SEVEN WORDS From The CROSS-I—
(1)Lk. 23:34; (2)Luke 23:43(:32-43); (3)Jn. 19:26-27;
(4)Mat. 27:45(:45-46); Mk. 15:33-34; (5)Jn. 19:28-29; (6)Jn. 19:30;
(7)Lk. 23:44(:44-46); Mat. 27:50; Mk. 15:36-38; Jn. 19:30.
Jesus’ 7 Words From the Cross:
(1)“Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.”—Luke 23:34
(2)“Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”—Luke 23:43(:32-43)
(3)“Woman, behold your son!” & “Behold your mother!”—Jn. 19:26-27
(4)“My God, My God, why have You forsaken me?”—Mat. 27:45(:45-46); Mk. 15:33-34
(5)“I thirst”—Jn. 19:28-29
(6)“It is finished”—Jn. 19:30
(7)“Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit.”— Lk. 23:44(:44-46); Mat. 27:50; Mk. 15:36-38; Jn. 19:30
Need:
To recognize & prioritize those matters that are of great significance to Jesus.
Jesus voiced seven concerns, as He hung on the cross,
At the juncture of life & death, matters of greatest significance become prioritized.
What matters did Jesus prioritize as He hung on The Cross?
Seven Words From The Cross.
*And...Any matter of significance to Jesus, is also of vital significance for His people!
1—“Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.”(Lk. 23:34)
Explanation:(Lk. 23:34)
Lk.23:33—“And when they had come to the place called Calvary, there they crucified Him, & the criminals, one on the right hand & the other on the left.”
Lk. 23:34—“Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” And they divided His garments & cast lots.”
Lk. 23:34a—“Then Jesus said, “Father,...”
Jesus approaches God, His “Father” with a ‘demand’(Imperative mood). The imperative is NOT an ‘invitation’, but IS a demand.
All things must come thru the will of Jesus’ heavenly(& only) “Father.”
•Keep in mind that ‘God’s’ very nature & essence consists in a Trinity or Tri-unity.
•The Trinity of God is revealed to us in the separate persons of the “Father”, the Son, & the Holy Spirit.
•Each of the three ‘persons’ of the Godhead, is distinctly recognizable....
•And each of the three persons of the Godhead carries a different ‘role’ within the Godhead.
•Yet the collective ‘roles’ of God, are inseparably cohesive to the essence, character, & the sovereign designs & purpose of the Godhead....Existing inseparably together as ‘God.’
Lk. 23:34a—“Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them,...”
Jesus demands that His “Father” extend His perfect, flawless, unrestrained “forgiveness” toward certain people(“them”).
•Jesus acts upon the importance of extending God’s perfect grace to certain others.
“Forgive”—afihmi—Lit = ‘to send off/away’—2Aorist Active Imperative 2nd Sing.—1) To send away—1a) To bid going away or depart—1a1) Of a husband divorcing his wife, 1b) To send forth, yield up, to expire, 1c) To let go, let alone, let be—1c1) To disregard, 1c2) To leave, not to discuss now(a topic), 1c21) of teachers, writers & speakers, 1c3) To omit, neglect, 1d) To let go, give up a debt, forgive, to remit, 1e) To give up, keep no longer; 2) To permit, allow, not to hinder, to give up a thing to a person; 3) To leave, go way from one—3a) In order to go to another place, 3b) To depart from any one, 3c) To depart from one & leave him to himself so that all mutual claims are abandoned, 3d) To desert wrongfully, 3e) To go away leaving something behind, 3f) To leave one by not taking him as a companion, 3g) To leave on dying, leave behind one, 3h) To leave so that what is left may remain, leave remaining, 3i) Abandon, leave destitute. Strong—To send forth, in various applications.?From—apo—“Off,” i.e. Away(from something near), in various senses(of place, time, or relation; literal or figurative); a primary particle.—&—ihmi—To send; an intensive form of eimi, to go.
There is always an aspect of “forgiveness” that is granted, regardless of the response of the person that’s forgiven.
Because you CANNOT FORCE that person or persons who are in need of “forgiveness”, to accept or to see eye-to-eye with you, in their & your circumstance.
•Yet the “forgiveness” that is freely granted by you is ever available to the other person(s).
Your “forgiveness” of another person(s) ‘EXPECTS’ a ‘proper’ response, but does NOT ‘REQUIRE’ it. And that lack of requirement places a proper & God-ordered responsibility upon the person or persons who are “forgiven.”
In matters of salvation, the ultimate & officiating Judge(God) must receive some acceptable form of actual appreciation & compliance for the “forgiveness” of sin(s) received.
•God cannot & will not house & feed ‘the dog that bites His hand’!
?Who is the “them” that Jesus seeks “forgiveness” for?
•The identity of “them” is:
(1) THE SOLDIERS who were ordered to crucify Jesus.?•The ones who literally drove the nails into Jesus’ hands & feet, & who hoisted Him into the air attached to the Cross. They also verbally mocked Jesus, & offered Him sour wine to drink(:36-37).
(2) THE JEWS WHO HAD REJECTED HIM, & for whom He had come to offer the kingdom of God.
(3) ALL PARTIES INVOLVED IN BRINGING ABOUT THE CRUCIFIXION, in historical time, including both the Jews & the Romans.
(4) ALL PEOPLE OF ALL TIME, for whom Jesus had/has come to offer the kingdom of God.
*But we must ask the question: ?Why would Jesus ask for a ‘blanket’ “forgiveness”, with no strings attached, for those who were in the process of killing/destroying Him?
•?Doesn’t such a concept go against biblical Christian doctrine?
•?Isn’t that a violation of “forgiveness” by grace thru faith?
Mat. 6:12, 14-15—“And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors.”....“For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”
Additionally, whenever you refuse to forgive someone, you yourself will become a bitter person....And your ‘salvation’ is called into question.
Lk. 23:34b—“...for they do not know what they do.”
•Jesus seeks to extend God’s perfect grace to those who, operate & live ignorant of, & oblivious to God’s true design.
Isa. 53:12—“Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great, And He shall divide the spoil with the strong, Because He poured out His soul unto death, And He was numbered with the transgressors, And He bore the sin of many, And made intercession for the transgressors.”
[per Chuck Smith- ‘Sermon Notes for Luke 23:34’]
a. Each of the perpetrators knew what they were doing. They were following the fleshly & evil passions of their human fallen natures.
b. Due to the perpetrators following their fleshly choices, it was impossible for “them” to realize the fullness, the magnitude, or the enormity of their crimes against God.
c. They did not know the Divine judgment that their own thoughts & actions would bring down upon themselves.[Albert Barnes- ‘Notes on the New Testament’]
•These perpetrators knew they were crucifying a Man who was ‘innocent’ of the crime that required crucifixion as punishment.
•Though they were assassinating Him, yet Jesus desired forgiveness for them, even for His murderers! And for their forgiveness, Jesus was willing to give His own life.[Justin Edwards- ‘Family Bible Notes’(1861)]
•However that demand from Jesus for the “Father” is NOT for those who sinned the sin unto death(1Jn. 5:16). It is NOT for those who full-well KNEW Him to be the Messiah, BUT still, maliciously crucified him...”[John Gill -‘An Exposition of the Old & New Testament’(1809)]
1Jn. 5:15-17—“And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him. If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin which does not lead to death, he will ask, & He will give him life for those who commit sin not leading to death. There is sin leading to death. I do not say that he should pray about that. All unrighteousness is sin, & there is sin not leading to death.”
Mat. 12:31-33—“Therefore I say to you, every sin & blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men. Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come. Either make the tree good & its fruit good, or else make the tree bad & its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit.”
*Simply put, the remainder of Scripture bears out the fact that ‘eternal death’ in hell, is for all those who REFUSE to trust Jesus as their Savior!
•And that also holds true for those who have never heard His name!...That fact is the motivating factor for Christian missions overall!
•We are compelled by the Holy Spirit, to meet the world with the Good News of Jesus Christ because ALL are under the damning penalty of sin. That comes to all humanity by ‘natural’ or ‘general’ revelation:
•Rom. 1:18-21—“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness & unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power & Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, & their foolish hearts were darkened.”
•And so, all people are in need of the ‘special’ revelation of God(Ps. 19:1-6, 7-11, 12-14).
Ps. 19:1-14(:1-6; 7-14) <<To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.>> [:1-6]—“The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork. Day unto day utters speech, And night unto night reveals knowledge. There is no speech nor language Where their voice is not heard. Their line has gone out through all the earth, And their words to the end of the world. In them He has set a tabernacle for the sun, Which is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, And rejoices like a strong man to run its race. Its rising is from one end of heaven, And its circuit to the other end; And there is nothing hidden from its heat.”
[:7-14]—“The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul; The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple; The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes; The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the LORD are true & righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, Yea, than much fine gold; Sweeter also than honey & the honeycomb. Moreover by them Your servant is warned, And in keeping them there is great reward. Who can understand his errors? Cleanse me from secret faults. Keep back Your servant also from presumptuous sins; Let them not have dominion over me. Then I shall be blameless, And I shall be innocent of great transgression. Let the words of my mouth & the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my strength & my Redeemer.”
Argumentation:
Ps. 103:8-14—“The LORD is merciful & gracious, Slow to anger, & abounding in mercy. He will not always strive with us, Nor will He keep His anger forever. He has not dealt with us according to our sins, Nor punished us according to our iniquities. For as the heavens are high above the earth, So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him; As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us. As a father pities his children, So the LORD pities those who fear Him. For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust.”
2Pet. 3:9—“The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.”
Ezek. 18:23; Ezek. 33:11—““Do I have any pleasure at all that the wicked should die?” says the Lord GOD, “& not that he should turn from his ways & live?”..... ““Say to them: ‘As I live,’ says the Lord GOD, ‘I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way & live. Turn, turn from your evil ways! For why should you die, O house of Israel?’”
1Tim. 2:1-4—“Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, & giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings & all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet & peaceable life in all godliness & reverence. For this is good & acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved & to come to the knowledge of the truth.”
2Pet. 3:14-15—“Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot & blameless; & consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation--as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you,”
Ps. 86:15—longsuffering—“But You, O Lord, are a God full of compassion, & gracious, Longsuffering & abundant in mercy & truth.”
1Tim. 1:13, 15—the apostle Paul said,—“...I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.”.....“This is a faithful saying & worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.”
1Pet. 3:20—longsuffering—“who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water.”
*You can have &/or be doing something heinous; something utterly shameful; something that you KNOW dishonors God.
•Yet, if your conscience convicts you to connect the dots of your biblical information & knowledge you’ve received, & that leads you to repent, & heed, & submit to God’s glory thru Christ Jesus, Then you also can be forgiven of what brings disgust & shame to you & your house!...
•And depending on the nature of the sin committed, the temporal aspects of justice would still have to be served!...Even though you are completely forgiven & free in Christ Jesus!
Application:
“Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.”
(Lk. 23:34)
?Are YOU a forgiving person?
?Are YOU a forgiven person?
CONCLUSION:
Action:
Jesus’ 7 Words From the Cross:
1. “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.”
—Lk. 23:34.
Pnt#s 1 only! presented 03/15/2026am to:
SalemBC
1618 Salem Rd.
Bennettsville, SC 29512
