Luke 23:34a
[Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.”]
More brackets.
Just to refresh our memory: brackets indicate that a particular verse or even set of verses are not found in the earliest fragments of the gospel that we have, but were contained in later and more complete manuscripts. This doesn’t mean that the verse in question wasn’t of Luke’s original composition, just that it seems a little more likely that it was an early addition. In this case, for instance, you could skip over this verse and never miss a beat. We don’t know for sure – hence the verse is there, but with brackets to describe it’s distinct history.
In this case, it’s easy to understand why this verse was included. It is, after all, one of the seven last words Jesus utters from the cross. Moreover, it’s one of the most beloved and certainly most gracious of those seven words, as Jesus prays for forgiveness for those who are in the midst of crucifying him, ridiculing him, or abandoning them, saying that they do not know that they are doing.
And whatever the history of this verse, this much, at least, is certain: they surely do not know they are crucifying the Lord of glory. They do not know they are ridiculing the Son of God. And even his disciples, whatever their profession of faith earlier, in this moment demonstrate that they do not know Jesus is the savior of the world or they would not have betrayed, denied, and abandoned him.
So that is the first element of truth in this verse: that humanity is so confused, so inexplicably unable to see Gods’ work in and amongst our own activities, that we would put the Son of God to death. But it is only the first.
The second truth Jesus’ statement reveals is that God responds to our limitation, failing, and sin not with judgment but with mercy, with compassion, with forgiveness. Jesus has forgiven throughout his ministry, at points – as when he heals the man lowered through the roof by friends – at what seems like the oddest of times. Yet that seems to be at the center of what he has come to do – offer God’s forgiveness to any and all. And so now he forgives again.
And that should tell us something very important: the cross does not make forgiveness possible, it reveals that God is essentially and irrefutably a God of forgiveness. Some theories about the cross stress that Jesus had to be punished in our place – that Jesus’ gruesome death somehow paid the debt of justice and honor owed God because of human sin – before God could respond to us in love and forgiveness. If that were true, why would Jesus forgive so freely during his ministry before his cross? If that were true, why would Jesus forgive now, from the cross?
God forgives. God chooses, that is, to repair our broken relationship by love rather than justice. Justice has its place – and an important one at that – but it does not repair broken relationships. Only love can do that. And so Jesus now offers forgiveness just as has done throughout his ministry. Because that’s not just what Jesus does, it’s what God is: mercy, compassion, love…in a word, forgiveness. Which is what makes this verse not just important, or even a valuable part of the tradition, but also and undeniably true.
Prayer: Dear God, thank you. Thank you for telling us the truth about ourselves, and thank you for telling us the truth about you and your response to us. Let us share these two truths with all we meet in wonder and gratitude. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
I appreciate so much your words on making sense of the cross. You book on the subject was a big help to me. Thank you.