Jesus was our Passover lamb, our perfect sacrifice for sin, but when Jesus was crucified, He wasn’t alone. Why? Why was Jesus crucified with two others, especially two robbers, if Jesus was sacrificed as our Passover lamb? Join ArieRashelle as she searches through Scripture to find the meaning of Jesus being crucified with two other men in her video, The Crucifixion of Jesus Pt. 2: The Significance of the Two Thieves on the Cross.
The Crucifixion of Jesus
The Significance of the Two Thieves on the Cross
All four gospels record the story of the two thieves (or robbers) being crucified on a cross. There was one on each side of Jesus. One on His left and one on His right.
32 As they went out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name. They compelled this man to carry His cross. 33 And when they came to a place called Golgotha (which means Place of a Skull), 34 they offered Him wine to drink, mixed with gall, but when He tasted it, He would not drink it. 35 And when they had crucified Him, they divided His garments among them by casting lots. 36 Then they sat down and kept watch over Him there. 37 And over His head they put the charge against Him, which read, “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.”
38 Then two robbers were crucified with Him one on the right and one on the left. 39 And those who passed by derided Him, wagging their heads 40 and saying, “You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross.” 41 So also the chief priests, with the scribes and elders, mocked Him, saying, 42 “He saved others; He cannot save Himself. He is the King of Israel; let Him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in Him. 43 He trusts in God; let God deliver Him now, if He desires Him. For He said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” 44 And the robbers who were crucified with Him also reviled Him in the same way.
Matthew 27:32-44
According to Matthew, both of the two thieves who were crucified with Jesus, each on their own cross, reviled Jesus along with the rest of the crowd.
26 And as they led Him away, they seized one Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, and laid on Him the cross, to carry it behind Jesus. 27 And there followed Him a great multitude of the people and of women who were mourning and lamenting for Him. 28 But turning to them Jesus said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. 29 For behold, the days are coming when they will say, ‘Blessed are the barren and the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!’ 30 Then they will begin to say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us,’ and to the hills, ‘Cover us.’ 31 For if they do these things when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?”
32 Two others, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with Him. 33 And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified Him, and the criminals, one on His right and one on His left. 34 And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And they cast lots to divide His garments. 35 And the people stood by, watching, but the rulers scoffed at Him, saying, “He saved others; let Him save Himself, if He is the Christ of God, His Chosen One!” 36 The soldiers also mocked Him, coming up and offering Him sour wine 37 and saying, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” 38 There was also an inscription over Him, “This is the King of the Jews.”
39 One of the criminals who were hanged railed at Him, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” 40 But the other rebuked Him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? 41 And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” 42 And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” 43 And He said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
Luke 23:26-43
Luke tells us that the two reviled Jesus, but something changed the heart of one of the two thieves on the cross because he went from reviling Jesus to defending Him and asking Him to remember him.