He made Intercession for the Transgressors

I've always been fascinated with language. Although I'm not a linguist, I've studied some languages at the university level with varying intensity: German, Romanian, Russian, and Polish. If God gives me length of days, one day I'd like to learn Greek - the declensions and conjugations are far richer than English, and can sometimes really enhance the study of the New Testament.

Today I was musing over

Luk 23:34 KJV - Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.

The verb "said" here is in the imperfect tense (continuous action), active voice, and indicative mood. This means that Jesus did not just say this once, but rather kept on saying "Father, forgive them" while he hung on the cross.

It was prophesied that He would do this. Hebrew verbs can be a little more complicated for a layman like myself, so I won't venture too far, but look at

Isa 53:12 KJV - Therefore will I divide him [a portion] with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

Here, "made intercession" is of the Hiphil stem (causative action) with imperfect aspect (future and/or continuous action with possible repetition). It means He caused the intercession to happen, no one else interceded, nor did He intercede because he was told to do so. It fits perfectly with not only what Jesus actually did while on the cross, but also with what He is doing right now...

Hbr 7:25 KJV - Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

Here, the tense and voice of "ever liveth" and "make intercession" simply mean He is really living (right now, and it's a fact), and He's the one doing the interceding.

In each of these three verses, the intercession He is making is for transgressors.

Hbr 7:26 NASB - For it was fitting for us to have such a high priest...

Yes, very fitting. What a wonderful Saviour we have.