THE THIEF ON THE CROSS by W. N. Glenn

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Jan 8, 1894

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 20, No. 10.

THE THIEF ON THE CROSS.

By W. N. Glenn

“AND he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee to-day shalt thou be with me in Paradise.”

In connection with the conversion of the malefactor while suspended on the cross there are two very prominent points, namely, Christ's fidelity to his mission, and the remarkable faith of the penitent thief.

I. Christ's Unflinching Fidelity. The mission of Jesus Christ to this earth was one of voluntary humility, in order that everyone who would become reconciled to God through him might be exalted. And his whole life was one of continued self-denial and submission to suffering, that others might be benefited. From his single purpose of glorifying the Father by redeeming lost sinners, he never for a moment swerved. Of all the godlike characteristics manifested in his earthly career, none was more prominent than this,—there was in him “no variableness, neither shadow of turning.”

Satan tempted him with taunts, flattery, and bribery, all to no avail. Time after time hunger, fatigue, and personal danger were ignored in the face of opportunity to do good. The bitterest manifestations of ingratitude and hatred on the part of those whom he came to redeem could not quench his burning desire to save them. Even when he was betrayed by one, denied by another, and forsaken by all of his chosen disciples, he was not shaken in purpose to save all who would come unto God by him. After his condemnation, while on the way to Calvary, when sympathizing women wept over his doom, he still manifested the spirit of self-abnegation. Turning to the weeping women he said, “Weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children.” Arriving at the place of execution, the rough executioners drove the cruel nails into his hands and feet, yet he was still unmindful of self and thoughtful of poor, sinful man. There was no effort to escape the terrible ordeal, but his burden of prayer was, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.”

And even when elevated on the cross, amid indescribable suffering and the taunts and jeers of his persecutors, he was ready to give heed to the appeal of a penitent sinner, and to give salvation in answer to the prayer of faith. Although appearances were all against him, and he seemed to be helpless in the hands of his enemies, he faltered not in his devotion to the work of love which he had undertaken.

He knew that he was about to die, and that not only his enemies but his closest friends now deemed his claim to the Messiahship a delusion and his work at an end. Yet, notwithstanding the combined antagonisms of furious enemies, cowardly friends, and an unjust judge, he was ready to impart comfort to the suffering, consolation to the penitent, and sure hope to the dying. He could confidently promise a future life through faith in himself, although conscious that he was on the verge of death. He had not the least hesitancy or doubt of his ability to perform his promise, when he declared to the penitent thief, that he should be with him in Paradise.

Had not the prophecies foretold all that was now going on? Was it not his own Spirit that had dictated the words of the prophets? Had he not previously told his disciples that he should be put to death, and that he should rise again the third day? Then why should he doubt when confronted with the scenes which he had so long known were to be a part of the experience? He had assured his disciples that he would go away and prepare a place for them in his Father's house of many mansions, and that he would come again to take them where they could be with him (John 14:1–3). Paul reiterates this promise a little more in detail in 1 Thess. 4:16–18: “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the Archangel, and with the trump of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first; then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air; and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.”

We see from this that the promise of the Lord to the disciples to come again to receive them unto himself will be fulfilled when he comes at the last trump (1 Cor. 15:51–54), at the resurrection of the righteous, when all the dead in Christ and the then living righteous will be taken to glory together. It is also apparent that the promise to the penitent thief was equivalent to that made to the disciples on the previous night, when he who made the promise knew that his hour had come. And the promise to the thief will surely be fulfilled when the other disciples receive their reward; for all will be “caught up together” to meet the Lord when he shall “descend,” or “come again,” to receive them unto himself.

II. The Remarkable Faith of the Penitent Thief.—In the early part of Christ's earthly ministry he met a remarkable instance of faith on the part of a Roman centurion. This man's servant was sick, and he appealed to Jesus to heal him. However, he felt that he was unworthy to have such a good man come into his house. So he said to Jesus, “Speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.” Jesus had healed many sick folks, and the people had shown great faith in his healing power when the afflicted ones were in his immediate presence. But the healing of a sick man a long distance away and out of sight was an achievement that no one had thought of expecting. It remained for this heathen army officer to exercise such a measure of faith; and in response to its expression, Jesus said, “I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.”

But when we consider the character of the dying thief's request, and the situation of the One of whom the request was made, we have an instance of faith unparalleled since Abraham's gift of his son Isaac. The two men were on the verge of death, with no possible hope of deliverance, yet one believed that the other was a king with power to grant him favor. Another malefactor hung upon a cross on the other side of Jesus, and he could see in the crucified Messiah only a dying man, with no more power, no greater prospect, than he himself possessed. Had he not put to the test the claims of Jesus to the Sonship of God? Was it not a reasonable test when he tauntingly said to his fellow sufferer, “If thou be the Christ, save thyself and us”? Had not Christ publicly proclaimed that his mission to earth was to save life? Surely there had been no greater opportunity to display his power and to save not only others but himself.

Thus did one malefactor reason, in harmony with the mocking multitude. And, from the standpoint of the carnal mind, the wisdom of this world, the argument was logical. The other thief had imbibed the Spirit and teaching of Christ. By believing, he comprehended the vicarious death of Christ, and his resurrection. He evidently believed that that dying Man, to all human appearance powerless to help anyone, not even himself, would come again to establish a kingdom. This is implied in his pointed request, “Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.”

Even the chosen twelve, whom Jesus had made his bosom companions for three years, whom he had taught “line upon line and precept upon precept,” and whom he had endowed with power to cast out devils, heal all manner of diseases, and even to raise the dead, had no faith at this critical moment. Although he had plainly told them that after his crucifixion he would rise again the third day, they refused to believe that he had risen until they could see him themselves. But this poor malefactor, who acknowledged his guilt, who had made no profession of faith until suspended on the cross, in the darkest hour possible for the hope of the gospel of Jesus Christ, manifested more faith than they all.

Thus he committed his life to a dying Saviour, fully believing his word, that he had power to lay down his life and had power to take it again (John 10:18). Thus the penitent thief gave up his life, fully believing that it was “hid with Christ in God” (Col. 3:3), and that “when He who is our life shall appear” (verse 4), he would also be called to life with the redeemed throng.

In the face of such faith as this, shall anyone say it is too much to believe the word of God, which assures us that Jesus Christ has risen, and has ascended on high, where he still makes intercession for penitent sinners? Is it too much to believe that this triumphant Saviour will fulfill his word to his chosen ones? Is it possible, or even probable, that he would come to this earth to plant a vineyard at such immense cost and not come again to gather the fruit? Shall he whose word never has failed, promise his waiting ones that he will come again to take them to himself, to his own eternal kingdom, and then leave them in an endless sleep of death?

Here is the assurance of the Eternal One: “My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that has gone out of my lips.” Ps. 89:34.

Surely he who faltered not when a cruel death on the cross was right before him, nor yet when the terrible nails had fastened him to the tree, nor yet when the Father's sympathetic face was turned from him and left him to bear alone the sins of the world,—we repeat, surely he will not fail in the all-important moment of bestowing the promised inheritance in his everlasting kingdom. “When the Son of Man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory. . . . Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” Matt. 25:31–34. Then will be the time hereinbefore cited, when “the Lord himself shall descend with a shout, with the voice of the Archangel, and with the trump of God,” and the righteous dead and living will be “caught up together,” to “be ever with the Lord.”

Then will be fulfilled the promise made to his disciples just before his betrayal (John 14:1–3). Then will be fulfilled the promise to the penitent thief, made under such inauspicious circumstances. It was a brave promise, such as only could be made in good faith by one who was conscious of the power to overcome death. Such consciousness was the basis of the assurance, “I say unto thee to-day [though I am about to yield up my life, notwithstanding all these adverse circumstances, I unhesitatingly give you my word], thou shalt be with me in Paradise.” Verily that promise is sure, as are all the other promises of God, all of which are yea and amen in Christ (2 Cor. 1:20). Why not lay hold of them? They are just as sure to-day as they ever were; and in the ever-expanding light of God's word there is a far more encouraging ground of faith than that upon which the penitent thief stood. Verily his faith stands up in loud condemnation of any excuse that may be presented in any age since that time, and especially in this our day of increasing light and knowledge.