In our daily three-minute meditations on groupbiblestudy.com, we are exploring the drama of Christ's crucifixion. People's last words before they die are important messages they want to share. There are seven last sayings of Christ while He was on the cross. We will look at these sayings in order, starting with the first statement:
1) "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing" (Luke 23:34).
Who did Jesus forgive for their ignorance? The Lord directed this first saying to the soldiers guarding Him as they divided His clothing among themselves. John wrote that the four soldiers guarding Christ cast lots for His clothing to fulfill another prophecy spoken hundreds of years before by King David: “They divide my clothes among them and cast lots for my garment.” (Psalm 22:18; John 19:23-24;). Most pictures of Christ on the cross typically show an undergarment over His loins, but those crucified were usually hung naked for maximum humiliation and to discourage others from criminal paths. As soon as the cross settled into its socket, the chief priests and elders mocked Him. Christ did not retaliate, curse, or wail. Instead, amidst His pain, He did the opposite. Remarkably, He forgave the soldiers, even as they were casting lots for His clothing. It was not their place to question their officers. They had a job and carried it out in ignorance of Christ's true identity. They did not realize the enormity of what they had just done, that God clothed in flesh was the One they had just crucified. His critics and enemies gathered around His cross, spewing curses and scorn against Him.
39Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads 40and saying, “You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!” 41In the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked him. 42“He saved others,” they said, “but he can’t save himself! He’s the king of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. 43He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants him, for he said, ‘I am the Son of God’” (Matthew 27:39-43).
Again, this was something God foretold through the prophet King David. The Lord told David that one of his descendants, the One who would become king and heir of all things, would be despised and scorned by men. This prophetic statement is evidence of the truth of the Holy Scriptures, foretold hundreds of years before it happened so that, when it did happen, we might recognize the truth of the Scriptures and place our faith in God and His Messiah, Jesus. Here's David's prophecy as it relates to those who scorned Christ while He suffered:
7All who see me mock me; they hurl insults, shaking their heads. 8“He trusts in the LORD,” they say, “let the LORD rescue him. Let him deliver him, since he delights in him.” 12Many bulls surround me; strong bulls of Bashan encircle me. 13Roaring lions that tear their prey open their mouths wide against me. 16Dogs surround me, a pack of villains encircles me; they pierce my hands and my feet (Psalm 22:7-8; 12-13; 16).
Just because He prayed for His Father to forgive the soldiers and those in ignorance does not mean they would be forgiven without repentance and faith in God. Forgiveness of sin was the very reason Christ was dying. What this passage shows us is that God is willing to forgive those who have sinned against Him, but this forgiveness is received only when one repents (changes their mind and direction toward God) and believes in the good news of the substitutionary blood covenant made for us and as us by Christ. Let’s look at the second saying from the cross tomorrow. Keith Thomas
The YouTube video of this talk with closed captions (subtitles) in 65 languages can be found at the following link: https://youtu.be/98EY8UNmpmk
The complete written notes are at the following link: The Seven Last Sayings of Christ