Forgiveness is one of those things. We often hear about it in the services, but we don’t often hear about how we are supposed to go about it. Jesus demonstrated it in the Good Friday story. Here is a little trick you can imitate.
He was a furniture dealer and quite a wise man. His job involved dealing with complaints and angry customers. But His wisdom helped him deal with such aggressions, and also helped me to finally come to terms with a Bible verse that had been causing me real headaches.
Between ignorance and intention
“Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do,” Christ prayed on the cross while the crowds jeered (Luke 23: 24). The part about “forgiving them” makes sense. After all, Jesus repeatedly called on His followers to love their enemies. So it was only logical that He still practised what He preached even while He was dying on the cross.
But why would He ask His Father to forgive them only because they do not know what they are doing? This is reminiscent of excuses made by children who have done something wrong, “I didn’t do that on purpose.” That is the last thing we need. But what if evil is done knowingly, on purpose, out of anger, rage, or even revenge? Full responsibility, no forgiveness?
Contradicting witnesses
This Bible verse has been causing problems ever since the New Testament was written. This is revealed in the numerous manuscripts. Original manuscripts of the New Testament are not known to have survived. There are only copies and copies of copies. And these manuscripts sometimes differ. One of the most significant deviations can be found right here in the “Forgive them, for …”.
Half of the manuscripts—codices and papyri—do not know this sentence, but the other half do. Did some copyists delete something or did the others add something? Science has been debating this for decades. And the tendency is to go with the first, the omission. Because a scribe would more likely omit rather than insert an awkward statement.
Firmly anchored early on already
Either way, there is no getting round Jesus’ prayer of forgiveness.
Peter picked up on this when he preached repentance in the temple in Jerusalem: “Yet now, brethren, I know that you did it in ignorance, as did also your rulers.” And Paul referred to this when he explained God’s plan of salvation in the synagogue of Antioch: “For those who dwell in Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they did not know Him, nor even the voices of the Prophets … have fulfilled them …”
Finally, there was Stephen, who took Christ’s intercession as an example as he was being stoned to death: “Lord, do not charge them with this sin.”
A change of perspective
But what does not knowing, or ignorance, have to do with this? The Jerusalem elite knew very well what would happen if they handed over a “rebel” to the occupying forces. The Roman soldiers knew very well what agonies their craft caused. They had had years of practice. And the people also knew that this was not some play being performed.
On the other hand, the last thing the Jewish authorities needed on Passover in an overcrowded city was something that would set off the powder keg. The Roman Empire could not tolerate political and religious unrest. And the people on the street simply saw another criminal die.
In favour, and not opposed to it
“Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” This is not a doctrinal statement about sin and guilt, but it is the incredible act of forgiving in the midst of injustice and suffering. Christ’s love does not wait for the offenders to realise and repent; He grants His forgiveness already in advance.
How could we possibly ever manage to follow this example? By looking at how Jesus did it: He stepped aside as a victim and instead emerged as a mediator. He did not rise up against His tormentors but interceded for them.
And that brings us back to the furniture dealer and his wisdom. He countered the angry complaints with a small but effective thought: “How can I help this poor person?”
Photo: Faith Stock – stock.adobe.com