Christ the King and the Good Thief

Russian Orthodox icon of
The Good Thief in Paradise(Moscow School, c. 1560).

Sunday 22nd November 2010

Readings on Christ the King seemed to leave a striking reference to the Good Thief. In fact the Holy Spirit was awaking me to the hearing of the Gospel proclaimed by the Abbot in the Night Office, Luke 23:35-43.

Later, the most apt commentary is found from Scot Hahn, 'Last Sayings of Christ'.
"I love this thief ... ", says Scott Hahn.
The Good Thief is a popular figure in Cistercian monasteries under the name of Dimas. The monastery of Latroun Cistercian Abbey, west of Jerusalem, is named after the Good Thief, Bon Larron (French).

There is much to learn.
Luke 23:39.  Luke alone gives this incident (Luke 23:39), though Mark 15:32; Matt 27:44 allude to it. (RWP).
See Gospel Harmony below.
In contrast to the Good Thief there is bad press on the other thief.
Jesus did not say a bad word about the other thief.
The exegetes seem have narrowed the interpretation to the  Good Thief.
There has to be a defense to the other.
It is interesting to look up the Google Search on "Defense of the Thief Luke 23:39". The hits are 'About 174,000 results (0.34 seconds).'
Saint Dismas comes to the top on Wikipedia.
There is plenty of space to find if there is an apologia for the other Thief / Robber / Criminal / Malfactor.
At least that is my concern.

Icon showing Christ (center) bringing Dismas (left) into Paradise. At the right are the Gates of Paradise, guarded by aseraph (Solovetsky Monastery, 17th century).

The Good Thief and Christ the King

 From 'Seven Last Sayings of Christ' by Scott Hahn 2010

Is it true the thief on the cross was saved by faith alone apart from any good works? I don't think so. Look again. Look more closely - and what do you find? One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him saying: "Are you not the Christ the Saviour? Save yourself and us." But the other rebuked him saying, "Don't you fear God since you are under the same sentence of condemnation and we indeed justly for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds but this man has done nothing wrong." He said: "Jesus remember me when you come into your kingdom."

What did this thief just do?
First of all he rebuked a sinner. Have you done that recently? He rebukes somebody who was railing against Jesus. Have you done that recently?
Second of all, he accepted responsibility for his own sin. He said we are being punished justly.
Third, in front of all these people, in the midst of horrible agony, he not only rebukes this sinner, and confesses the justice of his own suffering, he turns to Jesus and in front of all these accusers, his enemies, he says what? "Jesus remember me when you come into your kingdom." He confessed Jesus Christ as a king. When everybody else who knew he was a king had abandoned him.

Rebuking a sinner, accepting responsibility for his own sin, publicly declaring Jesus Christ to be King, even in the midst of his suffering, and confessing his faith that for you Jesus this cross is not the end of the story. It can't be, because of who you are.
This cross is only a transition. A door into glory, royal glory! And so he says: "Remember me when you come into the kingdom. Remember me when you come into your kingdom."

I love this thief because he had real faith, but a faith that began immediately to produce real works. But those works that the thief produced were really the works of God in him. And that's what they are for us ... They are what the cross made possible ... And the thief, he found the front door in the glory, and so no one can be without hope.
For when we look at Jesus, and we hear his word of forgiveness, and we realize this is not generic forgiveness, this is not some pardon thrown out for anybody, it is given to somebody who in himself was not worthy, and all he had to do to get it was to acknowledge his own unworthiness, and stand up for the truth that set him free, and confess that Jesus Christ is the King. And he was with Jesus Christ in paradise that day.

Scott Hahn is a renowned Catholic Scripture scholar and author.

Gospel Harmony – Two Thieves on Calvary (AMP)
Mat  27:35-44	Mar 15:24-32	Luk 23:33-43	Joh 19:18-27
35  And when they had crucified …   44  And the robbers who were crucified with Him also abused and reproached and made sport of Him in the same way.	24  And they crucified Him; and they ….   32  Let the Christ (the Messiah), the King of Israel, come down now from the cross, that we may see [it] and trust in and rely on Him and adhere to Him! Those who were crucified with Him also reviled and reproached Him [speaking abusively, harshly, and insolently].	33  And when they came to the place which is called The Skull [Latin: Calvary; Hebrew: Golgotha], there they crucified Him, and [along with] the criminals, one on the right and one on the left. … 39  One of the criminals who was suspended kept up a railing at Him, saying, Are You not the Christ (the Messiah)? Rescue Yourself and us [from death]! 40  But the other one reproved him, saying, Do you not even fear God, seeing you yourself are under the same sentence of condemnation and suffering the same penalty? 41  And we indeed suffer it justly, receiving the due reward of our actions; but this Man has done nothing out of the way [nothing strange or eccentric or perverse or unreasonable]. 42  Then he said to Jesus, Lord, remember me when You come in Your kingly glory! 43  And He answered him, Truly I tell you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise.	18  There they crucified Him, and with Him two others--one on either side and Jesus between them. [Isa. 53:12.]