Lutz Ruthman

We read in the gospels of Matthew and Mark that those that passed by the cross, the priests, scribes, and elders mocked Jesus, saying "come down from the cross." It was Satan's last effort to tempt Jesus to disobey the Father's will that he give his life as a ransom for all. And we realize that the two malefactors who were crucified with him also mocked him (Matthew 27:44; Mark 15:32).

But Luke, speaking of the same event, gives a different report, showing that one of the malefactors defended Jesus as a righteous man who had done nothing amiss. He tells us that this one asked Jesus: "Lord remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom" (Luke 23:42).

It is true that Luke, who reported this dialogue, was not an eye (or ear) witness to what happened at the cross because he was not one of the apostles who had been with Jesus. Even Matthew and Mark could not have been witnesses of this dialogue at the cross because they both testify to the fact that "all the disciples (including themselves) forsook him, and fled" (Matthew 26:56; Mark 14:50).

The apostle John tells us in his gospel that Mary, the mother of Jesus, and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, Mary Magdalene, and "the disciple whom he loved" remained at the cross (John 19:25,26). The explanation for this different report may be seen in John's fervent love for his master, who defeated his fear so that he soon came back and stayed with the Lord at the cross (1 John 4:18). All these who remained at the cross and also the centurion and the soldiers became eye (and ear) witnesses about what happened there (Matthew 27:54).

Different Writers, Different Accounts

Although the gospel writers differ, they do not disagree. All four describe the Lord's life and work, but each individually from the viewpoint which seems to him important. Luke has Christ's humanity in mind. In his gospel we see Christ talking with women, Samaritans, custom agents, tax collectors, and "sinners." He is the only one who reported the Lord's parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32) and the lost piece of silver, in which the Lord made the point, "I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth" (Luke 15:10). And this seems to be what happened with one of the malefactors facing death at Golgotha.

For Matthew, who had Christ's Messiahship and Mark who had Christ's ministry in mind, this dialogue of the repenting malefactor might not have had the same importance as it had for Luke. Luke realized Jesus' humanity when he in his own painful agony still had a good word of hope for this sinner who showed a contrite heart and humbled himself in the very last moment of his life. It seems that this malefactor at least understood that Jesus would not come down from the cross to save his own life and the life of the malefactor. There was no hope for him to save his life, but how wonderful if in the resurrection of the dead the "king of the Jews" would remember him and his words, spoken to the defense of the Lord. So he set all his hope in the Lord, asking him: "Lord remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom!"

Let us notice that he was the only one who raised his voice to defend Jesus against the slanders of the other malefactor, the people, the priests, and scribes. He was the only one who openly confessed, "This man hath done nothing amiss." His cry to the Lord to remember him was answered by Jesus: "Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise."

A Repentant Sinner

We do not think that this man in one moment grasped the "truth" or understood the Lord's sacrificial death. But he began to understand that he had lived an unjust sinful life for which he was being punished. And he saw, on the contrary, that Jesus who, although he had done nothing amiss, was forced to die on the cross as a malefactor. The words of his request suggest that he believed in the resurrection and that Jesus who was called the king of the Jews, would be given a kingdom. So he asked Jesus to remember him whenever he came into his kingdom. It is understandable that he might have expected that such a powerful and notable man was able to do something good for him.

The malefactor is still sleeping in the grave, waiting with all mankind for his resurrection. But Jesus Christ, after he died on the cross was only for three days in the sleep of death (Mark 8:31; Matthew 28:5,6).

After three days he rose again and all power in heaven and on earth was given to him (Matthew 28:18). Christ after his resurrection ascended into heaven to his heavenly Father (John 20:17). We know from the apostle Paul how important is the resurrection of our Lord: "And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept" (1 Corinthians 15:17-20).

 "Today" in Paradise

We do not know when the malefactor expected to be with Christ, but what we know is that Christ did not tell him he would be with him "today" in paradise. We do not believe that Luke, who had a clear understanding of the resurrection (Luke 24:26), reported the exact words of Jesus as we read them here. Someone translated these words at a time when the light of truth was not as bright as it is today.

Let us also remember that the original Scriptures had no punctuation as we do. Translators use punctuation in a way they think best. The Scriptures are inspired by God, but the translators are not; they can make mistakes. Because the translator expected Jesus to go to paradise right after he was crucified, he put the comma before "to day" as it is in most Bible translations.

All that Jesus had to say or could say to the malefactor was at that moment, "today," before he died. He assured him "today," in the last moments of his life, that he would be with him in Paradise (in the heavenly Father's appointed time). So if we put the comma after the word "today," it gives a completely different understanding, one that is in harmony with the whole concept of the resurrection and the kingdom. "Verily, I say unto thee today, thou shalt be with me in paradise."

What did this promise mean? Did Jesus promise him a special blessing before others because of his repentance? We don't think so. When Jesus died on Calvary for the forgiveness of the Adamic sin, his ransom sacrifice included both malefactors, who were crucified with him. He paid the ransom price for all, including sinners. In this sense it is true that both will be with him in paradise. There would be a benefit in the resurrection for the one who repented before he went into the sleep of death because of his changed heart condition. As we understand from his words he began to long for righteousness and he showed mercy to the Lord. We have a proverb that insight (understanding, judgment) is the first step to improvement. So he might have taken the first step to improvement before he went to the grave that the other still must do after his resurrection from the dead.

The Value of Repentance

When Jesus answered him "Thou shalt be with me in paradise," he did not promise him everlasting life in the earthly kingdom because of his words, which showed sincerity and honesty of heart in the very last moment of his life. He promised him what we might call "a second opportunity," one which all mankind will have if they go up the highway of holiness to the condition that Adam had before he sinned. But we may understand that his contrite heart condition and his feeling for righteousness would direct him to faster progress on this "highway of holiness."

In his answer Jesus promised the malefactor to be with him in "paradise." We find this word "paradise" just two more times in the Scriptures: 2 Corinthians 12:4 and Revelation 2:7.

The word "paradise" is of Persian origin and signifies a park or garden. In this meaning it came into the Hebrew as pardes and into Greek as paradeisos. It is first mentioned in the Bible in Genesis 2:8, "And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden." The Septuagint reads: "God planted a paradise in Eden." The garden of Eden is a fitting picture of the condition of the earthly kingdom which is described so wonderfully in Isaiah 35.

When Jesus promised the repentant malefactor "thou shalt be with me in paradise," he pointed to an earthly place. But the Garden of Eden, the paradise, was lost for mankind when Adam sinned and the antitypical "Garden of Eden," the earthly kingdom, was not prepared and still future when Jesus spoke these words. If Jesus had really said, "To day shalt thou be with me in paradise," where did they go?

We know all three went from the cross into the grave. The Lord was resurrected after three days, but the two malefactors still sleep in death, waiting for the "resurrection of judgment" (John 5:29, NASV).