Which thief will you follow?

This seems to be a strange question to ask. Why would you want to follow any thief?

I want to look at some events in the New Testament Scriptures that lead me to ask the title question. The Gospels give us the account of the crucifixion of Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews. In that account we learn that two thieves were crucified alongside Him.

Matthew 27:44, “Even the robbers who were crucified with Him reviled Him...” 

 Luke 23:32, 33, “(32) There were also two others, criminals, led with Him to be put to death. (33) And when they had come to the place called Calvary, there they crucified Him, and the criminals, one on the right hand and the other on the left.”

From the gospel records we can see that the two thieves had been caught and sentence had been passed on them – death by crucifixion. They were already hanging, crucified on their crosses. There was no possible way of escape for either of them. The end result of crucifixion was a slow, tortuous, agonising death.

The rulers of the Jews and the watching crowd reviled Jesus of Nazareth saying, “He saved others; let Him save Himself if He is the Christ, the chosen of God.” (Luke 23:35). The verse we looked at in Matthew’s gospel reveals that both thieves also reviled Him. But, something happened to one of the thieves because he changed his mind.

Let’s look at Luke 23:39-43, “(39)Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, ‘If you are the Christ, save Yourself and us.’ (40) But the other answering, rebuked him, saying, ‘Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation?’ (41) ‘And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong.’ (42)Then he said to Jesus, ‘Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.’ (43) And Jesus said to him, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise’.”

One thief, angry and bitter that he had been caught and was now paying the price of his wicked ways, lashes out verbally at Jesus of Nazareth. The other thief has reconsidered his own position and realises that the man on the centre cross is indeed the Christ, the true Messiah, and the rightful King of the Jews.

He rebukes the reviling thief and turns to Jesus and asks Him to remember him when He comes to reign. His reward is, “today, you will be with Me in Paradise.”

One thief went to Hell still in his sins, to await the Great White Throne judgement. The other thief went to Paradise to be with the Lord Jesus Christ forever.

Which thief will you follow?

Jon Peasey

Words of Life blog

[All Scriptures quoted are from the New King James version]

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