This morning Ron reminded me of the providential coincidence that on this Father’s Day, the portion of Scripture we’re covering speaks in part of the love that exists between Jacob and his son Joseph, even if in a bittersweet manner.
Well, as we’ve noted before, as Joseph spent the first seventeen years of his life living in the home of his father,[1] Jacob spent the last seventeen years of his life living in Egypt near Joseph.[2] But now, having adopted Joseph’s children as his own[3] and having blessed all of his sons, disclosing to them what would happen to them and their descendants in the “days to come,”[4] it was time for Jacob’s earthly life, at the age of a hundred and forty-seven, to come to an end.[5] But as we’ll see noted in our accompanying New Testament passage, though Jacob’s earthly life may have ended, once Jacob died he was welcomed into the Kingdom of God.
Jacob’s closing words, his final instructions, to his sons can be found beginning with verse 29 of Genesis 49:
I am about to be gathered to my people. Bury me with my fathers in the cave in the field of Ephron the Hittite, 30 the cave in the field of Machpelah, near Mamre in Canaan, which Abraham bought along with the field as a burial place from Ephron the Hittite. 31 There Abraham and his wife Sarah were buried, there Isaac and his wife Rebekah were buried, and there I buried Leah. 32 The field and the cave in it were bought from the Hittites.
Now this wasn’t the first time that Jacob had requested to be buried in the land of his fathers. If you’ll recall, when he first arrived in Egypt seventeen years earlier, he made Joseph take a similar oath saying to him, “If I have found favor in your eyes, put your hand under my thigh and promise that you will show me kindness and faithfulness. Do not bury me in Egypt, 30 but when I rest with my fathers, carry me out of Egypt and bury me where they are buried.”[6] At the time, Joseph had agreed to carry out his father’s wishes. He was now extending his request to all of his sons as he asked of them that he might be buried:
- With his fathers in the land of Canaan. This request makes sense for this was the land that God had promised to one day give to his grandfather Abraham,[7] father Isaac,[8] and himself. [9] Therefore, as one scholar notes, “Believing in God’s promises to Abraham and Isaac about the Promised Land…, Jacob arranged for his burial with them in Canaan.”[10] Another similarly observes, “Jacob does not forget that the land of his ancestors is his God-appointed homeland.”[11]
- He asked to be buried in the family buriel plot in the field of Ephron the Hittite that his grandfather Abraham had purchased for this purpose;[12]
- Specifically, he asked to be buried in the cave in the field of Machpelah, near Mamre in Canaan, where Abraham[13] and Sarah,[14] Isaac[15] and Rebekah,[16] and Leah[17] were all buried—Rachel hadn’t been buried there since she had died giving birth to Benjamin on the way back to Canaan. Therefore, Jacob had buried her beside the road to Ephrath, or Bethlehem.[18]
Then, having made his dying wishes known to his sons, verse 33, Jacob “drew his feet up into the bed, breathed his last and was gathered to his people.”
Genesis 50 opens by noting how “Joseph threw himself on his father and wept over him and kissed him.” Then, having spent the entirety of his adult life in Egypt and thereby having learned their burial practices, he had his father buried according to those Egyptian practices. As stated in verses 2–3, he “directed the physicians in his service to embalm his father Israel. So the physicians embalmed him, 3 taking a full forty days, for that was the time required for embalming.” Again, embalming was not a Hebrew practice but an Egyptian one. However, an advantage to this embalming, as noted by one commentator, was that it would “delay the normal process of putrefaction and so enable Jacob’s corpse to be transported to Hebron.” The same scholar goes on to state, “Mummification was not practiced by the Hebrews, and so Joseph entrusts the task to Egyptian physicians.”[19]
And notice that though Jacob wasn’t an Egyptian, nonetheless “the Egyptians mourned for him seventy days,” as stated at the end of verse 3. According to one commentator, this was in keeping with “Egyptian royal practice…suggesting that Jacob is being shown very high honor.”[20] And, indeed, in the verses that follow, it’s evident that even after all these years, Joseph—and by extension his father Jacob—continued to be held in the highest esteem by the Egyptians. Notice that “[w]hen the days of mourning had passed,” Joseph requested to leave Egypt. As stated in verses 4–5, he said to Pharaoh’s court, “If I have found favor in your eyes, speak to Pharaoh for me. Tell him, 5 ‘My father made me swear an oath and said, “I am about to die; bury me in the tomb I dug for myself in the land of Canaan.” Now let me go up and bury my father; then I will return.’” As indicated in verse 6, this request was granted as Pharaoh replied, “Go up and bury your father, as he made you swear to do.”
Now given that Joseph himself was originally from Canaan and essentially functioned as Pharaoh’s slave—albeit a highly trusted one who had great responsibilities and freedom to carry them out—it’s remarkable that this request was granted for once back home, might he not choose to stay there? After all, he hadn’t chosen to live in Egypt. This decision had been forced upon him. What is more, the seemingly interminable seven years of famine had ended a long time earlier so there would now be water and food to be found in Canaan. Yet having witnessed Joseph’s exemplary behavior in serving Pharaoh throughout most of his adulthood, Pharaoh seemed not to be the least bit concerned that Joseph would choose to remain in his homeland. It’s evident that he was trusted by the Egyptians for he not only was granted permission to return home to bury his father, but was given a royal send-off. As stated in verse 7, “All Pharaoh’s officials accompanied him—the dignitaries of his court and all the dignitaries of Egypt” as did, “[c]hariots and horsemen,” verse 9. And, of course, as noted in verse 8, “Joseph’s household and his brothers and those belonging to his father’s household” also accompanied him with the exception of “their children and their flocks and herds [which] were left in Goshen.” As stated at the end of verse 9, “It was a very large company.”
Verses 10 notes some of the mourning rituals that took place as “they lamented loudly and bitterly; and…Joseph observed a seven-day period of mourning for his father” when they arrived at “the threshing floor of Atad, near the Jordan.” Verse 11 tells how Abel Mizraim, which means “mourning of the Egyptians,” came to have its name. For upon hearing such mourning, the Canaanites from Joseph’s homeland took note of the many Egyptians who had gathered to mourn.[21] This great mourning is yet another indicator of the great esteem in which the Egyptians held both Joseph and his father, Jacob.
Last, verses 12–13 note that Joseph and his brothers “did as [Jacob] had commanded them: 13 They carried him to the land of Canaan and buried him in the cave in the field of Machpelah, near Mamre, which Abraham had bought along with the field as a burial place from Ephron the Hittite.” Having completed his task, Joseph did just as he had promised. As stated in verse 14, “Joseph returned to Egypt, together with his brothers and all the others who had gone with him to bury his father.” Joseph was a man of his word.
Well I’d like to spend the remainder of our time considering what happened to Jacob after he died. Verse 33 of Genesis 49 states that after he “breathed his last,” he “was gathered to his people.” And as we turn to our New Testament passage from Luke 13, we see that this isn’t simply figurative language. For as stated in verse 28, “Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets” will find themselves “in the kingdom of God.” In other words, though all of these died, they nonetheless lived. So let’s consider the broader context of this teaching by Jesus.
As noted in verse 22, “Then Jesus went through the towns and villages, teaching as he made his way to Jerusalem.” Prior to this, Luke notes that Jesus had taught the people two brief parables about the Kingdom of God, the parable of the mustard seed[22] and the parable of the yeast.[23] Apparently these parables on God’s Kingdom are what precipitated the question someone asked Jesus in verse 23, “Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?” Now given that God had promised Abraham that his offspring would be like the dust of the earth, “if anyone could count the dust,”[24] and like the stars in the sky, “if indeed you can count them,”[25] this seems a peculiar question for from the beginning it’s evident that God’s plan of saving rebellious sinners would be far-reaching. But notice that rather than address the specific question asked, Jesus instead urged all who were present—and not just the one who had posed the question—to be not so much concerned about how many or who would be saved but to focus upon their own salvation. As stated in verse 24, Jesus began by saying to them, “Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to.”
Now before considering the entirety of Jesus’ response, I want to pause here because in his Gospel, John similarly records Jesus using similar language in teaching that he is the only gate to the Father.[26] In John 10, he begins by saying,
1 Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. 2 The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5 But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.[27]
Although it’s evident in these words that Jesus is teaching concerning his own followers—he is the shepherd, those who follow him are his sheep—John goes on to note, “Jesus used this figure of speech, but the Pharisees did not understand what he was telling them.”[28] Therefore, dear—and patient—and kind Jesus connected the dots for them saying, “7 Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep…. 9 I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”[29] As we also noted last week, Jesus went on to affirm that as a good shepherd, and unlike a hired hand, he lays down his life for his sheep[30]—which, of course, he did on the cross.
Combining the teaching of these two passages, we see that Jesus is the narrow door, the good shepherd, the gate, the only means our heavenly Father has provided for salvation. As taught in John 3:34–36, “34 For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives the Spirit without limit. 35 The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands. 36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them.” Thus Jesus is both necessary and sufficient for salvation. He is the only door—notice that it’s referred to as a narrow door, not a “wide” door; he is the only gate that the Father has provided for those who desire to know and draw near to him.
But as Jesus goes on to state beginning with verse 25 of Luke 13, “25 Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, ‘Sir, open the door for us.’ But he will answer, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from.’ 26 Then you will say, ‘We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.’ 27 But he will reply, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from. Away from me, all you evildoers!’” We see in these words that although Jesus is the narrow door who is able to provide salvation to any and all who repent or turn away from their sins[31] and acknowledge their need for and turn to him, Jesus is a door that won’t remain open forever. The salvation he offers is available only while the door remains open. Once it’s closed, there won’t be any further opportunities to enter.
For it isn’t enough to believe that a man named Jesus lived. We must also believe that he is God, the eternal Son of God whom the Father sent to save all who believe in him. The Pharisees who “ate and drank” with him and heard him teach in their streets didn’t believe he was God. They saw Jesus as but a teacher, a rabbi whose teachings they could take or leave. Yet as one scholar observes, “To have had social fellowship with Jesus and to have heard His teaching were not enough.”[32] These Pharisees didn’t believe he was the Messiah, the eternal Christ sent from the Father. This is why “the owner of the house” who will close the door to those who don’t believe in his Son will refuse to open it even if they “stand outside knocking and pleading, ‘Sir, open the door for us.’” His only answer to those who reject his Son will be, “I don’t know you or where you come from. Away from me, all you evildoers!”
As stated in verse 28, this refusal of people to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Savior sent by the Father, is the reason “There will be weeping there, and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but you yourselves thrown out.” With this, Jesus was making clear his connection to and continuity with God who first revealed himself to Abraham—and then Isaac—and then Jacob—and who later spoke through his prophets. For all of these Old Testament saints first believed in God and later acted upon what he had disclosed to them. As we’ve seen, this is why Genesis 15 states, “Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness.”[33] For before he ever acted on his belief in God, Abraham’s belief—his faith alone—was regarded as righteous by God.[34] Therefore, because of their belief, once these Old Testament saints died they entered God’s Kingdom. They now live with him even as Moses and Elijah continued to live as evidenced by their appearing and speaking with Jesus at his Transfiguration[35] long after their lives on earth had ended.[36]
Such is the case with all who believe in the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob who has now disclosed himself supremely and perfectly in his Son, Jesus Christ. For given Christ and the Holy Spirit’s oneness with God the Father who first disclosed himself to these Old Testament patriarchs, the benefits of the eternal Christ’s sacrifice thousands of years later was applied to them by his Holy Spirit thus enabling them to enter God’s kingdom upon dying. As verse 29 states, “People will come from east and west and north and south, and will take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God.” God’s salvation is offered to people from all four corners of the earth. “Indeed,” verse 30, “there are those who are last who will be first, and first who will be last.” Even a thief on a cross who turns to Christ in the last moments of his life is with him in Paradise.[37]
So, again, when Jacob told his sons, “I am about to be gathered to my people”[38] and we’re told that he “breathed his last and was gathered to his people,”[39] these statements should be taken as being true, not figurative. For upon dying, Jacob was welcomed into the Kingdom of God even as his grandfather Abraham and father Isaac were. From first to last, salvation is about faith in God; it’s about believing that God is who he says he is; and that what the Scripture’s he has left us state is true. And what these Scriptures state is that we need to acknowledge that we need his salvation—and that apart from him we’re incapable of loving him and each other as he intended. We must acknowledge that apart from him we’re alone and lost in this world, destined to be lured by our own passions to do things that are harmful to us and those around us. We must acknowledge that apart from him and his Word we’re unable to properly discern what is good and what is evil. We must acknowledge that apart from him we are susceptible to Satan’s temptations.
But with Christ, we are saved;
With him, we have forgiveness for all of our sins and shortcomings;
With him, we can withstand the attacks of the Devil, that ancient serpent, who ever seeks to harm and kill us;
With him, we are given his Holy Spirit;
With him, we are given a family on earth;
With him, we are given a family in heaven;
With him, we are even able to conquer death.
With him, we’re able to follow in the steps of our ancestor Jacob who, upon dying, was gathered to his people as one day will all who believe that Jesus is the Christ, sent by the Father to save us.
Dear sisters and brothers, so let us all believe; so let us all proclaim; so let us all live.
Let us pray.
Benediction: Ephesians 3:20–21: 20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
[1] Joseph was seventeen years-old when his brothers first sold him into slavery. See Genesis 37: 2b , 26–28: 2…Joseph, a young man of seventeen…. 26 Judah said to his brothers, “What will we gain if we kill our brother and cover up his blood? 27 Come, let’s sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay our hands on him; after all, he is our brother, our own flesh and blood.” His brothers agreed. 28 So when the Midianite merchants came by, his brothers pulled Joseph up out of the cistern and sold him for twenty shekels of silver to the Ishmaelites, who took him to Egypt.
[2] Jacob went to Egypt upon learning that his precious son was not only alive but also ruling over the land of Egypt. See Genesis 47:9: And Jacob said to Pharaoh, “The years of my pilgrimage are a hundred and thirty. My years have been few and difficult, and they do not equal the years of the pilgrimage of my fathers.”
[3] Genesis 48:5: Now then, your two sons born to you in Egypt before I came to you here will be reckoned as mine; Ephraim and Manasseh will be mine, just as Reuben and Simeon are mine.
[4] Genesis 49:1–28.
[5] Genesis 47:28: Jacob lived in Egypt seventeen years, and the years of his life were a hundred and forty-seven.
[6] Genesis 49:29.
[7] Genesis 12:1: The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.
[8] Genesis 26:2–5: 2 The Lord appeared to Isaac and said, “Do not go down to Egypt; live in the land where I tell you to live. 3 Stay in this land for a while, and I will be with you and will bless you. For to you and your descendants I will give all these lands and will confirm the oath I swore to your father Abraham. 4 I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and will give them all these lands, and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, 5 because Abraham obeyed me and did everything I required of him, keeping my commands, my decrees and my instructions.”
[9] Genesis 35:9–12: 9 After Jacob returned from Paddan Aram, God appeared to him again and blessed him. 10 God said to him, “Your name is Jacob, but you will no longer be called Jacob; your name will be Israel.” So he named him Israel. 11 And God said to him, “I am God Almighty; be fruitful and increase in number. A nation and a community of nations will come from you, and kings will be among your descendants. 12 The land I gave to Abraham and Isaac I also give to you, and I will give this land to your descendants after you.”.
[10] Reformation ESV Study Bible note on Genesis 49:29–50:26.
[11] Zondervan NIV Study Bible noe on Genesis 49:29.
[12] This account can be found in Genesis 23.
[13] Genesis 25:7–10: 7 Abraham lived a hundred and seventy-five years. 8 Then Abraham breathed his last and died at a good old age, an old man and full of years; and he was gathered to his people. 9 His sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah near Mamre, in the field of Ephron son of Zohar the Hittite, 10 the field Abraham had bought from the Hittites. There Abraham was buried with his wife Sarah. 11 After Abraham’s death, God blessed his son Isaac, who then lived near Beer Lahai Roi.
[14] Genesis 23:1–4 (what follows verse 4 is the initial purchase of the cave in Ephron the Hittite’s field): 1 Sarah lived to be a hundred and twenty-seven years old. 2 She died at Kiriath Arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan, and Abraham went to mourn for Sarah and to weep over her. 3 Then Abraham rose from beside his dead wife and spoke to the Hittites. He said, 4 “I am a foreigner and stranger among you. Sell me some property for a burial site here so I can bury my dead.”
[15] Genesis 35:27–29: 27 Jacob came home to his father Isaac in Mamre, near Kiriath Arba (that is, Hebron), where Abraham and Isaac had stayed. 28 Isaac lived a hundred and eighty years. 29 Then he breathed his last and died and was gathered to his people, old and full of years. And his sons Esau and Jacob buried him.
[16] This is the only place in Scripture where Rebekah’s burial place is noted.
[17] This is the only place in Scripture where Leah’s burial place is noted.
[18] Genesis 35:16–20: 16 Then they moved on from Bethel. While they were still some distance from Ephrath, Rachel began to give birth and had great difficulty. 17 And as she was having great difficulty in childbirth, the midwife said to her, “Don’t despair, for you have another son.” 18 As she breathed her last—for she was dying—she named her son Ben-Oni. But his father named him Benjamin. 19 So Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem). 20 Over her tomb Jacob set up a pillar, and to this day that pillar marks Rachel’s tomb.; Genesis 48:7: As I was returning from Paddan, to my sorrow Rachel died in the land of Canaan while we were still on the way, a little distance from Ephrath. So I buried her there beside the road to Ephrath” (that is, Bethlehem).
[19] Crossway ESV Study Bible note on Genesis 50:1–3. The note goes on to state, “Since embalming was normally a religious practice involving priests, Joseph may have deliberately chosen to sue physicians in order to distinguish his father’s beliefs from those of the Egyptian priests. Apart from Jacob, the only other person in the Bible who was embalmed is Joseph (see v. 26).” The Zondervan NIV Study Bible similarly states concerning Genesis 50:2, “Professional embalmers could have been hired for the purpose, but Joseph perhaps wanted to avoid involvement with the pagan religious ceremonies accompanying their services.”
[20] Crossway ESV Study Bible note on Genesis 50:1–3.
[21] Genesis 50:11: When the Canaanites who lived there saw the mourning at the threshing floor of Atad, they said, “The Egyptians are holding a solemn ceremony of mourning.” That is why that place near the Jordan is called Abel Mizraim.
[22] Luke 13:18–19: 18 Then Jesus asked, “What is the kingdom of God like? What shall I compare it to? 19 It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his garden. It grew and became a tree, and the birds perched in its branches.”
[23] Luke 13:20–21: 20 Again he asked, “What shall I compare the kingdom of God to? 21 It is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty pounds of flour until it worked all through the dough.”
[24] Genesis 13:14–17: 14 The Lord said to Abram after Lot had parted from him, “Look around from where you are, to the north and south, to the east and west. 15 All the land that you see I will give to you and your offspring forever. 16 I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth, so that if anyone could count the dust, then your offspring could be counted. 17 Go, walk through the length and breadth of the land, for I am giving it to you.”
[25] Genesis 15:1–6: 1 After this, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward.” 2 But Abram said, “Sovereign Lord, what can you give me since I remain childless and the one who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?” 3 And Abram said, “You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir.” 4 Then the word of the Lord came to him: “This man will not be your heir, but a son who is your own flesh and blood will be your heir.” 5 He took him outside and said, “Look up at the sky and count the stars—if indeed you can count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” 6 Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness.
[26] For other passages that speak of entering God’s Kingdom by way of a door, see Matthew 7:7–8, 13–14: 7 Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened…. 13 Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.; Matthew 25:10: But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut.
[27] John 10:1–5.
[28] John 10:6.
[29] John 10:7, 9–10. Emphases added.
[30] John 10:11–15: 11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. 13 The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. 14 “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep.
[31] As stated earlier by Jesus in Luke 13:3, 5: 3 I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish…. 5 I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish
[32] Reformation ESV Study Bible note on Luke 13:26, 27.
[33] Genesis 15:6. Emphasis added.
[34] See sermon preached on July 5, 2020, Believe God—Be Credited his Righteousness on Genesis 15:1–6.
[35] Matthew 17:1–3: 1 After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. 2 There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. 3 Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus.; Mark 9:2–4: 2 After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There he was transfigured before them. 3 His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them. 4 And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus.; Luke 9:28–31: 28 About eight days after Jesus said this, he took Peter, John and James with him and went up onto a mountain to pray. 29 As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning. 30 Two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared in glorious splendor, talking with Jesus. 31 They spoke about his departure, which he was about to bring to fulfillment at Jerusalem.
[36] Although in the case of Elijah, he was translated to heaven as Enoch was. Moses’ death is found in Deuteronomy 34:5–8: 5 And Moses the servant of the Lord died there in Moab, as the Lord had said. 6 He buried him in Moab, in the valley opposite Beth Peor, but to this day no one knows where his grave is. 7 Moses was a hundred and twenty years old when he died, yet his eyes were not weak nor his strength gone. 8 The Israelites grieved for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days, until the time of weeping and mourning was over.; Elijah’s translation is found in 2 Kings 2:11: As [Elisha and Elijah] were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind.
[37] Luke 23:39–43: 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.” 43 Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
[38] Genesis 49:29.
[39] Genesis 49:33.