Mark 15:27 Commentary and Bible Study

The Greek is a little stronger than ‘thieves’; it is ‘robbers.’ That doesn’t mean much to us today, but it is a term which more applies to violent thieves. They were probably part of the insurrection of Barabbas. We are informed by those who know that an ordinary thief would not have been executed in this manner. An ordinary thief would never have been crucified. This is somebody who is a brigand and a robber, or an insurrectionist, who has used violence, who has taken life. Christ was crucified between two such people. What did they intend? No doubt there was collaboration. The officers of Pilate said, ‘We intend to crucify him with two insurrectionists, thieves, bandits. Barabbas has been released, but two others are going to be executed with him, then he will look like a criminal, and this will look like justice. The chief priests would have been pleased at that, and between them they would have collaborated to bring about a picture on Calvary, which is understood by us quite differently. The picture to us is of Christ identifying with sinners: the friend of sinners crucified alongside criminals. There he was – a fulfilment of Isaiah 53:12, which said that he would be numbered with transgressors. All would be in accordance with prophecy. Pilate can set Barabbas free but only Christ could set one of those dying, violent thieves free. We are not told it here in Mark’s Gospel but we are told it in Luke’s Gospel, that one of those thieves repented and relented, turned to Christ and asked to be remembered by him and Christ said those wonderful words, ‘Today, thou shalt be with me in paradise.’ So there was a miracle at the beginning of the proceedings when Simon’s heart began to be opened, and there was another miracle, when that dying thief was turned to Christ in his anguish and sought his pardoning love.