Luk 23:34, Act 7:60 | Barnes | STEP | Verse 34. Father, forgive them . This is a fulfillment of the prophecy in : He made intercession for the transgressors. The prayer was offered for those who were guilty of putting him to death. It is not quite certain whether he referred to the Jews or to the Roman soldiers . Perhaps he referred to both. The Romans knew not what they did, as they were really ignorant that he was the Son of God, and as they were merely obeying the command of their rulers. The Jews knew, indeed, that he was innocent , and they had evidence, if they would have looked at it, that he was the Messiah; but they did not know what would be the effect of their guilt; they did not know what judgments and calamities they were bringing down upon their country. It may be added, also, that, though they had abundant evidence, if they would look at it, that he was the Messiah, and enough to leave them without excuse, yet they did not, in fact , believe that he was the Saviour promised by the prophets, and had not, in fact, any proper sense of his rank and dignity as "the Lord of glory." If they had had, they would not have crucified him, as we cannot suppose that they would knowingly put to death their own Messiah, the hope of the nation, and him who had been so long promised to the fathers. . We may learn from this prayer-- 1st. The duty of praying for our enemies, even when they are endeavouring most to injure us. 2nd. The thing for which we should pray for them is that God would pardon them and give them better minds. 3rd. The power and excellence of the Christian religion. No other religion teaches men to pray for the forgiveness of enemies; no other disposes them to do it. Men of the world seek for revenge; the Christian bears reproaches and persecutions with patience, and prays that God would pardon those who injure them, and save them from their sins. 4th. The greatest sinners, through the intercession of Jesus, may obtain pardon. God heard him, and still hears him always , and there is no reason to doubt that many of his enemies and murderers obtained forgiveness and life. Comp. . They know not what they do . It was done through ignorance, . Paul says that, "had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory," . Ignorance does not excuse altogether a crime if the ignorance be wilful, but it diminishes its guilt. They had evidence; they might have learned his character; they might have known what they were doing, and they might be held answerable for all this. But Jesus here shows the compassion of his heart, and as they were really ignorant, whatever might have been the cause of their ignorance, he implores God to pardon them. He even urges it as a reason why they should be pardoned, that they were ignorant of what they were doing; and though men are often guilty for their ignorance, yet God often in compassion overlooks it, averts his anger, and grants them the blessings of pardon and life. So he forgave Paul, for he "did it in ignorance, in unbelief," . So God winked at the ignorance of the Gentiles, . Yet this is no excuse, and no evidence of safety, for those who in our day contemptuously put away from them and their children the means of instruction. (c) "Father, forgive them"

Luke 23:34

Verse 34. Father, forgive them. This is a fulfillment of the prophecy in Isa 53:12: He made intercession for the transgressors. The prayer was offered for those who were guilty of putting him to death. It is not quite certain whether he referred to the Jews or to the Roman soldiers. Perhaps he referred to both. The Romans knew not what they did, as they were really ignorant that he was the Son of God, and as they were merely obeying the command of their rulers. The Jews knew, indeed, that he was innocent, and they had evidence, if they would have looked at it, that he was the Messiah; but they did not know what would be the effect of their guilt; they did not know what judgments and calamities they were bringing down upon their country. It may be added, also, that, though they had abundant evidence, if they would look at it, that he was the Messiah, and enough to leave them without excuse, yet they did not, in fact, believe that he was the Saviour promised by the prophets, and had not, in fact, any proper sense of his rank and dignity as "the Lord of glory." If they had had, they would not have crucified him, as we cannot suppose that they would knowingly put to death their own Messiah, the hope of the nation, and him who had been so long promised to the fathers. 1Cor 2:8. We may learn from this prayer--

1st. The duty of praying for our enemies, even when they are endeavouring most to injure us.

2nd. The thing for which we should pray for them is that God would pardon them and give them better minds.

3rd. The power and excellence of the Christian religion. No other religion teaches men to pray for the forgiveness of enemies; no other disposes them to do it. Men of the world seek for revenge; the Christian bears reproaches and persecutions with patience, and prays that God would pardon those who injure them, and save them from their sins.

4th. The greatest sinners, through the intercession of Jesus, may obtain pardon. God heard him, and still hears him always, and there is no reason to doubt that many of his enemies and murderers obtained forgiveness and life. Comp. Acts 2:37, 42, 43, 7:7, 14:1.

They know not what they do. It was done through ignorance, Acts 3:17. Paul says that, "had they known it, they would not have crucified

the Lord of glory,"

1Cor 2:8. Ignorance does not excuse altogether a crime if the ignorance be wilful, but it diminishes its guilt. They had evidence; they might have learned his character; they might have known what they were doing, and they might be held answerable for all this. But Jesus here shows the compassion of his heart, and as they were really ignorant, whatever might have been the cause of their ignorance, he implores God to pardon them. He even urges it as a reason why they should be pardoned, that they were ignorant of what they were doing; and though men are often guilty for their ignorance, yet God often in compassion overlooks it, averts his anger, and grants them the blessings of pardon and life. So he forgave Paul, for he "did it in ignorance, in unbelief,"

1Timm 1:13. So God winked at the ignorance of the Gentiles, Acts 17:30. Yet this is no excuse, and no evidence of safety, for those who in our day contemptuously put away from them and their children the means of instruction.

Acts 7:60

Verse 60. And he kneeled down. This seems to have been a voluntary kneeling; a placing himself in this position for the purpose of prayer, choosing to die in this attitude.

Lord. That is, Lord Jesus. Acts 1:24.

Lay not, etc. Forgive them. This passage strikingly resembles the dying prayer of the Lord Jesus, Lk 23:34. Nothing but the Christian religion will enable a man to utter this passage in his dying moments.

He fell asleep. This is the usual mode of expressing the death of saints in the Bible. It is an expression indicating

(1.) the peacefulness of their death, compared with the alarm of sinners;

(2.) the hope of a resurrection--as we retire to sleep with the hope of again awaking to the duties and enjoyments of life. See Jn 11:11,12; 1Cor 11:30, 15:51, 1Thes 4:14, 5:10, Mt 9:24.

In view of the death of this first Christian martyr, we may remark,

(1.) That it is right to address to the Lord Jesus the language of prayer.

(2.) It is peculiarly proper to do it in afflictions, and in the prospect of death, Heb 4:15.

(3.) Sustaining grace will be derived in trials chiefly from a view of the Lord Jesus. If we can look to him as our Saviour, see him to be exalted to deliver us, and truly commit our souls to him, we shall find the grace which we shall need in our afflictions.

(4.) We should have such confidence in him, as to enable us to commit ourselves to him at any time. To do this, we should live a life of faith. In health, and youth, and strength, we should seek him as our first and best Friend.

(5.) While we are in health, we should prepare to die. What an unfit place for preparation for death would have been the situation of Stephen! How impossible then would it have been to have made preparation! Yet the dying bed is often a place as unfit to prepare as were the circumstances of Stephen.--When racked with pain; when faint and feeble; when the mind is indisposed to thought, or when it raves in the wildness of delirium, what an unfit place is this to prepare to die! I have seen many dying beds; I have seen many in all stages of their last sickness; but never have I yet seen a dying bed which seemed to me to be a proper place to make preparation for eternity.

(6.) How peaceful and calm is a death like that of Stephen, when compared with the alarms and anguish of a sinner! One moment of such peace, in that trying time, is better than all the pleasures and honours which the world can bestow. And to obtain such peace, the dying sinner would be willing to give all the wealth of the Indies, and all the crowns of the earth. So may I die--and so may all my readers--enabled, like this dying martyr, to commit my de- parting spirit to the sure keeping of the great Redeemer! When we take a parting view of the world; when our eyes shall be turned for the last time to take a look of friends and relatives; and when the darkness of death shall begin to come around us, then may we be enabled to cast the eye of faith to the heavens, and say, "Lord Jesus, receive our spirits;" and thus fall asleep, peaceful in death, in the hope of the resurrection of the just.

(b) "lay not this sin" Mt 5:44, Lk 23:34