The First Words from the Cross

Luke 23:33-34 (ESV)

33And 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. 34And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And they cast lots to divide his garments.

This was the first of seven recorded statements that Jesus spoke from the cross. His first words from the cross were 𝘍𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳, 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮, 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘥𝘰.

Wow, just let that sink in.

It reminds me of 1 Timothy 1:13 when Paul says, “Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief.”

He knew not what he was doing.

Mankind rarely understands the gravity of our sin, and God is so merciful to forgive us when we turn to Him. And, the sobering fact is that because of this, we have the power (and the responsibility) to extend this forgiveness to others.

In Acts 7 we see Steven do just that. He prays forgiveness for those who were stoning him while they were stoning him. The same mercy offered to him, he offered to others—but it wasn’t through his own power. Verse 55 of that chapter tells us that Steven was “full of the Holy Spirit.”

So when we struggle to extend mercy and forgiveness to those who hurt us, let us remember that they likely don’t understand the gravity of their sin. And, let us remember that because of the forgiveness and mercy which have been extended to us, we have the power—through the Holy Spirit—to extend them to others.

𝘖𝘩 𝘓𝘰𝘳𝘥, 𝘰𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯, 𝘭𝘦𝘵 𝘶𝘴 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘮𝘰𝘥𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘶𝘴. 𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱 𝘶𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘦𝘹𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘴. 𝘈𝘮𝘦𝘯.