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I don't think they knew Jesus. But if they had, they would have quickly realized that this was just like him. His concern wasn't about his own problems or his own pain, but he focused quickly and clearly upon the problems and pain that others face.

The Roman soldiers—Jesus' executioners—had crucified many men by nailing them to wooden crosses. As the dying men would scream and suffer, the soldiers would sit at the feet of the crosses and play games—desensitized to the incessant curses and pleas. They prided themselves on being people not caught by surprise. Yet never before had any one of them heard what Jesus said.

Soon after his hands and feet were nailed to the cross, and it was lifted and dropped into place in the ground, Jesus prayed audibly for his executioners, "Father, forgive them, because they do not know what they are doing" (Luke 23:34).

It was enough to shock the toughest veteran. It was enough to make a man think before he went to sleep that night.

So it's no wonder that when the centurion made his final inspection after Jesus' death, he paused at the cross and praised God by saying, "Surely this was a righteous man" (Luke 23:47).

The forgiveness of Jesus was a surprise then, but it is still a surprise today. I'm surprised by his forgiveness. He knows our worst sins so well, yet Jesus' heart still seeks to forgive.

On the day Christ died, the angels must have been struck speechless at God's sacrifice. But perhaps even more amazing to them was the brief conversation between Christ and a common criminal (Luke 23:42, 43).

For the condemned thief on the cross, time was running out. Regardless of what he had said or done before, in the end, he did fear God. He realized that his judgment after death would be totally determined by God.

Like the convict on the far side who insulted Jesus (Luke 23:39), this man must have come to the cross with some advance knowledge of who Jesus was and what he could do. He understood Jesus was no criminal. Even more important, he must have realized Jesus was God's Son who was headed back home to the paradise from which he had come.

Believing this, the thief decided to make one last request. He asked Jesus to save him when he arrived back in heaven. What an interesting contrast between the criminal who mocked Jesus to save him physically and this man who sought Jesus to save him spiritually.

Of course, Jesus said yes. He was being crucified for this very purpose-to save sinners and to promise heaven to all those who ask.

Two thousand years later, the invitation still stands.

Copyright © 1997 by the author or Christianity Today International/Today's Christian magazine (formerly Christian Reader).
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