Luke 23:26-43
Jesus and the Two Criminals
26 As the soldiers led him away, they seized Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from the country, and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus. 27 A large number of people followed him, including women who mourned and wailed for him.28 Jesus turned and said to them, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep for yourselves and for your children. 29 For the time will come when you will say, ‘Blessed are the childless women, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!’30 Then
“‘they will say to the mountains, “Fall on us!”
and to the hills, “Cover us!”’
31 For if people do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?”
32 Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed. 33 When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. 34 Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.
35 The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is God’s Messiah, the Chosen One.”
36 The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar 37 and said, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.”
38 There was a written notice above him, which read: this is the king of the jews.
39 One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren't you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!”
40 But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? 41 We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”
42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”
43 Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
As Jesus was getting ready to be hung from a cross He said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”...And they divided up his clothes by casting lots...He forgave those who were about to kill Him on the cross...
Jesus had done nothing wrong yet was hanging on a cross beside two criminals...One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at Him: “Aren't you the Messiah?...Save Yourself and us!”...But the other criminal rebuked him...“Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence?...We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve...But this man has done nothing wrong.”...Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into Your kingdom.”...Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with Me in paradise.”...
The one criminal admitted that they deserved the punishment they were getting, but he also questioned why Jesus was hanging on a cross besides them...So when Jesus told the criminal that He would be with him today in paradise, it teaches us that there is salvation outside the synagogue and Temple...The criminal was not particularly saintly, from the information we are given...We do not know if the criminal went to a synagogue or the Temple of God...But the criminal knew that Jesus did not belong on a cross...
Society and cultures seem to want people to be in a productive group, whether it be school, work and working, a company, or an association...But Jesus never followed the norm...He followed His Truth and God's Word...He saved the criminal out of forgiveness and LOVE and that day that one criminal would be with Jesus in paradise...