Second Utterance from the Cross: Today, you will be with Me in Paradise

 DAY 1, Evening

“Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”

(Luke 23:43)

The second utterance from the cross is a word of assurance. It is spoken not to a crowd, not to the religious leaders, and not even to the disciples. It is spoken to a dying criminal who had nothing to offer Jesus except a humble request for mercy.

⁴² Then he said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.”

This man had no good works to present. He had no life of obedience to point to. He had no opportunity to make restitution or prove his sincerity. He had only a confession of guilt and a plea for grace. In response, Jesus gave him one of the most beautiful promises in all of Scripture.

⁴³ And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”

This promise reveals the heart of salvation. It is not earned. It is not achieved. It is not the reward of a lifetime of religious effort. It is the gift of God to the one who turns to Christ in faith. The repentant thief had nothing but need, and Jesus met that need with divine assurance.

The word “Paradise” was used to describe a garden or a place of rest and delight. It is the same word used in Revelation when Jesus promises the overcomer access to the tree of life. Jesus was telling this man that death would not be the end. It would be the doorway into the presence of God. The thief would not enter alone. Jesus said, “You will be with Me.” Salvation is not merely the removal of sin. It is the restoration of fellowship with God.

This moment also reveals the compassion of Christ. While suffering the agony of crucifixion, Jesus still heard the cry of a sinner. He still extended mercy. He still offered hope. Even in His final hours, Jesus was doing what He came to do. He was seeking and saving the lost.

Jesus’s promise reminds us that salvation is immediate. He did not say, “Someday you may be with Me,” or “After a long process you might enter My kingdom.” He said, “Today.” The repentant thief would close his eyes on earth and open them in the presence of Christ. There would be no delay and no uncertainty. The grace of God is not slow. It is ready to meet the sinner who turns to Him in faith.

This second utterance teaches us that no one is beyond the reach of God’s mercy. Salvation is not based on our past but on Christ’s promise. The door of grace stands open until the final breath. The heart of Jesus is always turned toward the repentant.

Pray this prayer to God: Lord Jesus, thank You for the promise You gave to the repentant thief. Thank You that salvation is by grace and not by works. Help me to trust Your promise and to rest in the assurance that those who turn to You in faith will be with You forever. Strengthen my heart with the hope of Paradise and the joy of Your presence. In the name of Jesus, Amen.

First Utterance from the Cross: Forgive Them

DAY 1, Morning

“Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.”

(Luke 23:34)

The first words Jesus spoke from the cross were those of a plea for forgiveness. They were not a cry of pain or a plea for rescue. They were not words of anger or accusation. They were a prayer of forgiveness that revealed the heart of the One who came to save.

³⁴ Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” And they divided His garments and cast lots.

The word Jesus uses for “forgive” is the Greek word aphiēmi. It means to release, to let go, or to send away. It is the same word Jesus used when He taught His disciples to pray, “Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.” This forgiveness is not sentimental or shallow. It is a deliberate act of releasing someone from the debt they owe.

Jesus is not declaring universal forgiveness for every person standing at the foot of the cross. He is not excusing their sin or pretending that their actions are harmless. He is revealing His heart. He is showing them that His love is strong enough to release them if they would receive it, even those who are actively harming Him.

The soldiers who nailed Him to the cross did not ask for forgiveness. The religious leaders who mocked Him did not repent. The crowd that blasphemed Him did not understand the magnitude of what they were doing. Yet Jesus prayed for them. He released the debt into the hands of His Father, the only One who judges perfectly.

Forgiveness begins in the heart of the forgiver. It does not begin with the worthiness of the offender. Jesus is not minimizing the evil done against Him. He is choosing to place the burden of justice into the hands of His Father. This forgiveness frees the soul from bitterness. This forgiveness refuses to let hatred take root. This forgiveness does not require reconciliation with the unrepentant. No, this forgiveness entrusts justice to God.

When Jesus prayed, “Father, forgive them,” He was revealing the heart of the Father. God desires to release sinners from their debt. He yearns for repentance rather than destruction. He opens the door of mercy even while the nails are still being driven in.

As we begin these seven devotionals on the last words of Christ, we begin where Jesus began, with forgiveness. Forgiveness does not deny the truth. Release does not say wounds do not hurt. Forgiveness does not enable sin, nor does it remove healthy boundaries. Forgiveness releases the debt into the hands of God. This is the forgiveness that reflects the cross. This is the forgiveness that looks like Christ.

 

Pray this prayer to God: Lord Jesus, thank You for praying for Your enemies even as they wounded You. Teach me to release the debts others owe me. Help me to entrust justice to the Father and to walk in the freedom that forgiveness brings. Change my heart to be more like Yours. Amen.

The Last Words of Christ before His Death

 

1. The Love of Christ results in …

…Release of Enemies

aphiēmi = release; Matthew 6:12

“Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” (Luke 23:34)

- Demonstrates Jesus' selfless love and His commitment to forgiveness, even in suffering. This reflects Jesus' boundless forgiveness, even for those who crucified Him, embodying His teachings on love and mercy.  Jesus' final words express His trust in the Father and His willing surrender, marking the culmination of His earthly life. It is the same forgiveness Jesus used in the Lord’s prayer, “forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.” It means to leave alone. It was NOT a blanket forgiveness of all sins for all time, nor was it given to all who were there. It was exemplifying who Jesus truly was and exemplified His forgiving love. For those who were gambling for His clothes; for criminals on either side of Him; for the crowd who was blaspheming Him.

…Relations on Earth 1 John 3:1

“Woman, behold your son! … Behold your mother!” (John 19:26-27)

- Reflects Christ's care for others, showing His attention to relationships and community. Jesus entrusts His mother, Mary, to the care of His disciple John, symbolizing the creation of a new spiritual family among believers. 

2. The Humanity of Christ fulfills Scripture in…

… Sorrowful Separation see Psalm 22:1, Hebrews 13:5

“My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Matt. 27:46, Mark 15:34)

This reminds us that even in our darkest moments, when we feel utterly alone, we are not forsaken. Jesus in His humanity was separated from His Father so we would not have to be. When we have questions, God has answers. In moments of despair, we know that Jesus understands. It also calls us to reflect on the magnitude of Jesus' sacrifice and the hope it brings for redemption and eternal connection with God.

… Symbolic Sacrifice see Psalm 22:15, 69:21, Exodus 12:22

“I thirst!” (John 19:28)

- This highlights Jesus' humanity and fulfills Scripture, showing His physical suffering and His role in fulfilling God's plan. Emphasizes Jesus' humanity and fulfills Scripture. This fulfills the prophecy in Psalm 69:21, which says, "They gave me vinegar for my thirst." It highlights Jesus' humanity and the fulfillment of Scripture.

…Submissive Surrender see Psalm 22:19, 31:5

“Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” (Luke 23:46)

- According to Luke, these are Jesus’s final words, which show His ultimate trust and surrender to the Father, even in death. This echoes Psalm 31:5, where the psalmist entrusts their spirit to God. Jesus uses these words to express His trust in the Father, even in death.

3. The Deity of Christ provides Salvation in …

… Divine Providence, see Revelation 2:7

“Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.” (Luke 23:43)

- Highlights the assurance of salvation through faith and repentance. Spoken to the repentant thief, this assures salvation through faith, emphasizing grace over works.

… Divine Permanence tetelestai, Hebrews 11:2

“It is finished.” (John 19:30)

Tetelestai is a single word, which can accurately be translated as “It is finished,” but it was also used in financial sense when a debt is completely paid. This single word was stamped on a deed or a financial note, meaning paid in full. Judicially,  this word was also used in a legal when a judgment or a verdict had been fully served and completed. Tetelestai. Militarily, this single word was also used that the battle had been won. The Spiritual war is over and the enemy defeated.

HOW DO WE KNOW It is finished? Because Sunday morning, the stone was rolled away. SM, The soldier fell asleep as dead men. SM The women heard the angels say He is not here He is risen. SM Peter and John ran and saw an empty tomb. SM Jesus said to a weeping woman, Go tell the disciples I am ascending to MY FATHER…BC. JESUS promised in John 14 that if I go away, I will come again and receive you to myself that where I am you shall be also.