It is good for me to discuss the above prayer by Jesus as he hung on the cross since we are in the season of Lent. I also highlighted this prayer in my sermon last Sunday. Some questions have been raised to which I would like to make a response.
Question 1:
Was Jesus asking God to forgive only those soldiers who were torturing him as the verse continues with “and they cast lots to divide his garments”. They knew not what they did because they were merely taking instructions from their Roman commanders. For all the others who knew what they were doing, e.g. Judas, Pharisees, Pilate, the crowd who demanded Jesus to be crucified in place of Barabbas, surely, they would not be forgiven!
Response:
When Jesus asked God to forgive them, the “them” would encompass everyone who contributed to his impending death. We can infer this from Acts 3:17, when the apostle Peter addressed the people after he had healed the lame beggar, referring to Jesus’ death, he said, “And now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers.”
For Peter, it did seem like everyone behind Jesus’ death knew not what they did, they all acted in ignorance, and I suppose this was because they had been blinded by the evil one, having fallen sway to the power of the deceiver, Satan.
Jesus’ prayer is often understood as an expression of mercy toward those who had a part to play in his crucifixion. Despite the immense suffering he was enduring, Jesus demonstrated unconditional forgiveness, not because they had repented, but because he recognised their ignorance in what they were doing.
Jesus’ prayer can be interpreted as a call for us to forgive others, even when they do not recognise the wrongs they have committed. It shows that forgiveness is not always contingent on repentance or acknowledgment of the harm done. Jesus extended grace even to those who were actively hurting him, and in doing so, he set an example of radical forgiveness.
Question 2:
Does this mean that we do not need to repent of our sins in order to be saved?
Response:
The answer is “no”!
Jesus’ prayer reflects his compassion and desire for forgiveness for those who were unaware of the magnitude of their actions, both in terms of their immediate actions and their broader spiritual implications.
In terms of whether Jesus will forgive us even if we do not repent, it’s important to consider the broader context of Christian teaching.
Peter spoke earlier to the crowd gathered on the Day of Pentecost saying, “Repent and be baptised every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins” (Acts 2:38), and Jesus himself had said at the start of his ministry, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel” (Mark 1:15).
Salvation is by God’s grace through faith in Jesus’ finished work on the cross. However, genuine faith is best expressed through the transformation of our lives, and the starting point must be the recognition that we need to turn from our old ways controlled by our fleshly desires so that we can embrace our true self that has been raised to walk in the newness of life. The “turning from” constitutes repentance.
Therefore, it will be a mistake to think that whenever we sin against the Lord, there is no need for us to repent and seek his forgiveness. We should and we must! The good news is that “if we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).
It is a graver mistake to think that even if we keep rejecting Jesus as our Saviour and Lord, we will be forgiven. To look at it from another angle, even if Jesus wants to forgive us but we keep rejecting his forgiveness, where does that leave us?
In short, Jesus’ statement on the cross is often seen as demonstrating His incredible grace, offering forgiveness even to those who may not fully understand the significance of their actions at that moment. It suggests that Jesus’ heart is always inclined toward mercy, but this does not necessarily negate the call for personal repentance and faith in him as necessary steps for reconciliation with God.
Question 3:
“and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him” (Luke 17:4). Will the person who sins, the perpetrator, take the grace extended to him for granted if he is forgiven each time he repents? Will this principle cause abuse to be unchecked?
Response:
Those who knowingly cause hurt and do not repent must be held accountable. It is important that they are made to realise that their action is not acceptable.
As a church, if we see someone hurting another person, we definitely cannot let it continue, and if necessary, church discipline will be carried out if the person is unrepentant.
If abuse is involved, the victim needs to be protected and, perhaps, even a police report made so that future offence can be prevented. We shouldn’t wait until the 8th time before we take action.
Hopefully, through our rebuke and corrective action, they will repent and forgiveness extended. Just to forgive them without this process is not helpful for the offending party.
A sevenfold repetition of an offence in one day surely must cast doubt on the genuineness of the sinner’s repentance, but remember this is a hyperbole, an exaggerated statement to bring home a point, and the focus of the verse is on the person who has been hurt to forgive.
However, that doesn’t necessarily mean forgiveness is always easy or should be granted without a process of healing or reconciliation. In some situations, it’s a matter of releasing the bitterness or anger within ourselves, freeing ourselves from the grip of resentment, and we are called to do that regardless of whether the other person has repented.
In our messy world, when sometimes the infliction of hurts is mutual, perhaps the initiator of forgiveness can beget a similar response from the other party. Otherwise, conflicts will remain deadlocked and the bitterness will fester, and it will not be good for the parties involved, emotionally, mentally and even physically, and the community can also be adversely affected.
If you are the one who is hurting, forgive. Carrying the unforgiveness with you is going to poison your mind and heart slowly but surely. I remember a poem from my secondary school days that clearly illustrates the danger of eating the poisoned apple:
Harbouring unforgiveness, a bitter, silent woe,
Like eating a poisoned apple, so gentle in its glow.
At first, it seems inviting, the sweetness calls your name,
But inside lies the darkness, a slow and deadly flame.
Each bite you take in anger, each moment that you hold,
The poison seeps within you, and turns your heart to cold.
The taste is masked by sweetness, the hurt disguised in grace,
But all the while it’s tearing apart your inner space.
It’s not the world around you, not the ones who’ve done you wrong,
But the bitterness you carry, that drags you down so long.
The apple, once so tempting, now a weight you can’t deny,
Forholding on to anger is to watch your spirit die.
Let go, release the sorrow, drop the apple from your hand,
For only in forgiveness will your soul again expand.
The poison fades in freedom, the heart begins to heal,
And all that once was broken becomes the light you feel.
