Read: Luke 23:34
33 When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, 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. 35 The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is God’s Messiah, 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.
Recently I’ve been reading the book, Just Mercy, by Bryan Stevenson. 
Stevenson is a lawyer who defended many death row inmates who had not received fair trials or treatment. At the center of the book is the story of Walter McMillan. As Stevenson becomes connected to McMillan, he uncovers layers of racial discrimination and political corruption that led to the conviction. In the end, the conviction is overturned, and Stevenson is able to prove McMillan had been falsely accused and convicted.
Have you ever been falsely accused? Our natural reaction is to defend ourselves and protest our innocence – and often that is appropriate! But sometimes people refuse to believe us or circumstantially, we can seem to be guilty. The more we protest, the worst it can become.
Rarely do we respond like Jesus. In the face of false accusation and complete misrepresentation, he kept silent. Here was a man who had lived a perfect life. He had done God’s will perfectly at every turn. He exposed the hypocrisy of religious leaders. He comforted and blessed the poor and the outcasts. He took time to eat with and preach good news to “sinners and tax collectors”. The more he did to honor and obey God, the more the religious establishment wanted to kill him. They accused him of using the power of Satan to cast out demons. They condemned him for healing on the Sabbath. They questioned and opposed him at every turn.
And then they had him arrested and brought to the High Priest. After a sham of a trial, he is sent to Pontius Pilate who recognizes his innocence and tries to free Jesus. But the people who had praised him with loud hosannas now shout that they do not want him released, they want him to die. Finally, Jesus is condemned to death by Pilate, led away by soldiers to Golgotha, and crucified (Luke 23:23-33).
On the cross, as he endured the pain of the nails and as he struggled to keep his lungs open enough to take a breath, he does not curse. He does not protest his innocence. He does not demand justice. He does none of the things we might expect him to do. Instead, he asks his Heavenly Father to forgive them. Perhaps “them” was the soldiers or the Jewish leaders or the people who had demanded his crucifixion; perhaps it included you and me and all of humanity who sin and fall short of God’s glory. Forgive all of them. They do not know what they are doing.
Jesus, who had taught his followers to pray, “Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us” (Luke 11:4); who had told his followers to forgive their brothers seventy times seven times (Matthew 18:21-22); and forgave an adulteress caught in the act (John 8:1-11); now demonstrates his forgiving heart.
Jesus went to the cross to close the Old Covenant and initiate the New. Jesus told his disciples at the Last Supper, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you (Luke 22:20). Without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness (Hebrews 9:22). But Jesus in his words and in his actions makes possible forgiveness for all who will believe.
Take a moment to reflect on where your life is today. Is there any sin in your life that you have not confessed to Jesus and sought forgiveness? 1 John 1:9 reminds us, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
The blood of Jesus has paid our debt, but we need to appropriate our forgiveness when we sin. Give thanks to God for his loving, gracious forgiveness and ask him to fill you afresh with his Spirit.
Now take a moment to reflect on your life from a different perspective. Is there anyone you need to forgive? Perhaps they don’t deserve it. They may not have not sought it. You might be afraid your forgiving them will somehow excuse what they’ve done.
Betty Russell writes:
- To forgive does NOT mean that you condone wrongdoing.
- Reaching a place of true forgiveness is NOT about you deciding that what someone did is okay if it was not.
- Forgiving does NOT mean you have to forget.
- Forgiveness is for our own growth and happiness. When we hold on to hurt, pain, resentment, and anger it harms us far more than it harms the offender.
- Forgiveness frees us to live in the present. Reliving the wrong that was done to us keeps us living in the past and missing today’s beauty.
- Forgiveness is a way we imitate our God who has forgiven us of far greater offenses than anyone has ever done to us!
Lastly, ask God if there is anyone you have wronged or offended. Resolve to ask forgiveness and seek to restore the relationship.