The Repentant Thief

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.”

Luke 23: 40 & 41, NIV

What a contrast between the two criminals: one sneers at Jesus, but the other recognises the situation and sees plainly that Jesus is an innocent man. One man wants to save his life; the other accepts the punishment meted out.

It’s speculation, but were the two criminals in the same jail as Barabbas? Were they there when the crowds demanded the release of the murderer and insurrectionist? Were they present when Pontius Pilate told the baying mob, “I find no basis for a charge against this man.” (Luke 23:4, NIV) Were they there when Pilate declared that Herod couldn’t find anything wrong with Jesus?

Considering the miracles, Jesus’ teachings, and the Governor’s pronouncement, it is clear why the second criminal concluded that Jesus was an innocent man who had “done nothing wrong.”

Even the man who betrayed Jesus recognised his innocence. “he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders.“I have sinned,” he said, “for I have betrayed innocent blood.”” (Matt 27: 3 and 4, NIV) He was so full of guilt that he had betrayed Jesus, that he took the thirty pieces of silver back to the religious leaders and then committed suicide.

When Pilate came out to the baying mob to declare that he found Jesus innocent, he went out three times to persuade them. He even tried to use Herod, a man that he hated, to show the crowd that Jesus was innocent. “I have examined him in your presence and have found no basis for your charges against him. Neither has Herod, for he sent him back to us; as you can see, he has done nothing to deserve death.” (Luke 23: 14 and 15, NIV)

Finally, all this was prophesied by the prophet Isaiah, when he said, “He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth.” (Isa 53: 9, NIV)

The robber was correct; Jesus was innocent, as everyone said, yet he was still crucified and died on a cross: The death of a criminal.

Peter was correct when he said, “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.” (1 Pet 2: 22, NIV). He was supported by Paul, who wrote, “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Cor 5: 21, NIV) And this is the core issue. The crucifixion of Jesus wasn’t just a miscarriage of justice; it was something much bigger.

The cross was the Old Testament’s equivalent of the sacrificial altar. Jesus was the equivalent of the unblemished lamb sacrificed for sins. While the unblemished lamb atoned for the sins of the individual offering the sacrifice, Jesus atoned for the sins of the entire world. It is important to emphasise that Jesus was the unblemished lamb; he had no blemish. Jesus was sinless; he had committed no sins. Every person in the world is sinful, but Jesus was completely sinless.

And so, for today, what does it mean for us? In the Old Testament times, the person seeking atonement for his sins took an unblemished lamb to the temple. Today, we must go to Jesus and ask for forgiveness for our sins. Just because Jesus has already paid the price for our sins doesn’t mean we can live carelessly and sin. The Old Testament person had to ask for forgiveness, and so do we today.