AND THE SIGN SAID

May 7

Bible Reading: John 19:17-22

John 19:19-20 “Pilate also wrote an inscription and put it on the cross. It read, ‘Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.’ Many of the Jews read this inscription, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and it was written in Aramaic, in Latin, and in Greek.”

I have often referred to the thief on the cross as my “hospice hero.”  Though he was a robber, and had done nothing to earn or merit salvation, God mercifully worked to save him mere hours before his death, as he responded to the truth about Jesus.

The sign displayed the truth about Jesus and was written in three languages—Hebrew, Latin, and Greek.   Many read what the sign had to say.  The religious leaders had argued that Pilate should write instead, “This man said, I am King of the Jews,” but Pilate refused to alter what he had written (John 19:21-22).  Thus, the sign thus bore testimony to the truth about Jesus.

The two thieves crucified with Jesus no doubt saw the sign.  Jesus being crucified alongside two thieves was not accidental; it was foretold in the prophecy that He would be “numbered with the transgressors” (Luke 22:37).  They would both serve, by their varied responses, to illustrate the two disparaged destinies of those who believe and those who don’t. In the start of things, both were mocking Jesus—along with just about everybody else (Matthew 27:29, 39, 42-44).  Both robbers saw the same things.  They both saw the bitter abuse directed at Jesus.  Both heard Him utter those surprising words, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” (Luke 22:34).  Both saw the sign above His head which testified to the truth regarding Jesus’ identity. 

Both witnessed the same things, but the heart of one underwent a miraculous transformation.  “One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, ‘Are you not the Christ?  Save yourself and us!’ But the other rebuked him, saying, ‘Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation?  And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong (Luke 23:39-41).”  The one robber came to understand the truth about Jesus and himself.  How precious is the Spirit of God’s convicting work (John 16:8-11)!  With believing eyes, he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom” (Luke 23:42).  Simply put, the robber believed the truth of the sign above Jesus’ head and thereby received salvation (Luke 23:43).  He received God’s merciful forgiveness through no merit of his own (Ephesians 2:8-9). 

The sign at Calvary has long since rotted away, but the truth revealed on that day still stands.  “Christ Jesus came into the world save sinners” (1 Timothy 1:15).  He alone can save (John 14:6; Acts 4:12).  All men have no choice but to fall in behind one thief or the other (John 3:36).  The truth of that sign cries out “believe!” Some do and some don’t.  On which side of the cross do you stand (1 John 5:11-12; 2 Thessalonians 1:8-10)?

“Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.”—John 3:36

THE PENITENT THIEF
Come see the power of Christ our King
When on the cross the Savior hung,
His grace a dying thief did bring,
To own him with his heart and tongue.

One malefactor scorned Christ’s name,
The other did his sin reprove;
Then said by faith to God’s dear Lamb,
“Remember me O Lord above.”

What noble faith in him appeared,
That he could trust a dying Lord!
He soon the blessed Jesus heard
Pronounce this sweet reviving word;

“Amen, this day thy soul shall be
With me in Paradise above.”
This made the dying prisoner free;
These words were full of boundless love.

What comfort did this speech convey,
To his poor guilty wretched mind!
When thus he heard the Savior say,
Great peace the criminal did find.

Thus Jesus Christ forgave the thief,
And showed great mercy to the man;
So in the midst of woe and grief,
His joy and happiness began.

O how he sings the Savior’s praise,
Who took him at the very last,
When he his youthful strength and days
In Satan’s cause had spent and past!

Now he adores God’s holy name,
And stands before the Savior’s face;
And will eternally proclaim
The boundless riches of his grace!