23/03/2026
The thief on the Cross.
The Thief on the cross stands out to us to demonstrate the depth of the forgiveness of Jesus the Messiah. We often point to him and say: “See you only have to come to Jesus, and all is OK. You don’t need to do this or that, just come. Come. He loves you and cares for you. Come.”
But who is the thief on the cross? What did Jesus say to him? What is paradise, and is the thief there?
To begin the theft is common in every period. Theft, then as today, was the dark side of human nature. Arising out of any number of human emotions. Greed, Pay-back, spite, opportunity. One person might steal from another without pity or remorse.
The Covenant God made with the Israelites as they came out of Egypt contained several provisions relating to the theft of some item or other.
1, Exodus 22:1 NHEB-JE “If a man steals an ox or a sheep, and kills it, or sells it; he shall pay five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a sheep.
2. Exodus 22:7 NHEB-JE “If a man delivers to his neighbour money or stuff to keep, and it is stolen out of the man’s house; if the thief is found, he shall pay double.
Theft is not necessarily the domain of the lone individual. Lookouts, or crews, at times worked together to maximise the take. The Bible warns such individuals not to get involved, nor stay silent. Proverbs 29:24 NHEB-JE Whoever is an accomplice of a thief is an enemy of his own soul. He takes an oath, but dares not testify.
In the period leading up to the death of Jesus in Jerusalem, Zacchaeus encountered Jesus, and discovered forgiveness and grace as he acknowledged his sin and faith in Jesus. Luke 19:8-10 And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord, “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor, and if I have wrongfully exacted aught of any man, I restore fourfold.“ And Jesus said to him, This day salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.
So what are we to make of the ex*****on of the Thief on the cross next to Jesus? Even under Roman Law, theft was dealt with strictly, but the death penalty was reserved for those who challenged Roman authority or committed murder. We do not have a specific incident recorded from antiquity relating to such a crime. But both the criminals beside Jesus were under the penalty of death.
The incident unfolds like this: Luke 23:39-43 And one of the malefactors that were hanged railed on him, saying, “If thou art the Christ, save thyself and us”. But the other answered, and rebuking him said, “Dost thou not even 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 in thy kingdom”. And he said unto him, “Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in Paradise.”
To begin we can say that there was a common knowledge among the people of the day that Jesus could perform miracles. So much so that the first thief almost expected Jesus to take himself down from the cross, perhaps to dispense judgement on those who placed him there.
The second thief in reply reveals some connection between himself and the first. These two may have committed some crime together and therefore suffer together. Perhaps the second’s crime was of being a silent witness of the first’s offense. And when later found out the two are treated as co-conspirators. This second individual also demonstrates an understanding of the miraculous power of Jesus, but his view is tempered by his own guilt.
This guilt to me suggests that he may have spent time in Jesus' company, among his disciples. In the company of these men he is likely to have heard the teaching of Jesus. The following words would have been often repeated, and would have deeply challenged his soul.
Mat 5:23-26 NHEB 23 “If therefore you are offering your gift at the altar, and there remember that your brother has anything against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. 25 Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are with him in the way; lest perhaps the prosecutor deliver you to the judge, and the judge to the officer, and you be cast into prison. 26 Truly I tell you, you will never get out of there until you have paid the last penny.
The guilty thief may have sought reconciliation with the one from whom he stole. Rather than peace with his victim he was dragged to the magistrate where his crime was made public. When his co-conspirator is exposed the two are sentenced to death. To the guilty thief this would be nothing more than he deserved. To his accomplice, it meant betrayal. The only recourse for the penitent thief would be to appeal to the Messiah for possible deliverance in the new kingdom. To his relief such a petition is granted and he dies a happy sinner.
But what now. Paradise was a common expectation in the Jewish population. It was based on the Garden in the East of Eden. The Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible used the word paradise in speaking about the garden. In Genesis chapter 2 verses 8 and 9 the Greek says: And God planted paradise in Eden to the East, and put there the man whom he shaped … and the tree of life in the midst of paradise, and the tree of knowing good and evil. The prophet Isaiah spoke of God making a new heavens and a new earth, Isaiah 65:17 and 66:22. The prophet Jeremiah spoke of a time when God will institute a new covenant, and write his law on human hearts. This idyllic age to come was the hope of God’s faithful people. And the thief too hoped that he might find a place there.
Jesus words to the thief on the cross: “Truly I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise”. Jesus accepted the penitent thief, with the promise of resurrection. But a question must be asked, when does Jesus enter his kingdom. Jesus' words might imply the resurrection happened that very day. Yet we know from the Biblical account that Jesus rose to life three days later. So was Jesus uninformed? The greek text that is the source of this account has no punctuation. So in the light of the circumstances of the resurrection we can write Jesus' words as follows: “Truly I say to you today, you shall be with me in paradise.” This fits with the timeline of the account.
This also fits with the letter of Paul to the church at Thessalonica. To them he writes: 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 (13) But I would not have you ignorant, brothers, concerning those who are asleep (dead), that you be not grieved, even as others who have no hope. (14) For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will also bring with Him all those who have fallen asleep (died) through Jesus. (15) For we say this to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord shall not go before those who are asleep. (16) For the Lord Himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ shall rise first. (17) Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air. And so we shall forever be with the Lord. (18) Therefore comfort one another with these words.
This is a sequential event. Part 1as Jesus descends He calls to those which are dead, “Rise up.” Then Part 2 completes the event, those who are still alive are caught up by the same words. Paul did not envision the dead saints as already being in paradise, but that when Jesus returns in glory and the power of his kingdom then those who have died having faith are raised with new bodies, and we, those still alive at that time, are caught up into the air to meet him.
Many Christians today regularly look to the skies in anticipation of Jesus' return. This is the time when the new kingdom, the paradise of God, is reinstated. When that day comes if we are so called, we might catch a glimpse of the thief who in gratitude will be praising his Lord. Today this is the hope that we can have. If in repentance we call out in faith, and live by His commands, we will also receive the promise and call to new life in God’s paradise. But as demonstrated in the death of the thief, following Jesus will cost us very much. It is not easy to follow.
