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Author: Stephen Weller
788 words, 4 minutes read time

A Criminal Finds Salvation

Scripture: Matthew 27:44; Luke 23:39-43

In the previous lesson we agonized as we watched onlookers deride Jesus for his claim of being the Son of God sent by his Father, and now found helplessly nailed to a cross to die as a criminal. In this lesson we begin to see a light forming amidst the thick darkness of evil as Jesus makes a promise of being with one of the criminals later that day in paradise. In what seems to be a tragic defeat there is a ray of glorious hope of a soon victory.

^{Mt 27:44} And the robbers who were crucified with him also reviled him in the same way. ^{Lk 23:39} One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” ⁴⁰ But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? ⁴¹ And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” ⁴² And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” ⁴³ And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

In the narrative the reviling shifts from those looking on to the three hanging on their respective cross. It appears that at the beginning of their time together both criminals reviled Jesus, but then one turns to Jesus and said to him, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” The response of the second criminal is rather surprising because it reveals a heart that is being touched by God. He responds by saying to the first criminal, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.”

Clearly this criminal is under conviction of his sin and understands that his punishment is deserved. He then turns to Jesus and sees him for who he is, “The King of the Jews.” He said to him, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” This request is both a plea and a confession of faith in Jesus. Jesus responds to him and says to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

Paradise is found only three times in the ESV Bible: here in Luke 23:43 and in 2 Corinthians 12:3 and in Revelation 2:7. Children’s bible stories of Lazarus and the rich man illustrate Hades and Paradise being located near each other and being temporary. Meaning that at a later time those in Hades would be transferred to hell and those in Paradise would go to heaven. It is possible that Hades and Paradise are metaphors to represent hell and heaven. In the story of the rich man and Lazarus, Hades and Paradise appear to be far apart and not allowing one to go from one to the other.

The ESV footnote expresses the belief that paradise is another name for heaven, the dwelling place of God and the eternal home of the righteous. Paul speaks of knowing someone being caught up into paradise (2 Corinthians 12:3) and John speaks of one being granted permission to eat of the tree of life that is located in the paradise of God (Revelation 2:7). The same Greek word used for paradise is also used to refer to the “garden of Eden.” The implication seems to be that this criminal would be with Jesus in heaven that day and also speaks of a coming restoration of intimate, personal fellowship with God that existed in Eden before the fall.

The notion that at his death Jesus went to Hades or to hell is not supported in Scripture and if it was it would present a conflict with Jesus and the criminal being in paradise that day. Tradition can be very powerful in leading people away from the truth. Even the Apostles’ Creed states that Jesus descended into hell. Two links hear and hear are worth reading on this topic. Further discussion of where Jesus and the criminal went after their death that day is outside the scope of this lesson.

Conclusion

It appears that at the last moment one of the criminals believes in Jesus and seeks salvation while the other continues on to hell. Because of what Jesus said to the criminal about being in paradise with him that day raises some strong issues that are mentioned in this lesson, which are related to tradition.