The Thief on the Cross

 

To recap: So far I've given my testimony, went in depth about what it means to have faith or believe, explored how salvation is by grace through faith and not by works, looked at baptism in detail, and looked at Jesus's command for salvation. Today I want to talk about something that trips up a lot of people when they are searching for the truth. Let's take a look at the infamous thief on the cross in each of the four Gospels.

Matthew 27:38 Then were there two thieves crucified with him, one on the right hand, and another on the left. 39 And they that passed by reviled him, wagging their heads, 40 And saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross. 41 Likewise also the chief priests mocking him, with the scribes and elders, said, 42 He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him. 43 He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God. 44 The thieves also, which were crucified with him, cast the same in his teeth.

Mark 15:27 And with him they crucify two thieves; the one on his right hand, and the other on his left. 28 And the scripture was fulfilled, which saith, And he was numbered with the transgressors. 29 And they that passed by railed on him, wagging their heads, and saying, Ah, thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, 30 Save thyself, and come down from the cross. 31 Likewise also the chief priests mocking said among themselves with the scribes, He saved others; himself he cannot save. 32 Let Christ the King of Israel descend now from the cross, that we may see and believe. And they that were crucified with him reviled him.

John 19:30 When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost. 31 The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day, (for that sabbath day was an high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. 32 Then came the soldiers, and brake the legs of the first, and of the other which was crucified with him. 33 But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs:

Luke 23:39 And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. 40 But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? 41 And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. 42 And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. 43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.

The account of the thief on the cross in Luke is the one most people remember and, almost every time the subject of being baptized and receiving he Holy Spirit comes up, people will ask "what about the thief on the cross? Jesus didn't make him get baptized and receive the Holy Spirit. He didn't have to speak in tongues". And you know what, they are absolutely right, but they're also missing some valuable information.

Let's take a look at the word "paradise". This word is from the Greek paradeisoj and it's mentioned three times in the New Testament, one being in that verse in Luke.

2 Corinthians 123 And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) 4 How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.

Revelation 2:7 7 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.

The word "paradise" can mean a heavenly realm of some sort or it could mean a park or garden. It appears in Paul's letter and in Revelation that it is referring to a heavenly realm. Let's look back at Luke though. Jesus says to the thief, who in all the other accounts of the crucifixion was reviling Him, "today you will be with me in Paradise". The word "today" in the Greek is shmeron which means "current day" or "this day". 

So Jesus tells the thief that possibly had a change of heart after mocking him that on that very day he (the thief) would be in paradise with Jesus. But where did Jesus go that very day?  Take a look further down in Luke 23.

50 And, behold, there was a man named Joseph, a counsellor; and he was a good man, and a just: 51 (The same had not consented to the counsel and deed of them;) he was of Arimathaea, a city of the Jews: who also himself waited for the kingdom of God. 52 This man went unto Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. 53 And he took it down, and wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a sepulchre that was hewn in stone, wherein never man before was laid. 54 And that day was the preparation, and the sabbath drew on.

So, on this very day Jesus went into the tomb. He didn't go to heaven or a heavenly realm. The new day was starting shortly because in the Jewish culture it starts around sunset, but on this day, the day of preparation for the Sabbath, Jesus was being buried in a tomb and he was telling the thief that he likewise would be in a tomb that day. In fact, Jesus wouldn't ascend to Heaven until about 40 days after his resurrection so the thief couldn't have gone to Heaven with Him that day.

When Jesus walked the earth he did forgive sins for some people but it wouldn't be until the outpouring of the Spirit in Acts 2 that Jesus would make a way for us to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Remember in John 3 Jesus said that unless we are born again by baptism and receiving the Spirit we would not be able to see or enter the Kingdom of Heaven. He went on, in verse eight, to say that everyone who is born of the Spirit will hear the language of the Spirit (speaking in tongues). But this option to be born again by the Spirit wasn't available the day Jesus died so the thief wouldn't have had that option, just like the others who's sins Jesus forgave while he was walking around performing miracles. 

John 7:37 In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. 38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. 39 (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)

The Holy Spirit wasn't given yet. It wasn't available to the thief on the cross. Also of note, the word "should" is the Greek mellw which means "are about to" and implies expectation rather than suggestion.  It was expected that those who were fully entrusted to Jesus were about to receive the Holy Spirit, which they did... and are still doing.

Jesus will come into His kingdom one day. If we want to see or enter that Kingdom with Him then we must be born of water and Spirit. Being born of water, like all the salvation accounts show, is full immersion baptism at an age of understanding by someone who preaches the truth. Being born of Spirit is receiving the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues. The thief died under the old covenant, which was law-based. He will face the judgement one day as shown in Revelation 20. But rather than be concerned about the thief's salvation let's make sure we've done what we need to do in this new covenant age to enter the Kingdom of Heaven when it comes. If we've done what the Lord has commanded regarding salvation and we are still living that when He returns then we can be assured we will. We will be taken up in the first resurrection and avoid the judgment. Let's make sure that's the case.

Are there other scriptures other than "by grace through faith" and the thief on the cross that trip people up regarding salvation? Drop a comment and we can look into it together.

If you'd like to look into this one some more there's a wonderful talk on YouTube that goes into more detail. He talks about the days and times that things are taking place and how the next day is the Sabbath... a ton more detail than I care to go into. But check it out