What Did The Thief Know?

I am grateful that not long ago someone pointed me to the interaction of Jesus with the thief on the cross as an example of sharing the gospel. I took on the challenge and found it very instructive for sharing the gospel. It is not so much as an example of how Jesus shared the gospel, but for what one must know to understand the gospel and therefore what we must help people understand as we share the gospel.

There is only one phrase that Jesus says in the account, which is, “Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in paradise” (Luke 23:43, Legacy Standard Bible). In other words, at least as far as Luke recorded, it seems as though Jesus said nothing to this man that we would call sharing the gospel. It is difficult, then, to look at this text as an example of Jesus sharing the gospel, but when we look at what the thief say in this text, we are instructed clearly on sharing the gospel with others

The account begins in verse 39 with another criminal mocking Jesus, and in verse 40 the thief of our story rebukes him saying, “Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same condemnation? And we are suffering justly, for we are receiving what we deserve for what we have done; but this man has done nothing wrong” (Luke 23:40, 41). The first thing we see in this is the rhetorical question he asks of the other criminal, whether he even fears God. We see that clearly our thief believes there is a God. This cannot be assumed in our culture today, especially with the teaching of evolution in our schools. There are many who would claim that they do not believe there even is God, therefore, to effectively share the gospel today, we ought to seek to make sure the individual believes there even is a God.

Secondly, the thief believed that the God he believed in was worth fearing. Now, clearly he did not act in fear of God when he committed the crime he is being punished for, however, his question to the other criminal reveals that in his heart, he is realizing that he is nearing the time where he is going to stand in judgment before this God he professes belief in. In these last hours of his life, he cannot comprehend heaping more judgment on himself by mocking other people who are being crucified alongside of him. Today, many who believe there is a God do not believe He is a Judge at all, but just a compassionate Father who includes everyone as His children and loves them all no matter what. In sharing the gospel, we must bring people to a recognition that not only is there a God, but there is a God who is worthy of being feared, a God before Whom we all will stand in judgment one day.

He juxtaposes his own condemnation with Jesus’ condemnation, recognizing that while his crucifixion is just, the crucifixion of Jesus is unjust

Thirdly, this man believed that he was suffering justly in this life, and since he feared God, he knew he was going to suffer justly in the next life as well. He testifies that he is receiving what he deserves, and therefore knows that since he is under just earthly condemnation, how much more will he be under the condemnation of God in the judgment he was preparing to face. Many people, even if they believe God is Judge, believe they will escape the judgment because they have been pretty good otherwise, but this account teaches us that as part of the gospel, we need to help people understand that they are condemned before God. They are guilty and will face the wrath of God for their crimes against Him. This is imperative to helping someone understand the gospel, and we must share it.

Fourthly, the thief makes a statement about Jesus that is easy to miss. He says that Jesus “had done nothing wrong.” This man, hanging on the cross next to Jesus, believes that Jesus is there unjustly so. He juxtaposes his own condemnation with Jesus’ condemnation, recognizing that while his crucifixion is just, the crucifixion of Jesus is unjust. He believes in the sinlessness of Christ, the goodness of Christ, the holiness of Christ. We do not know how he came to that conclusion other than this, that flesh and blood did not reveal it to him but the heavenly Father did by the Spirit. Part of the gospel, then, must be to teach people of the sinless perfection of Jesus Christ. That “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21).

He is recognizing that this crucifixion is not the final blow to Jesus, but that there is more to come, even signaling that he believes there is a resurrection to come, and perhaps an ascension

Then, we read in verse 42, “And he was saying, ‘Jesus, remember me when You come in Your kingdom!’” Fifthly, he reveals that he absolutely believes Jesus is the Anointed One, the Messiah of Yahweh, the Christ. He attributes to Jesus the kingdom and recognizes that Jesus is going to come into that kingdom. He is recognizing that this crucifixion is not the final blow to Jesus, but that there is more to come, even signaling that he believes there is a resurrection to come, and perhaps an ascension. Once again, this had to be revealed by God to this man to be able to declare it so clearly. As we share the gospel, an essential part is sharing that Jesus is the Way, Truth and Life. That there is no other name to be saved by. That Jesus is the chosen One of God, and the only means of salvation. We call people to put their hope and trust in Jesus Christ.

Sixthly, and finally, we see that the thief asks something of Jesus. The request is that Jesus might remember him when He enters the kingdom. The thief asks for something he knows he does not deserve, for he deserves to be judged and forgotten. Yet he believes Jesus would be good to him, good enough to remember him, good enough not to forget about him. He is bold enough to ask Jesus to be gracious to him, to be good to him, believing that he would receive that from Jesus. We call people, once they know they are under just condemnation and the wrath of God, to call upon Him to be good to them. We call them to faith, to believe that despite what they deserve, that God, through Jesus Christ, will be good to them and grant them eternal life. We call them to believe something that is impossible to believe if you believe the rest of what we have called them to, but by the Holy Spirit, they can believe this.

He is bold enough to ask Jesus to be gracious to him, to be good to him, believing that he would receive that from Jesus

Is the thief on the cross an example as to how to share the gospel? I believe that it is, but not in how Jesus shared the gospel, but rather how God by His Spirit revealed to this man the basics of the gospel. We are called to share it, to preach it, and we ought to share it as God intends for it to be shared. It is not our persuasive words that will bring someone to the knowledge of the truth, it is still only the Spirit that regenerates, that makes alive, that opens blind eyes, but we are called to be faithful with the gospel, and this account is instructive to us as to how to be faithful.