Untitled Sermon

The canonical Gospels record seven utterances that Jesus said while He hung on the cross. Three of these utterances are recorded only in John, and three of them only in Luke. The remaining phrase appears only in Matthew and Mark. These sayings draw from Psalms 22, 31, and 69.

Although it is impossible to be certain about the exact order in which Jesus uttered these phrases, the chronological arrangement below is generally accepted. Jesus reputedly hung on the cross from approximately 9:00 am until about 3:00 pm (see Mark 15:25, 34). The first three statements were probably uttered before noon while the rest of them took place in the afternoon, nearer to the time of His death.

“Father, Forgive Them, for They Do Not Know What They Are Doing” (Luke 23:34)

Jesus’ first saying from the cross, recorded only in Luke 23:34, is textually suspect. Some early and important witnesses lack the statement, including the earliest two manuscripts containing this context of Luke. The statement may have been removed by an anti-Semitic scribe who did not wish to show sympathy for the Jews who rejected their Messiah. On the … Read more »

Nuevo Diccionario de la Biblia SIETE PALABRAS DE LA CRUZ, LAS

La primera aparece en Lc. 23:34 (“Padre, perdónalos, porque no saben lo que hacen”). Es de notar que se dirige al “Padre” y que lo que solicita no es que se disminuyan sus dolores, sino que se tenga misericordia de los que lo crucificaban. Reconoce que lo hacían en ignorancia. Pablo escribiría después acerca de la sabiduría de Dios, “la que ninguno de los príncipes de este siglo conoció; porque si la hubieran conocido, nunca habrían crucificado al Señor de gloria” (1 Co. 2:8). El Señor, entonces, ruega a su Padre que no les tome en cuenta este terrible pecado que cometían los gobernantes y el pueblo de Jerusalén. Intercede por sus enemigos cuando más mal le hacían.

La segunda palabra es la que dirige al ladrón que mostró arrepentimiento (“De cierto te digo que hoy estarás conmigo en el paraíso” [Lc. 23:43]). Aquel ladrón había hecho una declaración asombrosa de fe, puesto que llamó a Jesús “Señor”. Reconoció la existencia de un más allá, en el cual las personas están en plena capacidad intelectual, al decir “Acuérdate de mí”. E incluso pudo ver en aquel crucificado al futuro rey de Israel, pues le expresó: “Cuando vinieres en tu reino”. Pero la respuesta del Señor sobrepasó sus expectativas, pues oyó que se le dijo que en ese mismo día su oración sería contestada, al encontrarse con él en el •paraíso. En el momento de suprema debilidad, el Señor continúa con su autoridad para beneficio de otros y salva a un pecador arrepentido

Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible Seven Last Words, The

“Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do” (Lk 23:34).

This is the only one of the seven last words whose genuineness is questioned, for several of the best Greek manuscripts do not contain it. Even if an element of doubt exists (the evidence is fairly evenly balanced), it certainly fits what is known of Jesus and his love, whether or not Luke originally recorded it. Just a few verses before, Jesus showed more concern for others than for himself (Lk 19:41; 22:50, 51; 23:28). Jesus lived his own teaching and prayed for those who were torturing him (6:27, 28)—no greater impulse for mankind to go and do likewise could be given. Certainly the soldiers and Jewish leaders were not totally unaware of what they were doing (cf. Acts 3:17), but in that they did not know the real import of their action they were ignorant. For Christians, the request “Father, forgive” is more important than the reason, as Stephen recognized when he paraphrased it at his own martyrdom (Acts 7:60). In the end, forgiveness demands no reason; it is grace.

“Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise” (Lk 23:43).

Luke does not record this statement to teach about the abode of the dead but to express the response of God to faith. One criminal quite understandably joins with the jeering crowd and gets only silence (Lk 23:40), but the other quite remarkably recognizes not only the innocence of Jesus but also that the cross was only a prelude to the crown (vv 40–42). Peter could acclaim Jesus in the midst of his miracles, but this man did it in the midst of his suffering. The response of God to such mighty faith is declared quite simply: “You might expect your sins to damn you, but instead the mercy you asked for is granted. Through faith you will share that bright future you see coming to me.” Here again is grace, asked for and received; Jesus did not forget others in the hour of his death.