Jesus Final Answers: Forgiveness

Father Forgive Them
For They Know Not What They Do!
Jesus

In my life I have watched more people die than most, and over my lifetime I have heard people say their final words. I remember my mother's final words to me, and I will keep them to myself.  I also have the same memory of the final thing my Dad said to me.  This too will remain with me; however, there are the final words of Jesus that need to go around the world ... especially during this time of the year.

The Context

Keep in mind this was a horrific day which the Prophet Isaiah spoke about, as he foretold thousands of years before Jesus death,  what would happen to Him. And Peter looked back to that day years later before his own crucifixion. They said something like this:

He was wounded for our transgressions.
He was bruised for our iniquities.
His punishment brought us peace
AND by His stripes we are healed.

Yes, a lot was happening on that day, and those who were wounding Him, bruising Him, punishing Him and whipping Him really did NOT know what they were doing. They were a murderous angry crowd that were ruled by hatred, the spirit of the Devil and Mob rule! Those who abandoned him had no idea they too were fulfilling God's prophecy of the Messiah's abandonment by His friends. They surely did not know what they were doing.  Pilate did not. Herod did not.  The Roman guards did not. The men who guarded the temple did not. Those who came to get Him in the garden did not. No! Not one of them knew what they were doing.

 But Jesus Knew!!!

He was their of His own volition to be wounded for the transgressions of human kind. That is He was wounded for the law breaking ... the breaking of God's law ... of every single one of us. He was wounded for the ones doing the wounds. He was also bruised for our iniquities ... the premeditated murder and sin of the crowd and for our premeditated sins.  He was taking their punishment.  He was taking your punishment.  He was taking my punishment. He was making possible peace with God, the Peace OF God,  and He was making possible -- for all of us individually and collectively --  to have an eternal relationship with THE GOD of PEACE!  There is more: He was already beginning to heal us of our brokenness and sin each time a whip lash stripped his back. He was making possible the salvation and transformation of everyone in bondage to sin and death that would ever live, if they chose Him as their Savior. Yes! Jesus knew, but they did not know what they were doing.

In a nutshell, all of it was about forgiveness.  So He, with his final breath, uttered for them, for you and even for someone like me, "FATHER! FORGIVE THEM! THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY DO!

Shalom

SoJourner