His Final Words: “Father, Forgive Them”

by David Chadwick

Jesus is the Word (John 1:14). Because of this, any words he spoke in Scripture are profoundly important. However, as we learned yesterday, the words leading up to someone’s death are often very rich, purposeful and profound.

I have found seven of Jesus’s “last words” in Scripture. Let’s look at the first one today.

Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34).

If you were following along with us, we just completed a series in March on the madness of unforgiveness. We learned so many truths about how bitterness and resentment that take root in our hearts can actually perpetuate madness in our hearts!

I find it absolutely fascinating that Jesus’s first sentence from the cross dealt with forgiveness. As he hung naked on a cross in front of his enemies, after experiencing painstaking betrayal, and in the midst of the most excruciating physical pain, he chose to speak to the importance of forgiveness.

Jesus knew that the only ones truly hurt in unforgiveness are us.

Jesus’s plea to his Father to forgive those who put him on the cross was a statement of love, from the lips of the Lord of love, to remind us all that only love conquers hate. Only love opens the prison door of bitterness.

Dear friends, remember what I shared with you from R.T. Kendall’s teaching on forgiveness. He said that most people who have hurt us don’t even know how badly they have hurt us! In fact, some research estimates that only about 20% truly understand what they have done, thus implying that 80% are clueless of the pain they’ve induced.

Forgive them. Set them free. Let God do vengeance. He alone knows everything. He alone does perfect justice…and one day, justice will prevail!

And what about 20% who clearly knew what they were doing when they hurt you and chose to do it anyway? Yes, forgive them too.

Remember, it’s primarily for your benefit that you forgive. And it’s the heart of Jesus’s message to us all from the cross!