Page:PracticalCommentaryOnHolyScripture.djvu/742

 down under  His  crown  of  thorns. But His  bleeding  Heart  is  till  unconquered, still  beats  with  love  for  His  tormentors; His  Eyes,  too,  are  free, and are  raised  pleadingly  to  His  Father;  His  Tongue  is  unfettered,  and with that  He  prays  aloud  for  His  enemies. In the  midst  of  the  turmoil of mockery  and  blasphemy,  Jesus  prays  that  His  murderers  may  be forgiven. His Blood,  innocently  shed,  cries  to  heaven  for  vengeance, but His  loving  Heart  cries  out  for  pardon. He does  not  remember  that it is  through  His  murderers  that  He  is  suffering,  He  only  remembers  that He is  suffering  and  dying  for  them,  and  prays  that  even  for  them  His Precious Blood  may  not  be  shed  in  vain. This first  utterance  of  our  Lord on the  Cross  shows  us,  then,  1. that He  is  the  Redeemer  of  all  men,  and that He  suffered  and  died  as  our  Advocate  and  Mediator  with  the  Father; 2. that  Jesus  is  the  Son  of  God,  for  even  on  the  Cross  He  speaks  as a Son  to  His  Father,  and  the  consciousness  of  His  divine  dignity  never left Him  even  when  He  was  brought  most  low. He suffered  and  died as the  Son  of  God. It shows  us  3. the infinite  love  of  Jesus  for  His enemies. By forgiving  His  enemies  and  praying  that  they  might  be forgiven,  He  proved  Himself  to  be  the  Son  of  God,  more  than  if  He had  come  down  from  the  Cross;  for  love  such  as  this  had  never  been seen on  earth,  and  did  not  spring  from  earth  but  from  heaven,  from the bosom  of  the  Eternal  Father. Our Blessed  Lord  thus  teaches  us not  only  by  His  words,  but  also  by  His  example,  that  we  should  “love our enemies,  do  good  to  them  that  hate  us,  and  pray  for  them  that persecute and  calumniate  us”.

The fruit  of  our  Lord's  prayer  was  that  the  Jews  were  given  a long  reprieve  (till  the  year  70),  in  which  interval  many  thousands  were converted to  the  Christian  faith,  and  were  saved. Only a few  weeks later, on  the  Feast  of  Pentecost,  three  thousand  were  baptized,  among whom were,  no  doubt,  many  of  those  who  scoffed  at  Jesus  on  the  Cross, and for  whom  He  had  therefore  especially  prayed.

Blasphemy. The scoffers  spoke  contemptuously  of  the  power  of Jesus,  of  His  Divinity,  and  of  His  royal  dignity  as  the  Messias  or  king of the  Jews.

Unbelief. Now,  would  the  chief  priests  and  scribes  have  believed if Jesus  had  come  down  alive  from  the  Cross? No! They  saw  the wonders which  accompanied  His  death,  and  were  convinced  of  the  truth of the  most  wonderful  of  all  miracles,  namely  His  Resurrection  from  the dead, but  in  spite  of  all,  they  hardened  their  hearts  and  would  not believe.

And one  of  the  thieves  who  were  crucified  with  Him,  blasphemed Him  like  the  others,  saying:  “If  Thou  be  Christ,  save