2. His Salvation of a Criminal

2. His Salvation of a Criminal

And he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." And he said to him, "Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise."

(Luke 23:42-43 ESV)

NBC : The second word was spoken to the penitent brigand (Lk. 23:43), who, beyond the cross, saw the crown and the coming glory, and who said, 'Jesus, remember me when you come in your kingly power' (v. 42). To him Jesus said in effect, 'Not far down the ages, but before the sun sets, you will be with me in the bliss of Paradise'.

42 When you come in your kingdom means 'when you return as king'.
43 Paradise is the resting place of the redeemed before the final judgment, and is opened to those who trust in Jesus.^[1]

Luke 23:39–43 Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom is both a plea and a confession of faith. Paradise is another name for heaven, the dwelling place of God and the eternal home of the righteous (cf. 2 Cor. 12:3; Rev. 2:7). The Septuagint uses the same Greek word to refer to the "garden of Eden" (cf. note on Gen. 2:8–9). Jesus' words therefore may hint at a restoration of the intimate, personal fellowship with God that existed in Eden before the fall.

42–43. Then the thief asked Jesus to remember him, i.e. remember him for good. The mss are divided as to whether we should read 'in your kingdom' (i.e. in the glory appropriate to royalty; cf. gnb, 'when you come as King!'), or 'into your kingdom' (i.e. when you enter into your royal state; cf. neb, 'when you come to your throne'). The former would more naturally refer to the return of the Messiah to the earth in triumph, the latter to his going through death to a kingdom in the next world. Both are well supported in the mss, but perhaps there is a little more to be said for 'into your kingdom'. It is not easy to see how fully the penitent thief could have entered into an understanding of Jesus' Person and work. But these words show that he realized at least that death would not be the end of everything for him and that beyond death was the kingdom. Jesus' words of reassurance gave him more than he had asked for. Not only would he have a place in the kingdom, whenever that would be established, but that very day he would enter Paradise. Truly marks the following words as emphatic and important (see on 4:24). Today is occasionally taken with the preceding words, but there seems no reason for this. Almost all scholars agree that it refers to being in Paradise. This Persian word meaning 'garden' is used in the Old Testament of a number of gardens. Specially important is its use for the Garden of Eden. Perhaps from this the term came to be used of the abode of the blessed in the coming world (cf. 2 Cor. 12:3; Rev. 2:7). It is used in this way here. Jesus assures this man of bliss in the immediate future, a bliss closely associated with himself (with me).^[2]

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^[1] New Bible commentary: 21st century edition. 1994 (D. A. Carson, R. T. France, J. A. Motyer & G. J. Wenham, Ed.) (4th ed.) (Lk 23:26–49). Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: Inter-Varsity Press.

mss manuscript(s).

gnb Good News Bible: Old Testament, 1976; New Testament, ⁴1976.

neb The New English Bible: Old Testament, 1970; New Testament, ²1970.

mss manuscript(s).

^[2] Morris, L. (1988). Vol. 3: Luke: An introduction and commentary. Tyndale New Testament Commentaries (346–347). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.

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Regards,
Ryan Chia

It is not so much the case that God has a mission for his church in the world,
as that God has a church for his mission in the world.
Mission was not made for the church; the church was made for mission—God's mission.

From The Mission of God by Chris Wright