Father, forgive them...

For the longest time I have wondered about the meaning of the plea that Jesus Christ made while nailed to the crucifixion cross. 

”Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.’” (Luke 23:34a).

The context of the statement in Luke would lead one to think that he is referring to the soldiers who are gambling for his clothing at the base of the cross.

But maybe He was referring to their treatment of Himself?

After all, in 2 Samuel 6:6 we read that God had struck down an Israelite for touching the Ark of the Covenant:

But when they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah reached out toward the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen nearly upset it. And the anger of the LORD burned against Uzzah, and God struck him down there for his irreverence; and he died there by the ark of God. (2 Sam 6:6-7)

If God would kill you for touching a Holy object, what would He do to the Hebrews for killing His Son?

Maybe, by this plea, Jesus stayed the Hand of God from destroying Israel and the Roman Empire, or worse.

Just a thought.