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Sunday, March 20, 2022

Bible Study with Cincotti's - The Thief on the Cross - 03/20/2022

Today's Bible Study, Authored by Arthur Cincotti. 03/20/2022

Listen to our Bible Study Discussion at: The Thief on the Cross Podcast


The Thief on the Cross

                                                                                                           

“Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved.” Acts 16:31

 

The thief on the cross, that is to say the good thief, is one of the most interesting characters in the Biblical narrative. Though very little is known about this nameless person, an entire theological bent is substantiated by the events surrounding  his brief encounter with Jesus.

 

His account is told in all three synoptic gospels with varying degrees of details.

In Mat. 27:38 we learn, “two robbers were crucified with Him, one on the right and another on the left.” and in vr. 44 “Even the robber who were crucified with Him reviled Him…” Mk includes that this was the fulfillment of prophecy, “And He was numbered with the transgressors.” Mk. 15:28

 

Jesus hung on the cross for six hours. We assume that the other two men hung on the cross for the same amount of time. The practice of execution by crucifixion was designed to prolong death and to maximize suffering. Somewhere in that span of time one of the robbers got saved.                                                                             

 

Luke gives us the precious detail, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”   Read Lk. 23:39-43

 

This is where all the controversy begins.

 

Jesus promise to the criminal is based upon his spontaneous recognition of who Jesus is. This is very similar to Peters response to Jesus, “Your are the Christ, the Son to the living God.” Mt. 16:16

Only with even less evidence. Jesus tells Peter, “flesh and blood has not revealed this to you but My Father who is in heaven.” vr. 17

Somehow the thief “gets it”, “the light bulb goes on”. One minute he is reviling Jesus with the other criminal, and the next he is rebuking the other and asking Jesus to, “remember me when You come into Your kingdom.”

 

Why is this so controversial???     

 

In Jn. 6:29 Jesus said, “This is the work of God, That you believe in Him whom He sent.”

 

The reason this is so controversial is because it stands in such stark contrast to the “works gospel” which, as Paul points out in Gal. 1:17, “is really no gospel at all.”

 

Examples:

          UPCI, United Pentecostal Church Int. insists that proper salvation only takes place following confession and baptism, according to Acts 2:28

          Roman Catholics believe that the sought after, “beatificial”, or “face to face” intimate relationship with Christ can only be achieved following a long, grueling, penance in a place called “purgatory”.   Also not good news.

          Others contend that the true velocity of your confession can only be ascertained after living an undisclosed period of abject obedience to Christ, sighting Mat. 5:20.

 

The thief had very little to go on in order to make this bold observation and request. Like Abraham he, “believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” quoted, Rm. 4:3; Gal. 3:6 and Jas. 2:3

 

Belief can be tested and even altered over time when not combined with faith; read Heb. 4:2. “faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” Heb. 11:1 and Abraham is considered the father of our faith.

 

It remains to be seen that the thief’s usherance into the heavenly kingdom was based solely, yet cautiously from our perspective, upon his momentary grasp of who Christ is.

 

Even from the cross Jesus is teaching us profound doctrine!

----Join us for another Bible Study Next Week -------

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Encouragement for the Path of Christian Discipleship                                                                                                                                                                                                                    


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