Words from the Cross (Part II)

Articles

Lance Byers
06/08/24 - Words from the Cross

“Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

Luke records these first words Jesus spoke on the cross in Luke 23:34. This prayer that Jesus recites is likely, if we look at the harmonization of the gospels, happening either as the soldiers nail and lift His body up on the cross, or not long afterwards. This all happens sometime during the 9 o’clock hour of the morning and there is a crowd around. He has suffered beatings, on the way to Calvary He was paraded around as a condemned man, the soldiers stripped Him naked, His hands and feet in pain after nails are driven through them, and a truthful statement is put above His head but was meant to mock him further. The disdain for Him is palpable even through the text of the scriptures as it seems as if everyone around is disdainful of Him.

Most people in this situation would be demanding justice, or cursing those around, or begging for their life. Jesus, our exemplar, is doing no such things. He has been silent, and now in this moment that for any normal man would be His lowest moment, He appeals to God, not for Himself, but for those around Him. His meekness is on display despite all the evil around Him and inflicted on Him.

Why does Jesus say all this? If we were ever to find ourselves in a comparable situation, being condemned for Christ, we should react in the same way. Not only because Jesus is our example, but it is also in Revelation 2:10, Christians are to remain faithful unto death. Romans 8:38-39 reminds us that it does not matter what worldly thing tries to cut us off from God, including the governmental authority, nothing can do that unless we choose to sin. The temptation to be selfish and to hate the people while suffering crucifixion is the temptation to sin; to allow human emotions and desires to overpower the will of God.

Jesus had come to seek and save the lost, and He did so, but there were many who had hardened their hearts, or were still blinded by the teachings of the day that said the Messiah would be the next earthly king of Israel. The thieves on the crosses next to Him reviled Him, telling Him to come down off the cross then save them too, hearing this mocking from the crowd, too blinded by their own suffering to start with to see who Jesus was. The crowd were jeering recalling that He would destroy the temple, too focused on the physical parts of their religion to see the spiritual. The soldiers were too busy gambling to get His clothing to realize, yet, that He really was the thing which they inscribed on above his head: “King.”

None of them could see what they were doing, and Jesus, as I wrote about in part one, would still be trying to make them see, but He would first appeal to God to forgive them for this great atrocity which was happening. Praise God for that request because we see in the next few verses, and into Acts, that the forgiveness would come, and it would be welcome.

Sometimes, it takes realizing that the suffering of this life will come to an end as the thief on the cross did in Luke 23:42. Sometimes, it takes looking around to see the majesty of God to realize that He does exist as the centurion did in Matthew 27:54. Sometimes, it takes being cut to the heart as the crowds did in Acts 2:36-37. Sometimes, we die alone, mocking God as the other thief did. Regardless of the choice we make, we cannot claim ignorance any longer. They did not know what they were doing, but now we have the completed revelation of God and, as Isaiah 45:23 is quoted in Romans 14:11, “To Me, every knee shall bow, and every tongue shall confess to God.”

Lance Byers

6/8/24