The Thief

THE THIEF

      This magnificent stain glass is one of the windows we saw in St. Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh, Scotland. The artist shows the thief on Jesus' right leaning toward the Lord, perhaps speaking to Him those important words that would save his soul for eternity. The other thief is looking away, angry and unbelieving. This scene, portraying the crucifixion of our Savior, was the most important moments in the history of the world.  One small - and telling - part of that was the interaction between the thief and Jesus. 

    Mark 15:27 tells us:  “With Him they also crucified two robbers, one on His right and the other on His left. So the scripture was fulfilled which says, ‘And He was numbered with the transgressors.’”
 
    Luke 23:39-40:  “Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, ‘If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us’”
     “But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, ‘Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation?  And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong.”
     “Then he said to Jesus, ‘Lord, remember me when you come into Your kingdom.”
     “And Jesus said to him, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”

      Jesus gave up His Spirit before either of the thieves died.  John 19:32-33 describes how the soldiers broke the legs of both criminals to hasten their deaths because it was evening and the Sabbath day was nearing, but when the soldiers approached to do the same with Jesus, His body was already dead.     

    Therefore, King Jesus was already in heaven when His recently redeemed child, the thief, breathed his last and stepped into Paradise to be greeted by the Savior whose body he had just seen hanging on the cross.  Can you imagine such an amazing scene!

      Only a short time before, this man had seen Jesus hanging on a cruel cross, crying out, “It is finished!”

     Now, here that same Jesus stood, not even resembling the bloodied, suffering man on the cross.  He was now resplendent in the glorious robes of a king, crowned with glory and honor, worshipped by choirs of angels – and Jesus was smiling and welcoming the thief who had just died on earth and stepped into heaven.  “To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord,” 2 Corinthians 5:8.

      What a beautiful picture - and what a beautiful promise of what will happen for every believer some day!