While the following might more readily fit within a Good Friday frame of reference, our immediately preceding posting concerning the otherwise unknown individual who obviously was led to grant our Lord's request for the use of his personal guest facility led once again to our own contemplation of one of Scripture's more dramatic accounts of the divinely inspired.
We would, however, first address the issue of personal perception and response. This concern, for example, was raised some time ago in relation to a particular individual who, despite an ongoing profession of faith, remained involved in a long standing affair. Hence the query: "Why won't he do right even when you can show him from the Bible that what he is doing is wrong?"
While not personally acquainted with the delinquent party, our response in such cases typically notes that situations of this nature do not reflect an ignorance of the Scriptures but rather one's act of will and choice. Such is not to be taken lightly, given the fact that willful rebellion can at times lead, not only to one's forfeiture of conviction but indeed, the capacity for such (Prov. 29:1).
By way of contrast, however, there is an arena of response wherein greater enlightenment ensues in consequence of one's commitment to insight and obedience: "In Your light," states the Psalmist, "shall we see light" (Psa. 36:9). Scripture offers no greater example of this principle than in the case of the repentant thief who, in association with Christ's crucifixion, was himself similarly executed.
Having initially shared with his fellow convict in reviling our Lord for failing to intervene on their behalf should, indeed, he be the Christ (Matt. 27:44), the subsequently penitent felon then responded to a seemingly inexplicable inpulse by affirming his own guilt and defending Christ's innocence (Luke 23:40-41). While perhaps lacking all the "Yea ho verily" formalities frequently attendant our own religious rites and exercises, his acknowledgment at this point constituted an acceptable act of faith and contrition - even if limited in terms of all its implications.
The result was immediate. In contrast to the other thief's lack of remorse, a further - indeed almost incomprehensible - insight was then evidenced in the contrite criminal's request for remembrance "when you [Christ] come into your kingdom." To those standing by, the illogic of addressing a dying man in terms of "When you become king" would almost certainly have been seen as the delirium of an expiring individual crazed with pain. In reality, it represented an impartation of revelation far exceeding that of even the Twelve. Jesus' response? "Today you shall be with me in paradise" (vs. 43).
Why the fact of some persons inclined toward concerns of the spiritually oriented and others disposed to an essential indifference or even rejection of such? The two thieves, after all, were undergoing the same reality of penal death - yet with totally opposite reactions.
In further illustration, we were once acquainted with a Christian family in which two brothers, while close in age, were quite dissimilar in their response to matters of faith and commitment - the one following an ongoing propensity for such into a life of full time ministry while the other, to our knowledge, never evidenced a meaningful interest in spiritual matters.
One might again ask as to "why." (To the likely relief of some, we shall here bypass the issue of election, foreordination and free will other than to note that in addressing this arena of inquiry, the apostle Paul alludes to the ultimate incomprehensibility of God's wisdom, knowledge, judgments and ways, Rom. 11:33-34).
Our initial point here, however, is that an impartation of even greater enlightenment followed the penitent thief's initial step of faith. That a profound revelation concerning Christ's yet coming kingdom and reign should be imparted to a common criminal as opposed to one of a more "spiritual" background and involvement (perhaps one of the Twelve or someone from among those having endorsed and faithfully followed Christ; e.g., Luke 24:13-21) is but one of the many questions in relation to which human perception frequently falls short.
Perhaps the following will prove useful at this point:
What greater example of the grace of God - that undeserved favor and beneficence upon which we are all dependent?
Burl Ratzsch
