What did Jesus mean when he spoke these words from the cross: “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34)?
Please read Matthew 27 and note that the religious leaders inspired the crowd to demand Christ's crucifixion. These leaders were motivated by jealousy and hatred, mocking Jesus as He hung dying (verses 41-43). The people who cried "Crucify Him!" were filled with hate and ignorance (see verse 25!). And the soldiers mocked and abused Jesus (verses 27-31).
When Christ asked the Father to forgive all of these people, He knew that many would continue in their unbelief. He wasn't offering unrepentant unbelievers salvation. But He knew that some of those present would later come to understand the gospel, and they'd be devastated by the part they played, realizing Jesus had died for their sins.
We know that one of the soldiers present, a centurion, probably came to faith because seeing the way Jesus died, he said, “Surely this was a righteous man” (Luke 23:44-47).
Imagine how this soldier and others like him would feel when they realized the gravity of their actions in Christ's crucifixion. They'd probably assume such a sin was unforgivable. Then they'd remember Christ's words from the cross.
And Christ's words also have meaning to us. He wants us to know that no sin disqualifies us if we turn our lives over to Him. And He wants us to forgive others as He's forgiven us (Colossians 3:12-13).
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