Why is the fear of God significant in the context of Luke 23:40? Passage Under Review (Luke 23:40) “But the other one rebuked him, saying, ‘Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same sentence?’” Historical Setting of the Crucifixion Roman crucifixion was public, brutal, and intended to deter crime. First-century ossuary finds at Giv‘at ha-Mivtar (Yoḥanan ben Ḥagqōl) preserve an iron nail through a heel bone, confirming the Gospel picture of nailed victims. Golgotha lay just outside the city wall (John 19:20), consistent with the Temple-Mount–Dominus Flevit topography documented by the Israel Antiquities Authority. Eye-witness language in Luke (“when they came to the place,” 23:33) reinforces historical concreteness. Old Testament Foundations 1. Creation & Authority: “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom” (Proverbs 9:10). 2. Moral Accountability: “By the fear of the LORD one turns away from evil” (Proverbs 16:6). 3. Eschatological Judgment: “Surely there is a hereafter, and your hope will not be cut off” (Proverbs 23:18). Luke’s penitent criminal internalizes all three strands: wisdom, repentance, and hope. Intertestamental and Second Temple Usage Sirach 1:14 calls fear “the fullness of wisdom.” Dead Sea Scroll 1QS IV sees fear of God as prerequisite for covenant inclusion. Luke, steeped in this milieu, frames the thief’s words as a final covenant entrance rite. Fear of God as Gateway to Repentance Psychologically, awe in the face of ultimacy breaks denial and opens conscience. Laboratory studies on moral priming (e.g., Shariff & Norenzayan, Psych. Sci. 2007) show heightened ethical behavior when divine accountability is salient. The criminal’s fear births confession (“we are receiving our due reward,” v. 41) and petition (“remember me,” v. 42). Christological Recognition Fear of God propels recognition of Jesus’ innocence (“this Man has done nothing wrong,” v. 41) and sovereignty (“Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom,” v. 42). In Luke’s larger narrative, fear regularly precedes Christological insight (5:8–10; 8:35, 37). Eschatological Overtones “Paradise” echoes the LXX Eden (Genesis 2:8) and Isaiah’s restored garden (Isaiah 51:3). The man’s fear positions him for new-creation inclusion the very day messianic atonement is accomplished (cf. Revelation 2:7). Ethical and Discipleship Implications 1. Universal Accountability: Both criminals share guilt; only the God-fearing one is saved. 2. Urgency of Decision: Deathbed scenario nullifies procrastination excuses. 3. Evangelistic Model: He rebukes peer rebellion, confessing truth even in agony—mirroring Proverbs 27:5, “Better is open rebuke than hidden love.” Contrasting Responses in Luke 23:39–43 Unrepentant thief: self-interest (“Save Yourself and us!”). Repentant thief: God-centered fear, justice acknowledgment, Christ-centered plea. Luke displays prototypical responses to the cross: scoffing vs. fearing. Integration with Luke’s Theology Throughout Luke, fear of God catalyzes salvation history: shepherds (2:9–10), disciples post-storm (8:25), early church (Acts 2:43). The crucifixion scene climaxes this motif; even a condemned outsider can inherit the kingdom through reverent fear. Archaeological and Historical Corroboration 1. Titulus fragments (Latin inscription “Iesus Nazarenus Rex Iudaeorum,” discovered in 1871 Basilica of Santa Croce) support multilingual crucifixion placard (Luke 23:38). 2. Passover time markers correspond with Josephus (Ant. 18.3.3) and the three-hour darkness has second-century corroboration (Thallus, cited by Julius Africanus, Chron. 18:1). Historicity buttresses the gravity of the thief’s words. Practical Application for Modern Reader Reverent fear is not terror that drives away; it is relational awe that draws near through repentance. The cross demonstrates that the Judge Himself absorbs the penalty, so fear transitions to assurance (1 John 4:18). Conclusion In Luke 23:40 the fear of God is the pivot on which a dying criminal swings from just condemnation to eternal communion. Rooted in the Old Testament, validated by historical evidence, and confirmed in Christ’s promise, it models the attitude every person must adopt: humble awe before a holy God who alone can save. |