etcetera:

Luke 23:33-34

33 When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. 34 Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.

The 1828 Mirriam Webster Dictionary defines forgiveness this way:

1. To pardon; to remit, as an offense or debt; to overlook an offense, and treat the offender as not guilty. The original and proper phrase is to forgive the offense, to send it away, to reject it, that is, not to impute it, [put it to] the offender. But by an easy transition, we also use the phrase, to forgive the person offending.

In the midst of betrayal: Humankind had betrayed Him (Note the Roman soldiers killing Him and casting lots for His clothes AS He was praying for them). The Jewish leaders, HIS TEACHERS, had betrayed Him (Trumped up charges to find Him guilty at any cost). His closest friends had betrayed Him (His disciples running away from Him… even denying Him). 

Jesus was the one offended on every front. How did He respond? “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”

His love and allegiance to His Father led Him to sacrifice His dignity and His life. It also led Him to respond to our betrayal with compassion and forgiveness. This is our King. This is our God.

Author, Al Allison. Holy Week 2024