Luk 23:39-43 | RWP | e4.org | Railed ( εβλασφημε ). Imperfect active, implying that he kept it up. His question formally calls for an affirmative answer ( ουχ ), but the ridicule is in his own answer: "Save thyself and us." It was on a level with an effort to break prison. Luke alone gives this incident ( ), though ; allude to it.

‏ Luke 23:39-43

Railed ( εβλασφημε ). Imperfect active, implying that he kept it up. His question formally calls for an affirmative answer ( ουχ ), but the ridicule is in his own answer: "Save thyself and us." It was on a level with an effort to break prison. Luke alone gives this incident (39-43), though Mr 15:32; Mt 27:44 allude to it.

Rebuking ( επιτιμων ). From what Mark and Matthew say both robbers sneered at Jesus at first, but this one came to himself and turned on his fellow robber in a rage.

Dost thou not even fear God? ( Ουδε φοβη τον θεον; ). Ουδε here goes with the verb. Φοβη (second person singular present indicative middle of φοβεομα. Both of you will soon appear before God. Jesus has nothing to answer for and you have added this to your other sins.

Nothing amiss ( ουδεν ατοπον ). Nothing out of place ( α privative, τοπος, place). Old word, three times in the N.T. (Lu 23:44; Ac 28:6; 2Th 3:2). This can only mean that this robber accepts the claims of Jesus to be true. He is dying for claiming to be Messiah, as he is.

In thy kingdom ( εις την βασιλειαν σου, text of Westcott and Hort or εν τε βασιλεια σου, margin). Probably no difference in sense is to be found, for εις and εν are essentially the same preposition. He refers to the Messianic rule of Jesus and begs that Jesus will remember him. It is not clear whether he hopes for immediate blessing or only at the judgment.

Today shalt thou be with me in Paradise ( Σημερον μετ' εμου εση εν τω παραδεισω ). However crude may have been the robber's Messianic ideas Jesus clears the path for him. He promises him immediate and conscious fellowship after death with Christ in Paradise which is a Persian word and is used here not for any supposed intermediate state; but the very bliss of heaven itself. This Persian word was used for an enclosed park or pleasure ground (so Xenophon). The word occurs in two other passages in the N.T. (2Co 12:4; Re 2:7), in both of which the reference is plainly to heaven. Some Jews did use the word for the abode of the pious dead till the resurrection, interpreting "Abraham's bosom" (Lu 16:22f.) in this sense also. But the evidence for such an intermediate state is too weak to warrant belief in it.