Posts made in April, 2019


The “Thief” [Robber] on the Cross

The “Thief” [Robber] on the Cross


Posted By on Apr 15, 2019

When  I contemplate the account of the “thief on the cross”[Luke 23:39-43], It usually is about the orthodox theology within the passage: “absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord.” (2 Cor. 5:8).  And this theological belief would be absolutely correct.  However, what I failed to understand [because I never heard it taught] was the proper identity of the newly redeemed criminal.  Upon conducting further research on the passage, I discovered that the converted criminal crucified alongside Jesus 1 was not a “thief” [kléptés]as he is commonly referred, But instead he was actually a “robber” [léstés], which carries a significantly different meaning.  R.C. Trench defines:   When  I contemplate the account of the “thief on the cross”[Luke 23:39-43], It usually is about the orthodox theology within the passage: “absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord.” (2 Cor. 5:8).  And this theological belief would be absolutely correct.  However, what I failed to understand [because I never heard it taught] was the proper identity of the newly redeemed criminal.  Upon conducting further research on the passage, I discovered that the converted criminal crucified alongside Jesus 1 was not a “thief” [kléptés]as he is commonly referred, But instead he was actually a “robber” [léstés], which carries a significantly different meaning.  R.C. Trench defines:   “kléptés and léstés…both appropriate what is not theirs. But the kléptés does so by fraud and in secret, the léstés does so by open violence.  The former is a ‘thief’ and the latter is a ‘robber’…No passage has suffered more seriously by confusing thief and robber than Luke 23:39-43 [“the thief on the cross”].  The previous moral condition of the penitent thief, is obscured by the associations that clings to his name.  Both malefactors crucified with Jesus, (one was inflexible, the other penitent) probably belonged to the band of Barabbas who had been cast with his fellow insurgents into prison for murder and insurrection (Mark 15:7).  Barabbas was a léstés (John 18:40), not a common malefactor but a ‘notorious prisoner.” 2 In closing, by understanding that the “thief [robber] on the cross”, was a flagrant and villainous criminal, rather than a furtive and non-violent one, adds profundity to the forgiveness Jesus held out to him: “Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise.” (Luke 23:43).  Although he received a physical death sentence, Jesus granted him spiritual clemency.  Instead of receiving eternal condemnation, he was provided heavenly accommodation.   Prior to conversion, we were all “robbers on the cross”.  We were flagrant sinners against God, who mercifully received God’s saving grace: “But you were washed, but...

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Noah: The First Biblical Counselor

Noah: The First Biblical Counselor


Posted By on Apr 12, 2019

When Christians are asked to name the first biblical counselor recorded in the Bible, Noah is usually not considered.  When most believers think of Noah, they imagine his feat of constructing an immense Ark (Gen. 6:13-16), his collecting and stowing two of every animal species (Gen. 6:19), and the six months he was adrift while God destroyed the entire human race with a global flood (Gen. 7:24, cf. 7). During the time of Noah, God’s judgment fell upon the earth because mankind was utterly evil: “Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.“(Gen. 6:5, cf. 6:5-7). Despite the ubiquitous evil generation that inundated Noah, he remained untarnished: “…Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD…was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked with God.” (Gen. 6:8-9b–NIV).    Amazingly, only eight people survived the Great Flood while residing aboard the Ark Noah had built and all eight of those people were members of Noah’s family, including himself (Gen. 6:18, 7:1).  Incredibly not only did God ordain Noah to be a master ship builder, zookeeper, and commissioned seafarer; he was also called to be a preacher and shepherd to the people (2 Pet. 2:5).  Furthermore, Noah lived a total of 950 years; 600 years prior to the flood and 350 years after (Gen. 9:28-29), so he would have had the unique opportunity to minister to mankind, both before and after the flood. However, before the historic flood took place; “Now he [Lamech who begot Noah] called his name Noah, saying, ‘This one will comfort us concerning our work and the toil of our hands, because of the ground which the LORD has cursed.'”(Gen. 5:29-NKJ).  The effects of God’s curse upon the land (Gen. 3:17-19) weighed heavily upon mankind so men sought relief–Noah provided that relief.  Dr. Allen Ross notes: The name Noah is also the basis for the motif of resting, in the next tól edόt section of the book.  Life under the curse was very painful for those early bearers of the curse, and so Lamech hoped for relief and comfort through this man Noah.  Human life under the curse was also painful to God, and so God used Noah as part of His plan to relieve the world of pain, but not as Lamech thought, 1 Though we do not know the specific details of just how Noah provided comfort and rest to those who labored in that generation, yet the prophetic words of his father Lamech; “This one will comfort us...

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