Remember Me
Memorials are a big deal in the Bible. When the Lord sees a covering—a firmament—whether it be a rainbow, or blood displayed, He remembers.
When Jesus asks His disciples to perform the Lord’s supper as a memorial to Him, it is not for our memory but God’s. He sees the bread and wine, remembers the blood of His son, and we are spared, covered.
One of the thieves crucified with Jesus also requested that he be remembered. Jesus is the High Priest, the blood of the bull on the Day of Atonement, divided under the Ark-scroll above His head. [1] In one sense, these thieves are the goats on the Day of Atonement. One went to heaven and one went to hell. But this request perhaps suggests more.
Although Jesus is the Man-Face, the Table of Showbread in the north facing south, here He is the High Priest, coming from the centre in a cloud of incense. The unrepentant thief is in the place of Satan, the accuser who remained in the heavenly court by virtue of Adam’s failure to be bread and wine at the first temptation. He is the false Lampstand, false light, Law misused.
Adam seized kingdom. The words of the repentant thief include both the memorial and the kingdom. The motion is from Table to Lampstand, from Servanthood to Dominion.
That’s the placement of the participants. The structure of the passage is also interesting. In fact, it gives me the shivers:
……..Sabbath (Divine Word): Then one of the criminals who
……..were hanged blasphemed Him, saying,
…………….Passover (Delegated Human Authority):
…………….“If You are the Christ [chosen], save Yourself and us.”
……………………Firstfruits (Law given):
……………………But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying,
…………………………..Pentecost (Law opened): “Do you not even fear God,
…………………………..seeing you are under the same condemnation?
……………………Trumpets (Law received) “And we indeed justly,
……………………for we receive the due reward of our deeds;
…………….Atonement (Mediator – Day 6):
…………….but this Man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said to Jesus,
…………….“Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.”
……..Booths (Ingathering):
……..And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you,
……..today you will be with Me in Paradise.”
At Atonement, the High Priest made two approaches, one for the priesthood and one for the nation. We see that reflected here: the Man and the Kingdom, head and body.
This pattern takes on further significance when aligned with the Tabernacle furniture, the Creation week and the journey from Egypt to Canaan. The use of the word “today” corresponds with the Day of the Lord. Jesus, as Shekinah, gives him rest. “With me” is at the consummation of the Covenant marriage between heaven and earth.
Another factor is that, based upon the Tabernacle structure, the thief on the cross was indeed—although symbolically—baptized. The structure of the New Testament consistently corresponds baptism with both the Laver and the Day of Atonement. The Veil and Laver are the waters “separated” on Day 2 to make a Holy Place for God’s government, the sun, moon and stars.
Jesus was the High Priest between two goats. One “ascended” with Him through the veil as fragrant smoke; the other was sent, like Judas, to destruction. So in effect, yes, he was baptized. He was standing with Jesus in the event the Tabernacle and both Temples strained to explain to us over the centuries. (And we still don’t want to understand the deep glories of it.)
Oh, and we have his baptism speech.
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[1] See In The Air.
