Then said Jesus,
Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.
And they parted his clothing, and cast lots.
All Commentaries on Luke 23:34 Go To Luke 23
Augustine of Hippo
AD 430
Let me now tell you something that will help you believe what you cannot possibly understand unless you believe. Tell me, how many souls were there, in the Acts of the Apostles, who believed when they observed the miracles of the apostles? I mean those Jews who had crucified the Lord, who brought along blood stained hands, who had sacrilegious ears, whose tongues were compared with a sword. “Their teeth are weapons and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword.” Christ had not prayed for them in vain. He did not say in vain, “Father, forgive them, because they do not know what they are doing.” From their number, a very great many believed. As we can read, “There believed on that day,” as it says, “three thousand souls.” There you have thousands of souls, and here so many thousand souls. The Holy Spirit came on them, through whom loved is poured out in our hearts. ..
