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The Relationship “Father”
There are times when the flesh explodes in fury and uncontrolled
utterances, and never more when one is being afflicted. The thought of
forgiveness is far removed from the mind of the individual and perhaps
forgiveness toward the erring one is never granted.
There also must be very few, if any, believers who have never chafed
under the will of God, and perhaps gotten angry for the happenings which
God permits to come into their lives.
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Both these attitudes were never seen in our Lord. Gazing upon
Him we see the heart and mind of God gloriously manifested.
Looking down upon the sea of faces, with a mind undimmed by
numbing sedative or the deadening of death, He said one word
which speaks volumes: “Father”.
(Lk.
23:34) |
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It was not just that He called God Father |
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b) |
There is no emphasis on how He said it |
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It is a manifestation of the character of the man: |
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i) |
He knew all that was involved in asking for forgiveness. |
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He knew the depths of the judgment required for forgiveness. |
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iii) |
He knew what that forgiveness was going to mean to Him. |
The Lord pleads before God on the ground of Sonship. This was not a
relationship He entered into when on earth. He was ever the Son. “The
Father sent the Son” (1 Jn. 4:14). In this prayer the Lord pleads the
efficacy of His own sufferings. This is very beautiful for in Lev. 1:4
the offered is told that the sacrifice would be accepted for him, and
atonement made for him before the sacrifice was ever offered. Had one
of the priests standing there, or a soldier confessed “He is there to be
my sacrifice, to bear the penalty for my forgiveness”, the efficacy of
that sacrifice would have been effective immediately.
When our Lord, in these circumstances said: “Father”, what did it
signify?
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His spirit and relationship with God was greater than any other
human being could manifest. |
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a) |
It manifested His contrast with those who put Him there, for
they had acted in the name of God, but now He shows the heart of
God. |
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b) |
Paul appealed to a higher earthly power: “I appeal to Caesar”
(Acts 25:11), but the Lord appealed to the Throne Sitter of
Heaven. |
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We learn that His God consciousness and relationship was
unshaken by that which had and was befalling him. |
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His imploration was a gracious condemnation for those who had so
hated him. |
The Imploring “Forgive”
Since it is only God who can forgive sins, because it is God who has
been sinned against, the Lord prays to the Father to forgive them. This
is interesting because up to this point He forgave them. In this
intercession for forgiveness, the word indicates a holding back of
judgement, let them see the seriousness of that which they are doing in
rejecting me, let them see the fullness of thy love and forgiving
grace. Thank God He did hold back and gave them more time as the book
of the Acts teaches.
That which amazes is that the Lord, who is the Angel of the Lord, single
handedly in one night slew the entire Assyrian army (2 Kgs. 19:25).
This is the one who overthrew the world with the flood and slew every
living creature (Gen. 7:4). Again, He destroyed the cities of Sodom
and Gomorrah (13:10). Consequently, a few hundred would have been very
easy to obliterate, yet in this we see the riches of His love and mercy.
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We must appreciate that God does not simply forgive sins. He
executes the judgment on them, and then offers salvation.
Christ, in thus praying, was fulfilling the type shown by Moses
when He interceded. Sin must be punished. The value of that
which was damaged must be seen and known, and thus the Lord was
going to be the sin bearer, experience the fulness of the curse,
and know the baptism of judgement from God.
Forgiveness is: |
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The removal of judgment for our trespasses: “And you, being dead
in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he
quickened together with him, having forgiven you all
trespasses”. (Col. 2:13) |
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Giving full acceptance to the sinner: “To open their eyes, [and]
to turn them from darkness to light, and [from] the power of
Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and
inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in
me”. (Acts 26:18) |
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Redemption: “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the
forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace”.
(Eph. 1:7) |
Then it goes one step further: “Their sins and their iniquities I will
remember no more” (Heb. 8:12).
God will never bring to mind again such a one spat on the face of my
son, such a one hammered the nail in His right/left hand, such a one
cried with drunken venom and enticed others to cry “away with Him”.
Added to this is the reality that the Lord knew what He was praying, and
the cost it was going to be to Himself.
He does not deny their deservingness of judgment. He does not pray:
“Father be merciful and gracious, but forgive”. It is a tender
understanding and with
compassion. Never were His compassions newer and richer than on that
morning. His words indicate: “hold back any judgement, let them see the
seriousness of that which they are doing in rejecting me, let them see
the fullness of thy love, and until I have done all that can possibly be
done for them, and then still give them time.” (My paraphrase)
The Subjects “Them”
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When we come to consider the “them”, the greatness of the
forgiveness will be seen. In this prayer the Lord is
interceding for those who hated him without a cause. He knows
intellectually, and soon by experience, that which lies ahead of
them if they reject Him. Therefore His prayer is for: |
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Those who need forgiveness. |
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Those who to all outward appearances salvation is very remote. |
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When reviewing the narratives of the Scriptures: |
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Esther never prayed for forgiveness for Haman. (Est. 7:7-9) |
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Jonah never prayed for forgiveness for the people of Nineveh.
(Jon. 1:2) |
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Joseph’s brothers confessed and asked for forgiveness. (Gen.
45:25-28; 50:17) |
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Stephen asked for forgiveness, but the order was reversed in how
the Lord asked. (Acts 7:60) |
There are people whose life is seemingly
filled with sorrow and care. Life for them is hard, and more often than
not, they walk a very lonely path. Yet, irrespective of how hard such a
ones life is, nought compares with that of the Lord. He had been
abused, hated, and despised, yet in His heart there was no animosity.
His heart was filled with love for those who despitefully used Him, and
being void of spite and hostility, He will seek God’s graciousness
toward them.
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His life was a hard life because of sin and the sin hardened
state of humanity. They made His life to be: |
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Filled with sorrows, and grief was His acquaintance. (Isa.
53:5) |
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He came to His own and was not wanted, the hurt of being told
you’re not welcome here. (Jn. 1:11) |
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At birth, there was no room for Him. (Lk. 2:7) |
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Herod sought to kill the baby, a hostility He was to live with
constantly. (Matt. 2:13) |
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Then He was crucified between the thieves. Why was He put in
the midst? What truths there are here for two purposes. |
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God’s purpose was to show Christ is the divider of humanity for
eternity. |
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Man’s purpose was to show Him as the worst of them all. |
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Then they lifted Him up on the cross, possibly by ropes, but
nailed Him to the tree. |
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Then when the screaming searing pain of mutilated flesh was raw. |
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Then when the venom of the blasphemers was happening. |
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He was to vicariously suffer for these people who were so
callous and animalistic.
Then He prayed: “Father forgive them.” |
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May
God grant us good understanding as He, by His Holy
Spirit, deigns to guide us into all truth.
John 16:13
Copyright © 2012 by Rowan Jennings, Abbotsford,
British Columbia
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