Note 142 — Chapter III · RETIREMENT TO THE MOUNT OF OLIVES, ARREST, TRIAL, CONDEMNATION AND CRUCIFIXION OF JESUS.

During or immediately after the crucifixion Luke represents Jesus as saying: Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do (v. 34); an intercession which is by some limited to the soldiers who crucified him,142 by others, extended to the real authors of his death, the Sanhedrists and Pilate.143 However accordant such a prayer may be with the principles concerning love to enemies elsewhere inculcated by Jesus (Matt. v. 44), and however great the internal probability of Luke’s statement viewed in this light: still it is to be observed, especially as he stands alone in giving this particular, that it may possibly have been taken from the reputed messianic chapter, Isa. liii., where in the last verse, the same from which the words: he was numbered with the transgressors, μετὰ ἀνόμων ἐλογίσθη are borrowed, it is said: ‏וְלַפּשְׁעִים יַפְנִּיעַ‎ (he made intercession for the transgressors), which the LXX. erroneously translate διὰ τὰς ἀνομίας αὐτῶν παρεδόθη, he was delivered for their transgressions, but which already the Targum Jonathan renders by pro peccatis (it should be peccatoribus) deprecatus est.