The Thief's Confession and the Lesson of Piety

The struggle happens in cooperation with the Great Shepherd. You marveled that a blind man became a co-witness of the truth having been benefited; you marveled at the robber who, before the benefit, co-witnessed with Christ. For always a divine soul, zealously seeking the truth, opens many mouths co-witnessing to the truth through its own reliabilityility.

Christ was hanging on the cross, and two robbers, one on the right and one of good characterter, and the Jews are slandering, the chief priests are blaspheming: 'Behold the King of the Jews' (Matt 27:42); and again, 'If he is the King of Israel, let him come down now from the cross, so that we may see and believe in him' (Matt 27:42); and again, 'He saved others, but he cannot save himself' (Mark 15:31). Likewise, the one crucified robber also blasphemed, saying: 'If you are the Son of God, save yourself and us' (Luke 23:39). But the other robber said nothing, punishing the condemned by his silence.

Since therefore the chief priests and the scribes, knowing the law, but rather being ignorant, those who ought to have confessed Christ from the prophetic readings, did not confess; God opens an unexpected mouth upon the cross, co-witnessing to the truth. And see what he does. He does not even first hear the voice of Christ, and this one co-witnesses, and then he is crowned. For two robbers were crucified, he says, one on the right and one of good characterter; and the Savior was in the middle like a yoke of truth, crowning indeed the one confessing, but condemning the one blaspheming.

And behold the wonderful thing. Of the scribes and the chief priests blaspheming Christ, and saying: 'If he is the King of Israel, let him come down now from the cross, so that we may see and believe in him' (Matt 27:42); and of the other robber: 'If you are the Son of God, save yourself and us' (Luke 23:39); the one of good characterter says nothing. For the two robbers were icons of the people of the Jews and of ours. For the one blasphemes and is condemned; but the one believes and repents and is saved. Therefore the one of good characterter, the brother of the Jewish robbery, says nothing (for the ignorant Jews were a robber people, as the Savior testifies saying: 'My house shall be called a house of prayer; but you have made it a robbers' den' Matt 21:13); and the choice of the first is Jewish; but the choice of the second is Christian.

Driven by evil, but seizing salvation through repentance; thus speaks the ignorant thief, having a Jewish choice: 'If you are the Son of God, save yourself and us, by coming down from the cross.' But the other, the discerning one, is found—the one responsible in the courtroom, a judge at the cross; but also teaching the fear of God.

For the first cry of the thief to the fellow-robber says: 'Do you not even fear God, since you are in the same judgment?' And 'We indeed are judged justly, for we receive what is worthy of what we have done'; but this one did nothing strange. What are you saying? You, stealing outside, condemn here? You, murdering outside, teach fear here? 'Do you not even fear God?' Learn the cross of Christ, so that the voice may become to you a teacher of piety.

For see the wonderful thing: the thief says to the fellow-robber: 'Do you not even fear God?' He proclaims God himself crucified with them, and suffering long-sufferingly for the sake of humanity. And that regarding the Savior he says: 'Do you not even fear God?' Learn from the following: 'Do you not even fear God, since you are in the same judgment?' And 'We indeed are judged justly, for we receive what is worthy of what we have done'; but this one did nothing strange.

I say these things so that you may learn to toil for the sake of piety, and to show zeal both in the house and in the marketplace, and to contend for Christ, so that you also may receive from him the crown of righteousness, like this discerning thief. For listen to him toward the blasphemous fellow-robber: 'Do you not even fear God, since you are in the same judgment?' And 'We indeed are judged justly, for we receive what is worthy of what we have done'; but this one did nothing strange.

And he said to Jesus, 'Remember me, Lord, when you come in your kingdom' (Luke 23:42). Did you see a true sympathy? Did you see how he, the Christ, confessed God truly? 'Remember me, Lord, when you come in your kingdom.' He confesses his own evils and sympathizes with the Lord.

You were tortured so much, thief, before the ruler, so that you might confess the robberies, and the murders, and the thefts which you did, even if you did not confess; and here you say, without tortures, 'We indeed are judged justly, for we receive what is worthy of what we have done'? Through ten thousand tortures you only just confessed before the ruler; and here, having no one to compel you, easily...