Father Forgive them.......Who was God referring to?

[Fragrant Grace]

Br. Bear said:
I sometimes wonder about when Jesus was on the cross, He said, "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do"
Who was He referring to?
and, what did God, His Father and yours, do with that prayer/request of His Son?

Greetings all and @Br. Bear

I have opened up a question posed by Brother Bear in another thread.

Surely the Lord Jesus was referring to the world of lost sinners in a present and future tense?

 

[Quantrill]

Greetings all and @Br. Bear

I have opened up a question posed by Brother Bear in another thread.

Surely the Lord Jesus was referring to the world of lost sinners in a present and future tense?

If that were the case, then all the world would be saved. Either that or God the Father rejected Jesus request.

Jesus was speaking of those directly involved in nailing Him to the Cross. As He said, He had legions of angels He could have dispatched at any moment. (Matt. 26:53) I doubt the angels who were observing were aware of all that the Father was doing.

The request for forgiveness was not one of salvation. The request for forgiveness was so that judgement would not fall on those immediately who were part of Christ's crucifixion.

Quantrill

 

[Curtis]

Greetings all and @Br. Bear

I have opened up a question posed by Brother Bear in another thread.

Surely the Lord Jesus was referring to the world of lost sinners in a present and future tense?

The only sin that will never be forgiven is "unbelief" Unbelief is not someone who does not believe in something, unbelief is a person who knows the truth, but has made a conscious decision rather believe a lie! That is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit because he is the one who convicts a person of sin!

Jesus said.....

Luke 23:34 Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.

Forgiveness is for those who do not know what they do, not for those who do! To have access to grace by which anyone is saved requires "faith" for it is by faith we have access to grace..... (Romans 5:2)

Jesus said when the Holy Spirit would come (which did not happen until after Jesus had resurrected from the dead) that he (the Holy Spirit) would convict the "world" of sin!

John 16:8 And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment:
John 16:9 concerning sin, because they do not believe in me;

Not believing in Jesus is a sin! There is no forgiveness for this sin.

Most of the people in the world at that time had no clue what they were doing spiritually.

Now that the Holy Spirit has come into the world, there is no excuse to not believe in Jesus Christ! Things have changed considerably now that Jesus has died for the sins of the world.

Act 17:30 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, (ESV)

Act 17:30 In the past, God forgave all this because people did not know what they were doing. But now he says that everyone everywhere must turn to him. (CEV)

 

[Christ4Ever]

If that were the case, then all the world would be saved. Either that or God the Father rejected Jesus request.

Jesus was speaking of those directly involved in nailing Him to the Cross. As He said, He had legions of angels He could have dispatched at any moment. (Matt. 26:53) I doubt the angels who were observing were aware of all that the Father was doing.

The request for forgiveness was not one of salvation. The request for forgiveness was so that judgement would not fall on those immediately who were part of Christ's crucifixion.

Quantrill

Hello Quantrill,
Agree brother.
Well said.

With the Love of Christ Jesus.
YBIC
Nick
<><

 

[KingJ]

The request for forgiveness was so that judgement would not fall on those immediately who were part of Christ's crucifixion.

The request was so that a greater judgement not fall on them. They are all guilty of murdering an innocent man. Just not guilty of murdering the Messiah / God the Son.