All four gospels tell us that Jesus was crucified with two criminals. Matthew (27:38) and Mark (15:27) tell us that they were thieves. John (19:18) simply mentions that there were two others crucified with Him. In keeping with his focus on the poor, the outcast, and the lowest on the social scale, Luke gives the two criminals a place of prominence in the crucifixion story and highlights a promise that Jesus made to one of them.
In verse 42, the criminal makes a simple request: "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." Jesus responds with a three-fold promise: "Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise."
Consider the three aspects of Jesus' promise to the criminal:
1) Today - the end was near for the two criminals and Jesus. They would all experience physical death from their crucifixions. In the minds of the criminals and in most of us, the question is asked: "what comes after death?" Jesus begins His promise to the criminal with a marking of time. Today, now, in this moment - you will be with me in Paradise. Not tomorrow, not next week, not in hundreds or thousands of years, but today. Jesus points to a reality of immediate, continued existence after physical death.
Once, Jesus responded to the Sadducees' concerning a question about the resurrection. He said to them, "And as for the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was said to you by God, 'I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'? He is God not of the dead, but of the living." (Matthew 22:31-32) Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had not lived on earth for almost two thousand years at the time of Jesus' statement, and yet, Jesus refers to them as "living". Life continues after death, and Jesus points to this reality in His promise to the criminal.
2) you will be with me - Life is promised to the criminal, but it isn't a life void of meaning or relationship. The criminal is promised that he will be with Jesus. For those of us who love Jesus, there is no greater promise than to spend eternity in His presence.
This aspect of Jesus' promise reminds me of two other passages:
Psalm 23:4 (KJV) - Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
John 14:3 - And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also.
3) in Paradise - Not only will the criminal be with Jesus that very day, but he will be with Jesus in Paradise. Jesus' reference to Paradise hearkens back to the Garden of Eden in the early story of Genesis. Life in the presence of Jesus will be a restoration of the peaceful existence humanity shared with God in the Garden of Eden before the great fall. Jesus mentions this in Revelation 2:7 - To everyone who conquers, I will give permission to eat from the tree of life that is in the paradise of God.
Eternal life is a mystery, but Jesus' promise to the criminal gives us insight into the reality of continued life after death. Through faith in Jesus Christ, we are given the promise of spending eternity with our Lord (John 3:16). Jesus' promise is a source of great hope and excitement. All of us are dying. Life on earth is temporary. But life with God, that begins now through faith, will last forever. Thanks be to God!
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