How then does the execution of Jesus show the love of God? How does it become that sort of sign? We have a hint in Luke 23:34 and in the first letter of Peter 2:23. In Luke, as Jesus is crucified he says, ‘Father, forgive.’ And in Peter’s letter we are reminded that when Jesus is abused he doesn’t retaliate: ‘When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate.’ Here is a divine love that cannot be defeated by violence: we do our worst, and we still fail to put God off. We reject, exclude