Luke 23:34

DISCOURSE: 1586
CHRIST INTERCEDING FOR HIS ENEMIES

Luke 23:34. Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.

AS one of the most essential qualifications for a due discharge of the priesthood was, a disposition to “commiserate those who were ignorant and out of the way [Note: Hebrews 5:1.],” so it was the express office of the priest to “offer sacrifices for the errors of the people [Note: Hebrews 9:7.].” Our blessed Lord, who was our great High-Priest, shewed himself on all occasions, but more especially in the instance before us, abundantly qualified for the office he had undertaken; and, in the very hour that he offered himself a sacrifice for sin, he particularly pleaded the cause of those who ignorantly “crucified him as a malefactor [Note: See ver. 33.].”

In discoursing on his words we shall shew,

I. In what respects ignorance extenuates the guilt of rejecting Christ—

There doubtless have been instances wherein men have known the Gospel, and yet refused subjection to it—
[The sin against the Holy Ghost seems evidently to include in it a wilful, deliberate, and contemptuous rejection of Christ in opposition to the clearest convictions of our own minds; and there is every reason to believe that this sin has often been committed: many also have “sinned wilfully after they had received the knowledge of the truth [Note: Hebrews 10:26.],” and have so “fallen away, as never afterwards to be renewed unto repentance [Note: Hebrews 6:4.]:” from whence it is evident that all contempt of the Gospel does not proceed from ignorance.]

Yet, generally speaking, a rejection of Christ arises from an ignorance of his true character—
[This was certainly the case with respect to those who crucified our Lord: the prejudices of their education, together with the mean appearance of our Lord, blinded their eyes, so that they knew not how to acknowledge him as their Messiah. This our Lord himself confessed [Note: The text.]; St. Peter also declared the same [Note: Acts 3:17.]; and St. Paul expressly says that, “if they had known him, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory [Note: 1 Corinthians 2:8.].”

And is it not the same with respect to us? Would the profane person scoff at the followers of the blessed Jesus, or neglect to seek an interest in him, if he knew what a gracious, merciful, loving, and adorable Being he despised [Note: John 16:3.]? Or would the self-righteous moralist feel such reluctance to submit to the Gospel, if he had any just conceptions of the suitableness and excellency of that salvation which it offered to him? Surely, however this might happen on some occasions, we cannot conceive that it should be a general, or even a common, practice.]

This view of men’s conduct certainly extenuates their guilt in rejecting Christ—
[We must not imagine that ignorance is a sufficient excuse for sin: for the very petition in the text intimates that, notwithstanding the murderers of Christ knew not what they did, they contracted guilt, and needed forgiveness: and in other passages of Scripture it is said, that men perish for lack of knowledge [Note: Hosea 4:6.]; that “Christ will take vengeance on them” for their ignorance [Note: 2 Thessalonians 1:8.]; and that “he who formed them will shew them no favour [Note: Isaiah 27:11.].”

But though ignorance cannot remove, it certainly extenuates, our guilt. The more opportunities of information any persons had, the more guilt they contracted in rejecting the truth; on which account our Lord’s hearers were altogether inexcusable [Note: John 15:22.], and were involved in deeper guilt than even Sodom and Gomorrha [Note: Matthew 10:15.]. On the other hand, the less light any one had in his mind, the less was the malignity of his offence. St. Paul tells us that this was, in a measure, the ground of his obtaining mercy [Note: 1 Timothy 1:13.]; for that, if he had persecuted Christ as he did, and at the same time been aware of what he was doing, he would have been almost beyond the reach of mercy. And we are informed that in the final judgment the sentence denounced against the impenitent and unbelieving, will be proportioned to the light and knowledge against which they had sinned; “the servant that knew not his Lord’s will, will be beaten with few stripes, while he who knowingly disobeyed it will be beaten with many stripes [Note: Luke 12:47.].”

The reason of this is evident; for an ignorant rejection of Christ will consist with a desire to please God [Note: Acts 26:9; John 16:2.]: whereas that rejection of him that militates against the clear convictions of our own mind argues a rooted love of sin, and an inveterate hatred to God and his Christ [Note: John 15:23.]. While therefore the latter is “a sin unto death [Note: 1 John 5:16.],” and a sure forerunner of perdition [Note: John 3:19; Hebrews 10:39.], the former may be repented of and forgiven.]

But, however true this statement may be, we cannot but admire,

II.

The wonderful love of Christ in urging this plea on behalf of his murderers—

In contemplating this part of our subject, let us consider,

1. What his conduct was towards his murderers—

[Justly might he have aggravated the guilt of his murderers, and said, ‘These are they among whom I have wrought all my miracles; and multitudes of them have experienced my power to heal: yet this is the way in which they requite all my kindness: I desire therefore, O my Father, that thou wouldest vindicate my cause, and execute upon them some signal vengeance as thou hast on others, whose guilt was infinitely less than theirs. Let the earth open to swallow them up, or lightning descend from heaven to consume them, or fire and brimstone be rained down upon them, or an angel slay hundreds of thousands of them in an instant.’ He might at least have said, as the martyr Zechariah did in similar circumstances, “The Lord look upon it and requite it [Note: 2 Chronicles 24:22.].” But instead of this, he prayed that they might be forgiven: he sought out the only extenuating circumstance that, could be thought of, and urged it as a plea on their behalf. This was a conduct truly astonishing, and worthy of an incarnate God.]

2. The wonderful love displayed in it—

[Suppose he had at such a time been praying for his friends, it would have argued most unbounded love; but to be praying for his enemies! to plead the cause of those who by their clamours had compelled his judge to deliver him up into their hands, and to be imploring the richest mercies for those who were loading him with all manner of insults and indignities! What love was this! that in the midst of his agonies he should lose all sense of the injuries he was receiving, and, without a murmuring or vindictive word, should occupy himself wholly about the welfare of his enemies, dreading nothing so much as their ruin, and desiring nothing so much as to have them partakers of his glory! Well might the Apostle call this, a “love that passeth knowledge [Note: Ephesians 3:19.].”]

To improve this subject, let us reflect,
1.

How earnest we should be in seeking knowledge—

[Some might be ready to conclude that, if ignorance is an extenuation of guilt, it were safer and better to continue ignorant. But let us not mistake; it is not wilful ignorance that is to be considered in this view, but that ignorance which is unavoidable, or, at least, unintentional. Besides, ignorance is sure to keep us from Christ, and consequently to bring us into condemnation: and it will be a poor consolation to a damned soul that its guilt was not of the most aggravated kind. There is no way of escaping condemnation but by believing in Christ; and we cannot believe in him unless we know him: therefore we must seek divine instruction as the only means of everlasting salvation. This is the declaration of God himself [Note: John 17:3.]: the Lord grant that we may ponder it in our minds, and be regulated by it in our lives!]

2. What encouragement we have to pray for mercy—

[Never were more atrocious sinners on the face on the earth that those for whom Christ prayed: nor was any prayer ever more signally answered than that he offered for them: for no less than three thousand of those very people were forgiven in an instant, and adopted into the family of God. It was in answer to that prayer that the very blood which they had profanely desired “to be upon themselves and upon their children [Note: Matthew 27:25.]” in a way of judgment, came upon them in a way of mercy, and cleansed them from the guilt of shedding it. Who then amongst us need despair of mercy? If Christ interceded so for persons in the very act of crucifying the Lord of glory, will he not intercede for mourning penitents? If he obtained mercy for those who rejected him, will he not much more for those who “desire to be found in him?” Let us not despond, but carry all our iniquities to him, that they may be cleansed by his atoning blood, and be forgiven through his prevailing intercession.]

3. What obligation lies upon us to forgive one another—

[The generality, when injured, are ready to search out every possible aggravation, in order to lower their adversary in the estimation of others, and to justify their own resentment against him. But how differently did Jesus act! Yet “he suffered for us, leaving us an example that we should follow his steps [Note: 1 Peter 2:21.].” Let us then cultivate a forgiving spirit, yea, even towards those whose malice is most inveterate, and whose conduct towards us is most injurious. It was thus that Paul [Note: 1 Corinthians 4:12.] and Stephen [Note: Acts 7:60.] trod in their Master’s steps: and thus must we, if we would find mercy at his hands in the day of judgment [Note: Matthew 18:35.]. The express command of Jesus to every one of us is, “Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that despitefully use you and persecute you [Note: Matthew 5:44.].” And indeed, if we do not exercise this disposition, we cannot repeat the Lord’s Prayer without praying for our own damnation [Note: Matthew 6:12; Matthew 6:14.]. “Let us therefore be kind one to another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven us [Note: Ephesians 4:32.]