Like most of my blogs I try to steer away from politics and religion this blog will be no exception to that. Although it may appear to be a religious blog, i is really about the historical event of the crucifixion.
Good Friday is one of the key days in the Christian calendar, it is the day where Jesus Christ was crucified and died on the cross. However, he was not alone that day. There were 2 other men next to him on Golgotha.
Dismas and Gestas are the names often mentioned as the two thieves crucified on crosses to the right and left of Jesus. In the New Testament accounts of the crucifixion—two men are mentioned, yet their names are never given. The names Dismas and Gestas do not come from the New Testament but are taken from a pseudepigraphical book not included in the New Testament canon.
The names Dismas and Gestas are first found in the apocryphal writing entitled “The Gospel of Nicodemus,” which historians typically agree was written in the 4th century.
They were both sinners, being punished for their crimes. Their reactions to being next to Jesus on the cross set them apart.
Gestas with no remorse tells Jesus while both hanging on their cross, “Are You not the Messiah? Save Yourself and us.” (Lk. 23:39) Gestas asks to come down from his cross, never fully owning his sins or wrongdoing.
For Gestas, the notion of being saved was confined to the temporal world rather than the Heavenly world. Therein lies the tragedy. Gestas wanted to be saved on his own terms, rather than God’s. Not only does Gestas admit no wrongdoing or remorse, but his comments fail to suggest an interest in being truly saved. And his lack of repentance and lack of desire for eternal life is compounded by what happens next.
Dismas does not ask to be taken down. Dismas rebukes Gestas and proclaims Christ’s innocence. “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” And following in one of the most startling and beautiful moments of the Gospel, and doesn’t ask to be taken down from his sure and painful death. He instead asks, to be taken up with Christ, saying “Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.” (Lk 23:42).
Dismas stand in perfect contrast to those of Gestas. Dismas admits grievous fault, but despite his sins, he has faith in God and in His mercy to ask Jesus to remember him. In a powerful example, this is the lesson of Saint Dismas, who accepted his fate and placed his hope not in this world, but in the promise of the next. He placed his faith in Christ and owned up to his sins.
Jesus then replies to Saint Dismas saying, “Amen, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”
Gestas is often referred to as the Impenitent thief. In Jacobus de Voragine’s Golden Legend—the name of the impenitent thief was given as Gesmas. The impenitent thief is sometimes referred to as the “bad thief” in contrast to the good thief.
The apocryphal Arabic Infancy Gospel refers to Gestas and Dismas as Dumachus and Titus, respectively. According to tradition, Dumachus was one of a band of robbers who attacked Saint Joseph and the Holy Family on their flight into Egypt.
Dismas was the eldest son of a rich Jewish merchant and could have a pleasant and comfortable life, he was corrupted by his cousin Gestas and became an outlaw. He left his town and his home when he was 15 years old. After some years of crimes and robbery, Dismas and Gestas were captured. We don’t know about the circumstances of his arrest, but Dismas was then about 45 years old. The accusation which had been proved against them was that of having assassinated a Jewish woman who, with her children, was travelling from Jerusalem to Joppa. On being arrested, he confessed everything. They were imprisoned for a long time before being brought to trial. Finally, Pilate gave the order that they should be taken to Jerusalem to be judged. Pilate was sentenced to death by crucifixion. His mother Eve, still alive, tried to get the mercy of Pilate and implored in vain for a less painful and humiliating punishment.
I am a Christian but I think this blog will appeal to anyone who has an interest in history, for whether you believe in Jesus or not, the fact is, he is a pivotal historical figure.
Sources
https://decentraleyezd.medium.com/saint-dismas-thief-gestas-e335a6e5b9e7
https://www.gotquestions.org/Dismas-and-Gestas.html
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