The king with the thief. Why did the thief on a cross next to Jesus say to Jesus “Remember me when you come into your kingdom”? Because Jesus had written on his cross “JESUS OF NAZARETH KING OF THE JEWS”. The thief believed Jesus was truly king of the Jews, and that despite dying on a cross, Jesus would pass through that stage as a step towards entering his true kingdom. It must be he believed the kingdom Jesus was entering as its king was beyond the clutches of death. Jesus perceived his faith, and he confirmed his was a kingdom he would pass through first death on that cross and then Paradise in order to enter it. Jesus had taught a prayer in which the Father is acknowledged as having a kingdom forever and ever. Now Jesus was affirming faith that he too had a kingdom into which he would enter as king, even beyond death. Jesus had said to his disciples “You believe in God. Believe also in me.” He has gone to prepare a kingdom with the Father. He will return to raise the followers both those who are living and those who are dead, and take them to be in his kingdom and his Father’s bounteous house. Before this, he would die and rise again and go to the Father not dead but resurrected and living, both as Lord empowered by the Father, and as the Father’s chosen one, the Christ. Never to die again, his kingdom will never end. Then he will subject himself to the Father so that the Father will be God all in all, and he Jesus there beside Him forever. This is what that thief on the cross believed with a dying flash of faith and inspiration. So his spirit was saved though he was punished and died. He would be remembered by Jesus in that kingdom of which Jesus is rightful chosen king.
An AI response:
https://chatgpt.com/share/6adc880b-1ff8-83eb-88e4-190b9d74848d
