Easter is often a time spent
reflecting on the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross and the miraculous
Resurrection three days later from the empty tomb (Luke 24:1-8).
Sent into this world to be the
savior for all mankind, Jesus was crucified following the incessant demands of
the Jewish leaders (Mark 15:13-14) at the washed hands of the Roman
Procurator, Pontius Pilate.
As Jesus was on hanging on the
cross, there were two men hanging with him (Luke 23:32-34). We know from Roman history that
the penalty of crucifixion was for the worst of criminals, therefore we can
infer the two men hanging next to him were as such. Continuing in Luke's
Gospel, as one man hurls insults at Jesus (v. 39) the other asks to walk in the eternal
Kingdom with Him (v. 42). The remarkable thing is that Jesus' love
for mankind was so strong that His immediate response was not not deep thought
or rebuke, rather it was simply "Truly I tell you, today you will be with
me in Paradise" (v. 43).
