And Jesus said: —Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing. And dividing their clothes, they cast lots.
23:34 And Jesus said: Father, forgive them (at that time Jesus gave his life as a perfect sacrifice to save us from sins; based on that death, God can forgive), because they do not know what they are doing. — Jesus practiced what he preached (Matt 5:44). Esteban imitated him, Acts 7:59-60. However, this request does not mean that they were unconditionally forgiven (simply based on Jesus’ request). Rather, this request means that Jesus made forgiveness possible for him and that he was willing to forgive them, but Jesus and the apostles named conditions or requirements that everyone must meet in order to obtain forgiveness of sins. Tue 16:16; Ac 2:38, etc. – Because they do not know what they are doing” – Ac 3:17“But now, brothers, I know that through ignorance you have done it, as well as your rulers”; 1Co 2:8, “which none of the princes of this century knew; because if they had known it, they would never have crucified the Lord of glory.” The “seven words of the cross”: (1) Luke 23:34, “Father, forgive them”; (two) Luke 23:43, “today you will be with me”; (3) Joh 19:27, “Woman… your son”; (4) Tue 15:34, “OMG”; (5) Joh 19:28, “I’m thirsty”; (6) Juh 19:30, “It is finished”; (7) Luke 23:46“Father, in your hands…” — And they distributed among themselves their clothes, (HIMATION, their outer clothes), casting lots, (Salt 22:18) and made four parts, one for each soldier. — Normally the Jew had five articles of clothing: the tunic (inner clothes), the cape (outer clothes), the belt, the sandals and the turban. When crucifying a criminal a part of the salary of the soldiers was the clothes of the crucified man. They distributed Jesus’ clothes as if he were already dead, never thinking that he would ever need them again. In this way, without knowing it, they carried out what God had foretold. Even the minute details of this great event were the subject of prophecy (JWM). What a clear picture of the world’s indifference to Christ! While He agonized on the cross, dying for the sins of the world, the soldiers played and distributed their clothes as if He were one of the most common criminals. It is true that there is much hostility against Christ today, but the greatest tragedy is not the hostility towards Christ, but the cold indifference towards Christ.
Source: Commentary on the New Testament by Partain
Father, forgive them. Luke 23:47, Luke 23:48; Luke 6:27, Luke 6:28; Gen 50:17; Ps 106:16-23; Matt 5:44; Ac 7:60; Romans 12:14; 1Co 4:12; 1Pe 2:20-23; 1Pe 3:9.
Because they do not know what they are doing. Luke 12:47, Luke 12:48; Joh 15:22-24; Joh 19:11; Ac 3:17; 1Co 2:8; 1Ti 1:13.
they shared their clothes among themselves, casting lots. Salt 22:18; Matt 27:35, Matt 27:36; Tue 15:24; Joh 19:23, Joh 19:24.
Source: The Treasury of Biblical Knowledge
forgive them: Those who killed Jesus acted in ignorance, because they did not understand who they were really killing. Jesus’ example of interceding for his executioners was followed by Stephen in Ac 7:60.
They divided their clothes among themselves, casting lots: The language used refers to Salt 22:18 : The suffering of the Just.
Source: New Illustrated Caribbean Bible Commentary
THE SEVEN WORDS OF CHRIST. Most likely v. Luke 23:34 be the first of the seven words of Christ on the cross. These were pronounced in the following order:
(1) From nine in the morning to noon:
(a) The word of forgiveness: “Father, forgive them” (v. Luke 23:34).
(b) The word of salvation: “Today you will be with me in paradise” (v. Luke 23:43).
(c) The word of love: “Woman, behold your son…. Here’s your mother” (Joh 19:26-27).
(2) The three hours of darkness: from noon to three in the afternoon, not a word is mentioned.
(3) Around three in the afternoon:
(a) The word of spiritual pain: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Tue 15:34).
(b) The word of physical pain: “I thirst” (Joh 19:28).
(c) The word of victory: “It is finished” (Juh 19:30).
(d) The word of surrender: “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit” (v. Luke 23:46).
Source: Full Life Study Bible
forgive them. That is, those who tormented him, both Jews and Romans (cf. Ac 7:60). Part of the fruit of this prayer was seen in the salvation of thousands of people in Jerusalem at Pentecost (Ac 2:41). They do not know what they do. They were unaware of the full extent of their evil. They did not recognize him as the true Messiah (Acts 13:27-28). They were blind to the light of divine truth, “because if they had known it, they would never have crucified the Lord of glory” (1Co 2:8). Yet his ignorance did not make them worthy of forgiveness; rather, his own spiritual blindness was proof of his guilt (Joh 3:19). But Christ’s prayer at the very moment in which He was mocked is an expression of the infinite compassion of divine grace. casting lots See notes on Matt 27:35; Tue 15:24.
Source: MacArthur Study Bible
23:34 And Jesus said: Father, forgive them (at that moment Jesus gave his life as a perfect sacrifice to save us from sins; based on that death, God can forgive), because they do not know what they are doing. – Jesus practiced what he preached (Mat 5:44). Stephen imitated him, Acts 7:59-60. However, this request does not mean that they were unconditionally forgiven (simply based on Jesus’ request). Rather, this request means that Jesus made forgiveness possible for him and that he was willing to forgive them, but Jesus and the apostles named conditions or requirements that everyone must meet in order to obtain forgiveness of sins. Mar 16:16; Acts 2:38, etc.
— because they do not know what they are doing” — Acts 3:17, “But now, brethren, I know that you did it ignorantly, as did your rulers”; 1Co 2:8, “which none of the princes of this age knew; because if they had known it, they would never have crucified the Lord of glory.”
The “seven words of the cross”: (1) Luke 23:34, “Father, forgive them”; (2) Luke 23:43, “today you will be with me”; (3) Joh 19:27, “Woman…your son”; (4) Mark 15:34, “My God”; (5) Joh 19:28, “I thirst”; (6) Joh 19:30, “it is finished”; (7) Luke 23:46, “Father, in your hands…”
— And they distributed among themselves their clothes, (HIMATION, their outer clothes), casting lots, (Sal 22:18) and they made four parts, one for each soldier. — Normally the Jew had five articles of clothing: the tunic (inner clothes), the cape (outer clothes), the belt, the sandals and the turban. When crucifying a criminal a part of the salary of the soldiers was the clothes of the crucified man. They distributed Jesus’ clothes as if he were already dead, never thinking that he would ever need them again. In this way, without knowing it, they carried out what God had foretold. Even the minute details of this great event were the subject of prophecy (JWM).
What a clear picture of the world’s indifference to Christ! While He agonized on the cross, dying for the sins of the world, the soldiers played and distributed his clothes as if he were one of the most common criminals. It is true that there is much hostility against Christ today, but the greatest tragedy is not the hostility towards Christ, but the cold indifference towards Christ.
Source: Reeves-Partain Notes
Isaiah 53:12; (watch Matt 5:44; Ac 3:17; Ac 7:60); Salt 22:18; Matt 18:21-22.
Source: Hispano-American Interdenominational Translation
GRADES
(1) אCVgSyc,p insert the words in square brackets; P75BD*WSys ignores them.
CROSS-REFERENCES
i 1427 Ac 7:60
j 1428 Ps 22:18; Isaiah 53:12; Matt 27:35; Tue 15:24
Source: New World Translation
Father, forgive them. The Lord’s forgiveness contrasts with the hatred of the crowd and the leaders, who acted in ignorance without realizing that He was truly the King of the Jews (verse 38).
they cast lots See comment. in Mt 27:35.
Source: The Bible of the Americas
They shared their clothes among themselves. see Salt 22:18 and note on Matt 27:35.
Source: Ryrie Annotated Study Bible
good luck… → Salt 22:18. M↓ added to the beginning of the verse and Jesus said: Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.
Source: Textual Bible IV Edition
Some mss. ancient do not include: And Jesus said: … do.
Source: The Bible of the Americas
g Salt 22:18. M i add y Jesus said: Father, forgive them, because they do not know what they do.
Source: The Textual Bible III Edition
6 And the soldiers cast lots to divide their clothes among themselves.
6. The text that appears between square brackets is found only in mss. late.