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A Prayer That Includes Us, January 17
Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.”
And they divided His garments and cast lots.
Luke 23:34
, NKJV.
A great multitude followed the Savior to Calvary, many mocking and deriding;
but some were weeping and recounting His praise. Those whom He had healed
of various infirmities, and those whom He had raised from the dead, declared His
marvelous works with earnest voice, and demanded to know what Jesus had done
that He should be treated as a malefactor....
Jesus made no murmur of complaint; His face remained pale and serene, but
great drops of sweat stood upon His brow. There was no pitying hand to wipe the
death-dew from His face, nor words of sympathy and unchanging fidelity to stay
His human heart. He was treading the winepress all alone; and of all the people
there was none with Him. While the soldiers were doing their fearful work, and He
was enduring the most acute agony, Jesus prayed for His enemies—“Father, forgive
them; for they know not what they do.”
His mind was borne from His own suffering to the crime of His persecutors, and
the terrible but just retribution that would be theirs. He pitied them in their ignorance
and guilt. No curses were called down upon the soldiers who were handling Him
so roughly, no vengeance was invoked upon the priests and rulers who were the
cause of all His suffering, and were then gloating over the accomplishment of their
purpose, but only a plea for their forgiveness—“for they know not what they do.”
Had they known that they were putting to exquisite torture One who had come
to save the sinful race from eternal ruin, they would have been seized with horror
and remorse. But their ignorance did not remove their guilt; for it was their privilege
to know and accept Jesus as their Savior. They rejected all evidence, and not only
sinned against Heaven in crucifying the King of Glory, but against the commonest
feelings of humanity in putting to a torturous death an innocent man. Jesus was
earning the right to become the Advocate for humanity in the Father’s presence.
That prayer of Christ for His enemies embraced the world, taking in every sinner
who should live, until the end of time.—
The Spirit of Prophecy 3:152-154
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