CHAPTER 23 VER. 39. _And one of the malefactors which were hanged_ (this one, according to tradition, hung on the left hand of Christ) _railed_ _on Him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. _ If thou be the Christ, and Saviour of the world, save Thyself and us, free us from the cross and... [ Continue Reading ]
_But the other_ (who is said to have hung on the right side) _answering rebuked him._ The Syriac says, "Dost thou not fear, no, not even from God" (etiam, non, a Deo, non tirmes tu)? that is, the scribes and Jews are well and strong and do not fear God, and therefore scoff at Christ; but thou, who a... [ Continue Reading ]
_And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds._ This was an act of profound and public confession, contrition, and repentance, by which he expiated his former sins. _But this man hath done nothing amiss._ The Greek is _άτοπον_, which means out of harmony, unbecoming incongruous,... [ Continue Reading ]
_And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into Thy kingdom._ "The heavenly and divine kingdom, to which Thou passest through the death of the cross, that shortly Thou mayest enter into it by death, and bring into it Thine elect. Wherefore I beseech Thee to bring me also into it wit... [ Continue Reading ]
_And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, This day shalt thou be with Me in Paradise._ That is, in a place of pleasure where thou mayest be in the beatitude and beatific vision of God, _i.e._ To-day I will make thee for ever happy; I will make thee a king reigning in the kingdom of glory wit... [ Continue Reading ]
_Father, into Thy hands I commend My Spirit._ The Arabic has _pono_, Tertullian _depono_ (_cont. Prax. cap._ xxv.). The Hebrew word Hiphid means the same as our "commend." " _My_ _Spirit_." S. Athanasius in his work _De Human. Nat. cont. Apollin_., says, "When Christ said on the cross, Father, into... [ Continue Reading ]