From the very beginning of Jesus’ ministry, the devil appeared to him with a single objective: to dissuade him from following the Father’s will and to become self-reliant in his kingdom work (Luke 4:1-13). The temptation of Jesus at the beginning of his ministry makes a telling parallel to the taunting and mocking Jesus receives now (Luke 23:35-43) at the very end of is ministry, while he awaits in supreme obedience the will of the Father at the cross. The leaders mock him with familiar words: “If he is God’s Messiah, the Chosen One...” “If you are the King of the Jews…” and again, “save yourself…” The devil may change his appearance, but his tactics never change. If the devil was relentless against Jesus, why should we hope it will be different with us? h In his mocking, the first thief expresses a perspective that seemed in tune with the public opinion of the day. To treat Jesus with contempt and dismiss his teachings and his work of many months among the people granted this thief obviously needed shelter within the popular opinion of the Jewish and roman authorities. It is misguided to think that the sometimes unbearable pressure we suffer from our peers will be mitigated by the number of our birthdays or the level of our suffering. If the first thief was a slave of public opinion until the end of his days, why do we think it may be different with us? h The second thief fits better with the long series of people who, over the length of Jesus’ ministry, repented at his feet. The repentant thief first chastises the contempt, cynicism and irresponsibility of the first thief. Consequently, he expresses respect for the name of God and for Jesus, his blameless herald. He also expresses responsibility for his own guilt and his expectation of the kingdom of God. h We may be occasionally surprised by our feelings of anger and indignation at the sight of some evil in the world. It is harder to determine, however, whether this evil resides inside us or outside. Self righteous people insist the problem resides outside, and routinely point out the guilty parties, the social imperfections and the long to-do lists that other people are responsible for. The opposite to that is the neurotic. Neurotic people think everything is their fault, and their guilt increases at the sight of things unfinished, people hurt and laws broken. Neurotics live with long lists of all the things they must accomplish to make the world right. That list and their guilt are both endless. But the evangelist Luke gives us the repentant thief so that we will not be misinformed about the two common errors of self-righteousness and neurosis. The thief is concerned with the wrong done outside of him, but also equally aware of the wrong living inside of him. His sentence of crucifixion, however severe, was the lawful punishment for his life of crime. He is not one to take refuge behind long lists of social imperfections or political corruption. On the contrary, he is quick to recognize his condition and admit his guilt with courage before the crowd and before Jesus. His words, remarkable in their brilliance and forever worthy of remembrance evade the common religious mistake of talking about Jesus. He finally turns to Jesus in surrender and says: “Remember me when you come into your kingdom.”
Pastor Alejandro Sotres
