THE THIEF ON THE CROSS.
By J. H. McCulloh
Our Saviour’s observation to the penitent thief on the cross is strongly insisted upon as proving the doctrine of the immediate consciousness of the soul after death. “Verily I say unto thee to-day, thou shalt be with me in paradise.” Luke 23:43. But in this speech the all-important matter is to determine where the comma is to be placed; for if it be inserted after the word to-day, instead of before it, our Saviour’s words only imply an assurance given that day, i. e., in our idiom, at that time, that the penitent thief should be with him in paradise, without specifying the particular time; and since the ancient manuscripts are without points, no one has a right, in such a case, to insist upon placing the comma where it will make sense according to his peculiar notions on the general subject. Persons unaware of the manner in which the ancient Greek manuscripts were written, must be informed that the Scriptures were originally written not only without points, but also without any separation of the words from each other. The following is the literal translation of the passage in question, which, to prevent any cavil, I have taken from The Triglot Evangelist’s Interlinear Translation, and which I have copied in the manner in which the ancient Greek manuscripts were written:— “ANDHESAIDTOJESUSREMEMBERMELORDWHENTHOUSHALTCOMEINTHYDOMINIONANDSAIDTOHIMJESUSVERILYISAYTOTHEETODAYWITHMETHOUSHALTBEINPARADISENOWITWASABOUTTHETHIRDHOUR,” &c.—J. H. McCulloh, M. D., in Our Rest.