This week begins Lent before Easter. During these weeks we are drawn to the suffering and resurrection of Jesus. On the cross, Jesus said something seven times. These last statements of our Lord are like the last words of a loved one who is dying.

The first thing Jesus hanging on the cross says is: Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do (Luke 23:34).

Jesus is speaking to His Father. He asks His Father to grant forgiveness to those who crucify Him. Thus He puts His own words from Mat 5:44 into practice! 'Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.

Jesus prays for the soldiers and for the Jews, whose insistence brought it to the point of crucifying Him. With this first word of the cross, Jesus also fulfills the last words of the prophecy about Him in Isa. 53:12 'He bore the guilt of many and stood up for sinners.' The motivation for His prayer for forgiveness is the fact that they do not know what they are doing.

Until his death on the cross, Jesus remains faithful to his calling to bring peace on earth through forgiveness. God forgives us. Thus we are made free from sin. But we as followers of Jesus are also asked to live out this gospel. 'Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.

➡️ Want to dive deeper into the Bible? Try our Study Bible app for free for 30 days