Death of the Innocent
What does it mean for a dying man to offer forgiveness to his own executioners?
Luke 23:26-56
Read the whole passage before anything else. Everything below exists to help you understand what you just read.
26When they led him away, they grabbed one Simon of Cyrene, coming from the country, and laid the cross on him to carry it after Jesus.
27A great multitude of the people followed him, including women who also mourned and lamented him.
28But Jesus, turning to them, said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, don’t weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children.
29For behold, the days are coming in which they will say, ‘Blessed are the barren, the wombs that never bore, and the breasts that never nursed.’
30Then they will begin to tell the mountains, ‘Fall on us!’ and tell the hills, ‘Cover us.’
31For if they do these things in the green tree, what will be done in the dry?”
32There were also others, two criminals, led with him to be put to death.
33When they came to the place that is called “The Skull”, they crucified him there with the criminals, one on the right and the other on the left.
34Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.” Dividing his garments among them, they cast lots.
35The people stood watching. The rulers with them also scoffed at him, saying, “He saved others. Let him save himself, if this is the Christ of God, his chosen one!”
36The soldiers also mocked him, coming to him and offering him vinegar,
37and saying, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!”
38An inscription was also written over him in letters of Greek, Latin, and Hebrew: “THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.”
39One of the criminals who was hanged insulted him, saying, “If you are the Christ, save yourself and us!”
40But the other answered, and rebuking him said, “Don’t you even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation?
41And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong.”
42He said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when you come into your Kingdom.”
43Jesus said to him, “Assuredly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”
44It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour.
45The sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was torn in two.
46Jesus, crying with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” Having said this, he breathed his last.
47When the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, “Certainly this was a righteous man.”
48All the multitudes that came together to see this, when they saw the things that were done, returned home beating their chests.
49All his acquaintances and the women who followed with him from Galilee stood at a distance, watching these things.
50Behold, there was a man named Joseph, who was a member of the council, a good and righteous man
51(he had not consented to their counsel and deed), from Arimathaea, a city of the Jews, who was also waiting for God’s Kingdom.
52This man went to Pilate, and asked for Jesus’ body.
53He took it down and wrapped it in a linen cloth, and laid him in a tomb that was cut in stone, where no one had ever been laid.
54It was the day of the Preparation, and the Sabbath was drawing near.
55The women who had come with him out of Galilee followed after, and saw the tomb and how his body was laid.
56They returned and prepared spices and ointments. On the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment.
What just happened?
The Roman Empire was a brutal machine, and crucifixion was its ultimate terror weapon, designed not just to kill, but to humiliate and deter. It wasn't just a method of execution; it was a public spectacle of power. Our story begins on a Friday morning, likely sometime between 9 AM and noon, outside the walls of Jerusalem. The exact location, Golgotha, or "The Skull," was a common execution site, visible to many entering and leaving the city. Jesus, already scourged and beaten, was forced to carry the horizontal beam of his cross, known as the patibulum, through the city's crowded streets.
The route from the Praetorium, where Pilate had condemned Jesus, to Golgotha was probably a well-trodden path for condemned prisoners. Along the way, a man named Simon from Cyrene, a North African city, was compelled by Roman soldiers to carry Jesus' cross. This was a common Roman practice; if a condemned man faltered, they'd press a bystander into service. A large crowd, a mix of curious onlookers, hostile religious leaders, mocking soldiers, and weeping women, followed the procession. The women's lamentations were a traditional part of Jewish funerals, a natural response to the impending death of a man many believed to be a prophet, or even more.
At Golgotha, the brutal ritual began. Jesus was stripped, nailed to the cross, and lifted. He wasn't alone; two criminals, likely brigands or rebels against Roman authority, were crucified alongside him. This detail underlines the Roman perception of him as a common lawbreaker. The Roman soldiers, indifferent to the suffering, divided his clothes—a common perk of their grim duty—and gambled for them. Above his head, a sign proclaimed his 'crime': 'THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS,' an ironic, perhaps even mocking, declaration in Greek, Latin, and Hebrew, ensuring everyone understood the reason for this public display.
Prophetic Warning on the Road
As Jesus is led to his death, women among the crowd are weeping for him. His response is arresting: “Daughters of Jerusalem, don’t weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children.” This isn't a dismissal of their compassion, but a redirection of their gaze. He sees past his immediate suffering to a greater, looming catastrophe. He speaks of 'the days coming' when people will wish for barrenness, preferring total annihilation to what awaits them, saying, 'Then they will begin to tell the mountains, ‘Fall on us!’ and tell the hills, ‘Cover us.’'
The phrase "green tree" and "dry tree" is an ancient image, common in Jewish wisdom literature, that contrasts vitality with decay. If Roman authorities and Jewish leaders are doing this to a 'green tree' – an innocent man, full of life and truth, like Jesus – what will they do to a 'dry tree' – the nation of Israel, spiritually withered and ripe for judgment? This is a stark prophecy of the destruction of Jerusalem and its temple by the Romans, which indeed occurred just decades later, in 70 AD. Jesus is warning them that the suffering they are witnessing is a prelude to an even greater tribulation for their people, a direct consequence of their rejection of him.
Forgiveness for the Executioners
Nailed to the cross, a moment of unimaginable pain and humiliation, Jesus speaks one of the most astonishing lines in all of history: “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.” He’s not speaking about an anonymous 'them' but the very people currently torturing and mocking him—the Roman soldiers, the Jewish leaders, the baying crowd. The word 'Father' shows his intimate relationship with God, even in this moment of separation and agony.
The crux of his plea for forgiveness lies in the phrase "they don't know what they are doing." This isn't to say they are entirely innocent or devoid of moral culpability. Ignorance does not automatically excuse all wrongdoing. Instead, it suggests a profound lack of understanding of the true identity of the one they are crucifying and the cosmic implications of their actions. They are acting out of blindness, prejudice, and political expediency, rather than a full comprehension of the divine Son of God standing before them. Jesus’ statement reveals an astounding depth of compassion and a divine perspective on human sin.
The Thief's Last Request
Alongside Jesus, two criminals are also crucified. One of them hurls insults, demanding, “If you are the Christ, save yourself and us!” He sees Jesus as nothing more than a fellow victim, perhaps a deluded messiah who can perform a miracle to escape. This criminal's words echo the taunts of the rulers and soldiers, revealing a shared skepticism and a desire for a purely physical rescue.
But the other criminal, in stark contrast, rebukes his companion: “Don’t you even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong.” This man acknowledges his own guilt and recognizes Jesus’ innocence. Then, in an act of remarkable faith, he turns to Jesus and says, “Lord, remember me when you come into your Kingdom.” He sees beyond the cross to a future kingdom, recognizing Jesus' true authority. Jesus’ response is immediate and profound: “Assuredly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.” This isn't a vague promise for some distant future; it's a direct, certain assurance of immediate salvation, a demonstration of Jesus’ ultimate authority and mercy, even in his final hours.
Death and Divine Affirmation
Around noon, an unnatural darkness descends upon the land, lasting for three hours. This isn't an eclipse; it's a supernatural event, signaling a momentous cosmic shift. At the temple in Jerusalem, the massive veil separating the Holy of Holies—the most sacred space, believed to be God's dwelling—is torn in two, from top to bottom. This isn't an act of human vandalism; it's a divine act, symbolizing the direct access to God now made possible through Jesus' sacrifice, no longer restricted by physical barriers or priestly mediation.
With a loud cry, Jesus speaks his final words: “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” This echoes a line from Psalm 31, a psalm of trust in God in the face of suffering. He doesn't die passively; he actively surrenders his spirit to his Father. After he breathes his last, a Roman centurion—a hardened soldier who has likely overseen many crucifixions—sees what has happened. He is so moved that he glorifies God, declaring, “Certainly this was a righteous man.” This is a remarkable testimony from a pagan soldier, confirming Jesus' innocence and divine nature, a powerful contrast to the mockery of his peers.
What are we supposed to see?
This passage shows Jesus as utterly unique in his response to suffering and injustice. When mocked, tortured, and executed, he does not retaliate, curse, or demand vengeance. Instead, he speaks words of prophetic warning, then offers forgiveness to his tormentors. Even in his deepest agony, his primary concern is not his own pain, but the spiritual state of others, both those who condemn him and those who mourn for him. His willingness to forgive those who 'don't know what they are doing' is not a sign of weakness, but a profound demonstration of divine mercy that transcends human understanding of justice.
The narrative also powerfully shows Jesus as the sovereign Son of God, even in death. His final words are not a gasp of defeat, but a deliberate commitment of his spirit to his Father. The cosmic signs surrounding his death—the darkness, the torn temple veil—are not random occurrences but divine affirmations of his identity and the magnitude of his sacrifice. The conversion of the criminal and the centurion's declaration are testimonies to his power to transform hearts, even in his dying moments. He is not merely a victim; he is the Lord, dispensing salvation and revealing God’s character in the most extreme circumstances imaginable.
- 1IDENTITY
Jesus is the innocent Son of God, the King of the Jews, and the one whose death changes humanity's access to God.
- 2WHAT HE VALUES
Jesus values forgiveness, even for his executioners; the spiritual well-being of people more than his own physical comfort; and the promise of eternal life for those who turn to him, even at the last moment.
- 3WHAT HE CONFRONTS
Jesus confronts human ignorance, hardness of heart, and the blindness that leads to rejection of God's truth, but he meets it with mercy rather than condemnation.
Where this sits in the whole Bible
Luke 23:34 → Isaiah 53:12
Isaiah prophesied that the Suffering Servant would 'bear the sin of many, and make intercession for the transgressors.' Jesus' prayer for forgiveness for his executioners is a direct fulfillment of this prophetic role, showing his ultimate purpose to intercede on behalf of humanity.
Luke 23:43 → John 14:1-3
Jesus' promise to the criminal, 'today you will be with me in Paradise,' connects with his earlier words about preparing a place for his followers. It assures immediate presence with God after death for those who believe, dispelling any notion of a lengthy waiting period or purgatory.
Luke 23:45 → Hebrews 10:19-20
The tearing of the temple veil from top to bottom symbolizes the new, direct access to God that Jesus' sacrifice provides. The author of Hebrews explains that through Jesus' body, a 'new and living way' into the Most Holy Place (God's presence) has been opened for all believers, no longer restricted by the veil or priestly mediation.
The Roman centurion's declaration, 'Certainly this was a righteous man,' is profoundly significant. It's an uncoerced confession from a man steeped in paganism and violence, testifying to Jesus' innocence and divine nature at the very moment of his death, highlighting the universal impact of Jesus' sacrifice.
Don't rush past this
The hardest thing in this passage is confronting the sheer human capacity for cruelty and indifference. We see the Roman soldiers casting lots for Jesus' clothes, the religious leaders scoffing, the crowds watching without intervention, and even one of the crucified criminals mocking him. This isn't just a historical account; it's a mirror reflecting how easily humanity can dismiss, ridicule, and participate in profound injustice, even against someone clearly innocent, when blinded by self-interest, prejudice, or fear.
Furthermore, Jesus' forgiveness of his executioners, saying 'they don’t know what they are doing,' is deeply unsettling. It challenges our intuitive sense of justice, which often demands accountability and punishment for wrongdoers. It forces us to grapple with the idea that profound ignorance can, in some cases, mitigate moral culpability, and that divine mercy can extend even to those actively participating in the most heinous acts. This level of grace can feel unfair or even impossible for us to extend in our own lives, making us question our own capacity for true forgiveness.
Turn it inward
Three questions from this passage. Answer them or just sit with them — nothing here is required to finish the lesson.
Heavenly Father, we are humbled by the picture of Jesus on the cross, offering forgiveness even as he suffered. Forgive us for our own blindness and for the times we fail to understand your ways. Help us to see others with your compassion, even those who cause us pain. Give us the grace to forgive, just as Jesus forgave, knowing that we, too, are often in need of your mercy. Amen.
This week, when you encounter someone who has wronged you, or someone you disagree with, pause before reacting. Instead of immediately judging their intent, consider for a moment if they might be acting out of a place of genuine ignorance or misunderstanding, much like Jesus suggested for his own executioners. Then, choose to extend grace or a charitable interpretation.