Consider all that Jesus allowed to happen to him. His friend betrayed him. He was arrested. His disciples and friends abandoned him. The men guarding him beat and mocked him. The existing religious leaders of the religion he started condemned him to death by crucifixion. They brought him to civil leaders, created false charges, and demanded that he be crucified.
The civil leader flogged him even though he knew he was innocent. Then he allowed the religious leaders to crucify him to appease them. The soldiers put a rob on him and a crown of thorns. They mocked him and beat him. They paraded him naked and bleeding through the city streets. They nailed him to a cross and put his battered body on display. They divided his clothes amongst themselves.
Jesus’ response to this while dying on the cross was, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” Forgiving someone we love of one violation can be the hardest thing to do. Yet, Jesus forgave everyone who violated Him because he was obeying his Father, he loved to the end, and they acted in ignorance (Acts 3:17; 1 Corinthians 2:6-8).
