"Father Forgive Them"

"Then Jesus said, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do."  Luke 23:34 (NIV)

According to the record of Luke, the physician companion of the Apostle Paul, one of the last things that Jesus did as He hung on the cross at Calvary was to pray for the people who were responsible for His suffering and crucifixion.

There are those who believe that Jesus prayed that prayer for the forgiveness of those Roman solders who were involved in His physical crucifixion.  However, most of us know that Jesus was actually praying for all of us, all of humanity, because it was for the remission of our sins that the shedding of His blood, His crucifixion, His death on the cross, His burial, and His resurrection was necessary. (Galatians 1:4 & 1 John 2:2)  The price He paid, He paid for all of us. (Romans 5:8 & 14:9)  We should remember that as we celebrate the period of Passover, the Passion Week, Good Friday, and Resurrection Sunday.