The seven last words of Christ on the cross. I: The word of forgiveness (A. W. Pink)

Editor’s Review

Below we present a series of sermons by the renowned author A. W. Pink, titled “The Seven Sayings of the Savior on the Cross”. This work is composed of seven sermons that delve into the words spoken by our Lord Jesus Christ during His crucifixion, revealing spiritual truths of great richness and depth.

We will be publishing this series gradually, so that each teaching may be read, meditated upon, and carefully absorbed. On this occasion, we present the first sermon of the series, trusting that it will be edifying for all who desire to contemplate more clearly the meaning of the cross of Christ.

Each of these messages not only faithfully expounds the biblical text, but also leads the reader into deep reflection on the redeeming love of God, the seriousness of sin, and the greatness of the grace manifested in the sacrifice of Christ. Pink, with his clear and reverent style, takes us step by step to the most solemn moments of Calvary, helping us understand not only what Christ said, but why He said it and what it means for our lives today.

We invite the reader to approach this series with a humble and attentive spirit, willing not only to acquire knowledge, but to be transformed by divine truth. These words from the cross are not mere historical expressions, but living declarations that continue to speak to the believer’s heart, calling us to a deeper faith, a more sincere worship, and a life fully surrendered to the Lord Jesus Christ.

Sermon completo de A. W. Pink

THE DEATH OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST is a subject of inexhaustible interest for all who prayerfully study the Scripture of truth. This is so, not only because everything the believer possesses, both for time and for eternity, depends on it, but also because of its transcendent uniqueness. Four words seem to summarize the main characteristics of this mystery of mysteries: the death of Christ was natural, unnatural, preternatural, and supernatural. Some comments seem necessary by way of definition and expansion.

First: the death of Christ was natural. By this we mean that it was a real death. Because we are so familiar with the fact of it, the above statement may seem simple and ordinary; however, what we touch upon here is, for the spiritual mind, one of the principal elements of astonishment. He who was “taken, and by wicked hands” crucified and slain, was none other than the “Companion” of Jehovah. The blood that was shed on the accursed tree was divine — “the church of God, which He purchased with His own blood” (Acts 20:28). As the apostle says: “God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself” (2 Cor. 5:19).

But how could the “Companion” of Jehovah suffer? How could the Eternal die? Ah, He who in the beginning was the Word, who was with God, and who was God, “was made flesh.” He who was in the form of God took upon Himself the form of a servant and was made in the likeness of men; “and being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross” (Phil. 2:8). Thus, having become incarnate, the Lord of glory was able to suffer death, and thus it was that He “tasted” death itself. In His words: “Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit,” we see how natural His death was, and its reality became even more evident when He was placed in the tomb, where He remained for three days.

Second: the death of Christ was unnatural. By this we mean that it was abnormal. Above we have said that by becoming incarnate the Son of God became capable of suffering death; however, it must not be inferred from this that death therefore had any right over Him; far from it, the truth is precisely the opposite. Death is the wages of sin, and He had none. Before His birth it was said to Mary: “That Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God” (Luke 1:35). Not only did the Lord Jesus enter this world without contracting the contamination that belongs to fallen human nature, but He “committed no sin” (1 Pet. 2:22), He had “no sin” (1 John 3:5), He “knew no sin” (2 Cor. 5:21). In His person and in His conduct He was the Holy One of God, “without blemish and without spot” (1 Pet. 1:19). As such, death had no claim upon Him. Even Pilate had to acknowledge that he found in Him “no fault at all.” Therefore, we say that, for the Holy One of God, to die was something unnatural.

Third: the death of Christ was preternatural. By this we mean that it was appointed and determined beforehand for Him. He was the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world (Rev. 13:8). Before Adam was created, the fall was anticipated. Before sin entered the world, its salvation had been planned by God. In the eternal counsels of the Deity, it was foreordained that there would be a Savior for sinners, a Savior who would suffer the just for the unjust, a Savior who would die so that we might live. And “because there was no other good enough to pay the price of sin,” the only begotten of the Father offered Himself as a ransom.

The preternatural character of the death of Christ has been well called “the foundation of the cross.” It was in view of that coming death that God “passed over, in His patience, the sins that were previously committed” (Rom. 3:25). If Christ had not been, in the reckoning of God, the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world, every person who sinned in Old Testament times would have descended into the abyss the very moment he sinned!

Fourth: the death of Christ was supernatural. By this we mean that it was different from every other death. In everything He has the preeminence. His birth was different from all other births. His life was different from all other lives. And His death was different from all other deaths. This was clearly indicated in His own words on the matter: “Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again” (John 10:17, 18). A careful study of the Gospel accounts which describe His death provides a sevenfold proof and verification of His claim.

(1) That our Lord “laid down His life,” that He was not helpless in the hands of His enemies, is clearly seen in John 18, where we have the account of His arrest. A company of officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, led by Judas, sought Him in Gethsemane. Coming forward to meet them, the Lord Jesus asks: “Whom are you seeking?” The answer was: “Jesus of Nazareth,” and then our Lord uttered the ineffable title of Deity, that by which Jehovah had formerly revealed Himself to Moses in the burning bush: “I am.” The effect was astonishing. These officers were overwhelmed. They were in the presence of the incarnate Deity, and they were overcome by a brief awareness of divine majesty. How clear it is, then, that if He had so willed, our blessed Savior could have quietly departed, leaving those who had come to arrest Him lying on the ground! Instead, He Himself gives Himself into their hands and is led (not forced) as a lamb to the slaughter.

(2) Let us now turn to Matthew 27:46—the most solemn verse in all the Bible—: “And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? That is: My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” The words we desire the reader to carefully observe are here italicized. Why is it that the Holy Spirit tells us that the Savior uttered that terrible cry “with a loud voice”? Surely there is a reason for this. This becomes even more evident when we note that it is repeated four verses later in the same chapter: “And Jesus, having cried out again with a loud voice, yielded up His spirit” (Matthew 27:50). What, then, do these words indicate? Do they not confirm what has been said in the preceding paragraphs? Do they not tell us that the Savior was not exhausted by what He had suffered? Do they not indicate that His strength had not failed Him? That He was still in full possession of Himself, that instead of being overcome by death, He was giving Himself over to it? Do they not show us that God had “laid help upon One who is mighty” (Ps. 89:19)?

(3) We now call attention to His fourth expression on the cross: “I thirst.” This word, in light of its context, provides a wonderful evidence of our Lord’s complete self-control. The full verse reads thus: “After this, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, I thirst” (John 19:28). Long before, it had been foretold that they would give the Savior vinegar mingled with gall to drink. And in order that this prophecy might be fulfilled, He cried: “I thirst.” How this shows that He was in full use of His mental faculties, that His mind was not clouded, that His terrible sufferings had neither deranged nor disturbed it! While He hung upon the cross, at the end of the six hours, His mind reviewed the entire scope of the prophetic word, and He was verifying one by one those predictions which referred to His passion. Except for the prophecies that were to be fulfilled after His death, only one remained unfulfilled, namely: “They gave me also gall for my food; and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink” (Ps. 69:21), and this was not overlooked by the blessed Sufferer. “Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture (not “the Scriptures,” the reference being to Psalm 69:21) might be fulfilled, said, I thirst.” Again we say: what proof is given here that He laid down His life of Himself!

(4) The next verification which the Holy Spirit has given us of our Lord’s words in John 10:18 is found in John 19:30: “When Jesus had received the vinegar, He said, It is finished; and having bowed His head, He yielded up His spirit.” What are we to learn from these words? What is meant by this act of the Savior? Surely the answer is not far to find. The implication is clear. Before this, our Lord’s head had been upright. It was not a helpless sufferer hanging there in a faint. If it had been so, His head would have fallen powerless upon His chest, and it would have been impossible for Him to “bow” it. And observe carefully the verb that is used here: it does not say that His head “fell,” but that He, consciously, calmly, and reverently, bowed His head. How sublime was His bearing even upon the tree! What supreme composure He manifested! Was it not His majestic demeanor on the cross which, among other things, caused the centurion to exclaim: “Truly this was the Son of God” (Matthew 27:54)?

(5) Let us now consider His final act of all: “And when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, He said, Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit; and having said this, He yielded up His spirit” (Luke 23:46). No one else ever did this nor died thus. How exactly these words agree with His own declaration, so often cited by us: “I lay down My life, that I may take it again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself” (John 10:17, 18). The uniqueness of our Lord’s action may be seen by comparing His words on the cross with those of Stephen at his death. When the first Christian martyr came to the brink of the river, he cried: “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit” (Acts 7:59). But in contrast with this, Christ said: “Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit.” Stephen’s spirit was being taken from him. Not so with the Savior. No one could take His life. He “yielded” His spirit.

(6) The action of the soldiers regarding the legs of those who were on the three crosses provides further evidence of the uniqueness of Christ’s death. We read: “The Jews therefore, because it was the Preparation Day, that the bodies should not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), asked Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. Then the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and of the other who was crucified with Him. But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs” (John 19:31-33). The Lord Jesus and the two thieves had been crucified together. They had been on their respective crosses the same length of time. And now, at the end of the day, the two thieves were still alive, for as is well known, death by crucifixion, though extremely painful, was generally a slow death. No vital member of the body was directly affected, and often the sufferer remained for two or three days before being completely overcome by exhaustion. It was not natural, therefore, that Christ should be dead after only six hours on the cross. The Jews recognized this, and asked Pilate that the legs of the three might be broken to hasten death. In the fact, then, that the Savior was “already dead” when the soldiers came to Him, while the two thieves were still alive, we have an additional proof that He had voluntarily “laid down His life,” that it was not “taken” from Him.

(7) For the final demonstration of the supernatural character of Christ’s death, let us consider the marvelous phenomena that accompanied it. “And behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split; and the graves were opened” (Matthew 27:51-52). It was not an ordinary death that was witnessed on the rugged summit of Golgotha, nor was it followed by ordinary events. First, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom, to show that a hand from heaven had torn that curtain which prevented the worshiper from approaching the earthly throne of God, thus signifying that the way into the Most Holy Place had been opened and that access to God Himself had been made possible through the broken body of His Son. Then, the earth quaked. I do not believe that it was simply an earthquake, not even a “great earthquake,” but that the earth itself, the whole earth, was shaken to its very foundations and moved upon its axis, as if to show that it was horrified by the most terrible act ever committed upon its surface. “And the rocks were split” — the very force of nature yielded before the greater power of that death. Finally, we are told: “the graves were opened,” showing that the power of Satan, which is death, was there broken and destroyed — all external evidences of the value of that atoning death.

Bringing all this together: the manifest surrender of Himself into the hands of those who arrested Him; the cry “with a loud voice,” which shows His undiminished strength; the fact that He was in full and unimpaired use of His mental faculties, evidenced by His “knowing that all things were now accomplished”; the “bowing” of His upright head; the deliberate act of “committing” His spirit into the hands of the Father; the fact that He was “already dead” when the soldiers came to break His legs; all of this provides proof that His life was not “taken” from Him, but that He laid it down of Himself; and this, together with the tearing of the temple veil, the quaking of the earth, the splitting of the rocks, and the opening of the graves, bears unmistakable testimony to the supernatural character of His death; in view of which we may well say with the astonished centurion: “Truly this was the Son of God.”

The death of Christ, then, was unique, miraculous, supernatural. In the chapters that follow we shall hear the words that proceeded from His lips while He hung upon the cross — words that make known to us some of the circumstances that accompanied that great tragedy; words that reveal the excellencies of Him who there suffered; words in which is contained the gospel of our salvation; and words that inform us of the purpose, the meaning, the sufferings, and the sufficiency of the divine death.

The Word of Forgiveness

MAN HAD DONE HIS WORST. He by whom the world was made had come unto it, but the world did not know Him. The Lord of glory had dwelt among men, but He was not desired. The eyes that sin had blinded saw in Him no beauty that they should desire Him. At His birth there was no room for Him in the inn, which foreshadowed the treatment He would receive at the hands of men. Shortly after His birth, Herod sought to kill Him, which indicated the hostility His person aroused and anticipated the cross as the climax of man’s enmity. Again and again, His enemies attempted to destroy Him. And now their vile desires are granted. The Son of God had delivered Himself into their hands. A mock trial had been carried out, and although His judges found no fault in Him, nevertheless they yielded to the persistent cry of those who hated Him, who shouted again and again: “Crucify Him.”

The terrible act had been accomplished. No ordinary death would have satisfied His relentless enemies. A death of intense suffering and shame was decided upon. A cross was prepared: the Savior was nailed to it. And there He hangs — in silence. But soon it is seen that His pale lips move — is He crying for compassion? No. What then? Is He pronouncing a curse upon His crucifiers? No. He is praying, praying for His enemies: “Then Jesus said, Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do” (Luke 23:34).

This first of the seven sayings of our Lord on the cross presents Him in an attitude of prayer. How significant! How instructive! His public ministry had begun with prayer (Luke 3:21), and here we see it end in prayer. Surely He has left us an example! Those hands could no longer minister to the sick, for they were nailed to the cross; those feet could no longer carry Him on missions of mercy, for they were fastened to the cruel wood; He could no longer devote Himself to instructing the apostles, for they had forsaken Him and fled. How then does He occupy Himself? In the ministry of prayer! What a lesson for us.

Perhaps these lines are being read by some who, because of age or illness, can no longer work actively in the vineyard of the Lord. Perhaps in other days you were a teacher, a preacher, a Sunday school teacher, a distributor of tracts; but now you are confined to bed. Yes, but you are still here on earth. Who knows if the reason God leaves you a few more days is that you might occupy yourself in the ministry of prayer — and perhaps accomplish more by it than with all your past active service? If you are tempted to despise such a ministry, remember your Savior. He prayed, He prayed for others, He prayed for sinners, even in His final hours.

In praying for His enemies, Christ not only gave us a perfect example of how we should treat those who offend and hate us, but He also taught us not to consider anyone as beyond the reach of prayer. If Christ prayed for His murderers, then surely we are encouraged to pray even for the greatest of sinners. Christian reader, never lose hope. Does it seem a waste of time to continue praying for that man, that woman, that rebellious child of yours? Does their case appear more hopeless with each passing day? Does it seem that they have gone beyond the reach of divine mercy? Perhaps the one for whom you have prayed so long has been caught up in one of the satanic sects of today, or perhaps they are now an open and declared unbeliever, in a word, an enemy of Christ. Remember the cross. Christ prayed for His enemies. Learn, then, not to consider anyone as beyond the reach of prayer.

One more thought concerning this prayer of Christ. Here we are shown the efficacy of prayer. This intercession of Christ on the cross for His enemies received a clear and definite answer. The answer is seen in the conversion of three thousand souls on the day of Pentecost. I base this conclusion on Acts 3:17, where the apostle Peter says: “Yet now, brethren, I know that you did it in ignorance, as did also your rulers.” Note that Peter uses the word “ignorance,” which corresponds with the words of our Lord: “they do not know what they do.” Here, then, is the divine explanation of the three thousand converts under a single sermon. It was not the eloquence of Peter that caused it, but the prayer of the Savior. And, Christian reader, the same is true of us. Christ prayed for you and for me long before we believed in Him. See John 17:20 as proof: “I do not pray for these alone (the apostles), but also for those who will believe in Me through their word.”

“…through their word” (John 17:20). Once again, let us take advantage of the perfect example. Let us also make intercession for the enemies of God, and if we pray in faith, we will also pray effectively for the salvation of lost sinners.

Let us now turn directly to our text:

Here we see the fulfillment of the prophetic word.

How much God made known beforehand about what would happen on that day of days! What a complete picture the Holy Spirit provided of the Passion of our Lord with all the circumstances that accompanied it! Among other things, it had been foretold that the Savior “would make intercession for the transgressors” (Isaiah 53:12). This did not refer to the present ministry of Christ at the right hand of God. It is true that “He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them” (Hebrews 7:25), but this speaks of what He is doing now for those who have believed in Him, whereas Isaiah 53:12 referred to His act of grace at the moment of His crucifixion. Observe with what His intercession for the transgressors is connected there: “and He was numbered with the transgressors, and He bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.”

That Christ would make intercession for His enemies was one of the elements of the wonderful prophecy found in Isaiah 53. This chapter tells us at least ten things about the humiliation and sufferings of the Redeemer. It declares that He would be despised and rejected by men; that He would be a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief; that He would be wounded, bruised, and chastised; that He would be led, without resistance, to the slaughter; that He would be like a lamb silent before its shearers; that He would not only suffer at the hands of men, but would also be bruised by Jehovah; that He would pour out His soul unto death; that He would be buried in the tomb of a rich man; and then it is added that He would be numbered with the transgressors; and finally, that He would make intercession for the transgressors. Here, then, was the prophecy: “and He made intercession for the transgressors”; there was its fulfillment: “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” He thought of His murderers. He pleaded for His crucifiers; He made intercession for their forgiveness.

2. Here we see Christ identified with His people.

“Father, forgive them.” On no previous occasion did Christ make such a request to the Father. Never before had He invoked the Father’s forgiveness for others. Until then, He Himself forgave. To the paralytic man He said: “Son, be of good cheer; your sins are forgiven you” (Matthew 9:2). To the woman who washed His feet with tears in the house of Simon, He said: “Your sins are forgiven” (Luke 7:48). Why then does He now ask the Father to forgive, instead of directly pronouncing forgiveness Himself?

The forgiveness of sin is a divine prerogative. The Jewish scribes were right when they reasoned: “Who can forgive sins but God alone?” (Mark 2:7). But you will say: Christ was God. Certainly; but also man — the God-man. He was the Son of God who had become the Son of Man for the express purpose of offering Himself as a sacrifice for sin. And when the Lord Jesus cried: “Father, forgive them,” He was on the cross, and there He could not exercise His divine prerogatives. Observe carefully His own words, and then behold the wonderful accuracy of Scripture. He had said: “The Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins” (Matthew 9:6). But He was no longer on the earth! He had been “lifted up from the earth” (John 12:32).

Moreover, on the cross He was acting as our substitute; the just was about to die for the unjust. Therefore, hanging there as our representative, He was no longer in the position of authority where He could exercise His divine prerogatives, but instead takes the position of a supplicant before the Father. Thus, we say that when the blessed Lord Jesus cried: “Father, forgive them,” we see Him fully identified with His people. He was no longer in the position “on earth” where He had the “power” or the “right” to forgive sins; instead, He intercedes for sinners — as we must do.

3. Here we see the divine estimate of sin and its consequent guilt.

Under the Levitical economy, God required that atonement be made for sins of ignorance.

“If a person commits a trespass, and sins unintentionally in regard to the holy things of the Lord, then he shall bring to the Lord as his trespass offering a ram without blemish from the flocks, with your valuation in shekels of silver, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, as a trespass offering. And he shall make restitution for the harm that he has done in the holy thing, and shall add one-fifth to it and give it to the priest. So the priest shall make atonement for him with the ram of the trespass offering, and it shall be forgiven him” (Lev. 5:15, 16).

And again we read:

“If you sin unintentionally, and do not observe all these commandments which the Lord has spoken to Moses—all that the Lord has commanded you by the hand of Moses, from the day the Lord gave commandment and onward throughout your generations—then it will be, if it is done unintentionally without the knowledge of the congregation, that the whole congregation shall offer one young bull as a burnt offering, as a sweet aroma to the Lord, with its grain offering and its drink offering according to the ordinance, and one kid of the goats as a sin offering. So the priest shall make atonement for the whole congregation of the children of Israel, and it shall be forgiven them, for it was unintentional; and they shall bring their offering, an offering made by fire to the Lord, and their sin offering before the Lord, for their unintentional sin” (Num. 15:22-25).

In the light of such Scriptures we find that David prayed: “Cleanse me from secret faults” (Ps. 19:12).

Sin is always sin in the sight of God, whether we are conscious of it or not. Sins of ignorance need atonement as truly as conscious sins. God is holy, and He will not lower His standard of righteousness to the level of our ignorance. Ignorance is not innocence. Indeed, ignorance is more culpable now than in the days of Moses. We have no excuse for our ignorance. God has clearly and fully revealed His will. The Bible is in our hands, and we cannot plead ignorance of its contents without condemning our own laziness. God has spoken, and by His word we will be judged.

And yet, the fact remains: we are ignorant of many things, and the guilt and responsibility are ours. And this does not lessen the enormity of our guilt. Sins of ignorance need divine forgiveness, as the prayer of our Lord here clearly shows. Learn, then, how high God’s standard is, how great our need is, and praise Him for an atonement of infinite sufficiency that cleanses from all sin.

4. Here we see the blindness of the human heart.

“They do not know what they do.” This does not mean that Christ’s enemies were ignorant of the fact of His crucifixion. They knew very well that they had cried out: “Crucify Him.” They knew very well that their vile request had been granted by Pilate. They knew very well that He had been nailed to the tree, for they were eyewitnesses of the crime. What then did our Lord mean when He said: “They do not know what they do”? He meant that they were ignorant of the enormity of their crime. They “did not know” that it was the Lord of glory whom they were crucifying. The emphasis is not on “they do not know,” but on “they do not know what they do.”

And yet, they should have known. Their blindness was inexcusable. The prophecies of the Old Testament that had been fulfilled in Him were sufficiently clear to identify Him as the Holy One of God. His teaching was unique, for even His critics were compelled to admit: “Never has a man spoken like this Man” (John 7:46). And what of His perfect life? He had lived before men a life that had never been lived on earth. He did not please Himself. He went about doing good. He was always at the service of others. There was nothing selfish in Him. His life was one of sacrifice from beginning to end. It was a life always lived for the glory of God. It was a life upon which rested the seal of heaven’s approval, for the voice of the Father testified audibly: “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” No, there was no excuse for their ignorance. It only demonstrated the blindness of their hearts. Their rejection of the Son of God bore full testimony, once for all, that the carnal mind is “enmity against God.”

How sad it is to think that this terrible tragedy continues to be repeated! Sinner, little do you know what you are doing when you neglect God’s great salvation. Little do you know how terrible is the sin of despising the Christ of God and rejecting the invitations of His mercy. Little do you know the deep guilt that is attached to your act of refusing to receive the only One who can save you from your sins. Little do you know how dreadful is the crime of saying: “We will not have this man to reign over us.” You do not know what you are doing. You consider this vital matter with insensitive indifference. The question comes today as in times past: “What shall I do with Jesus who is called the Christ?” For you must do something with Him: either you despise and reject Him, or you receive Him as the Savior of your soul and the Lord of your life.

But, I repeat, it seems to you of little importance, of small value, what you decide to do. For years you have resisted the convictions of His Spirit. For years you have postponed this matter of supreme importance. For years you have hardened your heart against Him, closed your ears to His calls, and shut your eyes to His incomparable beauty. Ah! you do not know what you are doing. You are blind to your folly. Blind to your terrible sin. And yet are you not without excuse? You can be saved now if you will. “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved”. Oh, come now to the Savior and say as one of old: “Lord, that I may receive my sight.”

5. Here we see a beautiful exemplification of His own teaching.

In the Sermon on the Mount, our Lord taught His disciples: “Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you” (Matthew 5:44). More than anyone, Christ practiced what He preached. Grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. He not only taught the truth, but He Himself was the truth incarnate. He said: “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). Thus, here on the cross, He perfectly exemplifies His teaching from the mount. In everything He has left us an example.

Observe that Christ did not personally forgive His enemies. Likewise, in Matthew 5:44, He did not exhort His disciples to forgive their enemies, but exhorted them to “pray” for them. But should we not forgive those who offend us? This brings us to a point on which there is great need for instruction today.

Does Scripture teach that, in all circumstances, we must always forgive? I answer emphatically: no. The Word of God says: “If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you, saying, I repent; you shall forgive him” (Luke 17:3-4). Here we are clearly taught that a condition must be met by the offender before we can pronounce forgiveness. The one who has offended us must first “repent”, that is, judge himself for his fault and give evidence of his sorrow for it. But what if the offender does not repent? Then I must not forgive him.

But let there be no misunderstanding in what we say here. Although the one who has offended me does not repent, I must not harbor evil feelings against him. There must be no hatred or malice in the heart. Yet, on the other hand, I must not treat the offender as if he had done nothing wrong. That would be to approve the offense, and then I would cease to uphold the demands of justice, which the believer must always do. Does God forgive where there is no repentance? No, for Scripture declares: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).

One more thing. If someone has offended me and has not repented, although I cannot forgive him nor treat him as if he had not offended me, nevertheless, not only must I not hold malice in my heart against him, but I must also pray for him. Here is the value of the perfect example of Christ. If we cannot forgive, we can pray that God will forgive him.

6. Here we see the great and primary need of man.

The first important lesson that all need to learn is that we are sinners, and as such, unfit for the presence of a Holy God. It is in vain that we choose noble ideals, form good resolutions, and adopt excellent rules of life, while the question of sin has not been settled. It is of no use to attempt to develop a beautiful character and seek to do that which pleases God while there is sin between Him and our souls. What use are shoes if our feet are paralyzed? What use are glasses if we are blind? The question of the forgiveness of my sins is basic, fundamental, vital. It does not matter that I am highly respected by a wide circle of friends if I am still in my sins. It does not matter that I have prospered in business if I am an unforgiven transgressor before God. What will matter most in the hour of death is: Have my sins been taken away by the blood of Christ?

The second lesson of supreme importance that all need to learn is how the forgiveness of sins may be obtained. What is the basis upon which a Holy God forgives sins? And here it is important to point out that there is a vital difference between divine forgiveness and much of human forgiveness. As a general rule, human forgiveness is a matter of indulgence, often of laxity. We mean that forgiveness is shown at the expense of justice and righteousness. In a human court, the judge has to choose between two alternatives: when the accused has been proven guilty, the judge must either apply the penalty of the law, or ignore the demands of the law — one is justice, the other is mercy. The only possible way in which the judge can both satisfy the demands of the law and show mercy to the guilty is that a third party should offer to suffer in his own person the penalty that the condemned deserves.

Thus it was in the divine counsels. God would not exercise mercy at the expense of justice. God, as the Judge of all the earth, would not set aside the demands of His holy law. And yet, God would show mercy. How? Through One who would make full satisfaction to His offended law. Through His own Son taking the place of all who believe in Him and bearing their sins in His own body on the tree. God could be just and at the same time merciful, merciful and at the same time just. Thus “grace reigns through righteousness.”

A righteous foundation has been provided upon which God can be just and yet the Justifier of all who believe. Therefore, we are told:

And again:

It was in view of the blood He was shedding that the Savior cried: “Father, forgive them.” It was in view of the atoning sacrifice He was offering that it can be said: “without shedding of blood there is no remission.”

In praying for the forgiveness of His enemies, Christ went directly to the root of their need. And their need was the need of every son of Adam. Reader, have your sins been forgiven? That is, have they been remitted or taken away? Are you, by grace, one of those of whom it is said: “in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins” (Col. 1:14)?

7. Here we see the triumph of redeeming love.

Observe carefully the word with which our text begins: “Then.” The verse that immediately precedes it reads thus: “And when they had come to the place called Calvary, there they crucified Him, and the criminals, one on the right hand and the other on the left.” Then Jesus said: Father, forgive them. “Then” — when man had done his worst. “Then” — when the vileness of the human heart was manifested in its diabolical climax. “Then” — when with wicked hands the creature dared to crucify the Lord of glory. He could have pronounced terrible curses upon them. He could have unleashed the bolts of His righteous wrath and destroyed them. He could have caused the earth to open its mouth and they would have gone down alive into the abyss. But no. Though subjected to unspeakable shame, though suffering unbearable pain, though despised, rejected, and hated; yet He cried: “Father, forgive them.” That was the triumph of redeeming love. “Love suffers long and is kind… bears all things… endures all things” (1 Cor. 13). Thus it was manifested on the cross.

When Samson reached his final hour, he used his great physical strength to bring about the destruction of his enemies; but the Perfect One showed the strength of His love by praying for the forgiveness of His enemies. Incomparable grace! “Incomparable,” we say, because even Stephen did not fully follow the blessed example set by the Savior. If the reader turns to Acts 7, he will find that Stephen’s first thought was for himself, and then he prayed for his enemies: “And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying: Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, Lord, do not charge them with this sin” (Acts 7:59-60). But in Christ the order was reversed: He prayed first for His enemies, and at last for Himself. In all things He has the preeminence.

And now a final word of application and exhortation. If this chapter has been read by an unsaved person, we earnestly urge him to carefully consider the following statement: How terrible it must be to consciously oppose Christ and His truth! Those who crucified the Savior “did not know what they were doing.” But, reader, there is a very real and solemn sense in which this is not true in your case. You know that you must receive Christ as your Savior, that you must crown Him as the Lord of your life, that you must make it your chief concern to please Him and glorify Him. Be warned, then; your danger is great. If you deliberately turn away from Him, you turn away from the only One who can save you from your sins, and it is written: “For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries” (Heb. 10:26-27).

It only remains for us to add a word concerning the blessed fullness of divine forgiveness. Many of God’s people are troubled and disturbed at this point. They understand that all the sins they committed before receiving Christ as their Savior have been forgiven, but they often lack clarity concerning the sins they commit after being born again. Many suppose that it is possible to lose the forgiveness that God has granted them. They think that the blood of Christ dealt only with their past, and that as for the present and the future, they must take care of themselves. But what value would a forgiveness have that could be taken from me at any moment? Surely there can be no stable peace when my acceptance before God and my entrance into heaven depend upon my holding fast to Christ, or upon my obedience and faithfulness.

Blessed be God, the forgiveness which He grants covers all sins — past, present, and future. Beloved believer, did not Christ bear your “sins” in His own body on the tree? And were not all your sins future sins when He died? Certainly, for at that time you had not yet been born, and therefore had not committed a single sin. Very well then: Christ bore your “future” sins as truly as your past ones. What the Word of God teaches is that the unbelieving soul is brought out of the place of no forgiveness into the place where forgiveness is applied.

Christians are a forgiven people. The Holy Spirit says: “Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin” (Romans 4:8). The believer is in Christ, and there sin will never again be imputed to us. This is our position before God. It is in Christ that He beholds us. And because I am in Christ, I am completely and eternally forgiven, so much so that sin will never again be charged to my account as far as my salvation is concerned, even if I were to remain on earth a hundred more years. I have passed out of that place forever. Hear the testimony of Scripture:

Observe the two things that are here joined together (and what God has joined, let not man separate): my union with a risen Christ is linked to my forgiveness. If then my life is “hidden with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:3), I am forever outside the place where the imputation of sin applies. Therefore it is written: “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1) — how could there be, if “all trespasses” have been forgiven? No one can bring a charge against God’s elect (Romans 8:33).

Christian reader, join the writer in praising God that we are eternally forgiven of all.*

*It should be added, by way of explanation, that here we have dealt with the judicial aspect. Restorative forgiveness — which consists in bringing back into fellowship a believer who has sinned — addressed in 1 John 1:9 — is an entirely different matter.

Editor’s Conclusion

The first word of Christ on the cross —“Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do”— powerfully introduces us to the very heart of the gospel: a love that forgives even in the midst of the greatest suffering. In this cry there is no trace of resentment, nor any desire for immediate retributive justice, but rather a grace-filled intercession for those who were carrying out the most unjust act in history. Here we behold a Savior who not only teaches forgiveness, but embodies it in its fullest expression.

This word also reveals the depth of humanity’s spiritual ignorance. Christ does not justify sin, but He does expose that those who crucified Him did not fully understand the magnitude of what they were doing. This reminds us that sin is not only a willful rebellion, but also a moral blindness that can only be illuminated by divine grace. Thus, Jesus’ prayer not only asks for forgiveness, but also points to the urgent need for revelation and repentance.

At the same time, this first expression from the cross sets the tone for the entire redemptive work: Christ dies interceding. He is not a passive martyr, but an active mediator who, even in His agony, fulfills His priestly office by pleading for sinners. This act assures us that salvation does not rest on human merit, but on the mercy of God, which is poured out even upon those who neither seek it nor understand it.

Finally, this word directly confronts the believer. If Christ forgave under such circumstances, how can we not forgive those who offend us? The cross not only saves us, but transforms us, calling us to reflect the same spirit of grace that we see in our Lord. Thus, this first word must not only be admired, but lived, as evidence that we have truly understood the power of the gospel.