our Lord's words of gracious intercession. We read that when He was crucified, His first words were, " Father forgive them, for they know not what they do." His own racking agony of body did not. make Him forget others. The first of His seven sayings on the cross was a prayer for the souls of His murderers. His prophetical oflice He had just exhibited by a remarkable prediction. His kingly office He was about to exhibit soon by opening the door of paradise to the penitent thief. His priestly office He now exhibited by interceding for those who crucified Him. " Father," He said, " forgive them."
The fruits of this wonderful prayer wiU never be fully seen until the day when the books are opened, and the secrets of all hearts are revealed. We have probably not the least idea how many of the conversions to God at Jerusalem which took place during the first six months after the crucifixion, were the direct reply to this marvel- lous prayer. Perhaps this prayer was the first step towards the penitent thief's repentance. Perhaps it was one means of affecting the centurion, who declared our Lord " a righteous man," and the people who '* smote their breasts and returned." Perhaps the three thousand converted on the day of Pentecost, foremost, it may be at one time among our Lord's murderers, owed their con- version to this very prayer. — The day will declare it. There is nothing secret that shall not be revealed. This only we know, that " the Father heareth the Son alway." (John xi. 42.) We may be sure that this wondrous prayer was heard.
Let us see in our Lord's intercession for those who crucified Him, one more proof of Christ's infinite love to
464 BXPosnoRtr thoughts.
sinners. The Lord Jesus is indeed most pitiful, most compassionate, most gracious. Kone are too wicked for Him to care for. None are too far gone in sin for His almighty heart to take interest about their souls. He wept over unbelieving Jerusalem. He heard the prayer of the dying thief. Ho stopped under the tree to call the publican Zacchaeus. He came down from heaven to turn the heart of the persecutor Saul. He found time to pray for His murderers even on the cross. Love like this is a love that passeth knowledge. The vilest of sinners have no cause to be afraid of applying to a Saviour like this. If we want warrant and encourag- ment to repent and believe, the passage before us surely supplies enough.
Finally, let us see in our Lord's intercession, a striking example of the spirit which should reign in the hearts of all His people. Like Him, let us return good for evil, and blessing for cursing. Like Him, let us pray for those who evil entreat us and persecute us. The pride of our hearts may often rebel against the idea. The fashion of this world may call it mean-spirited to behave in such a way. But let us never be ashamed to imitate our divine Master. The man who prays for his enemies, shows the mind that was in Christ, and will have his reward.
Notes. Luke XXTTI. 26—38.
2(). — [As they led him away, dc] Let it be Doted, that St. Luke says nothing about the cruel treatmeot which our Lord receiyed from the Roman soldiers, after Pilate had condemned Uim. His Gospel was specially written for the Gentiles, and he purposely passes over tlie conduct of the Gentiles at this particular stage of our Lord's passion.
I cannot admit the justice of Alford's remark on this verse. He says, " The break between the 25th and 26th verses is harsh
LUKE, CHAP. XXIIl. VBK. 26 — 38. 465
in the extreme, and if Luke bad any materials wherewith to fill it up, I have no doubt he would have done so." I deeply regret the tendency of this remark. I believe that St. Luke was en- tirely guided by the Holy Ghost, both in the details which he omits and the details which he inserts. And I believe that the omission of any details of Christ's passion between the condem nation and the going forth to Calvary, was advisedly and wisely ordered, in order to meet the prejudices of Gentile readers.
[They laid hold upon one Simon^ Sc,'\ It would appear that our Lord carried the cross Himself until He was exhausted, and that after this Simon was pressed into the service of cairying it by the soldiers.
Nothing certain is known about this Simon, although the mention of his sons, Alexander and Rufus, by St. Mark, (Maik XV. 21.), would lead us to suppose that he was a disciple of Christ when the Gospels were written, whatever he was at the time of the crucifixion. Cornelius a Lapide mentions several traditions concerning Simon and his sons, which are not worth repeating.
27. — [A great company of people and of women.'] Who these were we are not told. Some commentators think they were disciples and friends of Christ. Most think that they were persons who were moved to pity by the sight of an innocent person suffering, hnt had no sense of their own sins, and no faith in Christ. '* Melting affections," says Burkitt, " are not infallible marks of grace, even when they proceed from a sense of Christ's sufferings." This last opinion seems most probable, when we consider the tenor of the next two verses.
Burgon quotes a remark, " That no woman is mentioned as speaking against our Lord in His life, or having a share in His death. On the contrary, He was anointed by a woman for His burial ; — women were the last at His grave and the first at His resurrection; — to a woman He first appeared when He rose again ; — women ministered to His wants ; — women bewailed and lamented Him ; — a heathen woman interceded for His life with her husband, Pilate; — and, above all, of a woman He was bom."
2rt. — [Daughters of Jerusalem.'] This expression helps the theory that the people who accompanied our Lord to Calvai'y were not disciples. We have no account in the Gospels of any women of Jerusalem who believed.
[Yourselves and your children.] Let it be noted, that many of the women to whom our Lord here spoke, might easily have been living forty years after, when Titus took Jerusalem.
20. — [The days are coming, rfc] These " days " mean the period of the last wars between the Jews and the Romans, and in particu- lar the siege of Jerusalem.