notes that Simon’s sons are Rufus and Alexander (Mark 15:21). These two men must have been known to the readers and likely had become outstanding Christians. Simon, who had met Jesus by chance on the way to his crucifixion obviously had had his life changed by that encounter. His sons were likely converted later and became such distinguished members of the early church that, when Mark writes about this experience and mentions their names, he thinks that his readers will recognize their names immediately.
Jesus finally arrived at the Place of the Skull, which stood outside the city walls. He was laid down on the crossbeam and crucified. While hanging on the cross for six hours, from nine in the morning until three o’clock in the afternoon, Jesus uttered what has come to be known as the seven last words. Let us look at each one of these words, sentences or word fragments, and see if we cannot gain some deeper insight into the cost of the suffering that Jesus endured and how you and I are affected by these words and this event. His first words, “Father, forgive them,” was directed to his enemies – those who were crucifying him or who caused this event.[1]
Jesus’ First Word Is a Prayer
First, what was Jesus doing? What is this first word? Notice that Jesus’ first word from the cross was a prayer. He prayed: “Father, forgive them.” In his moment of suffering he prayed.
A Life of Prayer
Prayer was a natural and instinctive thing for Jesus. His whole life had been saturated in prayer. He would arise early in the morning and pray. He prayed sometimes at noon, before meals, before he selected his disciples. Sometimes all night was spent in prayer. He prayed before his temptations and at every significant moment in his life. Here in this moment of agony, he still prayed to God, because prayer was a central part of his life. Jesus’ disciples had been so impressed by his prayer life that the one thing they asked him to teach them was about prayer. “Lord, teach us how to pray,” they asked.
An Unselfish Prayer
Notice also that Jesus’ prayer was unselfish. “Father, forgive them,” he prayed. When you and I get in some difficult situation, what is usually our first response? “Oh, Lord, help me!” “Get me out of this!” “Lord, why am I here? What have I done to deserve this?” But Jesus’ prayer was not for himself, but for others.
A Continuous Prayer
Note further that the prayer that Jesus uttered here was an affirmation of what he had taught. The verb “forgive” in the original Greek means that this prayer was not voiced just once but was a continual prayer.
The words, “Father, forgive them,” were spoken several times. Was this the prayer that Jesus prayed when the soldiers stripped him of his garments and stretched him out on the cross and drove the nails through his hands and feet? Did he cry, “Father, forgive them” when the soldiers lifted up his cross and dropped it with a thud into its hole? Did he cry, “Father, forgive them” when the soldiers gambled for his robe? Did he pray, “Father, forgive them” when the crowd mocked him and the criminal on one side of him jeered at him from his cross? Did he pray, “Father, forgive them” when his disciples fled for fear of arrest themselves?
Jesus Lived What He Taught
This prayer was indeed a continuous prayer in the life of Christ. It reflected the kind of life that he had lived. Jesus Christ had taught others to be forgiving. “Forgive seventy times seven,” he taught his disciples. Be limitless in your forgiveness. His words reveal that he practiced what he preached. When he came to the darkest moment in his life, he prayed that those who were hurting him might be forgiven. He had taught his disciples to forgive seventy times seven, to turn the other cheek, and to go the second mile.
Now in his time of testing as he was being crucified, what Jesus had taught on a mountaintop, he now displayed in his life while he was in the agony of the valley of despair. What he had taught his disciples along the bright sunny shores of the Sea of Galilee, he demonstrated was real in his words uttered in this dark moment in his life. What Jesus had taught about the universal love of God for all persons was seen reflected in his life and the way he died when he was nailed to a stake outside the Jerusalem walls by the crossroads of humanity. The Golden Rule was not merely verbiage or preaching for him, but it was demonstrated in his words in the last moments before he died. He lived the Golden Rule he taught.
An Intimate Relationship with God
This prayer also reveals the absolute intimate relationship that Jesus had with God the Father. Like a child, Jesus reached up to his Father for support in this difficult moment. He knew that the God to whom he had prayed before would still be present. The God he had known on bright sunny days was still with him on this dark dreary day. The God about whom he had taught his disciples to ask anything, he still prayed to now with assurance. He had prayed to his Father on calm days; now in the worst storm of his life, he again appealed to the One who had sustained him in the past. His trust was tested by this awful experience, but he reached out to the One whose presence was real to him. The word “Father” speaks volumes about intimacy.
Forgiveness for Whom
Secondly, for whom was Jesus asking forgiveness by his Father? “Father, forgive them,” he prayed. About whom is he speaking here?
Curses Were Often Heard
The executioners were not surprised that Jesus made some kind of outcry at the crucifixion. They expected any man who was led to the place of execution to make some kind of outcry. But these outcries were usually curses, jeers, and profanity. When a man faced being driven to a stake, crucified by having nails driven through his hands and feet, he would often fight and struggle with his executioners. It was a terrible experience for the person being crucified.
Cicero once wrote that the blasphemy of those being executed was sometimes so bad that the soldiers would cut out the tongue of the man being crucified to keep him from railing and screaming blasphemies. But from Jesus there were no curses, jeers, defense, condemnation or requests. He prayed simply, “Father, forgive them.” His prayer, “Forgive them,” reflected in his dying what he had lived and taught.
To Whom Was This Prayer Directed?
About whom was he speaking when he uttered this prayer? Who was it? Did he pray, “Father forgive them,” as the soldiers drove the nails in his hands? Was the prayer directed at the Jewish leaders, Annas and Caiaphas, the high priests or the Pharisees and the other members at the Sanhedrin who had condemned him? Were the words directed at Pilate who had washed his hands of this affair and didn’t really want to get involved? Did he pray for Herod who had put a robe on Jesus and mocked him and then sent him away? Was he praying for the crowd who had cried: “Crucify him?” Did he pray for Judas who had betrayed him? Was his prayer for his disciples who fled?
These words, “Father forgive them,” were so disturbing to the early church that some of the earliest manuscripts like Codex Vaticanus or Codex Bezae do not contain them.[2] Why? Because early Christians didn’t know how to deal with them. How could they pray and ask forgiveness of the Jews and Romans for what they had done? But how like Jesus these words really are. Rob Bell reminds us that “Jesus forgives them all, without their asking for it.” He continues: “Forgiveness is unilateral. God isn’t waiting for us to get it together, to clean up, shape up, get up-God has already done it.”[3]
We Are Also Accused
To whom are these words directed? You and I don’t get off so easily here. These words do not point only to someone in
