cargo, and broken the teeth of the farmer's rake, and sent
a strange lightning to the battery of the philosopher. What a dull thing is a
plough to a farmer, when, in one night in the village restaurant, he can make
or lose the price of a whole harvest I The whole theory of gambling is hostile
to industry. Every other occupationyields something to the community. The
streetsweeperpays for what he gets by the cleanliness ofthe streets;the cat
pays for what it eats by clearing the house of vermin; the fly pays for the
sweets it extracts from the dregs of a cup by purifying the air and keeping
back pestilence;but the gambler gives nothing. I recallthat lastsentence. He
does make a return, but it is in the destruction of the man whom he fleeces,
disgrace to his wife, ruin to his children, death to his soul.
(Dr. Talmadge.)
COMMENTARIES
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(34) Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.—Again, the silence
is broken, not by the cry of anguish or sigh of passionate complaint, but by
words of tenderestpity and intercession. Itis well, however, that we should
remember who were the primary direct objects of that prayer. Not Pilate, for
he knew that he had condemnedthe innocent; not the chief priests and
scribes, for their sin, too, was againstlight and knowledge.Those forwhom
our Lord then prayed were clearly the soldiers who nailed Him to the cross, to
whom the work was but that which they were, as they deemed, bound to do as
part of their duty. It is, however, legitimate to think of His intercessionas
including, in its ultimate extension, all who in any measure sin againstGodas
not knowing what they do, who speak oract againstthe Son of Man without
being guilty of the sin againstthe Holy Ghost. (See Note on Acts 3:17.)
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary
23:32-43 As soonas Christ was fastenedto the cross, he prayed for those who
crucified him. The great thing he died to purchase and procure for us, is the
forgiveness ofsin. This he prays for. Jesus was crucifiedbetweentwo thieves;
in them were shown the different effects the cross ofChrist would have upon
the children of men in the preaching the gospel. One malefactorwas hardened
to the last. No troubles of themselves will change a wickedheart. The other
was softenedat the last: he was snatchedas a brand out of the burning, and
made a monument of Divine mercy. This gives no encouragementto any to
put off repentance to their death-beds, or to hope that they shall then find
mercy. It is certain that true repentance is never too late;but it is as certain
that late repentance is seldom true. None can be sure they shall have time to
repent at death, but every man may be sure he cannot have the advantages
this penitent thief had. We shall see the case to be singular, if we observe the
uncommon effects of God's grace upon this man. He reproved the other for
railing on Christ. He ownedthat he deserved what was done to him. He
believed Jesus to have suffered wrongfully. Observe his faith in this prayer.
Christ was in the depth of disgrace, suffering as a deceiver, and not delivered
by his Father. He made this professionbefore the wonders were displayed
which put honour on Christ's sufferings, and startled the centurion. He

believed in a life to come, and desiredto be happy in that life; not like the
other thief, to be only saved from the cross. Observe his humility in this
prayer. All his request is, Lord, remember me; quite referring it to Jesus in
what way to remember him. Thus he was humbled in true repentance, and he
brought forth all the fruits for repentance his circumstances wouldadmit.
Christ upon the cross, is gracious like Christ upon the throne. Though he was
in the greateststruggle andagony, yet he had pity for a poor penitent. By this
act of grace we are to understand that Jesus Christ died to open the kingdom
of heaven to all penitent, obedient believers. It is a single instance in
Scripture; it should teach us to despair of none, and that none should despair
of themselves;but lest it should be abused, it is contrastedwith the awful state
of the other thief, who died hardened in unbelief, though a crucified Saviour
was so near him. Be sure that in generalmen die as they live.
Barnes'Notes on the Bible
Father, forgive them - This is a fulfillment of the prophecy in Isaiah 53:12;
"He made intercessionfor the transgressors."The prayer was offered for
those who were guilty of putting him to death. It is not quite certain whether
he referred to the "Jews"or"to the Roman soldiers." Perhaps he referred to
both. The Romans knew not what they did, as they were really ignorant that
he was the Sonof God, and as they were merely obeying the command of their
rulers. The Jews knew, indeed, that he was "innocent," and they had
evidence, if they would have lookedat it, that he was the Messiah;but they did
not know what would be the effect of their guilt; they did not know what
judgments and calamities they were bringing down upon their country. It may
be added, also, that, though they had abundant evidence, if they would look at
it, that he was the Messiah, and enough to leave then without excuse, yetthey
did not, "in fact," believe that he was the Saviour promised by the prophets,
and had not, "in fact," any proper sense ofhis rank and dignity as "the Lord
of glory." If they had had, they would not have crucified him, as we cannot
suppose that they would knowingly put to death their own Messiah, the hope
of the nation, and him who had been so long promised to the fathers. See the
notes at 1 Corinthians 2:8. We may learn from this prayer:

1. The duty of praying for our enemies, evenwhen they are endeavoring most
to injure us.
2. The thing for which we should pray for them is that "God" would pardon
them and give them better minds.
3. The power and excellence ofthe Christian religion. No other religion
"teaches" people to pray for the forgiveness ofenemies; no other "disposes"
them to do it. Men of the world seek for"revenge;" the Christian bears
reproaches and persecutions with patience, and prays that God would pardon
those who injure them, and save them from their sins.
4. The greatestsinners, through the intercessionof Jesus, mayobtain pardon.
God heard him, and still hears him "always," andthere is no reasonto doubt
that many of his enemies and murderers obtained forgiveness and life.
Compare Acts 2:37, Acts 2:42-43;Acts 6:7; Acts 14:1.
They know not what they do - It was done through ignorance, Acts 3:17. Paul
says that, "had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of
glory," 1 Corinthians 2:8. Ignorance does not excuse altogethera crime if the
ignorance be willful, but it diminishes its guilt. They "had" evidence; they
"might" have learned his character;they "might" have known what they
were doing, and they "might" be held answerable forall this. But Jesus here
shows the compassionofhis heart, and as they were "really" ignorant,
whatevermight have been the cause of their ignorance, he implores God to
pardon them. He even urges it as a "reason"why they should be pardoned,
that they were ignorant of what they were doing; and though people are often
guilty for their ignorance, yet God often in compassionoverlooks it, averts his
anger, and grants them the blessings ofpardon and life. So he forgave Paul,
for he "did it in ignorance, in unbelief," 1 Timothy 1:13. So God "winked" at
the ignorance ofthe Gentiles, Acts 17:30. Yet this is no excuse, and no
evidence of safety, for those who in our day contemptuously put awayfrom
them and their children the means of instruction.
Jamieson-Fausset-BrownBible Commentary
Lu 23:32-38, 44-46. Crucifixionand Deathof the Lord Jesus.

(See on [1738]Joh19:17-30).
Matthew Poole's Commentary
Ver. 34-46. See Poole on"Matthew 27:35", andfollowing verses to Matthew
27:50. See Poole on"Mark 14:24", and following verses to Mark 14:37. This
part also of the history of our Saviour’s passionis best understood by a
comparing togetherwhat all the evangelists say, whichwe have before done in
our notes on Matthew, so as we shall only observe some few things from it as
here recited.
And the people stoodbeholding. And the rulers also with them derided him,
Luke 23:35. Matthew saith, Matthew 27:41, the chief priests, scribes, and
elders were there mocking. So saith Mark, Mark 15:31. How doth malice and
hatred for religion’s sake, not only out show men’s reason, but also all their
moral virtue! And make nothing accounteduncharitable, unjust, or indecent
to them, into whom this devil hath once entered. To say nothing of the
injustice and indecencies obvious to every eye, which these men showedupon
our Saviour’s examination and trial: it was now the first day of the feastof
unleavened broad, the day following the passovernight; or, as some think, the
preparation both for the weeklysabbath and for the passover, thoughthe
most judicious interpreters be of the first opinion: one of them it was, be it
which it would. If atheism and irreligion had not been at the height amongst
this people, had it been possible that the high priest, and the chief of the
priests, and the rulers of the Jews, shouldhave spent this day, the whole time,
from break of the day till noon, in accusing or condemning Christ; and then
have spent the afternoonin mocking and deriding him on the cross as he was
dying, breaking all laws of humanity and decency, as well as religion?
Admitting Annas and Caiaphas were not there, yet some of the chief of the
priests, the scribes, and the elders were certainly there; and betraying
themselves there more rudely and indecently than the common people.

The people were there beholding him. These were there mocking and deriding
a dying person. But as we say in philosophy, corruptio optimi est pessima;so
we shall find it true, that men who are employed in sacredthings, if the true
fear of God be not in them, to make them the best, they are certainly the vilest
and worstof men. We read of no rudenesses offeredto our Saviour dying, but
from the scribes, chiefpriests, rulers, and soldiers. These verses also affordus
greatproof of the immortality of the soul; otherwise the penitent thief could
not that day have been with Christ in paradise, as Christ promised, Luke
23:43. Nor would Christ have committed his soul into his Father’s hand, if it
had been to have expired with the body, and have vanished into air. For other
things which concernthis part of the history of our Saviour’s passion, See
Poole on "Matthew 27:35", andfollowing verses to Matthew 27:50.
Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible
Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them,.... When he was crucified betweenthe
two thieves, and as he hung upon the cross, and while insulted and abused by
all sorts of men, and put to the greatestpain and torture, he addressedhimself
to God his Father:the Arabic versionreads, "my Father", who was so to him,
not as he was man; for as such he had no father; but as he was God, being as a
divine person, his beloved, and only begottenSon: and this he uses, whilst, as
man, he is praying to him; partly to express his faith of relation to him; his
confidence of being heard; and partly to set believers an example of praying,
as he has directed, saying, "our Father", &c. and the petition put up by him is
for forgiveness;which is with God, and with him only; and that for his
enemies, his crucifiers: not for those who sinned the sin unto death, the sin
againstthe Holy Ghost, who knowing him to be the Messiah, maliciously
crucified him, for whom prayer is not to be made; but for those who were
ignorantly concernedin it, as the next clause shows, evenfor his ownelect,
whom the Father had given him out of the world, which were among his
crucifiers; for those, and not the world, he prays: and the fruit of this his
prayer quickly appeared, in the conversionof three thousand of them under
Peter's sermonon the day of Pentecost, nextfollowing, in six weeks time.
Though such might be his affection, as man, in general, as to wish for, and
desire, as such, was it consistentwith the divine will, forgiveness forall of
them; adding,

for they know not what they do, or "are doing", meaning, in crucifying him,
which was the case ofmany of them, and of their rulers; they did not know
that Jesus was the Messiah, nor the prophecies concerning him, nor the evil
they were committing in putting him to death: not that their ignorance
excusedtheir sin; nor was it without sin; nor does Christ use it as a plea for
pardon, or found his intercessionupon it, which is always done upon his own
propitiatory sacrifice;but this is mentioned as descriptive of the persons
Christ prays for, and points out a branch of his priestly office he exercises, in
having compassiononthe ignorant, and them that are out of the way;
and they parted his raiment, and castlots: that is, upon his vesture, or
seamlesscoat, andso fulfilled the prophecy in Psalm22:18. See Gill on
Matthew 27:35. See Gill on John 19:23. See Gill on John 19:24.
Geneva Study Bible
{10} Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.
And they parted his raiment, and castlots.
(10) Christ, in praying for his enemies, shows that he is both the Sacrifice and
the Priest.
EXEGETICAL(ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)
Expositor's Greek Testament
Luke 23:34. Πάτερ, etc.:a prayer altogethertrue to the spirit of Jesus,
therefore, though reported by Lk. alone, intrinsically credible. It is with
sincere regretthat one is compelled, by its omissionin important MSS., to
regard its genuineness as subjectto a certain amount of doubt. In favour of it
is its conformity with the whole aim of Lk. in his Gospel, which is to exhibit
the graciousnessofJesus.—διαμεριζόμενοι, etc., andparting His garments
they castlots = they divided His garments by casting lots.
Cambridge Bible for Schools andColleges
34. Father, forgive them] Isaiah 53:12, “He bare the sins of many, and made
intercessionfor the transgressors.”Thesewords were probably uttered at the
terrible moment when the Sufferer was outstretchedupon the Cross and the

nails were being driven through the palms of the hands. They are certainly
genuine, though strangely omitted by B, D. We must surely suppose that the
prayer was uttered not only for the Romansoldiers, who were the mere
instruments of the executors, but for all His enemies. It was in accordance
with His ownteaching (Matthew 5:44), and His children have learnt it from
Him (Acts 7:59-60;Euseb. H.E. ii. 29). They were the first of the sevenwords
from the Cross, ofwhich three (Luke 23:34;Luke 23:43; Luke 23:46) are
recordedby St Luke only, and three’(John 19:27-28;John 19:30)by St John
only. The last cry also beganwith the word “Father.” The sevenwords are
Luke 23:34. The Prayer for the Murderers.
Luke 23:43. The Promise to the Penitent.
John 19:26. The provision for the Mother.
Matthew 27:46; Mark 15:34. Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?
John 19:28. The sole expressionof human agony.
John 19:30. “It is finished.”
Luke 23:46. “Father, into Thy hands I commend My spirit.”
Thus they refer to His enemies, to penitents, to His mother and disciple, to the
agonyof His soul, to the anguish of His body, to His work, and to His

Heavenly Father. St Luke here omits our Lord’s refusalof the sopor—the
medicated draught, or myrrh-mingled wine (Mark 15:23; Matthew 27:34),
which, if it would have deadenedHis pains, would also have beclouded His
faculties.
forgive them] aphes; Christ died “for the remission (aphesin) of sins,”
Matthew 26:28.
they know not what they do] Rather, are doing. “Through ignorance ye did
it,” Acts 3:17; 1 Corinthians 2:8. “JudaeiclamantCrucifige; Christus clamat
Ignosce. Magna illorum iniquitas sed major tua, O Domine, pietas.” St
Bernard.
they parted his raiment] For the fuller details see John 19:23-24.
Bengel's Gnomen
Luke 23:34. Ἔλεγε, said) This is the first utterance of Jesus Christ on the
cross. There are in all seven such utterances to be drawn from the four
Evangelists, no single one of whom has recorded them all. From this it is
evident, that their four records are as it were four voices, which, joined
together, form one symphony; and at one time single voices sound (solos), at
another, two voices (duets), at another, three (trios), at another, all the voices
together. The Saviourwent through most of the ordeal on the cross in silence;
but His seven utterances containa recapitulation of the doctrine calculatedto
be of profit to us in our last hours. [It would not be unattended with profit to
comp. with this the German hymn of the Author, composedon a particular
occasion, beginning thus:—“Mittler! alle Kraft der Worte,” etc. It may be
found in “Sen. UrlspergeriUnterricht für Kranke und Sterbende,” Aug.
Vind., 1756, p. 408, and in “S. R. J. C. Storrii GottgeheiligtenFlämmlein, etc.,
Stuttg. 1755, p. 315.—E. B.” Forin these utterances He hag regardto both His
enemies and a convertedsinner, and His mother with His disciple, and His

heavenly Father. These sevenutterances may also be comparedwith the seven
petitions in the Lord’s prayer. Even in the very order of the utterances,
mysteries are hidden; and from it maybe illustrated the successivesteps of
every persecution, affliction, and conflict(agonis)of the Christian.—Πάτερ,
Father) At the beginning, and at the close ofHis suffering on the cross, He
calls upon God by the appellation, Father.—ἄφες,forgive)Had He not uttered
this prayer, the penalty might have begun at once, whilst this most atrocious
crime was in the actof perpetration, as often happened in like cases in the
time of Moses. The prayers of the Long-suffering One (or simply, the
Sufferer) prevent the immediate execution of wrath, and obtain a full
‘forgiveness’for the time to come, as wellas ‘repentance’[Acts 5:31] for those
who were about (i. e. willing) to acceptit. [Who knows but that forgiveness
and repentance were vouchsafedto the few soldiers who took charge of the
crucifixion?—Harm., p. 563.]—αὐτοῖς, them) viz. those who were crucifying
Him.—[τί ποιοῦσι, what they do) They knew certainly that they were in the
act of crucifying, but Who it was that they were crucifying, they knew not.
And truly it was awful ignorance on their part; but if that ignorance had been
removed, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory; nevertheless, even
heavier guilt was incurred by him who sinned knowingly.—V. g.]
Pulpit Commentary
Verse 34. - Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they
do. These words are missing in some of the oldest authorities. They are found,
however, in the majority of the most ancientmanuscripts and in the most
trustworthy of the old versions, and are undoubtedly genuine. These first of
the sevenwords from the cross seem, from their position in the record, to have
been spokenvery early in the awful scene, probably while the nails were being
driven into the hands and feet. Different from other holy dying men, he had
no need to say, "Forgive me." Then, as always, thinking of others, he utters
this prayer, uttering it, too, as Stier well observes, with the same consciousness
which had been formerly expressed, "Father, I know that thou hearestme
always." "His intercessionhas this for its ground, though in meekness it is not
expressed:'Father, I will that thou forgive them." In the same sublime
consciousnesswho he was, he speaks shortlyafter to the penitent thief hanging
by his side. These words of the crucified Jesus were heard by the poor sufferer

Jesus was forgiving from the cross

Jesus was forgiving from the cross

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