32 Two others, who were criminals, were also led away to be executed with Jesus.

33 When they came to the place called The Skull, they crucified Him there, along with the criminals, one on His right and the other on His left.

34 Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up His garments by casting lots.

35 The people stood watching, and the rulers sneered at Him, saying, “He saved others; let Him save Himself if He is the Christ of God, the Chosen One.”

36 The soldiers also mocked Him and came up to offer Him sour wine.

37 “If You are the King of the Jews,” they said, “save Yourself!”

38 Above Him was posted an inscription:
THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Helen Mitry

What’s the most painful thing you have ever experienced? Is it a broken bone from falling off your bike? Giving birth? Going to the dentist? I bet that as the dentist was drilling and you suddenly felt pain, your first thought wasn’t to pray for him or her! Or to pray for the midwife who keeps telling you to push. Even then, the dentist and the midwife know what’s best for us, and there is purpose to the “suffering” they inflict on us. But we read here in Luke how amazing Jesus is – that even in his moment of greatest agony, Jesus prayed for his enemies who were acting with the worst of intentions.

Jesus had such compassion and selflessness that even though he was being crucified he still thought about others – the criminals beside him (as we’ll see tomorrow) as well as the people executing him. That would be the last thing I would want to do. So far Jesus has been unfairly accused in the courtroom, he’s been flogged, spat at and beaten. Now he is nailed to the cross – a method of death that was designed to inflict the most pain over the longest period of time. The nails would go through the median nerve which sits at the wrist, causing shooting pain along the arms. Death would eventually come from suffocation due to the positioning of the body on the cross. The Romans had thought about this in detail – and Jesus had resolutely set his path towards this moment (see Luke 9:51). I can’t imagine the strength it took for Jesus to go through with being crucified, and yet be praying for the people who were doing this to him.

There was a sign made for Jesus that said, ‘This is the king of the Jews’. If only they knew who Jesus is! The statement is true, and yet it doesn’t even begin to capture the full truth of Jesus and who he is. That is why Jesus prayed, ‘they do not know what they are doing’. They knew they were crucifying a man. They did not know that he is the Messiah, the chosen one, the king of all, the Son of God himself – and we didn’t know either, until the Spirit of God opened our eyes. Thank God now for Jesus and for his amazing love for us – the saviour who prays for us his enemies so that we could become his friends.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Helen is a member of our Fairfield Evening congregation.