Reading Classics – The Seven Sayings (Chapter 1)
Today I move on to Chapter 1 of A. W. Pink’s book, The Sayings of the Savior on the Cross. You can view all the posts in this series by clicking HERE.
— SUMMARY —
Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. (Luke 23:24)
From the first sentence, “Man had done his worst,” each sentence in Pink’s first paragraph indicts me and my fellow man. Every sentence down to the quote, “Crucify Him,” convicts of our arrogant mutiny.
And then Pink, on a dime, turns to the power of the glory of Our God the second paragraph.
The fell deed had been done. No ordinary death would suffice His implacable foes. A death of intense suffering and shame was decided upon. A cross had been secured; the Saviour had been nailed to it. And there He hangs–silent. But presently His pallid lips are seen to move–Is He crying for pity? No. What then? Is He pronouncing malediction upon His crucifiers? No. He is praying, praying for His enemies–”Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.”
Prayer. The first saying of Our Lord on the cross is a word of prayer. Pink then reflects upon what the believer sees in the Lord and in himself as he sees the Lord praying on His cross.
Here we see …
1) … the fulfillment of the prophetic word: “And he was numbered with transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors (Isaiah 53:12).” We see Christ on the cross in the role of intercessor that He continues to this day in the ear of the Father from the throne room of Heaven.
2) … Christ identified with His people: Pink notes that forgiveness is “a Divine prerogative.” Jesus is identifying Himself with the people for whom He dies by requesting of the Father forgiveness on their behalf.
3) … the divine estimate of sin and its consequent guilt: The ignorance of the crowds and crucifiers did not negate the need of divine forgiveness. In the next point Pink explains the nature of the ignorance.
4) … the blindness of the human heart: The people were not ignorant that a crucifixion was taking place. The people were blindly ignorant of the “enormity of their crime.” Then Pink nails reality on the head. “And yet they ought to have known.”
5) … a lovely exemplification of His own teaching: “Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which dispitefully use you, and persecute you (Matthew 5:44).” Here we have Jesus in prayer for His persecutors. I will comment below in the reflection section about how Pink here in this section masterfully explains the nature of human forgiveness and the extent of a person’s responsibility to forgive.
6) … man’s great and primary need: “As a general rule, human forgiveness is a matter of leniency, often of laxity. We mean forgiveness is shown at the expense of justice and righteousness.” Here on the cross we see the cost of divine forgiveness in the perfect righteousness of the Son’s obedience, even to death on a cross. “A righteous ground has been provided on which God can be just and yet the justifier of all who believe.”
7) … the triumph of redeeming love: Pink masterfully compares Samson’s final request to bring about the destruction of his foes with Jesus’ final prayer that the Father not place the sin of deicide upon the account of the people. “In all things He has the preeminence.”
— REFLECTION —
Isn’t it good to chew on the meat of a God honoring book. And from the first word of this first chapter this book is like jerky and I have delighted to savor the chewing as the seasoning continues to amaze. (Isn’t it amazing how much flavor is packed into those few ounces of meat from the gas station beef jerky aisle?)
Recently I was reflecting upon how an abandoned wife ought to speak of her ex-husband before her children. Should she tell them, “I forgive your Father and so should you?” Or should she tell them, “Your father has sinned against you and I and against his God. What he has done is wrong and without repentance he stands condemned. I cannot simply go to him and say, ‘Don’t worry about it, I forgive you,’ because it ought to be his main concern to worry greatly over unrepented sin. Therefore, children, I choose to love your Father, not to harbor bitterness against him, to pray that he will see his need for repentance, and obey my Lord by praying that most importantly He would forgive.” Pink settles this struggle for me in this section by clearly explaining Christ’s example on the cross and His instruction in Matthew 5:44.
Notice that Christ did not personally forgive His enemies. So in Matthew 5:44, He did not exhort His disciples to forgive their enemies, but He does exhort them to “pray” for them. But are we not to forgive those who wrong us? … Does Scripture teach that under all circumstances we must always forgive? I answer emphatically, it does not. The Word of God says, “If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him. And if he trespass against thee seven times a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him” (Luke 17:3-4) … Even though the one who has wronged me does not repent, nevertheless, I must not harbor ill feelings against him. There must be no hatred or malice cherished in the heart. Yet, on the other hand, I must not treat the offender as if he had done no wrong. That would be to condone the offense, and therefore I should fail to uphold the requirements of righteousness, and this the believer is ever to do.
We as fellow sinners have no right to bear any wrath or malice toward even an unrepentant sinner. But we in bearing witness to the righteousness of God must not ignore an offense and thus bear false witness to the wrath of God upon every sin. Therefore, we are left with the righteous recourse of prayer. “Lord, I cannot condemn and neither can I forgive. Lord, grant me, first, love. And, Lord, grant this sinner faith that leads to repentance. Lord, have mercy, Lord, forgive.”
There is so much in this chapter that simply lifts up my crucified Savior as far above all others. Our Savior is good and right. When I had done my worst, my Savior was lifted up and with a prayer for forgiveness drew all people to Himself.
— INVITING YOUR THOUGHTS —
I hope that as you read that you will also respond below and interact with me as well as visit challies.com and interact there. As we interact let us keep in the spirit of A. W. Pink in his worshipful study and encouraging meditations.