The Penitent Thief.

[MoreCoffee]

And one of those robbers who were hanged blasphemed him, saying: If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. But the other answering, rebuked him, saying: Neither dost thou fear God, seeing; thou art under the same condemnation? And we indeed justly: for we receive the due reward of our deeds. But this man hath done no evil. And he said to Jesus: Lord, remember me when thou shalt come into thy kingdom. And Jesus said to him: Amen I say to thee: This day thou shalt be with me in paradise.
Luke 23:39-43 DRB

Was the penitent thief doing a good work, a work of mercy - so to speak - when he defended the Lord Jesus while Jesus was suffering?

 

[Lamb]

Here's a translation that could make more sense:

39 One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!”

40 But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? 41 We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”

42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.[a]”

43 Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”


Those who don't have faith in the Lord receive what is due to them base on their deeds.

The penitent thief was declaring faith, not doing any type of work, but instead doing what the Holy Spirit guided him to say.

 

[MoreCoffee]

Here's a translation that could make more sense:

39 One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!”

40 But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? 41 We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”

42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.[a]”

43 Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”


Those who don't have faith in the Lord receive what is due to them base on their deeds.

The penitent thief was declaring faith, not doing any type of work, but instead doing what the Holy Spirit guided him to say.

What is a "good work"?

 

[Lamb]

What is a "good work"?

Is this thread about the thief or good works?

 

[MoreCoffee]

Was the penitent thief doing a good work, a work of mercy - so to speak - when he defended the Lord Jesus while Jesus was suffering?

Is this thread about the thief or good works?

Hmmm, looks like the OP has both; the topic title being "The good Thief", while the original post asks "Was the penitent thief doing a good work, a work of mercy - so to speak - when he defended the Lord Jesus while Jesus was suffering?"

 

[atpollard]

I see the two thieves as living out this teaching by Jesus:

John 3:14-21 [NASB]

"And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who believes will have eternal life in Him. For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but so that the world might be saved through Him. The one who believes in Him is not judged; the one who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the Light; for their deeds were evil. For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light, so that his deeds will not be exposed. But the one who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds will be revealed as having been performed in God."​

• The Son was lifted up.
• Everyone who believed (one thief) had eternal life [even as everyone that did not believe did not].
• The Son did not JUDGE, but SAVE (even on the Cross).
• ONE who believed was not judged (he was saved) and ONE who did not believe ‘hung’ already judged.
• Deeds WERE exposed as light and darkness from the two thieves on the two crosses - one performed in God and the other by refusing to come to the Light.

 

[Odë:hgöd]

.
The same Greek word for thieves is used at Luke 10:30 where it depicts brigands,
i.e. road agents.

I was a highwayman,
Along the coach roads I did ride,
With sword and pistol by my side.
Many a young maid lost her baubles to my trade,
Many a soldier shed his lifeblood on my blade,
The (illegitimate children) hung me in the spring of twenty-five.
Highwayman,
Jimmy Webb, 1986
_