How much bloody carnage and rubble
is required to atone for sins of a few?
How many eyes must be gouged
to extract desired justice?
If wronged, is exchanging one eye enough?
What about two eyes for one? Or ten for one?
Is twenty enough?
How about a hundred?
Such revenge might feel like justice,
but it fuels hate’s endless cycle.
Can we exit this interlocked sequence
of oppression and reflexive violence?
Can we struggle toward implementing
a radical, restorative, improbable alternative?
Remember what a crucified carpenter taught
about loving enemies and turning cheeks?
Do such ideals seem impossibly wrong
when gushing anger from our wounds?
Yet, as he stretched on splintery beams
no carpenter would willingly build,
he said, while gushing blood for all our sins,
“Forgive them for they know not what they do.”
Jesus didn’t put up any defence's when he got nailed upon the cross
He just said forgive them, for they know not what they do, their loss
Seated on a colt, entered He the great city,
Divinity rides in simplicity.
The boisterous crowd cheered vigorously,
His triumphant entry as His foes watched furiously.
“Hosanna in the Highest!” They chanted in harmony
To His glory they recited the Messianic symphony:
“Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord!”
Ere the dust of His triumphant entry settle
His foes had scores with Him to settle.
Before Pilate’s He was brought,
His crucifixion they sought.
The madding crowd appealed Pilate’s absolution
with a vehement condemnation:
“Crucify Him! Crucify Him!”
His heart moved not for man’s heart He knew.
In the agony of the cross forgiveness for us He did renew:
“Father forgive them for they know not what they do”
Asanga
Human Identity: "I thirst" Jn 1928 Parental Relationships: "Behold your mother" Jn 1927 Family Relationships: "Woman, behold your son" Jn 1926 Complete Restoration For All Who Believe: "It is finished" Jn 1930
Surrendered Obedience: "Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit" Lk 2346 Forgiveness:"Father forgive them for they know not what they do". Lk 2334 Salvation: "Verily I say unto thee, today you will be with me in paradise" Lk 2343
Father-Son Relationship: "My God, My God, why hath thou forsaken me?" Mt 2746, Mk 1554*
03292019FBPoSoup *Mk and Mt recorded the same words. 9 words, Mt; 9 words, Mk; 31 words, Lk; 12 words, Jn
You can hear them talking
The ruthless things they say
Sure there’s strength in the numbers
The self-righteous like it that way
Their tassels embellished and long
Their words - obnoxiously right
Bow to all their glory
Worship what they say – believe with all your might
Their presentation is one of pure virtue
The reality - so much pain
The suffering occurs
Awareness of self – their efforts create disdain
Do unto them
Not as they’ve done unto you
Forgive them of their sins
Forgive them - for they know not what they do
Teach them to live in the moment
Enlighten them to cherish each and every day
If he died for all our sins
This is how we should repay
We live life - we love life
No judgment – only a helping hand
Embodying the word
That’s - God’s plan
Easter will be soon, and
The fourth full moon will shine
On dresses fine and colored eggs,
The racing of legs of little ones to find them.
But not today!
As I in quiet meditation,
My reflection turns to those devilish days,
When Your sweat soaked locks hid half your face,
And no grace would seem to fall on You.
Cruel soldiers pushed Your pace,
Even rushing the race when You fell.
I can about hear the crying
As Your dying was beginning to set in;
The way of the cross to the end,
And then it was over.
Then observing ghoulish hearts turned,
Did they burn while they trod their paths home?
Were they changed, their lives rearranged,
When they heard
“Forgive them for they know not what they do?”
Then to all’s surprise,
You would rise and make Your words all true.
Bells throughout the ages would ring,
And bring the joy of Easter’s Spring Celebrating.
Destroy this temple
In three day I’ll make it rise
Couldn’t believe it to be so simple
That’s why He came to open their eyes
He preached against the Pharisees’
The merchants was shown His wrath
His gospel brought some to their knees
For His word would be a light unto their path
In a world filled with hatred He showed His love
He said forgive them for they know not what they do
All power was in His hands from above
Yet He showed the restraint that would save a few
The world could not understand His teaching
So in parables He spoke to them all
Yet He continued on with His preaching
And thousands would answer the call
At the Cross is where His power would be displayed
Yet the Pharisees thought they were so wise
As He looked to the Father and prayed
Three days later He would rise
Knowledge and wisdom are not found
in the chaotic crowd's cacophony of voices
caused by fear and frustration
They gather like swarms of locusts
on emotional wings of hysteria
Their beating sound swallows intellect
creating perpetual hate and anxiety
brought to them by their own failures and frailties
None...which they chose to recognize
or deem worthy of introspection
Crowds easily led by puppetmasters
who have spiraled down to the depths of depravity
as they pull on the strings of discord
tied to patriotic fervor
Exhumed in a kaleidoscope of hollow memories
from history...crowds don't remember
As they turn their anger into a coming apocalypse
where they sell their souls to their masters
as they did once before
When they called out " Give us Barabbas "
Let the Christ die with his last spoken words
" Forgive them... for they know not what they do "
9/25/17
contest 8 word challenge-4
Jesus spoke these words from the cross
accomplishing the purpose for which He came
here He was crucified unjustly so
this innocent saviour took all our blame
Crucifixion is such an awful thing
it's intention is to break one's resource
but in fact stretches one's agony further
physically and emotionally execution on course
Rusted nails places on wrists hollow place
hammered in driven between two bones
gruesome hearing nails driven through flesh
this brings anguish so horribly alone
The victim suffers nausea, fever, cramps
bringing indeed spasms of intense pain
as well as slow relentless suffocation
all this and more was Jesus slain
This God in His only begotten son
showed His love in this horrible death
suffering pain physically and spiritually
for His own even to His final breath
The original language would indicate
Jesus repeated this enduring crucifixion
father forgive them they know not what they do
merciful sacrificial love brought God's selection
('Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.')
Luke 23: 34a (KJV)
no apology
my pain: inconsequential
your conscious is seared
Eileen Manassian
While Jesus was on the cross, he prayed, "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do." He forgave even when no apology was offered. He forgave the ones who were the cause of his death. I find that SO hard to do...It's the hardest part about being a follower of Jesus. To be able to forgive someone who will not admit to wrong doing...takes divine strength. "To err is human; to forgive, divine." I've also found out that if you are always silent about ill treatment, people will take advantage of you. They will take your silence for cowardice and think that they can walk all over you. When Jesus was struck by the high priest's servant, he did not remain silent. He questioned him, "Why do you hit me?" I believe we should speak out against what is wrong. People may never acknowledge wrongdoing, but it needs to be said. There is a fine balance...I am struggling in trying to find where that balance is...
On a chain around my neck, the cross I seldom wear.
Not made of wood or bloodstained from Jesus bloody hair.
It doesn't show the holes from nails that pierced His hands,
nor the scrapes from being dragged on that dusty land.
I cannot hear the sound of Jesus when He cried for me and you,
"Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do..."
I took the shiny cross off, it doesn't suit my taste.
Put on the whole armour of God, Eph:6:11-18, in it's place.
There is something about palm branches,
The halleluiahs and hoorays
That separate Palm Sunday
From the following dark days.
They came en masse to laud him
With fever running high
They turned away to save themselves
When danger edged too nigh.
Only a few would follow Him
As he walked towards his grave.
Only a few would honor Him
For coming to Earth to save.
Would you have been among the few
Who dared to call Him King?
Or among those who shouted crucify,
His unearned death to bring?
If I had lived in those days
And been blessed to see my Lord,
I pray I would have stayed with Him
And heard His final word.
“Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.”
By: Joyce Johnson 4/13/11
"Father forgive them for they know not what they do."
Love perfect love can
Humanly love can not reach
God's power gave gift
A Bible thumper how sweet the sound,
That means I’m in search of hallowed grounds.
That means I was lost but now am found,
And know the meaning of Heaven bound.
That day His blood was spilled upon the cross,
To bring salvation and hope to all who are lost.
Father forgive them for they know not what they do,
Even to this day those words still echo true.
I pray for those who laugh and curse His name,
For one day they must answer for their words of shame.
There is not a lot I can say except I believe His word to be our greatest gift,
And know that His return will be mighty and swift.
I pity those that don’t believe an take His name in vain,
For upon His return it will be too late to take part of our Saviors reign.
For upon that day they will be cast away to suffer in torment for evermore,
I just pray they open their eyes before it is too late and see what they all have in store.
Bible thumper, holy roller that pretty much describes me to a tee,
I love the one called Jesus and know He died for me.
Should you ever choose to cross over that line,
I’ll welcome you as a friend if that is not being too asinine.
i'm writing this to explain to you my feelings
please bear with me, this won't be easy
of course i thought of seeing you first
every hour of everyday that meeting i rehearse
and through clandestine verse
i reveal that which you have mared
our minds with memories that we can not forget
our souls with a curse that will not lift
our Body defiled from evils touch
My devotion destroyed by my willingness to trust
deep inside me a demon lives
a demon who regretfully will not forgive
i find it very hard to find the will to live
so i beg God to let me live
Gods answer is that i learn to forgive
Lord, forgive Them for they know not what they do
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