Father, Forgive Them - Luke 23:34

Luke the beloved physician wrote when Jesus was condemned to be crucified, “there were also two other, malefactors, led with him to be put to death. And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left”, and in chapter twenty-three and verse thirty-four of his book Luke shared how Jesus said, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do” where we read:

Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.

And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.

The verse reads, “Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do ...” Luke began with the words, “Then said Jesus” or “at that time uttered, declared and proclaimed the Son of God, the Savior of mankind and God incarnate”, “Father” which means “Heavenly Father or God”, “forgive them” or “disregard, omit, neglect and remit the people who were crucifying Jesus”; “for they know not” which means “because, since and on account that the people who were crucifying Jesus do not understand, perceive or ascertain” “what they do” or “that which the ones crucifying Jesus were performing and producing”. Luke shared how Jesus asked His “Heavenly Father” to “disregard and omit” the wrongs of the ones crucifying Him because they did not understand what they were doing.

The verse goes on to say “... And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.” Luke continued with the words, “and they parted his raiment” which means “and the ones crucifying Jesus divided and cut in pieces Jesus' clothing, cloak, robe, vesture or apparel”, “and cast lots” or “and threw and thrust forth objects which were either pebbles, potsherds or a bits of wood”. Luke shared how the men who were crucified Jesus began to gamble for His “clothing”.

When we consider Luke's words in this verse, we learn how Jesus asked His “Father” to “forgive” the people who were “crucifying” Him. We discover the men who “crucified” Jesus gambled for and divided His clothing. We marvel at the willingness of Jesus to “forgive” even while He was being “crucified”, and He knew every person who stood before Him would stand before Him in judgment in the future. In other words, Jesus asked that people be forgiven whom He would judge later. Also, when we think about how calloused the men were who “gambled” for Jesus' clothing, we marvel that Jesus did nothing about it. Jesus came into the world to save people from their sins, and when they yield their lives to Him as their personal “Savior and Lord”, He will “forgive” their sins and grant them everlasting life with His Father God. Let all who read these words submit their lives to Jesus who is willing to “forgive”.

Next time Luke shares how, “the people stood beholding. And the rulers also with them derided him”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".