William Barclay tells an ancient legend of Dismas, the thief on the cross whom Jesus forgave and promised "Today you will be with me in Paradise."
"Legend calls the penitent thief Dismas, and tells that he did not meet Jesus for the first time when they both hung on their crosses on Calvary. The story runs like this. When Joseph and Mary were on their way to Egypt, they were waylaid by robbers. one of the robber chiefs wished to murder them at once and to steal their little store of goods.
"But something about the baby Jesus went straight to Dismas' heart, for Dismas was one of these robbers. He refused to allow any harm to come to Jesus or His parents.
"He looked at Jesus and said, 'O most blessed of children, if ever there come a time for having mercy on me, then remember me, and forget not this hour.'
"So, the legend says, Jesus and Dismas met again at Calvary, and Dismas on the cross found forgiveness and mercy for his soul."
William Barclay, The Gospel of Matthew, vol. 1. The Westminster Press: Philadelphia, pp. 25-26.
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