"And a superscription also was written over him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS. (39) And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. (40) But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? (41) And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. (42) And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. (43) And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, today shalt thou be with me in paradise."
Of the titles on the cross, I refer to John 19:19. But, as Luke is the only Evangelist which hath recorded the abundant mercy shewn to the dying thief, I shall beg to make a short observation upon it here. Matthew and Mark are both express to shew, that those men which were crucified with Jesus, joined the rabble to insult Christ. And Luke saith, that one of them reproved his hardened companion; owned Christ for a Savior; found mercy from Christ; and received the assurance of being that day with him in Paradise. And, no doubt, the whole relation of the Evangelists is correct. Both thieves at the first, when nailed to the cross, joined the cry against our Lord, until one of them, struck by divine conviction, had his heart suddenly changed, and cried out for mercy. Jesus snatched him as from the very brink of hell, and as a trophy of his rich, free, and sovereign grace, took him with him to heaven. I beg the Reader not to pass away from the view of such wonderful love, until that he hath feasted his soul with the contemplation. Here was no merit, no pre-disposition, no service, no ordinance, no means, neither baptism nor the Lord's supper; but, on the contrary, everything of demerit, a life of infamy, and within a short period all over, and dying under the hand of justice. And yet such an one the Son of God took with him at once to everlasting joy! What will any man call this? Was Christ, or was He not, in this instance, the whole of salvation? And is He not so in every other?