THE THIEF IS NOT AN EXAMPLE OF SALVATION FOR US:
There are two uses people have made of the account of the thief on the cross, one is illegitimate and one is legitimate. But neither of the major uses of this event is really the purpose of the event and why God recorded the event for us. First, let’s consider the illegitimate use of this event…
Some have suggested that the thief on the cross was saved before and without baptism and therefore, people are saved without baptism today.
First, we know that many Jews responded to the preaching of John the baptizer and Jesus (see Luke 3:7), who baptized for the forgiveness of sins (Luke 3:3). So it is very possible that this man had heard the gospel preached by either John or Jesus and that he had been baptized under John’s baptism. He mentions the “kingdom,” so clearly he knew something about the message of Jesus Christ.
Secondly, we also know that the thief lived and died while the Law of Moses was in effect, not the “baptism taught by Christ.” The Law has since been taken out of the way, having been nailed to the cross (Matt. 27:51; Rom. 2:12-16; Gal. 3:7-29; Eph. 2:11-22; Col. 2:11-17; Heb. 9:15-17).
Thirdly, and this is the fundamental answer to this question is: we know that Jesus, while He was on earth, had the authority to forgive sins (Luke 5:24).
Clearly, the thief on the cross is not the pattern for people to respond to the Gospel once Jesus rose from the dead!
WE DO LEARN SOMETHING ABOUT “PARADISE”:
Jesus tells the thief that He will see him in “paradise.”
Jesus did not go to heaven at this point; He will not go to heaven until 24:51. Jesus did, however, go to “hades” (Acts 2:27, 31). Thus we know that while part of “hades” involves torture (see Luke 16:23), another part of it can be identified as “paradise.”
The word means “garden” or “park.” It is used in the Greek translation of the OT (Septuagint) in Genesis 2:8; 13:10; Isa. 51:3; Ezek. 28:13; 31:8-9.
In the NT, besides this text, it refers to “heaven” in 2 Corinthians 12:4 and Revelation 2:7. The conclusion we draw, then, is that after the final judgment, when “hades” is thrown into “hell” (Rev. 20:13-14), the “paradise” which had been in hades will become the “paradise” in heaven.
THE REAL MESSAGE OF THE “THIEF ON THE CROSS:”
Not only did Jesus teach His followers to forgive (17:3-4), but He also practiced it, stating that these men did not realize what they were doing (see 1 Cor. 2:6-9).
Jesus promised the thief that on the other side of the cross, on the other side of the pain, on the other side of death – there awaited Paradise. That’s the message of the thief on the cross. Regardless of what sins we have committed, if we come to Jesus on His terms, we can receive forgiveness and we can embrace that hope of Paradise, the garden in the presence of God throughout eternity.
Let the story of the thief on the cross inspire you to obey Jesus’ commands and anticipate an eternity in Paradise.
Paul Holland
