Father, Forgive Them

"Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do," said Christ on the cross. This was in the midst of a crowd jeering at Him ("He saved others, let Him save Himself") and Him being in immeasurable pain. In the depth of that pain and in the shocking behavior of the crowd's hypocrisy and insensitivity, He still prayed for their forgiveness.

What strikes me about His statement ("they know not what they do") is that I would expect that the religious leaders of all people would know exactly what they were doing. And yet the words of Christ seem to suggest that they really did not know. It is possible to believe in something (the letter of the Law) so dogmatically that we completely miss the Person behind it (Jesus Christ).

One of my greatest struggles is in the area of judging others. This comes as natural to me as breathing. And yet here I see the Righteous Judge on the cross praying for forgiveness for the people who hated and mocked Him. My judgment of others is rebuked by this passage because I see that no matter how well I think I know someone, there is only one Who really does know, and His words are, "Father, forgive."

Several months ago I acted on my judgmental thoughts towards a friend and added another wound to my friend's heart in doing so. I was grateful to be forgiven and to have reconciliation in that friendship, but the reflection of myself I saw in the mirror of my action was quite unsettling to me. It was one of those wonderful and yet awful times where one truly realizes the condition of the self. Christ sets a radically different example in His words of forgiveness.

"Father, forgive them" means that Christ has discerned the thoughts and intentions of their hearts, He has seen their lives and the woundedness that they have experienced, and He knows everything about them. His words, "for they know not what they do," mean that He knows deep within they act out of fear, pride, blindness, ignorance, or woundedness.

I see the lives of my friends and sometimes when they take action I don't agree with, I tend towards jumping to judgment of them. "They should know better," I think (the "should" word striking again). Who says they should know better? Me? Have I lived their lives? Do I know their wounds? Have I experienced their pain? Do I know what they do and do not know? Who am I to judge their actions when I do not even know their heart? Have I considered my own actions in light of my knowledge of my own heart's condition? Have I acted any better? "You who preach that one should not steal, do you steal?" (Romans 2:21)

I realize that had I been at the cross some 2,000 years ago, I very likely would have joined with the crowd in sneering at Christ, "He saved others, let Him save Himself if He is the Christ." "Prove it," is what I would have demanded. And praise His name He did, for because He stayed on that cross and forgave me, He gave me salvation. The people expected the proof of Christ in His power to remove Himself from the cross, when it was His presence on that cross that was the demonstration of Who He was. It is "the kindness of God that leads you to repentance" (Romans 2:4).

What wounds have I acted from that have demonstrated inconsistent behavior in my actions and words? What ignorance did I act from not knowing that my definition of His salvation would have condemned me (for if He had come off the cross as they demanded, we would all be lost)? What blindness do I have in my heart from my ignorance, fear, wounds, or pride? Christ takes all of these things and more – all of my life into account – when He looks at me. And He speaks words of forgiveness and mercy.

Father, forgive me, for I know not what I do.