That jesus was who he said he was?
Because they were hanging for hours that gave Jesus time to witness to the thief.
Jesus being God's Son could very well have answered any questions the thief had.
Jesus had time to explain about God's Kingdom (Daniel 2:44) and that the thief would have a future resurrection
A future resurrection as promised at Acts of the Apostles 24:15 that there ' is going to be ' a resurrection......
A resurrection of both the righteous and unrighteous. That unrighteous thief chose to put faith in Jesus.
(Not some death-bed confession, but putting faith in what Jesus was teaching him)
That earth would again become a beautiful paradisical garden as originally Eden was.
Thus, the thief could be part of the humble meek who will inherit the Earth as Jesus said at Matthew 5:5. -Psalms 37:9-11