KJV Luke 23:43 And Jesus said unto him, “Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with Me in paradise.”
NASB Luke 23:43 And He said to him, “Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise.”
This utterance is unique in that it is the result of a conversation. We tend to think of what the Lord did for the thief, and rightly so. To open Paradise at the 11th hour was an amazing thing. But think as well of what the thief did for the Lord.
The Lord was suspended on a cross. Around Him was a chorus of blasphemous charges. His person and His kingship were being denied and mocked. The rulers were exulting in the apparent helplessness of their victim. They had “successfully” frustrated His Messianic claims and His kingly aspirations. In their eyes, this was the end of the “impostor” and all the trouble He was causing them.
But a kind and faithful Father could not see His Son so vilified without some token to encourage amidst the travesty. In His sovereign ways, God brought a thief alongside the Lord Jesus, who, in His confession, acknowledged what men surrounding the cross were mocking.
In his plea for mercy, the thief acknowledged the Lord’s resurrection, return, the coming Kingdom, and His place as King. Where did he learn all this? A man who was dead and buried could be of no help to him. But a living, resurrected ruler could extend mercy to him. He, by faith, saw in the Man at his side, a Man Who was going to rise from the dead, return, establish a kingdom, and reign. This may well be the most complete confession made to the Lord Jesus during His life, and the Father reserved it for the darkest hour.
But think now of the Lord and His mercy to this thief. We stressed previously that it was a scene of blasphemous charges filling the air. But it was also a time of unfathomable suffering for the Saviour. This was no comfortable conversation between a seeking soul and the Lord. Here, amidst the anguish of crucifixion, a thief is crying out for mercy. Once again, the Lord is devoid of self-pity or self-occupation.
The Shepherd is going to bring one sheep back home on His shoulders even at this last hour (Luke 15). And undoubtedly, He did so rejoicing. The beauty and grace of the Lord is seen in that He goes far beyond the request of the thief. Not only would He remember him in a coming day, but that grace would be shown “today.” He would not only be given a place in the Kingdom, but he would enter Paradise “with Me.” And it was not only the Kingdom, but “Paradise” that would be his new home.
The Lord did “exceeding abundant” above all that the man could ask or think. And all this was done in kindness and grace amidst the brutality of the scene and the horrors of crucifixion.
Did others hear this conversation? Did the followers at the foot of the cross appreciate the faith of a dying thief? Were they able to gain some comfort from the words of the Lord? We are not told. But for us, the beauty and grace of our Lord Jesus was displayed for us to appreciate and note with adoring wonder.
“How great is His goodness; how great is His beauty.” Zechariah 9:17
