Luke 23:34
And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And they cast lots to divide his garments.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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While Jesus prays for His crucifiers, the immediate contrast is the soldiers casually dividing His garments, highlighting the profound disconnect between His boundless mercy and their callous actions in that moment. This juxtaposition underscores how those directly involved in his suffering were oblivious to the divine significance of the event unfolding.
Jesus, hanging naked and bleeding on the cross, offers his first words as a prayer for his executioners, acknowledging their ignorance of the divine significance of their actions. Meanwhile, the Roman soldiers, carrying out their grim duty, strip him and cast lots for his clothing, a stark contrast to Jesus' profound act of compassion.
Imagine the sheer agony, the injustice, the betrayal. Yet, from the very heart of this suffering, a prayer for enemies erupts. What does this teach us about God’s love?
Jesus' first words from the cross are a stunning act of radical forgiveness. He prays, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” This wasn’t a prayer for people who lightly offended him; these were the very ones crucifying him – the soldiers carrying out the sentence and possibly the crowd baying for his blood.
Ignorance as a Reason for Mercy
Jesus offers “ignorance” as the reason for their need of forgiveness. This doesn't excuse their actions entirely – they knew they were killing an innocent man. However, they truly didn't grasp the full cosmic significance of their deed: they were crucifying the Son of God, the Savior of the world. Their sin was immense, but Jesus appeals to their lack of full understanding as a plea for mercy. This echoes his own teaching: to whom much is forgiven, they love much (Luke 7:47).
A Model for Us
This prayer is a profound model for how we are to treat those who wrong us. It calls us to pray for our enemies, seeking not revenge, but their reconciliation with God. It’s a difficult, counter-cultural command, but it flows from the heart of God Himself.
While Jesus offers a prayer of profound love, a starkly different scene unfolds below. What does the casual division of His garments reveal about the spiritual reality of the moment?
The stark contrast between Jesus’ prayer and the soldiers’ actions highlights two worlds colliding.
Casual Indifference
Beneath the cross, the soldiers are engaged in a grim, almost mundane task: dividing Jesus’ belongings. They cast lots for his seamless tunic, treating him as just another executed criminal whose possessions are spoils of war. This indifference to the divine drama unfolding above them is chilling. They were instruments of a terrible act, yet utterly oblivious to the Son of God they were serving.
Understand the original words
aphiēmi · Greek Verb
The divine prerogative to remit debt or sin, releasing the offender from the penalty they deserve. It is based on Christ's atoning work and is a primary theme of the Gospel.
himation · Greek Noun
Long tunics worn as undergarments, the division of which by casting lots fulfills Old Testament prophecy regarding the Messiah’s suffering.
Jesus' prayer for forgiveness at his crucifixion, though spoken in a moment of immense personal suffering, offers a powerful model for interceding for enemies and highlights the profound ignorance surrounding his identity and mission, an ignorance that would be challenged by the Gospel in the years to come.
c. 30 AD— this verse
Jesus Crucified
Jesus is crucified between two thieves, a common form of Roman execution for criminals and political insurgents.
c. 30 AD
Soldiers Divide Garments
Roman soldiers, following customary practice, cast lots for Jesus' tunic, which was likely a valuable item.
c. 30 AD
Penitent Thief's Plea
One of the thieves crucified alongside Jesus repents and asks Jesus to remember him, receiving assurance of paradise.
c. 30 AD
Jesus Commits Mother to John
Jesus entrusts the care of his mother to his beloved disciple John, demonstrating his concern for his family even in death.
This verse directly foreshadows Jesus' prayer on the cross, stating that the Suffering Servant 'poured out his soul unto death' and 'made intercession for the transgressors.'
Matthew 5:44Jesus' command to 'love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you' is perfectly exemplified in His own actions as He hangs on the cross, demonstrating the radical nature of His teachings.
Acts 7:59-60Stephen, the first martyr, echoes Jesus' prayer from the cross as he is being stoned, showing how Jesus' example of forgiveness profoundly impacted His followers.
1 Corinthians 2:8This passage explains that if the rulers of that age had known who Jesus truly was, they would not have crucified the 'Lord of glory,' highlighting the 'ignorance' Jesus refers to in His prayer.
John 19:23-24This passage describes the soldiers casting lots for Jesus' garments, providing the immediate context for the second part of the verse and the fulfillment of prophecy regarding His clothing.
clarkeLuke 23:34: "Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots."
They know not what they do - If ignorance do not excuse a crime, it at least diminishes the atrocity of it. However, these persons well knew that they were crucifying an innocent man; but they did not know that, by this act of theirs, they were bringing down on themselves and on their country the heaviest judgments of God. In the prayer, Father, forgive them! that wor…
pulpitLuke 23:34: "Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots."
Verse 34. - Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. These words are missing in some of the oldest authorities. They are found, however, in the majority of the most ancient manuscripts and in the most trustworthy of the old versions, and are undoubtedly genuine. These first of the seven words from the cross seem, from their position in th…
While Jesus prays for His crucifiers, the immediate contrast is the soldiers casually dividing His garments, highlighting the profound disconnect between His boundless mercy and their callous actions in that moment. This juxtaposition underscores how those directly involved in his suffering were oblivious to the divine significance of the event unfolding.
Jesus, hanging naked and bleeding on the cross, offers his first words as a prayer for his executioners, acknowledging their ignorance of the divine significance of their actions. Meanwhile, the Roman soldiers, carrying out their grim duty, strip him and cast lots for his clothing, a stark contrast to Jesus' profound act of compassion.
Jesus, hanging naked and bleeding on the cross, offers his first words as a prayer for his executioners, acknowledging their ignorance of the divine significance of their actions. Meanwhile, the Roman soldiers, carrying out their grim duty, strip him and cast lots for his clothing, a stark contrast to Jesus' profound act of compassion.
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God's Unseen Hand
Yet, even in this scene of human cruelty and spiritual blindness, God's providence is at work. The very act of casting lots for Jesus' garments fulfills Old Testament prophecy (Psalm 22:18). What the soldiers saw as a simple act of division, God intended as a sign pointing to the fulfillment of His Word. It's a powerful reminder that even when people act out of ignorance or malice, God is sovereign and works all things according to His eternal plan.
c. 33 AD
Pentecost and Early Church
Shortly after Jesus' ascension, the Holy Spirit empowers the apostles, leading to widespread repentance and the growth of the early Christian church, with many of Jesus' crucifiers likely hearing the Gospel.
c. 60-62 AD
Paul's Ministry in Rome
The Apostle Paul, under house arrest in Rome, writes letters, including Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon, to churches and individuals, reflecting on Christian living and ministry.
"And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And they cast lots to divide his garments." — While Jesus prays for His crucifiers, the immediate contrast is the soldiers casually dividing His garments, highlighting the profound disconnect between His boundless mercy and their callous actions…
