Father, forgive them
Luke is the only record for these words of Christ.
Healing words of Christ. ensuring love and care and fairness.
He has always been the intercessor; our propitiation. He is the appeaser, the Great High Priest. Would the Father not listen to the Son?
He is superior to any High Priest ever lived. He did not just carry out orders. He carried out love and pity. In Him is forgiveness even to death. And He has power to pick up life even from death.
John23 vv33-34:
33. And when they came unto the place which is called The skull, there they crucified him, and the malefactors (criminals), one on the right hand and the other on the left.
34. And Jesus said, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And parting his garments among them, they cast lots. -asv
34. |3588| - |1161| And |2424| Jesus |3004| said, |3962| Father, |0863| forgive |0846| them, |3756| not |1063| because |1492| they do know |5101| what |4160| they are doing. -lit
Strong's Ref. # 863
Romanized aphiemi
Pronounced af-ee'-ay-meefrom GSN0575 and hiemi (to send; an intensive form of eimi, to go); to send forth, in various applications (as follow):
KJV--cry, forgive, forsake, lay aside, leave, let (alone, be, go, have), omit, put (send) away, remit, suffer, yield up.
Jesus still called God the Father His Father while on the cross.
They and they in v34 seems to refer to the Roman soldiers, who are instruments of the empire, carrying out orders. They did not recognise the Son of God, and went on casting lot for His garments. There is indifference.
Yet, Christ did not blame the innocent; those who did not know of the kingdom of heaven.
Death did not immediately fall upon these soldiers. They still have chance for repentance and for accepting the glorified Christ/redeemer.
This suffering Lord of ours, pleaded for forgiveness while dying in substitution for our sins. He spoke up and spoke out.
He did not hide His love; His desire to forgive, to reconcile.
This saviour talks of life, salvation, forgiveness.
He did not burn His anger and grief on those who did not know. Would you? How fair would you be?
He preached forgiveness even before He breathed His last. Which other leader and founder of religion would do that? You? Would you? Which king? Which prophet?
Christian prophets would do that, following the example of the Christian Lord, Jesus. Stephen is one of them.
Love is expressed. Again and again. Reconciliation is expressed. Not destruction of goodness. But destruction of evil and sin and death.
Death does not breed life.
Would you reject such great love? Such great forgiveness?
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