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How Do We See Jesus? Lessons From the “Penitent Thief”

How Do We See Jesus? Lessons From the “Penitent Thief”

Last updated on: October 23, 2026 at 5:42 pm by Rick Rice

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How Do We See Jesus? Lessons From the “Penitent Thief” 2026-10-23T17:42:15-04:00 Rick Rice

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In John 12;20-21, some Greeks came to Philip and said, “We would like to see Jesus.” But what does it mean to “see” Jesus? Particularly, how do we see Jesus through the eyes of faith? Luke’s account of the crucifixion prompts reflection on what it means to see Jesus, through the eyes of the “penitent thief” who was crucified with him.

Luke 23:32-43 (NIV)

Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed. When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals – one on his right, the other on his left. Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up his clothes by casting lots. The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is God’s Messiah, the Chosen one.” The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar and said, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself. There was a written notice above him, which read: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!” But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”

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

How Do We See Jesus? The Eyes of Faith

Last month, I went to hear my friend Jennifer preach. She started attending the church I pastored a year or two into my tenure there. Over the years, she grew in her faith and developed a passion for Scripture and study. A few years ago, she sensed that God was calling her to ministry. In September, she was scheduled to preach for several weeks for another pastor who was on sabbatical. My wife and I picked one of the Sundays, and planned to go and attend the service.

Her message centered on Luke 23:39-43, the encounter between Jesus and the two criminals who were crucified with Him. She focused on the faith of the criminal who asked Jesus to remember him when He came into His kingdom. Hanging there on the cross next to Jesus, seeing Him after having been tortured and mocked by the crowds, this man somehow still saw Jesus as a King whose kingdom would still be established. It’s easy for us to see Jesus as a King when we think about Him on the throne, as in Revelation 5; it’s much harder to recognize Him as King when He’s hanging on the cross. That takes faith – a faith that is the assurance of things not seen, as Hebrews 11:1 puts it.

Well, that message got me thinking. What was it about Jesus that enabled that man to see Him as a King? What had he heard about Jesus? There was nothing about Jesus’ appearance that said “King.” Rather than demonstrating earthly power, Jesus was clearly having earthly power exercised against Him. As the crowds, and even the other criminal, were telling Him to prove His power by coming down off the cross, this man saw beyond physical appearances and focused on spiritual reality. How was he able to do that?

How Do We See Jesus? The “Penitent Thief” Saw Him as a King

Look at what this man said – first to the other criminal, and then to Jesus. First, “we are suffering justly, for we are receiving what we deserve for our crimes; but this Man has done nothing wrong” (verse 41). That statement demonstrates his awareness of his own sinfulness – his need for the forgiveness that Jesus was making available through His death. The other criminal mocked Jesus, telling Him to “save Yourself and us!” (verse 39). No acknowledgment of his own guilt, or of Jesus’ true nature. “Just get me out of this mess that I’m in!” Unfortunately, that’s a common human attitude. “Don’t ask me to admit that I’m guilty; just save me!” The problem is that as soon as the problem is gone, so is the willingness to seek Jesus’ help.

The “penitent thief,” to use the common designation, was different. He admitted his own guilt and his need for Jesus to save him. That was the first step toward being able to see Jesus as He truly was, rather than the way He appeared on the cross. The eyes of faith see spiritual reality that the world misses. “We are receiving what we deserve, but this Man has done nothing wrong.”

Next, what did he say to Jesus? “Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.” Remember: Jesus was hanging on a cross, His earthly life ebbing away. Within a few hours, He would be dead. How in the world could this man believe that Jesus would be “coming into His kingdom?” There was nothing in Jesus’ appearance to suggest that the tables would soon be turned.

Even Jesus’ Disciples Struggled to See Him as a King

At the crucifixion, Jesus’ disciples were struggling to believe that Jesus would be “coming into His kingdom!” On Easter Sunday, when Jesus encountered the two disciples on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-35), those two disciples were discouraged and didn’t see any hope. “They crucified him; but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel” (Luke 24:20-21). In fact, even when the women came to announce that the tomb was empty, the disciples still struggled to accept it! Yet the man on the cross saw beyond the circumstances to embrace the spiritual reality that Jesus’ death on the cross was not going to be “the end.”

So how did he see it? First, he must have heard something about Jesus. In the story of the road to Emmaus, the two disciples asked Jesus, “Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?” (Luke 24:18). Everyone had heard about Jesus! That’s why the religious authorities wanted to get rid of Him. If nobody had heard about Jesus, He wouldn’t have been a threat. So it’s reasonable to expect that the man on the cross had heard about Jesus.

But so had “the rest of the world,” but the rest of the world didn’t see Jesus as the king. So just hearing about Jesus couldn’t have been the key. Perhaps he had actually heard Jesus? After all, there were plenty of times that crowds followed Jesus. Just one example: when a crowd of 5,000 men, plus women and children, were listening to Jesus, is it impossible that this man was one of them? It’s pure speculation, of course, but there has to be something to explain how this man was able to recognize Jesus as King in spite of all appearances to the contrary.

How Do We See Jesus? The Eyes of Faith

Clearly, something had triggered a degree of faith in the man who has hanging next to Jesus. Everyone else saw Jesus through the lens of present circumstances. The rulers mocked Him; the soldiers abused Him. His disciples struggled with doubt and defeat. But in spite of circumstances – both his own circumstances and Jesus’ circumstances – this man believed. “Remember me when you come into your kingdom.”

I think that we don’t struggle too much with Jesus’ circumstances; after all, we’re not seeing Him hanging on the cross! We know it happened, but we also see it in light of the empty tomb. He was crucified, but He is risen! So the circumstances of His crucifixion generally don’t cause us to doubt. But our own circumstances? Well, that’s a different matter. Our faith is strong when everything is going well, but what about when we face trials? How do we see Jesus then?

I’d suggest that we need to learn to see Jesus in the midst of His trials in order to strengthen our faith when we struggle. Think about it this way: when you’re facing a crisis, do you feel comforted by people who seem to have it all together? Or do you seek people who have walked the same path you’re walking? Learning to see the suffering Jesus reminds us what the writer of Hebrews said: “Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way just as we are – yet he did not sin” (Hebrews 4:14-15).

Seeing Jesus With Eyes of Faith

Well, so what? What difference does it make? All the difference in the world! First, it matters because learning to recognize Jesus as our Suffering Savior helps us to receive His comfort in the midst of our trials. He understands us, because He has experienced everything that this world and Satan could throw at Him – and He triumphed over it all!

Second, it matters because learning to see Jesus in every part of His incarnation reminds us that He came to redeem every part of creation. That includes a convicted criminal, hanging on the cross next to Him. And it includes anyone else who is able to see Jesus through the eyes of faith. The “penitent thief” said, “Remember me when you come into your kingdom.” That sentiment reminds that Scripture says that “everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved” (Romans 10:13).

Learning to see Jesus with eyes of faith makes all the difference in the world. Why? “Today you will be with me in paradise.” Understanding how this man came to see Jesus as Savior and King is important because it reminds us to tell people about Jesus, and to bring people to Jesus. And it also reminds us that as long as someone is still alive, it’s never too late for them to come to faith!

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Remember Me When You Come Into Your Kingdom

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