"But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss." Luke 23:40-41
Good morning, friends!
No mom ever wants to think that her child will end up homeless, on drugs, committing suicide, or wandering aimlessly through life without any direct goals.
No mom certainly wants their child to grow up as a criminal.
This summer during Bible camp I taught the story of the two criminals who were crucified at the same time as Jesus. For most people, these two men are only thought of in this "freeze frame" moment of Scripture, and so it is difficult to think of them being anything else except, well, two thieves on the cross. For the first time this summer, I thought of them not as the Sunday school picture card, but as two actual people.
These men started off as babies. Maybe they were lovingly prayed over as their mothers fed and rocked them. Maybe they were neglected, or just another mouth to feed. They grew up to be rough and tumble boys, scrapping and getting into mischief. Maybe they were taken to the synagogue, or maybe they were raised as Gentiles. These boys grew up into young teens, then older teens, and at some point in their growing up times, began the acts that put them on the crosses that day.
Perhaps they were married, with children, or had families. There is no mention in Scripture of any one coming to mourn them, or to spend their last few hours on earth with them, so it is easy to suppose that no one came because there was no one special in their lives, but who knows?
While there are many unknown factors in their lives, one thing is certain, by their own admission:
They were guilty.
This was not injustice for these criminals. There was no "wrongful imprisonment." There was no appeal process. They had been caught, condemned, and were being executed. To put it simply, they had done the crimes for which they were condemned, and now they were doing their time.
Not so with Jesus. II Corinithians 5:21 reminds us that God made Jesus "to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." Jesus was not the guilty one, but He died so that I as the guilty one could go free.
I have often wondered at what point the thief on the cross realized that Jesus was innocent. Although we tend to think of these two thieves only on the cross, there are other mentions of them before this moment. They endured the long walk to Golgotha with Jesus: "and there were also two other, malefactors, led with him to be put to death." (Luke 23:32) They saw the throngs of people that reviled Jesus. They as well were part of those who mocked Jesus: "The thieves also, which were crucified with him, cast the same in his teeth." (Matthew 27:44)
At some point, though, one of the men's attitude toward Jesus changed.
Perhaps it was Jesus's silence while other's mocked Him.
Perhaps it was His loving care toward His earthly mother, and his disciple.
Perhaps it was the forgiveness that He offered toward those that hurt Him.
In that agonizing time, one of the thieves began to hope. What if this man next to him was not an ordinary man? What if Jesus was something more than just another condemned prisoner? What if this man had the power to save him, if not from this earthly torment, but from eternal condemnation and separation from God?
His disbelief became a lueur of hope, that burst into faith.
"Dost thou not fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom." (Luke 23:42)
Jesus's promise? "Verily, I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise." (Luke 23:43)
What a lifeline! The thief who had not one ounce of hope to cling to, was now being offered the promise of eternal life!
He could not get down from the cross and do any good deeds.
He could not be baptized.
He could not pray to a priest or attend a last religious service.
He just simply believed Jesus at His word, and received the promise from Him, that He had eternal life.
Have you ever thought about the fact that Jesus left this earth before the thieves did? (John 19:32 reminds us that the soldiers broke their legs to hasten their deaths, but that Jesus was already gone.) The thieves witnessed the darkness, the earthquake, the final cry of Jesus, the astonished cry of the centurion: "Certainly this was a righteous man." (Luke 23:47).
Jesus prepared the way, to welcome this former thief, this now-brother, into paradise.
My husband and I have talked at length about this: I think we should stop referring to these men as the "two thieves" on the cross. Yes, they were guilty of the crimes they committed, but one repented and turned in faith to Jesus, and that makes all the difference: "Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away, behold, all things are become new." II Corinthians 5:17.
I too was guilty before God. I deserved to die as punishment for my sins. I hope that when folks see me now, they do not see my guilty past, but Jesus's forgiveness in my life. I am NOT the person I was, and I would hate to be remembered for all of the things I have been in my past.
"There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." (Romans 8:1)
As I live my day today, may I be reminded that I have been called to walk in newness of life. May I not be found guilty of my past sins, but live in the life that Christ gained for me by His death on the cross.
I am forgiven. One day, like the former-thief, I will be with Jesus in paradise.
And you?
I can almost see this as being in tract form, Susan. Thanks for sharing. Wonderful thoughts to ponder.
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