Did you know? That Paul, however, was not the only man to whom Jesus Christ made a disclosure about a paradise? Well before Paul became a Christian there was a man to whom Jesus spoke about paradise. This occurred in the year 33 (A.D.), on the Jews’ Passover day, at Calvary, outside the walls of Jerusalem. Jesus was then hanging on a torture stake, nailed to it hand and foot. Above his head the Roman governor Pontius Pilate had posted the legal charge because of which Jesus was being executed. Jewish people “stood looking on. But the rulers were sneering, saying: ‘Others he saved, let him save himself, if this man is the Christ of God, the Chosen One.’ Even the soldiers made fun of him, coming close and offering him sour wine and saying: ‘If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.’ ” One man there, however, had the courage to raise his voice in defense of Jesus. He came to realize that if this man Jesus was willing to die this horrible, shameful, painful death without murmuring and complaint, there must be truth in his convictions and claims. He, too, was hanging on a torture stake, although likely not nailed to it like Jesus, who was suffering worse whereas he “did nothing out of the way.” After closing his defense of Jesus and in order to express faith in Jesus even on the day of his public execution, this evildoer “went on to say: ‘Jesus, remember me when you get into your kingdom.’” What did Jesus say in answer? “He said to him: ‘Truly I tell you today, You will be with me in Paradise.’”—Luke 23:35-43. Jesus said that to the evildoer about twelve o’clock noon. For three hours more they hung on their torture stakes. Then the evildoer heard Jesus call out to God in heaven: “Father, into your hands I entrust my spirit.” It was now all over with Jesus. “It has been accomplished!” he said and, bowing his head, he stopped breathing. (Luke 23:44-46; John 19:28-30) Jesus’ defender, the suffering evildoer alongside, lingered on. But as the Jewish sabbath day was to begin at sundown, the soldiers hastened his death by breaking his legs and those of another impaled evildoer. So he died the same day as , his chosen King. What happened to the evildoer’s dead body is not told us; but Jesus’ body was taken down and buried in a new tomb belonging to a rich Jew of Arimathea, named Joseph, who had become a disciple of Jesus.—John 19:31-42; Matt. 27:57-61. A THIEF IN PARADISE? Is that really going to happen?
Posted on: Fri, 04 Oct 2013 19:26:54 +0000
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