The Thief on the Cross

Red Sky at Morning

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Most people have read this exchange between a thief and Jesus as they hung side by side on the cross. I hadn’t really thought about it for years but over the last few weeks the words and their implications started to catch my attention. What is it in the two sentences uttered by the thief that led Jesus to say what he did? What is the unspoken message?

Luke 23

38And an inscription also was written over Him in letters of Greek, Latin, and Hebrew:

THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

39Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, “If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us.”

40But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, “Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? 41And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong.” 42Then he said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.

43And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.
 

TokiEl

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The thieves had broken God's law.

And so deserving of death and hell.

But since the penitent thief repented... Jesus forgave him....and so he escaped hell.



Acts 17 30Although God overlooked the ignorance of earlier times, He now commands all men everywhere to repent. 31For He has set a day when He will judge the world with justice by the Man He has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising Him from the dead.”
 

Phithx

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Most people have read this exchange between a thief and Jesus as they hung side by side on the cross. I hadn’t really thought about it for years but over the last few weeks the words and their implications started to catch my attention. What is it in the two sentences uttered by the thief that led Jesus to say what he did? What is the unspoken message?

Luke 23

38And an inscription also was written over Him in letters of Greek, Latin, and Hebrew:

THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

39Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, “If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us.”

40But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, “Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? 41And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong.” 42Then he said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.

43And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.
Here are some proofs that the beings on this planet are evil, which the man seemed to understand.

Matthew 8:22 But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the "Dead" (those under God's death sentence for treason - Rev. 12:7-9; Luke 9:55) bury their dead.

Luke 9:54 And when his disciples James and John saw [this], they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elijah did?
9:55 But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what kind of spirit ye are of (Rev. 12:7-9; Matt. 8:22).

Revelation 12:7 And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels foughtagainst the dragon (Lucifer); and the dragon fought and his angels,
12:8 And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more inheaven.
12:9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out tothe Earth, and his angels (you - Luke 9:55) were cast out with him(Matthew 25:41).
12:10 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is comesalvation, and strength, and The Kingdom of our God, and the power ofHis Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, whichaccused them before our God day and night.
12:11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the wordof their testimony; and they loved not their (human) lives unto thedeath (John 12:25).
12:12 Therefore rejoice, [ye] heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woet o the inhabiters of the "earth" and of the "sea"! for the devil iscome down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that hehath but a short time (6,000 years).

And Para-Dice [latin] - for being told.
 

Red Sky at Morning

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I was interested in the fact that neither of the thieves had any works to differentiate them. If they were to stand before God, there would be nothing to recommend either of them. They had even broken mans standards enough to warrant a terrible death.

The difference was that the second one realised two key things - he was a sinner who deserved punishment and Jesus was not.

Then he says the following:-

“Lord”,
[he acknowledges his position with respect to Jesus]

“remember me”
[they are both, on the face of it, going to die so the thief must believe that Jesus will rise from the dead!]

“when You come into Your kingdom”
[the OT talks a lot about the coming Kingdom of God. For the thief to believe that Jesus will come into His Kingdom at least hints that he understood who Jesus truly was...]

Some imagine that the “ABCs” of salvation were later invented by Paul, but I would suggest they are certainly implicit in the exchange with this repentant thief...

 
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TokiEl

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I was interested in the fact that neither of the thieves had any works to differentiate them. The difference was that the second one realised two key things - he was a sinner who deserved punishment and Jesus was not.

Then he says the following:-

“Lord”,
[he acknowledges his position with respect to Jesus]

“remember me”
[they are both, on the face of it, going to die so the thief must believe that Jesus will rise from the dead!]

“when You come into Your kingdom”
[the OT talks a lot about the coming Kingdom of God. For the thief to believe that Jesus will come into His Kingdom at least hints that he understood who Jesus truly was...]

Some imagine that the “ABCs” of salvation were later invented by Paul, but I would suggest they are certainly implicit in the exchange with this repentant thief...


It's really not that complicated.

Repentance is really not that complicated.
 

TokiEl

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I completely agree with you - repentance means turning away from your sin. I was interested in the insight the thief displayed about the identity of who was next to him...
Hanging on a cross facing certain death the thief was grasping at straws. L0L
 

TokiEl

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I never noticed myself but the man recognized Jesus as the Kingdom's sovereign and God Himself, and that, together with his repentance, was enough to be redeemed.
Is this a surprise to you ?


Luke 24 44Jesus said to them, “These are the words I spoke to you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about Me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms.” 45Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.

46And He told them, “This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, 47and in His name repentance and forgiveness of sins will be proclaimed to all nations, beginning in Jerusalem. 48You are witnesses of these things.

49And behold, I am sending the promise of My Father upon you. But remain in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”
 

TokiEl

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It is possible that some criminals know about this but because they are criminals will wait and attempt to repent at the deathbed.
 

TokiEl

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... and it appears that recognition of both is essential.
No but it is greatly beneficial to believe Jesus is God... because believing that and knowing how much He suffered... believers don't easily sin and if they slip are soon to repent.
 
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It is possible that some criminals know about this but because they are criminals will wait and attempt to repent at the deathbed.
That's precisely the difference between the two thieves, one using Jesus in vain to be rid of the circumstancial agony of the crucifixion, the other one not concerned about any present relief, but truly concerned with his redemption in the afterlife: "Lord, remember me when You enter into Your Kingdom".
 

TokiEl

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Today a lot of christians are not so worried about sins and repentance since they believe in Jesus.

They think that by believing in Jesus they will be saved.

And that's why there are so much sins in the churches... as it doesn't really matter since they believe in Jesus.
 

TokiEl

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That's precisely the difference between the two thieves, one using Jesus in vain to be rid of the circumstancial agony of the crucifixion, the other one not concerned about any present relief, but truly concerned with his redemption in the afterlife: "Lord, remember me when You enter into Your Kingdom".
It is possible that the criminal elite at least some will attempt to repent at the deathbed.

I got that feeling from the Hollywood production Noah.

A lifetime of evil scrubbed by a moment of repentance... is probably what some are planning.

They must not know that God is not a fool. Oh well.
 

Red Sky at Morning

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Today a lot of christians are not so worried about sins and repentance since they believe in Jesus.

They think that by believing in Jesus they will be saved.

And that's why there are so much sins in the churches... as it doesn't really matter since they believe in Jesus.
I agree that many Christians have been encouraged to “come to Jesus” without repentance. I think a “feel-good gospel” is characteristic of the Laodicean church of Revelation 3.

The thief had an awareness of sin and he had repentance in his heart. As someone who needed a saviour he recognised Jesus as Lord and Christ and was saved.
 

Red Sky at Morning

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When the thief called Jesus “Lord”, what did that mean?

I was listening to this while on an exercise bike a few weeks ago and it was what got me wondering about the implications of the few words that were recorded from the penitent thief:-

 
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