Paradise (Luke 23:39-43)

Paradise
Luke 23:33-43

Matthew West’s song “Forgiveness” is a radio hit because of its powerful message. It was inspired by an amazing true story about a woman who forgave the man who killed her daughter in a drunk-driving incident. Her forgiveness changed his life. Jesus’s prayer for God to forgive his persecutors in the same moment they were torturing him leaves an example for us as well. We must forgive others when they sin against us. Even without their recognizing their sin or asking for forgiveness, we must show mercy to our enemies just as Jesus showed mercy to his.

Jesus went to the cross knowing what it would cost him. But he went because he knew his mission was to fulfill God’s redemptive plan. He knew that his death would bring our forgiveness, and he considered us to be worth the cost. Jesus forgave those soldiers who tortured him unjustly. And he also forgives us for our sin that put him there. Have you received the forgiveness of God through Jesus? If not, you can do so today. If so, then have you freely offered that same forgiveness to those who have hurt you?

Two others were crucified with Jesus (ver. 32; Jesus predicted this in 22:37). In contrast to Jesus, these two men were guilty of crimes against humanity. Luke introduces them here because they serve a role later. The soldiers brought Jesus and the two evil doers to the place which was called “Skull,” perhaps because the hill looked like a skull. There the soldiers crucified Jesus and the evil doers, with Jesus in the middle (ver. 33).

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).

The common people (ver. 35) stood nearby observing what was happening. The rulers of the Jews were mocking Jesus (ver. 36), by challenging Him to save Himself if He was, in fact, the Christ. It is certainly ironic, because Jesus was dying to save them from their sins! If He had saved Himself, they would have been lost! Observe that they associate the “Christ” with the “King” in this text as well as being God’s “Chosen One” (compare 9:35; Isaiah 42:1). The soldiers also mocked Him (ver. 36), getting close to Him and offering sour wine (made from water, egg, and vinegar) to Him. This was a cheap wine drank by soldiers. Apparently, this was done to mock Him in some way. They also challenged Him, if He were the “King of the Jews,” He should save Himself (ver. 37). The accusation made against Jesus, for which He was crucified under Roman law, was that He claimed to be the “King of the Jews” (ver. 38).

Now Luke shares what happened with the two evil doers crucified with Jesus whom he introduced in verse 32. One blasphemed Jesus (ver. 39), challenging Him that if He were the Messiah, He should save Himself and them. However, the other evil doer has had a change of heart while hanging on the cross (ver. 40). He asked the first if he feared God. The two of them were suffering the same condemnation as Jesus. Yet they were being punished for what they did (ver. 41); Jesus was being punished for what He did not do. There is a strong suggestion here that this criminal knew something about Jesus, both His nature and His teachings. He knew something about Jesus’ Kingdom (ver. 42).

He asked Jesus to remember him when Jesus entered into His kingdom. It is not likely that the criminal had a proper understanding of the nature of the kingdom. Not even the apostles properly understood the nature of the kingdom. He clearly understood it to mean a spiritual kingdom in some form for he expected to be in it even after death! Yet Jesus responded, promising him (ver. 43) that that very day, he would be with Jesus “in paradise.” What a wonderful promise to hear when one is in the process of dying! It is also remarkable that Jesus is thinking about someone else even as He suffers so badly Himself.

In contrast to the Jewish people as a whole, in contrast to the rulers, in contrast with the soldiers who all were mocking Jesus, this thief had a penitent heart. This man saw something in Jesus and His teachings and His actions that compelled him to want to be with Jesus. And Jesus forgave him. Jesus offered him a place in Paradise with Jesus. The death on the cross would be very painful. It would last long enough - thankfully the Sabbath was the next day, otherwise the thief could have hung on the cross for several days before he died of suffocation or blood loss. Jesus did not take away any of the pain that he was experiencing at that point. Jesus did not take the thief off the cross. He was there because he was a robber and he told the other thief and that two of them were getting what they deserved. Jesus allowed him to experience the punishment he deserved.

But Jesus also promised him 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.

Take home message: Let the story of the thief on the cross inspire you to obey Jesus' commands and anticipate an eternity in Paradise.