Guilty But Pardoned

If God did not pardon the guilty there would be no Gospel, for all have sinned and

come short of the glory of God. Even so, we feel there is a danger in being too merciful.

Abraham Lincoln was accused of this during the Civil War when he seemed willing to

pardon just about anyone. He would defend those who broke army regulations, and he

would find alibis for those condemned to die. One young soldier, for example, had gone

to sleep at his post and was court marshaled and sentenced to be shot. He was pardoned

by Lincoln, who gave this defense: "I could not think of going into eternity with the

blood of that poor man on my skirts. It is not wondered at that a boy raised on a farm,

probably in the habit of going to bed at dark, should, when required to watch, fall asleep,

and I cannot consent to shoot him for such an act."

There was no question about his guilt, but though guilty he was pardoned. At

another time 24 deserters were to be shot and warrants for their execution was sent to

Lincoln to be signed. He refused to do. The general went to Washington to see Lincoln.

At the interview he said, "Mercy to the few is cruelty to the many. These men must be

made an example or the army itself would be in danger." In spite of the forceful

argument Lincoln replied, "There are to many weeping widows in the United States. For

God's sake don't ask me to add to the number, for I won't do it." With complete

knowledge of their guilt he pardoned them, and it was not because Lincoln was ignorant

of the law, for he was a lawyer. He was also not ignorant of the importance of justice, but

out of mercy he pardoned the guilty.

This is a parallel of what we see at the cross, though the mercy there was infinitely

more amazing. We see a king, who was also a lawyer, defending those whom he knows to

be guilty. But here it is himself who is also the victim of their sin and crime. Certainly no

murder mystery ever ended with a more surprising scene than this. Here the guilty are

standing before the judge, who is also the murder victim, and who is acting as their

defending attorney pleading for their pardon before he dies. "Father forgive them for

they know not what they do." He has acknowledged their guilt, for if they were not guilty

there would be no need for forgiveness. His case then will not consist in proving them

not guilty, but instead that even though guilty there is a basis on which they should be

pardoned. There are two questions we want to ask about this defense Christ makes for

the guilty sinners who crucified Him.

I. WHO IS HE DEFENDING?

It would be a confusing trial indeed in which one did not know who the defendant

was. There is some disagreement as to who is included in Christ's plea for mercy, but

this is only because a few authors cannot bring themselves to believe that even the

cunning Jewish leaders were included. All agree that the Roman soldiers are included,

and that they are the least guilty of all. They are victims of a power machine beyond

their control. It is not theirs to reason why, but only to do or die. They have orders to

crucify this man, and whether they like the task or not they do it. They could have

refused and died, but what reason would they have for refusing to execute a man that has

been legally condemned by the state? How could they know that the only sinless hands

that ever were are now being nailed to a cross. It was certainly true of them that they

knew not what they were doing.

But did Jesus go further than this? Did He intercede also for the Scribes and

Pharisees? Did He include Ciaphus and Annas, and the cruel crowd that mocked Him?

The vast majority of commentators say yes, but a few say no. Are we to follow the

majority and make this plea all inclusive just because it is a majority opinion? The

magnitude of this plea for mercy cannot be determined by counting votes, but by

searching the Scripture, and as we do we discover that the majority view is not an

opinion only but a conviction based on clear revelation.

In Acts 3 we read of Peter preaching to the Jews where he gives credit to Christ for

the healing of the lame man. He says of Jesus, "..whom you delivered up and denied in

the presence of Pilot, when he had decided to release him. But you denied the Holy and