Jesus said "Father forgive them for they know not what they are doing" because his whole mission was to carry out His God's plan to reconcile humanity to Himself.
2 Corinthians:5:19: To wit, that God was in the Messiah, reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and has committed unto us the word of reconciliation.His whole purpose for allowing himself to be crucified was to open the way and make it possible to his God to reconcile the world - humanity unto Himself. That is why he said, "Father forgive them...."He knew that if his own disciples couldn't understand what he was saying when he talked about his death and resurrection, how could the men who condemned him to death be aware as to who he really was. They did recognize who he was because their eyes were blind and they were, as all humanity is now, under the influence of the god of this world, the prince of the power of the air, the great Adversary, Satan.Jesus prayer for forgiveness was out of love for those who crucified him in order that they might in the future come to believe in him and be saved. Jesus, as his God and Father, does not want sinners to be destroyed but instead to repent and believe in the one whom God has sent, the lord Messiah Jesus.
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