Which thief asked jesus for forgiveness

To argue that the example of the thief on the cross is a pattern of salvation today involves an unwarranted assumption and a faulty view of biblical chronology.

When the Lord was crucified, he was positioned between two robbers, both of whom, at some point during the six hours of agony, reproached him Matt. The Greek grammar suggests a repeated verbal assault.

However, as the ordeal proceeded, a change occurred in one of the thieves. This aspect of the case is only recorded by Luke. And one of the malefactors that were hanged railed on him, saying, Art not thou 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, Jesus, remember me when thou comest in thy kingdom.

Instead of reviling the Lord, he glorified him and petitioned the Savior. Jesus was still alive. The thief lived and died under the Old Covenant, and we are under the New Covenant.

If the covenant in which baptism is commanded had not yet come into force when Jesus spoke to the thief, and it is in force now, the rules for salvation have been changed by the changing of covenants. The New Covenant changed the rules. Hebrews And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. The third principle is that neither you nor I are face to face with Jesus like the thief was.

Jesus spoke directly to the thief. There is absolutely no scriptural principle which will allow us to take a statement made to a specific individual and generalize it to make it apply to all men. Jesus speaks to us through the Bible today, not face to face. That means we must listen to what he has said to us through the Word.

Just as surely as the thief heard Jesus then, we must hear Jesus now. He is not speaking to us face to face as he did the thief. He is speaking to us through the written Word of God. Matthew While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.

The fourth principle, despite the assumptions made about the thief not being baptized, is that it is more reasonable to believe that the thief had been baptized than to believe that he had not been baptized. Let's read the account again, and then examine what it really does contain. Luke And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us.

In verse 41, the thief declared " How did he know that? Only by knowing Jesus earlier could he have known that! In verse 42, " He had to have known Jesus before they were nailed to those crosses! It is not dread, but that respect that is due to God because He is God. It is a filial respect because He is Father. The good thief recalls the fundamental attitude that opens the way for trusting in God: the awareness of his omnipotence and of his infinite goodness.

It is this trusting respect that helps to make room for God and for trust in his mercy. Therefore, Jesus is there on the cross to be with those who are guilty: through this closeness, He offers them salvation.

Thus he becomes a witness of Grace; the unthinkable happened: God loved me so much that he died on the Cross for me. It is true, he was a thief, he was a crook, he had stolen things throughout his life. But in the end, he regretted what he had done, and, seeing Jesus, so good and merciful, he managed to steal Heaven: he is a great thief, this man! That man asks Jesus to remember him. There is so much tenderness in this expression, so much humanity! It is the need of the human being not to be forsaken; that God may be always near.

Remember your love In the hour of the cross, the salvation of Christ reaches its height ; and his promise to the good thief reveals the fulfillment of his mission: that is, to save sinners. It is sometimes very difficult to stop myself thinking about getting revenge or making someone apologise to me. At such times, I might fall into the temptation to stay with my anger and hurt rather than to learn from it and grow.

I refuse your mercy even if I believe that you offer it to me and to all. But, you teach us all that forgiveness has to come first, and you teach us this even while they are nailing you to the cross.

Help us to believe that you want to forgive us, as we forgive those who have sinned against us. Help us to ask for your forgiveness, especially in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and give us the strength to be forgiving people.

Together we pray; Lord, we want to walk beside you in your suffering. Forgive us; and help us to see you in the suffering of the poor.