The man on the crucifix next to Christ

[JPerry1980]

Hi everyone,

I am working on a new poem about the man on the crucifix next to Jesus who asked Him, paraphrased: “Lord, remember me when you go into Your Father’s kingdom.” Who was this man? I know that he was a thief, but is there anything else known about him, name, etc. other than this?

I apologize if I did not post this in the correct forum, as I was attempting to find the right place to post this. Please feel free to move my post if I did not ask this in the right place.

Thanks,

– j.

“Evil is powerless if the good are unafraid.” – Ronald Wilson Reagan.

 

[fulbert4605]

Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich’s Church approved private revelations say a few things about this man.

I am paraphrasing from memory.

During the flight into Egypt, the Holy Family stopped to stay shortly with another family. Though this family was rather inclined towards evil they were nice to the Holy Family since the Holy Family had a certain good disposition about them. Using the water Jesus had just been bathed in, this family put their son into the bathwater and their son was instantly cured of leprosy. This son ends up being the Good Thief.

Dismas is the unofficial name of this man. This is not his real name, Anne Catherine acknowledges, but she forgets his real name.

Dismas and the other criminal beside Jesus were sentenced to die earlier but their death was postponed in order that they may be crucified along side Jesus in an attempt to humiliate Jesus further. Dismas was rather reserved during the Passion though the other criminal also joined the jeering crowds in taunting Jesus.

 

[adstrinity]

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Dismas

The apocryphal Arabic Infancy Gospel calls the two thieves Titus and Dumachus, and adds a tale about how Titus (the good one) prevented the other thieves in his company from robbing Mary and Joseph during their Flight into Egypt
…
According to tradition, the Good Thief was crucified to Jesus’ right hand, and the other thief was crucified to his left. For this reason, depictions of the crucifixion often show Jesus’ head inclined to his right, showing his acceptance of the Good Thief…The footrest is slanted, pointing up towards the Good Thief, and pointing down towards the other.

catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=114 According to this, his Feastday is March 25.

 

[thistle]

Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich’s Church approved private revelations say a few things about this man.

I am paraphrasing from memory.

During the flight into Egypt, the Holy Family stopped to stay shortly with another family. Though this family was rather inclined towards evil they were nice to the Holy Family since the Holy Family had a certain good disposition about them. Using the water Jesus had just been bathed in, this family put their son into the bathwater and their son was instantly cured of leprosy. This son ends up being the Good Thief.

Dismas is the unofficial name of this man. This is not his real name, Anne Catherine acknowledges, but she forgets his real name.

Dismas and the other criminal beside Jesus were sentenced to die earlier but their death was postponed in order that they may be crucified along side Jesus in an attempt to humiliate Jesus further. Dismas was rather reserved during the Passion though the other criminal also joined the jeering crowds in taunting Jesus.

Church “Approved” private revelations simply mean there is nothing against Church teachings. It does not mean what is said is accurate or correct. Things said in private revelations of several Church approved ones contradict each other on same subject.

 

[Palaeologos]

When the Gospel says that he was a “robber” or “thief,” what it means is that he was a resistance fighter (a Zealot). These were referred to as brigands or robbers because their manner of fund-raising was to kidnap people travelling in the wilderness for ransom. So it’s quite likely that the two men crucified with Jesus were companions of Barabbas, who was also a Zealot and had just been pardoned by Pilate.

Sr Emmerich’s revelations may be true, or not. They don’t conflict with any other data we have. They can be accepted as pious opinions, but they don’t hold any more weight than that.

 

[EphelDuath]

You know, I never really thought about it much before now, but the story of Dismas is really touching: a man who humbles himself and praises God while being crucified and mocked.

I suppose there’s no better fate for a Christian than to be martyred right next to the Lord.

 

[damooster]

I second Palaeologos: St. Dismas aka the Good Thief and the Penitential Thief, was actually more of a brigand.

Also, I have not been able to confirm this, but I was told that St. Dismas is the only person that was personally canonized by Jesus.

St. Dismas was my confirmation saint and I’m glad to hear you are writing a poem about him!

 

[Malleus_01]

When the Gospel says that he was a “robber” or “thief,” what it means is that he was a resistance fighter (a Zealot). These were referred to as brigands or robbers because their manner of fund-raising was to kidnap people travelling in the wilderness for ransom. So it’s quite likely that the two men crucified with Jesus were companions of Barabbas, who was also a Zealot and had just been pardoned by Pilate.

Sr Emmerich’s revelations may be true, or not. They don’t conflict with any other data we have. They can be accepted as pious opinions, but they don’t hold any more weight than that.

Malleus: Not to argue content - But when you say “What it means is” followed by what appears to be opinion - is there a source for Catholic Exegesis you can cite? IE a past Saint , Doctor or Theologian that confirms this view. And BTW - I am not saying I disagree with you. I am saying I have never heard this before. I’d like to study the sources of this particular exegesis.

Thanks

Pax

 

[Palaeologos]

Malleus: Not to argue content - But when you say “What it means is” followed by what appears to be opinion - is there a source for Catholic Exegesis you can cite? IE a past Saint , Doctor or Theologian that confirms this view. And BTW - I am not saying I disagree with you. I am saying I have never heard this before. I’d like to study the sources of this particular exegesis.

Thanks

Pax

By Scriptural inference : in Mark 15:7 we read that Barabbas was involved in an insurrection. Matt 27:16 testifies that he is notorious; we can conclude, I think, from this that he was prominent in the rebellion. Jn 18:40 refers to Barabbas as a lestes; the same word is used to refer to those crucified next to Jesus in Matt 27:38 and Mark 15:27.

Crucifixion was the punishment for certain wicked crimes; I don’t know if simple robbery or theft was one of them. But treason was certainly punishable by crucifixion, and that’s why Jesus was executed in that manner. It would make sense that all three of those crucified that day on Golgotha would be crucified for similar crimes.

As far as patristic or other traditional sources, I don’t know of any, but that doesn’t mean they don’t exist. It’s not really a detail that affects the faith one way or another; it’s mostly of historical and contextual interest.

 

[Malleus_01]

By Scriptural inference : in Mark 15:7 we read that Barabbas was involved in an insurrection. Matt 27:16 testifies that he is notorious; we can conclude, I think, from this that he was prominent in the rebellion. Jn 18:40 refers to Barabbas as a lestes; the same word is used to refer to those crucified next to Jesus in Matt 27:38 and Mark 15:27.

Crucifixion was the punishment for certain wicked crimes; I don’t know if simple robbery or theft was one of them. But treason was certainly punishable by crucifixion, and that’s why Jesus was executed in that manner. It would make sense that all three of those crucified that day on Golgotha would be crucified for similar crimes.

As far as patristic or other traditional sources, I don’t know of any, but that doesn’t mean they don’t exist. It’s not really a detail that affects the faith one way or another; it’s mostly of historical and contextual interest.

Malleus: Thanks.