Jesus's final words: Father forgive them

Jesus's final words: Father forgive them by ric Gustafson


When one is being crucified, speaking is painful and requires exertion. Death comes from a combination of exhaustion, shock and a build up of fluid around the heart and lungs. To speak on a cross a person would have to pull themselves up by the nails in their wrists in order to expand their diaphragm. The Gospels record seven statements from Jesus while on the cross. The first words come from Luke 23:34. These first words were a prayer. Jesus was praying for the soldiers below his cross. He was also praying for the crowd who were verbally assaulting him. He was also praying for the religious leaders who were spiritually blind. Jesus was praying for you and I also. Jesus was offering himself to his Father as an offering of atonement. We need forgiveness. God's grace is a gift. Jesus modeled forgiveness.
We need to pray that God will forgive us and that then we can forgive others. Amen.


research help: ' Final words from the cross' by Adam Hamilton


Happy Holy Week. Love Ric