In Luke’s Gospel we read:

Two others, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him. And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And they cast lots to divide his garments. And the people stood by, watching, but the rulers scoffed at him, saying, “He saved others; let him save himself, if he is the Christ of God, his Chosen One!” The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine and saying, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” There was also an inscription over him,“This is the King of the Jews.”

One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”

I have been familiar with this text since childhood. All that time I somehow assumed that the thief did not believe he had any hope but wanted Jesus to, literally and only, remember him in Heaven while he suffered in Hell. Jesus surprised him by promising to forgive and exalt him.

But that is nonsense. The “thief” (really, rebel outlaw) had the courage and faith to ask for pardon and a share in Christ’s kingdom. Consider the Scriptural precedents for the request:

When Joseph in Egypt tells Pharaoh’s cupbearer that he will be re-instated rather than condemned, he makes the same request: “Only remember me, when it is well with you, and please do me the kindness to mention me to Pharaoh, and so get me out of this house” (Genesis 40.14). “This house,” remember, was the prison.

Samson does not ask for as much, in a sense, but his request is still concrete:

Then Samson called to the Lord and said, “O Lord God, please remember me and please strengthen me only this once, O God, that I may be avenged on the Philistines for my two eyes” (Judges 16.28).

Again, the plea to be remembered is a plea for God to hear and take action of a specific kind. Hannah shows us the same thing as she begs God for a son:

And she vowed a vow and said, “O LORD of hosts, if you will indeed look on the affliction of your servant and remember me and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a son, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall touch his head” (First Samuel 1.11).

In Nehemiah’s case, he is not making as specific a request, but he is asking for a future of blessedness:

And I appointed as treasurers over the storehouses Shelemiah the priest, Zadok the scribe, and Pedaiah of the Levites, and as their assistant Hanan the son of Zaccur, son of Mattaniah, for they were considered reliable, and their duty was to distribute to their brothers. Remember me, O my God, concerning this, and do not wipe out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God and for his service….

Then I commanded the Levites that they should purify themselves and come and guard the gates, to keep the Sabbath day holy. Remember this also in my favor, O my God, and spare me according to the greatness of your steadfast love….

And one of the sons of Jehoiada, the son of Eliashib the high priest, was the son-in-law of Sanballat the Horonite. Therefore I chased him from me. Remember them, O my God, because they have desecrated the priesthood and the covenant of the priesthood and the Levites.

Thus I cleansed them from everything foreign, and I established the duties of the priests and Levites, each in his work; and I provided for the wood offering at appointed times, and for the firstfruits. Remember me, O my God, for good (from Nehemiah 13).

Notice that Nehemiah here is contrasting his own behavior toward the covenant, Temple, and priesthood with those of others. So our “thief” is demonstrating loyalty to Jesus while others are desecrating him. Quite obviously, Nehemiah is not asking for a merely mental “remembering”; he is asking God to not neglect to reward him.

Job asks to be remembered in a prayer that is obviously a request for healing and deliverance; it may even be a plea for death and resurrection:

Oh that you would hide me in Sheol,
that you would conceal me until your wrath be past,
that you would appoint me a set time, and remember me! (Job 14.13).

In Psalm 25 we see a prayer to be remembered that also asks God for a selective memory. This too would be directly relevant to the request of “the thief on the cross.”

Remember not the sins of my youth or my transgressions;
according to your steadfast love remember me,
for the sake of your goodness, O Lord! (Psalm 25.7)

Psalm 106 not only gives us the same request for selective remembering, but also involves a plea in the exaltation of others, just like the “thief” asking to share in Jesus’ future glory:

Remember me, O Lord, when you show favor to your people;
help me when you save them,
that I may look upon the prosperity of your chosen ones,
that I may rejoice in the gladness of your nation,
that I may glory with your inheritance.

Both we and our fathers have sinned;
we have committed iniquity; we have done wickedness.
Our fathers, when they were in Egypt,
did not consider your wondrous works;
they did not remember the abundance of your steadfast love,
but rebelled by the sea, at the Red Sea.
Yet he saved them for his name’s sake,
that he might make known his mighty power.
He rebuked the Red Sea, and it became dry,
and he led them through the deep as through a desert.
So he saved them from the hand of the foe
and redeemed them from the power of the enemy.
And the waters covered their adversaries;
not one of them was left.
Then they believed his words;
they sang his praise (from Psalm 6).

Jeremiah was a righteous prophet. You wouldn’t think that the “thief” would compare himself. Maybe he wasn’t thinking of Jeremiah when he made the request. But the “thief” was now publicly testifying to God’s will, so I don’t see why this situation is not comparable:

O Lord, you know;
remember me and visit me,
and take vengeance for me on my persecutors.
In your forbearance take me not away;
know that for your sake I bear reproach (Jeremiah 15.15).

So now the “thief” in addition to bearing his own reproach, which he willingly acknowledges, also take a share in Jesus’ reproach and bears it for his sake.

What shall we say to these things?

The “thief,” guilty and condemned, is asking for nothing less than a share in the kingdom and deliverance from all his adversity. No abasement or false humility here. He is not asking for nothing in the hope that Jesus is impressed and gives him more. He wanted what Jesus promised him from the moment he opened his mouth to Jesus. That is what he wanted and he said it in such a way so that Jesus and everyone who heard him knew what he was requesting. He is asking for forgiveness and, what is more, is boldly acting on the belief that Jesus will listen to him. “The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord, but the prayer of the upright is acceptable to him” (Proverbs 15.8). Which one is our thief acting like?

He is boldly regarding the cross as the throne of grace:

Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need (Hebrews 4.16).

Yes, indeed, let us! How can we read about this dying murderer and his confident faith and not be encouraged to ask God in Christ for everything we need and want! How could we ever allow shame to mute our voices to our Father?