30th Mar 26 | 13:54
Studies by Book
Luke 23 26-43 THE CRUCIFIXION OF JESUS 14 Luke 23 34 The ignorance of man
📖 Luke 23:26-43
Mon 27 Dec 2021 – The ignorance of man - Luke 23:26-43 - THE CRUCIFIXION OF JESUS (14) - Bible reading: I Corinthians 2:7-8
“Lord Jesus, Your ways are far higher than our ways. We do not understand Your great wisdom. We only get a glimpse and even that which we grasp, blows us away. The world does not understand Your ways at all and they are persecuting Your church. Father, forgive them. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.”
Luke 23:34 Then Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do." And they divided His garments and cast lots.
Peter and John spoke to a Jewish audience and they were showing them how ignorantly they had put Jesus to death.
Ignorance does not take away from them, the sin which was on them. It only shows how man must repent and walk in the fear of God, in order to be wise. If we don’t, we will remain in our ignorance and foolishness.
Acts 3:17-20 “Yet now, brethren, I know that you did it in ignorance, as did also your rulers. (18) But those things which God foretold by the mouth of all His prophets, that the Christ would suffer, He has thus fulfilled. (19) Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, (20) and that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before,
This was an audience that was knowledgeable of the words of the prophets, of the sufferings of Jesus. Yet, they put Him to death. Even to such people, there was forgiveness of sin and refreshing, if they would repent and return to Jesus.
Acts 3:21-26 whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began. (22) For Moses truly said to the fathers, 'THE LORD YOUR GOD WILL RAISE UP FOR YOU A PROPHET LIKE ME FROM YOUR BRETHREN. HIM YOU SHALL HEAR IN ALL THINGS, WHATEVER HE SAYS TO YOU. (23) AND IT SHALL BE THAT EVERY SOUL WHO WILL NOT HEAR THAT PROPHET SHALL BE UTTERLY DESTROYED FROM AMONG THE PEOPLE.' (24) Yes, and all the prophets, from Samuel and those who follow, as many as have spoken, have also foretold these days. (25) You are sons of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying to Abraham, 'AND IN YOUR SEED ALL THE FAMILIES OF THE EARTH SHALL BE BLESSED.' (26) To you first, God, having raised up His Servant Jesus, sent Him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from your iniquities."
Peter and John, beautifully tied it all up for the Jews, showing them the plan of God in fulfilling the covenant blessing of Abraham, that all the families of the earth would be blessed through his seed, who is Christ. (Galatians 3:16)
The message of the Good News of Jesus, through His death, burial and resurrection, would now reach all the peoples of the earth. God was reconciling man and all of creation back to Himself.
These were the things that the Jews, who crucified Jesus, did not know.
Apostle Paul spoke also to a Jewish audience.
Acts 13:26-28 “Men and brethren, sons of the family of Abraham, and those among you who fear God, to you the word of this salvation has been sent. (27) For those who dwell in Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they did not know Him, nor even the voices of the Prophets which are read every Sabbath, have fulfilled them in condemning Him. (28) And though they found no cause for death in Him, they asked Pilate that He should be put to death .
Though the prophets were read, the people who crucified Jesus did not connect the dots.
The Jews and Gentiles, together, put Jesus to death on the cross. What was the message to the Gentiles?
I Corinthians 2:7-8 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, (8) which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
The Gentiles were guilty of putting Jesus to death. They did not understand the wisdom of God.
Peter wrote to a mixed audience of both Jews and Gentiles. He was capturing for them the grand panorama of God’s plan, where the sufferings of Christ were an integral part.
I Peter 1:10-12 Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you, (11) searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating when He testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. (12) To them it was revealed that, not to themselves, but to us they were ministering the things which now have been reported to you through those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things which angels desire to look into.
This grand design of God was not known by those who crucified Christ.
This grand plan of God is being presented by Paul.
Ephesians 3:4-6 by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ), (5) which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets: (6) that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel, Colossians 1:26-27 the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints . (27) To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory .
We as the Church of Jesus Christ must know that those who persecute us do not see the larger canvas of God. Our response, to our persecutors, must therefore be the same as of our Lord.
Thought to ponder
Forgiving those who persecute the church is not a defeatist response but a response of wisdom.