As Jesus hangs on the cross—wounded, mocked, and rejected—His first recorded words are not cries of anger or demands for justice, but a prayer: “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

In this episode of Today With Jesus, Dan Winkler and Robert Hatfield begin a new journey through the seven sayings of Jesus from the cross. This season will examine each saying in two movements:

1. understanding the saying in the moment it was spoken, and
2. exploring how Jesus lived that truth throughout His earthly ministry—and how it can take root in our own hearts today.

Part 1 of this saying focuses on the context of the cross. What does it mean that Jesus prayed for forgiveness while enduring unimaginable suffering? Who were the “them” Jesus prayed for—and what does this prayer reveal about His heart, His mission, and His relationship with the Father?