Father, Forgive Them
Luke 23:26-49
Key Verse 34
“Father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing.”
Read verses 26-31. Who helped to carry Jesus’ cross? (v.26) Who followed Jesus and what did Jesus say to them? (v.27-31) What did Jesus want to teach them in verses 28-31?
Read verses 26-31.
Luke 23:26-31
“26 As they led him away, they seized Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from the country, and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus. 27 A large number of people followed him, including women who mourned and wailed for him. 28 Jesus turned and said to them, "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep for yourselves and for your children. 29 For the time will come when you will say, 'Blessed are the barren women, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!' 30 Then "'they will say to the mountains, "Fall on us!" and to the hills, "Cover us!"' 31 For if men do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?" “
Who helped to carry Jesus’ cross? (v.26)
Simon from Cyrene. He was the only person among all men who actually carried the cross of Jesus. Humanly speaking he looks like a victim, but spiritually he could participate in the suffering of Jesus. In life sometimes we may face unfair treatment from others or unexpected troubles. Yet, they can be used for us to remember Jesus’ suffering for us.
Who followed Jesus and what did Jesus say to them? (v.27-31)
Luke 23:27-31
“27 A large number of people followed him, including women who mourned and wailed for him. 28 Jesus turned and said to them, "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep for yourselves and for your children. 29 For the time will come when you will say, 'Blessed are the barren women, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!' 30 Then "'they will say to the mountains, "Fall on us!" and to the hills, "Cover us!"' 31 For if men do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?"”
What did Jesus want to teach them in verses 28-31?
Jesus wanted them to weep for them and their children. Jesus wanted them to repent because God’s judgment was approaching. Jesus did not ask them to weep for him because he was going to die according to God’s will. He would not die as a victim of the devil or jealousy of religious leaders or power of Roman government. He would die because he voluntarily wanted to obey his Father’s will. So there is no reason for the women to wail for him.
But there is God’s judgment coming against them. Therefore they should repent (weep) before being too late. Once God’s judgment comes upon them it will be unbearable. So when it comes it is so painful that they would rather want to die, saying to mountains ‘fall on us.’ Jesus revealed God’s impending judgment against them in his appreciate
ion for their compassion on him.
Indeed God’s judgment is coming to all who do evil. This is true. Unless we repent and change our lives we will be judged by God sooner or later.
Read verses 32-34. Who was also crucified with Jesus and where? (v.32,33) Why was Jesus crucified in the middle of two criminals? (v.33; Isaiah 53:12b) What can we learn from Jesus’ prayer on the cross? (v.34a) What did the soldiers do after they crucified Jesus? (v.34b)
Read verses 32-34.
Luke 23:32-34
“32 Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed. 33 When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified him, along with the criminals--one on his right, the other on his left. 34 Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.”
Who was also crucified with Jesus and where? (v.32,33)
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Two criminals. They were all crucified in the place of “Skull” whch seems to be fitting name as crucifixion place.
Why was Jesus crucified in the middle of two criminals? (v.33; Isaiah 53:12b)
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Jesus was regarded as one of criminals. To human eyes Jesus would die as a terrible criminal. To God’s eyes it was the death of an innocent man and his death would pay the price of all men’s sin.
Isaiah 53:12 “Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.”
What can we learn from Jesus’ prayer on the cross? (v.34a)
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1) Jesus prayer is “Father, forgive them.” The word ‘them’ directly refers to Roman soldiers who crucified him. But it may refer to all Jewish religious leaders and all men who joined in his crucifixion. It can include all men whose sin caused him to be crucified.
Jesus went through such pain in order to bring God’s forgiveness upon all men. God uses Jesus’ death on the cross as sin offering in order to forgive all of men’s sins.
2) Unforgiveness is the source of man’s fundamental problem. Sin should be either forgiven or punished. Without solving sin problem man cannot solve any problem in the sight of God.
Forgiveness restores relationship between God and men. It restores all relationship among men too. Where there is forgiveness there is restoration of relationships and love and peace overflowing.
3) Jesus’ forgiveness gives us the basis for us to forgive anyone because there is no sin left for us not to forgive. All men are forgiven by God through Jesus. So we should not hold anything against anyone. Only God can judge men and only God has right not to forgive.
It is not easy for forgive those who hate us. It is not easy for us to forgive others who give us so much pain. We feel that forgiveness is like giving license for them to give us hard time more. In that sense forgiveness is like giving up a huge right to punish others. But before God we are all sinners.
Since we cannot forgive others in our sinful nature Jesus brought God’s forgiveness for all men so that we can forgive everyone by simply accepting the fact that indeed God forgave everyone.
4) Jesus’ forgiveness also brings the fact that God acccepts us just as we are because we are forgiven through Jesus and accepted by God just as we are.
What did the soldiers do after they crucified Jesus? (v.34b)
They divided up Jesus’ clothes by casting lots. To them Jesus was a mere criminal. They were totally indifferent to Jesus’ suffering not knowing that Jesus was suffering on the cross to bring forgiveness for them.
Read verses 35-43. How did the people, the rulers, and the soldiers respond? (v.35-37) What was written above Jesus? (v.38) Compare the response of the two criminals. (v.39-42) What did Jesus promise to the one criminal? (v.43)
Read verses 35-43.
Luke 23:35-43
“35 The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, "He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, the Chosen One." 36 The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar 37 and said, "If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself." 38 There was a written notice above him, which read: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS. 39 One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: "Aren't you the Christ? Save yourself and us!" 40 But the other criminal rebuked him. "Don't you fear God," he said, "since you are under the same sentence? 41 We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong." 42 Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." 43 Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise." “
How did the people, the rulers, and the soldiers respond? (v.35-37)
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The people: stood watching. They were on lookers. Jesus’ death was just one of things they could watch and in some sense satisfy their curiosity.
The rulers: Luke 23:35b. “The rulers even sneered at him. They said, "He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, the Chosen One." Basically they mocked Jesus even after they crucified him. They still hated Jesus. They were enjoying their power to crucify Jesus. They were enjoying their power knowing that Jesus could not save himself. They were so sure that Jesus is not the Christ (Messiah, Savior).
But Jesus did not save himself in order to save others. This is God’s way of saving others. Someone has to pay the price of sin of other people in order to meet God’s justice. God is not only merciful but also just and truthful.
The soldiers: Luke 23:36-37 ”36 The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar 37 and said, "If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself."” The only difference between the rulers and soldiers is that rulers called Jesus as the Christ but soldiers called Jesus as ‘the king of the Jews.” Yet, both of them ridiculed by saying, “Save yourself!”
What was written above Jesus? (v.38)
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THIS IS TH EKING OF THE JEWS. Jesus’ crime was ‘the king of the Jews’. Yet, his crime reveals that he is indeed the king of the Jews because he is the promised Messiah whom the Jews waited so long. They just did not recognize their own king and crucified him. They were looking for worldly king but Jesus is the king from God.
John 18:36-37 reads, “36 Jesus said, "My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now my kingdom is from another place." 37 "You are a king, then!" said Pilate. Jesus answered, "You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me."”
Compare the response of the two criminals. (v.39-42)
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One thinks Jesus as another criminal like him. So he mocked Jesus like other people. But another criminal knew Jesus was innocent. He also knew that Jesus would come into his kingdom. He also knew that Jesus could take him to his kingdom. So he requested Jesus, saying, “Jesus remember me when you come into your kingdom”. This is one of the most beautiful prayer offered by men.
What did Jesus promise to the one criminal? (v.43)
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Jesus responded the man’s repentance and faith in him with graceful promise. “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.”
How to see Jesus is important. If we see him as a mere man, we cannot be with Jesus in paradise. But if we see him as the innocent man who died to take away our sins we can be with him in paradise.
Read verses 44-49. How long did darkness come over the whole land? (v.44) What is the meaning of the temple curtain being torn in two? (v.45; Heb 10:20) What did Jesus say before he breathed his last? (v.46) What was the response of the centurion, and all the people, and all those who knew him? (v.47-49)
Read verses 44-49. Read verses 44-49.
Luke 23:44-49
“44 It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour, 45 for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. 46 Jesus called out with a loud voice, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." When he had said this, he breathed his last. 47 The centurion, seeing what had happened, praised God and said, "Surely this was a righteous man." 48 When all the people who had gathered to witness this sight saw what took place, they beat their breasts and went away. 49 But all those who knew him, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things.”
How long did darkness come over the whole land? (v.44)
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3 hours. It was the time of grief even in nature.
What is the meaning of the temple curtain being torn in two? (v.45; Heb 10:20)
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It means the new and living way was opened for man to come to God. Hebrews 10:20 reads, “By a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body”
The curtain blocked the way for man to come God. Only once a year a high priest can come to God beyond the curtain with the blood of animals. But now Jesus’ death tore the curtain. It shows that Jesus’ death brings God’s forgiveness for all men. So all men can come to God anytime anywhere through faith in Jesus.
What did Jesus say before he breathed his last? (v.46)
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“Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” Jesus still called God ‘Father’. He never doubt the love of his Father. He committed his spirit into his Father’s hand. It was the expression of Jesus’ ultimate trust in his Father’s love even at his last moment of his life.
What was the response of the centurion, and all the people, and all those who knew him? (v.47-49)
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Centurion: Luke 23:47 reads, “The centurion, seeing what had happened, praised God and said, "Surely this was a righteous man."” Centurion could have seen many people’s death on the cross. But when he saw how Jesus died he confessed, “Surely this was a righteous man.” No criminal can die like Jesus. How Jesus died shows who he is. It opened spiritual eyes of a centurion.
All the people (Lk 23:48): they beat their breast and went away. (Lk 23:48) They could not do anything against such injustice because they were powerless before the power of the world (Roman empire or religious leaders or rulers). The only thing they could do is to beat their breast and go home powerlessly.
All those who knew him including the women (Lk 23:49a): they stood at a distance, watching these things.
The end.
Group Bible Study #2 – 2012 UBF Spring Bible Conference
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