Why Should We Forgive Our Enemies?

My Come, Follow Me studies for this week took me to Matthew 27, Mark 15, Luke 23, and John 19 in a lesson titled “It Is Finished.” The lesson was preceded by this counsel: “Matthew 27; Mark 15; Luke 23; and John 19 include descriptions of the final hours of the Savior’s mortal life. Seek to feel His love for you as you study about His sacrifice and death.” The lesson was then introduced by the following information. 

In every word and deed, Jesus Christ exemplified pure love—what the Apostle Paul called charity (see 1 Corinthians 13).  At no time was this more evident than during the final hours of the Savior’s mortal life. His dignified silence in the face of false accusations demonstrated that He “is not easily provoked” (1 Corinthians 13:5). His willingness to submit to scourging, mocking, and crucifixion—while restraining His power to end His torments—showed that He “suffereth long” and “beareth all things” (1 Corinthians 13:4, 7). His compassion toward His mother and His mercy toward His crucifiers—even during His own incomparable suffering—revealed that He “seeketh not [His] own” (1 Corinthians 13:5). In His final moments on earth, Jesus was doing what He had done throughout His mortal ministry—teaching us by showing us. Indeed, charity is “the pure love of Christ” (Moroni 7:47).

The lesson includes several notable principles that are worthy of further study, such as (1) “Jesus Christ’s willingness to suffer shows His love for the Father and for all of us,” (2) Mocking cannot change the truth,” and (3) “Jesus Christ suffered alone so I don’t have to.” However, I feel prompted to discuss this principle: “The Savior is our example of forgiveness” (Luke 23:34). I will start with the scriptural words as follows: “Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.”

Verse 34 is preceded by the telling of Jesus Christ being taken before Pilate, Herod, and back to Pilate. It also tells of the people crying “Crucify him, crucify him” (verse 21), and being taken to be crucified. Last week’s lesson told of Christ being mocked, spit upon, and scourged. Then He was taken and nailed to a cross until He died. Even the thieves being crucified on each side of Christ mocked Him.

Matthew 23:34 does not tell us exactly who Christ meant when He uttered, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34). However, the Joseph Smith Translation of this scripture tells us in footnote c: “JST Luke 23:35 … they do (Meaning the soldiers who crucified him,) …).  President Henry B. Eyring taught the following about this scripture. 

If we are to have unity, there are commandments we must keep concerning how we feel. We must forgive and bear no malice toward those who offend us. The Savior set the example from the cross: “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34). We do not know the hearts of those who offend us. Nor do we know all the sources of our own anger and hurt.

The Apostle Paul was telling us how to love in a world of imperfect people, including ourselves, when he said, “Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil” (1 Corinthians 13:4-5). And then he gave solemn warning against reacting to the fault of others and forgetting our own when he wrote, “For now we see through a glass darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as I am known” (1 Corinthians 13:12).

All of us have been hurt by something that someone said or did to us or about us. Many of us have had reputations or relationships damaged or destroyed through no fault of our own. Many of us know of loved ones who have been hurt or even killed by someone else. Jesus Christ set the example of forgiveness because we are required to forgive those who hurt us before Heavenly Father will forgive us of our sins.