Albert Barnes Commentary Luke 23:34

"And Jesus said, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And parting his garments among them, they cast lots." — Luke 23:34 (ASV)

Father, forgive them. This is a fulfillment of the prophecy in Isaiah 53:12: He made intercession for the transgressors. The prayer was offered for those who were guilty of putting him to death. It is not quite certain whether he referred to the Jews or to the Roman soldiers.

Perhaps he referred to both. The Romans did not know what they did, as they were really ignorant that he was the Son of God and were merely obeying the command of their rulers. The Jews knew, indeed, that he was innocent, and they had evidence, if they would have looked at it, that he was the Messiah. However, they did not know what would be the effect of their guilt; they did not know what judgments and calamities they were bringing down upon their country.

It may also be added that, though they had abundant evidence that he was the Messiah if they would have looked at it—enough to leave them without excuse—yet they did not, in fact, believe that he was the Savior promised by the prophets. They had no proper sense of his rank and dignity as the Lord of glory. If they had, they would not have crucified him, as we cannot suppose that they would knowingly put to death their own Messiah, the hope of the nation, and him who had been so long promised to the fathers (see 1 Corinthians 2:8).

We may learn from this prayer:

1. The duty of praying for our enemies, even when they are endeavoring most to injure us.
2. The thing for which we should pray for them is that God would pardon them and give them better minds.
3. The power and excellence of the Christian religion. No other religion teaches people to pray for the forgiveness of enemies; no other disposes them to do it. People of the world seek revenge; the Christian bears reproaches and persecutions with patience, and prays that God would pardon those who injure them and save them from their sins.
4. The greatest sinners, through the intercession of Jesus, may obtain pardon. God heard him and still hears him always, and there is no reason to doubt that many of his enemies and murderers obtained forgiveness and life (Compare to Acts 2:37, 42-43; 7:7; 14:1).

They know not what they do. It was done through ignorance (Acts 3:17). Paul says that, had they known it,
they would not have crucified
the Lord of glory (1 Corinthians 2:8).

Ignorance does not altogether excuse a crime if the ignorance is willful, but it diminishes its guilt. They had evidence; they might have learned his character; they might have known what they were doing, and they might be held answerable for all this.

But Jesus here shows the compassion of his heart, and as they were really ignorant—whatever might have been the cause of their ignorance—he implores God to pardon them. He even urges it as a reason why they should be pardoned, that they were ignorant of what they were doing. And though people are often guilty for their ignorance, yet God often, in compassion, overlooks it, averts his anger, and grants them the blessings of pardon and life.

So he forgave Paul, for he did it in ignorance, in unbelief (1 Timothy 1:13). So God winked at the ignorance of the Gentiles (Acts 17:30). Yet this is no excuse, and no evidence of safety, for those who in our day contemptuously put away from them and their children the means of instruction.