Father, Forgive Them
Luke 23:32-38:
32 Two others, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him.
33 And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left.
34 And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And they cast lots to divide his garments.
35 And the people stood by, watching, but the rulers scoffed at him, saying, “He saved others; let him save himself, if he is the Christ of God, his Chosen One!”
36 The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine
37 and saying, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!”
38 There was also an inscription over him,[b] “This is the King of the Jews.”
Introduction: A board displaying written sins on it.
As we gather to reflect on the Word of God, we are confronted by the unsettling reality of human depravity. Across history, the echoes of wars and violence remind us of humanity’s capacity to destroy, fueled by pride, greed, and hatred. The silent cry of unborn lives lost to abortion reflects the devaluing of God’s image in man. Immorality and rebellion against God's commandments have become normalized and celebrated even as humanity shakes its fist at its Creator. Perhaps most profoundly, antagonism toward Christianity underscores our collective rejection of the light of truth and the hope found in Christ. Yet, this is not merely the world's condition “out there.” If we look closely, we see these same seeds of sin within our own hearts.
Luke 23:34 pierces through the darkness: “And Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.’” On the cross, amidst humanity’s vilest act, the crucifixion of the Son of God, Christ extends forgiveness. This moment unveils both the depth of human sin and the immeasurable breadth of God’s grace.
John Calvin once observed, “Christ interposed, shedding His blood to expiate our sins, that we might be restored to the favor of God.” In Christ’s words of forgiveness, we glimpse the heart of the gospel: divine grace triumphs over human depravity, offering reconciliation to sinners like you and me. Let us, then, ap proach this text with humility, seeking to grasp anew the gravity of our sin and the glory of Christ’s redeem ing love.
The more we focus on the person on the cross, the more compelling and captivating the message becomes.
I. The Gravity of Our Sin
A. The cross reveals the deformity of human nature (J.I. Packer, being Anti-God) - In Luke 23:32–38, the scene is set against the backdrop of human depravity. Jesus hangs on the cross, surrounded by crimi nals, religious leaders, and Roman soldiers—all representative of fallen humanity. The Jewish religious leaders embody the corruption of the human heart; their vehement condemnation of Christ reveals their spiritual blindness and hardened rebellion. These were the ones who should have recognized the Messiah, yet they chose to manipulate justice and reject the very One they claimed to worship. Simi larly, the Roman soldiers, representing the Gentile world, mocked and tortured Jesus, illustrating the universal extent of sin (Jews and Gentiles alike are complicit). This collective rejection highlights that all
humanity stands guilty before a holy God.
This reality persists today. Our world continues to reflect this depravity through acts of injustice, prideful rebellion, and rejection of divine truth. We witness it in war, oppression, and even the casual defiance of God’s moral order in everyday life. However, these external manifestations are but symptoms of the root problem, the sinful hearts of men and women alienated from God. (Illustration: Augustine said, “My sin was all the more incurable because I did not think myself a sinner.” A lack of awareness of my
sins deepens their hold on my heart.).
B. The cross reveals the definitive act of God’s redemptive plan - Amidst this darkness, Jesus is not a passive victim of human cruelty but a willing sacrifice. His death fulfills Scripture, confirming ancient prophecies. Isaiah 53:12 foretells that He would be “numbered with the transgressors,” identifying Christ with sinners even in His death. Psalm 22:16 prophesies, “They have pierced my hands and feet,” a vivid description of crucifixion centuries before it was practiced. Isaiah 53:5 declares, “He was wounded for our transgressions,” unveiling the high cost of redemption. In this moment, the soldiers unwittingly fulfill the divine plan, for even their actions are under God’s sovereign control.
The solution to the separation caused by sin is forgiveness, initiated by God Himself. On the cross, Je sus prays, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34). This act of divine grace under scores that forgiveness is not earned but freely given through Christ’s accomplishment on the cross. God’s forgiveness bridges the gap created by our depravity, offering reconciliation to all who repent and believe.
II. The Glory of Christ’s Substitutionary Sacrifice 7
A. The instinctive response of Christ - “As soon as the blood of the Great Sacrifice began to flow, the Great High Priest began to intercede” (J.C. Ryle). Is there anyone who has wounded or betrayed you? We are called to pray for our enemies, as Jesus prayed for his. When his enemies said, “Crucify!” Jesus said, “Forgive!”
B. The irony of the statements - The irony in this passage is striking. Jesus, mocked as a king, is indeed the true King, not just of the Jews but of all creation. The religious leaders, soldiers, and the crowd sar castically deride Him as “the King of the Jews,” yet He reigns from the cross, offering divine pardon to sinners. Similarly, when He is taunted to save Himself, we see the deeper truth: Jesus is the Savior who does not save Himself because He came to save others. This is the paradox of the gospel, “His humilia tion is His exaltation; His death is our life.”
C. The indispensability of Christ’s sacrifice - The substitutionary death of Christ is central to understand ing His work on the cross. In layman’s terms, substitution means Jesus took our place, bearing the punishment we deserved. John Murray aptly explains, “The doctrine of the atonement is simply this: that Christ took the place of sinful men, that He bore the punishment of their sins, and that He ren dered perfect obedience to God’s law.” Through this, Jesus expiated (removed) our guilt and propitiat ed (satisfied) God’s righteous wrath. This profound transaction brings peace with God.
D. The indistinctness of the supplication - The beauty of the word “them” in Luke 23:34 cannot be over stated. Jesus intercedes not only for the soldiers who nailed Him to the cross, the religious leaders who orchestrated His death, and the mocking crowd but also for all of us. We, too, are included in that prayer, for we are all sinners who “fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Christ’s intercession demonstrates the universal scope of God’s grace—it is sufficient for the worst of sinners. There is room for every sinner in the little word “them.”
The doctrine of forgiveness revealed here is both humbling and glorious. R.C. Sproul highlights,
“Forgiveness is at the very heart of Christianity, for without it, there is no gospel.” For giveness is not merely a divine pardon; it is a restoration of relationship. It means that God no longer counts our sins against us because Christ has paid the penalty in full. This forgiveness is not cheap, it cost the life of God’s Son. Yet, it is offered freely to all who trust in Him.
In conclusion, the prayer “Father, forgive them” (Luke 23:34) reflects God’s love in that Christ, the Son, intercedes for sinners even while enduring the agony of the cross. It demonstrates God’s justice as forgiveness is grounded in Christ’s atoning work, fulfilling the demands of the law through His substitutionary sacrifice. God does not overlook sin but deals with it righteously in Christ, who bears the penalty on behalf of His people. This prayer reveals the heart of the gospel: mercy and justice meet in the person and work of Jesus.
Application:
!. Come to Christ for forgiveness - Luke 23:34 beckons us to respond in repentance and faith, trusting in the sufficiency of Christ’s atoning work. Forgiveness is a divine gift, freely given to those who seek it at the cross. Let us not hesitate but run to the One who “delights in steadfast love” (Micah 7:18). (Illustration: Erase the board and write PAID)
2. Freely you have received, freely give - Christ’s prayer embodies the very principle He taught: “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matt. 5:44). Even in agony, Jesus intercedes for His ex ecutioners, showing compassion instead of retaliation. In a world scarred by bitterness and vengeance, believers are called to imitate Christ’s countercultural ethos and radical mercy. Nothing adorns a Chris tian’s faith more beautifully than a life marked by grace, treating others as God has treated us in Christ.
3. Stand in awe and wonder - The cross is the pinnacle of God’s love and justice. Romans 8:32 reminds us that God “did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all.” This should cause us to stand in awe. The magnitude of Christ’s sacrifice demands not only our gratitude but our wholehearted devotion.
4. Was Jesus’ prayer answered? - God’s purposes, even through the darkest moments, are never thwart ed. Jesus’s prayer in Luke 23:34 was answered in powerful ways. The centurion at the foot of the cross testified to Jesus’s innocence (Luke 23:47), and shortly after, many who participated in His crucifixion repented. At Pentecost, Peter called those who crucified Christ to repentance, and thousands believed, including a great number of priests (Acts 2:37–41; 6:7). These events display the beauty of God’s grace: forgiveness extended even to the “murderers of Christ.” His prayer encompasses not just them but all sinners, including us, offering hope to all who turn to Him.