39 One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, and “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” 40 But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? 41 And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” 42 And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” 43 And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.” (Luke 23:39–43 (ESV)
In our study of the Gospel of Matthew’s record of the Passion Week of the Lord Jesus Christ, it is necessary, and insightful, to examine all four Gospel accounts. This discipline provides us understanding of all the events and encounters which took place during those hours.
We continue to examine what occurred during the first three hours of Jesus’ crucifixion. Today’s focus is the one robber who repented of his sin and Jesus’ promise of paradise.
The two criminals crucified with Jesus were on either side of the Lord. All four Gospels acknowledge this (Matt. 27:38; Mark 15:27; Luke 23:33; John 19:18). However, Luke is the only author who recorded the incident of the repentant robber.
“There was one man for whom the day started as the worst day in his life, but ended not only as the last day, but as the best day. In the morning, he had been dragged along with two others from his prison cell and forced to carry the instrument of his own crucifixion. From around midday, he began to experience the agony of crucifixion, a torturous form of execution that actually led the great Roman orator, Cicero, to say the very word should be absent from the lips of a Roman citizen,” explains Dr. Sinclair Ferguson.
The biblical text identified both men as criminals (κακοῦργος; kakourgos). They were lawbreakers, wrongdoers and evil workers. In other words, they both were career criminals. They lived a life of crime and now they would die in payment for their crimes. They symbolized all sinners who God declares guilty of transgressing His law and who are worthy of death (Gen. 2:15-17; Isaiah 53:5; Rom. 6:23; James 1:15).
Both men mocked Jesus along with the crowd (Matt. 27:44; Mark 15:32). Luke recorded one of the criminals saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” Luke used the word railed (βλασφημέω; blasphemeo) to describe the one criminal continually reviling and blaspheming the Lord. He was not repentant of his sins. He was not sorry for his transgressions. He only wanted deliverance from the consequences of his sin; which was death.
It was at this point in the narrative Luke introduced a stark contrast. The other criminal, rather than rebuking Jesus as he previously had, actively rebuked (ἐπιτιμάω; epitimao) the other criminal. He expressed strong disproval in what the other criminal said to Jesus. He said, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? 41 And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.”
The second man acknowledged the sinner he was and the just condemnation he deserved. He also acknowledged someone else; Jesus. He understood Jesus was different. He did not deserve to be crucified. Then the second criminal said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” The Holy Spirit began a work of regeneration within the heart and soul of a man who was a heartless and soulless criminal; (John 3:1-8; 6:35-44;Titus 3:1-5).
Jesus replied, ““Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.” Paradise (παράδεισος; paradeisos) is the dwelling place of the righteous dead in a condition of blessedness. While the criminal was not righteous, the Lord declared him righteous. The criminal received the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ (Rom 3:21-26). He was justified and now had peace with God even as he hung on a cross (Rom. 5:1).
“He addresses the One to whom he has now surrendered his heart as Jesus, that is, Savior. See Luke 1:31; 2:21. And, as Gabriel had done (Luke 1:31–33), with that name Jesus the penitent immediately associates royal rule. The angel had said to Mary, “You shall give him the name Jesus.… And the Lord God will give him the throne of his father David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and his kingdom [or royal rule] will never end,” explains Dr. William Hendriksen.
“About that eschatological coming Jesus had spoken again and again. See, for example, the following passages: Matt. 16:27; 19:28; 24:27, 30; 25:31–46; 26:64; Luke 17:22–37; 21:27, 36; 22:29, 30. If the penitent had heard anything about Jesus at all—and his prayer is hard to explain if he had not—he must have heard about his predictions in connection with the glorious Return at the end of the age.”
“The man is asking Jesus, therefore, to be remembered by him at that time. He does not ask for any place of honor. He knows very well that such a place is not for him. But he casts himself entirely upon the Savior’s grace, asking only to be remembered; that is, of course, to be remembered for good,” concludes Dr. Hendriksen.
“That Friday began as the worst day of his life. It was the last day of his life, but it was the best day of his life because the Lord Jesus said to him, “Today, you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43),” states Dr. Sinclair Ferguson.
“It wasn’t an easy road that brought him to Jesus. It was strewn with his own sin and failure. But at last, he was brought near to Jesus to recognize Him as Savior and King, to turn to Him, to cast himself on His mercy, and to find forgiveness and eternal life. And now he’s with Jesus in paradise. That’s what made this Friday “Good Friday” for him, and it’s the only thing that can make it good for us too.”
Have you received this gift of righteousness? Have you experienced your good conversion day (Psalm 118:24)?
Soli deo Gloria!
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