Father, Forgive Them

Scripture

Luke 23:34 (ESV)

Reflection

This is said in the middle of the crucifixion itself, not after it, not in some later moment of reflection once the worst had passed. The people being forgiven are actively in the process of executing him when the words are spoken. There is no timeline here where the offense ends and then mercy follows. The mercy is extended while the offense is still ongoing.

For they know not what they do is doing careful, specific work in this sentence. It isn't an excuse offered on their behalf, as if the wrong didn't actually happen or didn't actually matter. It's an observation about their limited understanding of what they were actually part of, offered as the grounds for the request rather than as a minimization of the act itself.

A leader extending mercy toward genuine harm being done to them right now, not harm that already happened and is being processed afterward, but harm still actively underway, is being asked to do something considerably harder than anything else this month has covered. Forgiveness offered from a position of complete power over the outcome looks different than forgiveness offered while the wrong is still happening and the leader has no ability to stop it.

The garment-casting detail sitting right next to this statement is almost unbearable to read closely. Soldiers are dividing his clothing while he's praying for their forgiveness, indifferent to the words being spoken a few feet away. The mercy wasn't received, acknowledged, or even noticed by the people it was extended toward in that moment.

This is mercy given with absolutely nothing expected in return, not even recognition that it was given at all. Every other passage this month described mercy that at least had the possibility of being received and responded to. This one describes mercy extended into complete indifference, which may be the hardest form of it there is.

Practical Application

• Consider whether you've ever extended forgiveness and needed it to be noticed or acknowledged to feel complete.
• Practice forgiving something currently in progress, not just something already finished and being processed afterward.
• Extend mercy this week with no expectation that it will be received or even recognized.

Takeaways

• Mercy here is extended while the offense is still actively happening, not after it has ended.
• Forgiveness given with no expectation of it being noticed or received may be the hardest form mercy takes.

Closing Thought

The forgiveness was spoken into complete indifference, and it was spoken anyway.