Lk.23:34 – But Jesus was saying, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing”.

I wonder how many times Jesus has prayed this prayer, “Father forgive them”? I wonder how many times He has prayed this prayer for me, or maybe prayed this prayer for you. It seems like there ought to be a limit or a number on how many times we can be forgiven but I think when Jesus said seventy times seven what He meant was forgiveness is limitless. The Lord’s mercy is eternal, infinite, you can’t put a number on it until…..until that final day comes when this age is over and all of the accounts are settled, until then it is always Father forgive them.
I always have stood in awe of this simple verse, how is it possible that Jesus forgave and asked the Father to forgive His executioners. Augustine answers the question in his comments on this verse.

“Look at the Lord who did precisely what he commanded. After so many things the godless Jews committed against him, repaying him evil for good, did he not say as he hung on the cross, “Father, forgive them, because they do not know what they are doing”? He prayed as man, and as God with the Father, he heard the prayer. Even now he prays in us, for us and is prayed to by us. He prays in us as our high priest. He prays for us as our head. He is prayed to by us as our God. When he was praying as he hung on the cross, he could see and foresee. He could see all his enemies. He could foresee that many of them would become his friends. That s why he was interceding for them all. They were raging, but he was praying. They were saying to Pilate “Crucify,” but he was crying out, “Father, forgive.” He was hanging from the cruel nails, but he did not lose his gentleness. He was asking for pardon for those from whom he was receiving such hideous treatment.”

I remember the first time I watched the movie the Passion of the Christ, I was deeply effected by the beating and crucifixion scenes. I remember having clenched fists and then literally holding tight to the armrests wanting to rush the soldiers on the screen. That’s when it hit me, I was the executioner. My sins were responsible for the whips and the nails. “Father forgive them”, He prayed. How could Jesus pray like that, how could He pray for me? Augustine nailed it, Jesus could see the fruit of the Lord’s suffering, you and I with all of His other executioners would be with Him in heaven, that’s why He prayed and that’s why He is still praying for me.