Spirituality Column #750

March 30, 2021

Common Christianity / Uncommon Commentary

‘Father, Forgive Them …

By Bob Walters

“… for they know not what they do.” – Jesus on the Cross, Luke 23:34

Mercilessly hung on the cross, Jesus uttered first these words of forgiveness.

Obedient unto death for His Father’s glory, Jesus spoke of divine forgiveness and human ignorance. He revealed His endless grace, called on God’s endless mercy, and called out humanity’s endless darkness: “…for they know not what they do.” 

On the cross, Jesus was telling us all, “You can trust me … you are forgiven.”

On the ground, people cloaked in ignorance still wondered, “Who ARE you?”

Forgiveness has a funny way of stealing the show at the crucifixion.  As Christian believers we celebrate forgiveness of our sins in Christ’s atoning sacrifice on the cross.  We are maybe a little less attentive to Jesus forgiving those in close proximity to the event: Pilate, soldiers, Pharisees, the jeering crowd, followers hiding in fear, etc.  We probably don’t spend a lot of time on the “know not what they do,” the “ignorant” part.

Early-20^th century American humorist and commentator Will Rogers was fond of saying, “Everybody’s ignorant, only on different subjects.”  Not known for his religious leanings, Rogers nonetheless perfectly hit on the confined nature of human knowledge.  We all possess some knowledge about some things, and time and again we see that the things we don’t know – our ignorance – bring out fear, hostility, and indifference.

At Calvary Pilate knew Roman governance but he didn’t know truth.  Pharisees knew the Law but for years selfishly had misapplied it.  They then blindly ignored and became hostile when the Law’s prophetic fulfillment – Jesus Christ – arrived in their midst.  They refused to see God’s Truth they should have recognized. Roman soldiers knew how to put a man to death but were entirely indifferent to who Jesus was.

Jesus’ disciples knew Him personally, yet even after all they had heard and seen, 10 of them hid in fear.  The 11^th, John, was at the foot of the cross, and the 12^th, Judas, hung himself. John, let’s note, was the only disciple not to eventually die a violent death.

When we don’t know what we are doing or what’s going on around us, our ignorance might feel like bliss and even lessen our guilt.  Are we accountable for what we don’t know?  Jesus on the cross graciously called for God’s forgiveness of his accusers despite their ignorance, hostility, and indifference; His love was that great.

Jesus tells us to love God and love others, forgive our enemies, and invites us to follow Him.  We love being forgiven, but the cross shows us how the world – in its ignorance, hostility, and indifference – reacts when Truth arrives to replace worldly lies.

The world won’t change Jesus; we can trust that.  He changes us when our trust, love, and faith join Him on the Cross; sin and ignorance fade, and truth lights our way.

Walters (rlwcom@aol.com) has this theory – it’s not scriptural, it’s a theory – that most of Jesus’ followers, the cheering celebrants of Palm Sunday, were not at Calvary but in fearful hiding from Jewish leaders.  The jeering crowd with the Pharisees were likely rebels who that morning had assembled before Pilate to beg Passover Amnesty for their leader, Barabbas.  The Pharisees wanted Jesus dead, this loud cohort wanted Barabbas alive, and so Barabbas, a rebel who was to be crucified that day, became the first person directly “saved” by Jesus.  One imagines the “two thieves” (insurrectionists? Mark 15:7) were surprised to see Jesus in (their ally?) Barabbas’ place.