Matthew 27:44Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Christ extends His prompt forgiveness to the thief due to the immediacy of his repentance. This could elucidate the apparent discrepancy in the accounts of Matthew and Mark, who mention two thieves who spoke ill of Him, while Luke describes one who reviled and another who was penitent. Initially, both may have been scornful, but one was swiftly transformed. It is not surprising that the one who repented was granted absolution by the One who offered mercy even to His detractors. It is also conceivable that the Gospel writers used the plural form instead of the singular. For instance, we read: The kings of the earth took a stand, and rulers assembled together (Ps. 2:2), but according to Peter’s narration in the Acts of the Apostles, it was one king, Herod, and one governor, Pilate, who conspired against Christ (Acts 4:27). A similar usage appears in the Epistle to the Hebrews: They wandered about in goatskins, were sawn in two... and quenched the power of fire (Hebrews 11:37, 33). Yet, it is recognized that only Elijah wore such garments, only Isaiah was sawn in two, and only Daniel emerged unharmed from the lions (4 Kings 1:8; Dan. 6:16-23).

The transgression of the Jews in crucifying the Savior of all alongside criminals is indeed grievous! In a mysterious way, Christ is the Wise Thief. He tricked the devil to take back his instruments of destruction. The two thieves symbolize, in a deeper sense, the two sinful nations crucified with Christ in baptism. Their differences highlight the diversity of believers: one was situated at His right hand, and the other at His left. The words of scorn, however, foreshadow future temptations regarding the Cross (Galatians 5:11) even among the faithful.

Standing on the brink of eternity, where the fires of hell await him, he remains oblivious to his condition and fails to seek redemption from the suffering Savior. Alongside the cries of anguish from the wounds of the cross, he hurls blasphemies at the crucified Christ. What a tragic portrayal of evil this manifests! Regrettably, this is not an isolated instance. Countless individuals exhibit this same lamentable disposition. For instance, consider a man who has ascended to a significant status through unscrupulous means, only to be reduced to a state of despair by life's caprices. Shouldn't he reflect upon his eternal destiny? Shouldn't he seek to alleviate the burden of his sins through genuine repentance? Shouldn't he prepare for a more serene existence beyond the grave? Yet, what does he do? He remains preoccupied with his earthly pursuits and, frustrated in his efforts, maligns others while even questioning God’s providence with a discontented spirit.

And we are condemned justly, because we have received what we deserve for our deeds, but He has done nothing wrong” (Luke 23:40-41). Turning his mourning eyes towards Jesus, he expressed his heartfelt faith in a moving prayer, saying, “Remember me, Lord, when you come into your kingdom!” Jesus replied, “...Now you will be with me in paradise.” This demonstrated the reward for the faith, repentance, humility, and self-reflection of the wise thief. St. Gregory the Great observes that “he had” only his heart and mouth left unbound, and he offered to God the only gifts he possessed: his heart, believing in the truth, and his mouth, confessing his salvation.

In terms of ancient tradition, some legends assert that this thief was one of those who assaulted the Holy Family during their flight to Egypt. This story tells that he prevented his companions from harming the Mother of God, earning from Her a promise of favor from Her Divine Son. St. Demetrius of Rostov recounts that the Mother of God stood between the cross of Her Son and that of the robber, securing his redemption.

The cross did not deter him, nor did it shake his conviction; he still held fast to the faith that Jesus, despite dying, was the King of Israel who would eventually restore His reign. Influenced by this faith, the penitent criminal had a moment of repentance; he openly acknowledged that he deserved crucifixion and did not resent his condemnation, nor did he plead for mercy from Jesus. Instead, he looked ahead and humbly prayed, “Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.” When the centurion from Capernaum expressed his belief that Jesus merely needed to say a word for his servant to be healed, Jesus remarked to the crowd, “I say to you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel” (Luke 7:9). The faith of the repentant criminal remained steadfast even in the face of the cross, leading Jesus to observe, “I have not found such faith even among My apostles.” Thus, Jesus turned to the criminal, assuring him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with Me in paradise” (Luke 23:39-43). The term paradise has Persian origins and signifies a garden. In warm climates, a cool garden provides rest and peace; likewise, the afterlife for the righteous is likened to a garden or paradise. The abode of the deceased Jews, referred to as sheol, was divided into two regions: one known as paradise or Abraham’s bosom for the righteous, and the other, designated for the wicked, was called hell. When Christ forgave the repentant criminal's sins, He indicated that on the very day of his death, his cleansed soul would be with the righteous souls. Speaking in terms he could comprehend, Christ described paradise as the place where the criminal’s soul would go that same day. Luke the Evangelist records that one criminal spoke against Jesus while the other restrained him. However, Matthew and Mark mention that “the robbers who were crucified with Him also reviled Him” (Mark 15:32). This apparent contradiction is easily resolved; it is clear that a repentant individual could not revile Christ and simultaneously profess faith in Him. Therefore, it is accepted that one criminal hurled insults. Luke uniquely narrates how one criminal pacified the other, turning to Christ and receiving an answer from Him. Matthew and Mark, in listing those who insulted Jesus, included the criminals without focusing on whether one or both spoke ill of Him. They mentioned mockers such as the passersby (Matthew 27:39), the chief priests, scribes, elders, and Pharisees (Matthew 27:41), as well as the soldiers (Luke 23:36). While they could not ignore the derision from one of the criminals, they employed plural language in their accounts, stating: “The robbers who were crucified with Him reviled Him.”

In witnessing the endlessly gentle and forgiving expression of the Crucified Lord, the best part of his spirit awakened, and he turned to Jesus, exclaiming: ‘Remember me, O Lord, when Thou comest into Thy kingdom.’ To this sincere plea from the repentant sinner, the silent Christ responded without delay: ‘Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise’ (Luke 23:39-43).

Hearing the jeers directed at the crucified Lord, he echoed their taunts with bitter malice and arrogantly demanded a miracle for his own benefit: “If thou art the Christ, save thyself and me.” This request for a miracle was futile; it was not in accordance with the Divine Providence. Yet, a magnificent miracle of God's grace was granted to the other criminal crucified with Him as a lesson for the hardened thief and as a testament to the mocking adversaries of the Lord. In an instant, God's grace illuminated the heart of the other criminal, which still held remnants of goodness, transforming him from an adversary into a friend of God. Before his waning sight hung the innocent and Righteous One, enduring the mockery of His enemies and even praying to His heavenly Father for their forgiveness in their ignorance.

Witnessing this poignant scene, the robber, whom the holy Church honors in her hymns as ‘prudent,’ felt his heart stirred. Fully aware of his sins' weight, he turned to his condemned companion and admonished him: “Do you not fear God, seeing that you are in the same condemnation? We are indeed justly condemned, for we are receiving the due reward of our actions; but this man has done nothing wrong.” The prudent thief, seized by God's mercy at the very brink of destruction, suddenly recognized and confessed in the crucified Christ his Savior, becoming an enduring example of heartfelt repentance and reconciliation with God. Ignoring his companion's fate, he looked upon the Divine sufferer and voiced the heartfelt plea, “Remember me, O Lord, when thou comest into thy kingdom.” As he faced imminent death, his thoughts were not of earthly kingdoms or temporal rewards; rather, he feared separation from Christ in eternity. He repented and humbly implored the acceptance of his contrition, believing in the Savior's mercy and holding hopeful expectation of receiving his request. It was as if he said to the Lord: “Leave this blasphemer; his mind is clouded. Remember me, not for my deeds, of which I am ashamed, but remember me as your companion. I do not say, ‘Remember me now,’ but ‘when you come into your kingdom’” (St. Cyril of Jerusalem).

It was a joy to hear the repentant words of the transformed thief, who by a ‘marvelous transformation’ became the first ‘confessor of Christ.’ The Redeemer, who purifies all sins with His blood (1 John 1:7), promised him something far greater than what he asked: “Amen, I say to you, today you will be with Me in paradise.” Such a promise, as St. Leo the Great noted, surpasses human limitations; it originates not just from the Tree of the Cross but from the throne of power. By opening with the Cross the gates of paradise, which were shut by ancestral sin, the Lord declared to the repentant thief with authority, assuring him that He, the Lord of heaven and hell and master of all dominion (Matt. 28:18), would undoubtedly fulfill his promise, and it would be accomplished today. Thus, as a church hymn reflects, “the robber, having uttered a small voice from the cross, found great faith, was saved in an instant, and was the first to enter paradise.” By the wondrous design of God, he became the initial fruit and beginning of the redemption brought about by the Lord on the cross.