The others crucified with Christ

If you asked most christians what the crucifixion looked like I would bet would describe something that looked like this.

The thing is we now have to ask is this what the word says? The only way to find out is to open the word be it your favorite bible website or opening a real bible to see what it says. That is the only way to separate the truth from the tradition. Remember what Jesus said about tradition?

Mark7:13 Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.

What we are looking for is the truth of the word of God not what tradition says. Tradition is fine when it lines up with God's word but if you base your belief system solely on tradition you will be wrong sooner or later then your belief is wrong. If your or my belief system contradicts the bible we need to go with the bible.

So let's go to the word of God and see what it says.

Luke 23:32-40

32 And there were also two other, malefactors, led with him to be put to death.

The word malefactors is dyo kakourgos in Greek it means:
1. a person who violates the law; criminal.

Remember that it will be important that they were lead out with Jesus.

33 And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left.

Remember they came with him.

34 Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.

35 And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also with them derided him, saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God.

36 And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him, and offering him vinegar,

37 And saying, If thou be the king of the Jews, save thyself.

38 And a superscription also was written over him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, This Is The King Of The Jews.

39 And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us.

40 But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation?

41 And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss.


Okay so one of criminals mocked Jesus while the other reproved the mocker saying we are getting our just rewards but this man is innocent.

42 And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.


43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.

Okay remember I told you in a prior teaching that there were no chapters or punctuation in the bible that means if  we drop the commas here we won't get God mad at us.

43 And Jesus said unto him verily I say unto thee today shalt thou be with me in paradise.

That is the truth of God's word. It is like say I am telling you something and I am telling you now not that this will happen now just I am saying now this will happen in the future.

Mark says the the same as Luke

Okay let's move on and see what Matthew has to say.

Matthew 27

27 Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the common hall, and gathered unto him the whole band of soldiers.

28 And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe.

29 And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews!

30 And they spit upon him, and took the reed, and smote him on the head.

31 And after that they had mocked him, they took the robe off from him, and put his own raiment on him, and led him away to crucify him.

32 And as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name: him they compelled to bear his cross.

33 And when they were come unto a place called Golgotha, that is to say, a place of a skull,

34 They gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall: and when he had tasted thereof, he would not drink.

35 And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots.

36 And sitting down they watched him there;

37 And set up over his head his accusation written, This Is Jesus The King Of The Jews.

38 Then were there two thieves crucified with him, one on the right hand, and another on the left.

Okay in verse 38 after they had taken Christ to Golgotha and set him up then ripped his clothes apart and gambled for the clothes they sat and watched him then they put up a sign over his head. THEN then indicates time when something happened at that point after all these other things happened is when. Back in Luke it says that the malefactors were lead with Christ here thieves in Matthew came later after some time. 

The Greek word thieves is dyo lēstēs pronounced lās-tā's the word means a robber or plunderer. Now all thieves are malefactors but not all malefactors or criminals are thieves. Murder would be a criminal but not always a thief. 

39 And they that passed by reviled him, wagging their heads,

40 And saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross.

41 Likewise also the chief priests mocking him, with the scribes and elders, said,

42 He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him.

43 He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God.

44 The thieves also, which were crucified with him, cast the same in his teeth.

Here both thieves mocked Christ no one a stood up for Christ both reviled him.

Okay so lets go to John 19

17 And he bearing his cross went forth into a place called the place of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha:

18 Where they crucified him, and two other with him, on either side one, and Jesus in the midst.

Wait that seems to contradict every thing we just found out. So here  need some help. We will use a tool an interlinear.

John 19:18 

In the above link you will notice the word [one] is in a bracket that is because it was added to the text so it should be dropped.

18 Where they crucified him and two others with him on either side and Jesus in the midst.

Let's go down to verse 31

31 The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day, (for that sabbath day was an high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away.

32 Then came the soldiers, and brake the legs of the first, and of the other which was crucified with him.

33 But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs:

So if you want to believe in the two only you would have to believe the soldiers broke the legs of the first person then went around Jesus and broke the legs of the second then came back to Jesus which makes 
no sense at all. 

There you have the others crucified with Jesus.

It's up to you if you wish to maintain tradition,

or are you more concerned about what God's word says? It's up to you.