Holy Week... this is not something I do regularly, but I think how I feel about where this week leads I sum up to some extent in the sermon I preached this Palm Sunday evening. Through Holy Week, St Columba's, Cambridge and Fulbourn URC, my two placement churches, are walking in through the seven phrases Jesus' spoke from the cross, starting last night with "Father forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing" (Luke 23.34). Here are my thoughts on those words...
It is the day of the triumphal entry, but rather than
lingering on the streets with our palm branches, we are heading straight for
the cross. We’ve heard the words of praise and adoration but are not remaining there;
instead we are going straight to the words of mockery and scorn, words to which
Jesus prayerful responds: “Father forgive them; for they do not know what they
are doing”.
This is a phrase that some of us will know by heart, one we’ve
heard repeatedly at Easter, and ‘Father forgive them’ seems pivotal in
understanding Christ’s actions on the cross. However, it is one of those
phrases we tend to remove from its context. Although it tends to remain within the
context of Christ’s Passion, how often do we consider it in the context of
Luke’s narrative? What was Luke trying to tell his readers, and us, by placing
these words of Jesus at this point in his account?
Well for starters this phrase doesn’t really seem to belong
where we find it. It makes the passage slightly awkward to read, what comes before
doesn’t naturally lead in and what comes after it doesn’t naturally follow on. It
has the feeling that it should belong somewhere else; that whoever was copying
out Luke’s words got distracted and accidently copied out this phrase from
another point. Or maybe it is in the right place, but the scribe was so carried
away with what they were reading that they missed copying out a sentence or
two. However, although there are textual variations in the Greek where this
phrase is left out completely, it is there and it does have importance.
So what is happening? Why put this, the first of the two
prayers Jesus utters from the cross in Luke, here? Is Luke trying to highlight
Jesus’ death as martyrdom? Jesus innocent of any crime alongside two who were
not innocent, but being treated the same way. The words Jesus utters don’t really
reflect this, so this seems to be a more far fetched interpretation of the
event. Luke is however credited with the authorship of the Book of Acts, in
fact it is the sequel to the gospel of Luke, in which the narrative of
Stephen’s martyrdom includes Stephen speaking very similar words to those
spoken here by Jesus—“Lord, do not hold this sin against them” (Acts 7.60,
NRSV). Is Stephen’s martyrdom demonstrative of Jesus’ martyrdom and vice versa?
Possibly, but there is a slight difference in emphasis in Stephen’s words to
those of Jesus, for in Jesus’ words there is a level of ignorance implied. So
although there are parallels and Luke seems to textual tie the events together,
the difference in emphasis signifies that Jesus’ death was not just a straightforward
martyrdom, but something more. For Jesus didn’t just die for what he believed
in, his death was part of his challenge to what others believed. Jesus’ death
was part of the reworking of humanity’s understanding of God.
So if Jesus’ death is more than martyrdom, what are his
words saying? “Father forgive them”—forgive who? The two criminals and the
Roman soldiers who find themselves either side of this phrase? Or is Jesus
asking forgiveness for the Roman and Jewish Ruling Elite who have sent him to
the place they call the Skull? Or maybe the disciples who now seem to be
nowhere to be seen? And what about us? Plenty of unknowns there then! So does
what he say next help? “For they know not what they are doing”. Forgiveness for
those who don’t understand the meaning of their actions? Well this might make sense
if Jesus saw the letter of the law of Moses to be the be all and end all, for
in Leviticus 4 (4.2) and Numbers 15 (15.25-29) atonement—reconciliation with
God—can be sought and will be given to anyone who has unintentionally sinned.
But the criminals knew what they had done, and the Romans and the Jewish
leaders knew what they were doing, and I expected even the disciples had some
clue. I would even think we most probably know when we’ve done something that
isn’t right before God. So if that is the case, Jesus’ words with respect to
the law of the Old Testament make very little sense. So why does Jesus ask forgiveness
on our behalf when he knows we can’t be forgiven? Well to begin with Jesus
wasn’t bound to the law of Moses—he came to break it open. Secondly, maybe its
not ignorant sin that Jesus is asking forgiveness for, maybe it’s for known sin
which contains a lack of understanding and lack of faith that Jesus asks
forgiveness. The Romans and the Jewish leaders didn’t entirely grasp who Jesus
was, and I think if we are honest we sometimes struggle to grasp who Jesus is.
The disciples ran because of fear and ultimately a lack of faith—the step of
trust required to stand by Jesus at the point of his death was for some a step
to far to take. And I’m pretty sure most of us can relate to that one,
sometimes it is easier to run away from what God is calling us to do than to take
it on.
The
image of Jesus portrayed in Luke is one of compassion and obedience. Characteristics
which are demonstrated in just this one phrase—obedience to the father,
compassion towards those who are mocking and abusing him. Obedience and
compassion are therefore why what can be ultimately said about Jesus from the
words he speaks at this point in Luke’s narrative, is that Jesus is signifying
his position as the supreme intercessor. With his words he intercedes for the
criminals, the Roman soldiers, the Roman and Jewish Ruling Elite, the
disciples, God’s people and us. By taking on human form, Jesus entered into
humanity and at one level became one of us—using the words of the prophet
Isaiah, he became numbered with the transgressors—from which point he could
intercede for the transgressors, for everyone then and now. The role of
intercessor is not solely the responsibility of Jesus; we too can be the
suffering servant in Isaiah 53 as we are numbered with the transgressors and so
are also in the place where we can make intercessions for them. However, the
location of these words set Jesus’ status as intercessor apart. For here is Jesus
in the hardest of places, at life’s lowest, most desperate point, and he still
intercedes. He still prays for those who had got it wrong, who had missed the
point, who had deserted him. He prays a prayer that many of us struggle to pray
even when everything is going well. Therefore, Jesus as the ultimate example can
be summarised in one brief speech—“Father forgive them; for they do not know
what they are doing”. Jesus breaking open humanity’s understanding of God and
living out what each of us can do for each other in our relationship with God.
