1.0 The Statement

John 19:18 “Where they crucified Him and two others with Him, one on either side, and Jesus in the centre” (Matthew 27:38; Mark 15:27; Luke 23:33)

• On the crucifixion day only three Crosses, why??
• Why, is Jesus placed in the centre, with the notorious Criminals, one on either side?
• It was Prophesied in Isaiah 53:12b “He (Jesus) was numbered with the Transgressors.”

It was God’s Plan, to have two other thieves crucified with Jesus on Calvary on Christ’s crucifixion-day, in fulfilment of Isaiah 53:12b “He (Jesus) was numbered with the Transgressors.”

On Calvary, outside the City of Jerusalem, Jesus, the Sinless (2Corinthians 5:21), was placed in the midst of two notorious Criminals. God, in His Sovereignty, has in the placing of the two thieves, in order to represent the two great classes into which the whole of humanity is divided now and in Eternity – the Person who experienced Salvation (saved) and the other who does not experience Salvation (lost).

1.1 Christ in the Midst

On the centre Cross hung Jesus in fulfilment of the Prophecy in Isaiah 53:12b “He (Jesus) was numbered with the Transgressors.” This is affirmed in Mark 15:28 “He (Christ) was numbered with the Transgressors.” Because the three (Christ and the two thieves) are crucified together, showing forth three relative truths:

• Christ dies for sin (2Corinthians 5:21).
• One thief dies in sin (Luke 23:39).
• One thief dies to sin (Luke 23:40-43).

The two thieves were dying for their own iniquities – Luke 23:41a “And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds.”

• Christ, the Dying Saviour – Luke 23:41b “This Man (Christ) has done nothing wrong,” (2Corinthians 5:21),is dying for the two men and for all the two men represented (Saved and Lost)
• One Thief is the “dying-Saint” (experienced Salvation) – Luke 23:42 “Then he said to Jesus, ‘Lord, remember me when You come into Your Kingdom’” – No man can call Jesus Lord except by the Holy Spirit (1Corinthians 12:3b). Jesus Assurance – Luke 23:43 “And Jesus said to him, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”
• Other Thief is a “a dying Sinner” (lost) – Luke 23:39-41) “Then one of the Criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, ‘If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us. But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, ‘Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds but this Man (Christ) has done nothing wrong.”      

As we view these grim Crosses, we find ourselves hanging on one of the three Crosses, for such a scene presents the separation Christ and His Gospel brings about.

1.2 The Cross of Redemption

The centre Cross is the Greatest of the three Crosses on Calvary – in the centre Cross (Christ’s Cross) is the Truth, which is the Foundational and Central Revelation of Scripture (Bible), and the central point in all history.

The heart of Christianity is the Bible, and the heart of the Bible is the Cross of Jesus Christ – and the heart of the Cross of Jesus Christ is the heart of God the Father, who is in Christ reconciling the World unto Himself – 2Corinthians 5:18a “Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ.” 

Crucifixion, the form of capital punishment conceived by the Romans and abolished as such by Emperor Constantine, as meted out to Jesus the Sinless One of God forms the darkest as well as the brightest blot on the pages of history – at the Cross of Jesus Christ, we see man at his worst – but God at His best.

What infinite condescension it was on the part of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of Glory, to make Himself of no reputation, to be willing to be reckoned among Transgressors (Mark 15:28), and to be thought of as the Chief of the Three dying on the Crosses, that day! There Christ Jesus was in agony and fully forsaken by God the Father, because of the load of the sins of humanity upon Him (Psalm 22:3; Matthew 27:46) – “And about the nineth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, ‘Eli’ Eli, lama sabachthani?’ That is, ‘My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?’” – Jesus dying like Sinners (reckoned among Transgressors – Mark 15:28 – the two thieves), dying among the Sinners (Mark 15:28), but dying for Sinners (2Corinthians 5:21).

No wonder Apostle Paul revered the Cross of the Lord Jesus Christ – 1Corinthians 1:18 “The message of the Cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved, it is the Power of God.” At the Cross of Calvary, we see fourfold accomplishment:

God’s Love Manifested – At the Cross of Jesus Christ, at Calvary, we learned that God loves us without stint (period) and reserve – God, in the Substitutionary Sacrifice of His Son, Jesus, on our behalf – 1John 4:8b “God is Love” – John 3:16a “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son.”

God’s Law Satisfied – Christ, came not to destroy “The Law,” but to fulfil “The Law” – by His death, He met and discharged the exacting demands of the Divine Law:

• Matthew 5:17 “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfil.”
• Romans 10:4 “For Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to everyone who believes.”

Jesus took our condemnation and curse, Himself being made a curse – Galatians 3:13 “Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the Law (Galatians 3:10b), having become a curse for us (for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree’).” The middle Cross of the Lord Jesus Christ is the charter of our forgiveness, the guarantee of our acceptance as children of God with inheritance (Romans 8:14-17).

Our Liberty Secured – We are Redeemed by the Precious Blood of Christ – Ephesians 1:7 “In Him (Christ) we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.”  And there is Power in the Shed Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ – Revelation 1:5 (RV) “Unto Him that loveth us and loosed us from our sins in His blood.” There is ever-continuing efficacy of Christ’s Finished Work on the Cross of Calvary – John 19:30 “It is Finished.”  And therefore, we are “to stand fast, in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free.” (Galatians 5:1).   

Spirit-Filled Life – It is one thing to believe and receive the Crucified Christ, and different matter altogether to live a crucified life – Galatians 2:20 “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” Christ died that we may live, not to the carnal self (1Corinthians 3:1-4), but to God, through the Spirit:

• Live in the Spirit – Galatians 5:25a “If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.”
• Led by the Spirit – Galatians 5:18 “But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law.” (Romans 8:14)
• Walk in the Spirit – Galatians 5:16 “I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.”

The Cross of the Lord Jesus Christ not only cancelled our past (Justification – 2Corinthians 5:21) but has provision for our future (Sanctification – Hebrews 10:10, 14); and the end (Glorification – 1John 3:2).

Paul’s teaching in his Epistles is drenched with the message and mission of the Cross – Paul is “determined to know nothing among men save Christ, and Him (Christ) crucified” (2Corinthians 2:2). In Galatians 6:14 “But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me and I to the world.”  There are three triads to summarise his (Paul’s) teaching on the Cross in Galatians 6:14, for which he (Paul) suffered many persecutions:   

• Christ on the Cross – Galatians 6:14b “The Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.” – The Cross is the Cross of the Lord Jesus Christ – The Cross of Christ has Life, Hope and Assurance of Eternity.
• The World on the Cross – Galatians 6:14c “By whom the world has been crucified to me (Paul).” Christ’s Cross carries the Present World, with all its glitter, is now “a hollow thing” to Paul himself. – The world is crucified – dead, having no appeal to Paul himself.
• The Believer on the Cross – Galatians 6:14d “And I to the world.” – The Believer’s Cross brings us to a realization of the mystic truth about being crucified with Christ (Galatians 2:20), walking in His (Christ’s) Sacrifice, sharing Christ’s Death; Paul could write to the Philippians about being made conformable to Christ’s Death. Is our, the crucified life (Galatians 2:20)? – Are we dead to the appeal to the world?

1.3 The Cross of Reception

The Thief who acknowledged the Lord Jesus Christ on the Cross, experienced the Power of the Cross of Reception – Luke 23:42-43 “Then he said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your Kingdom. And Jesus said to him, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.” As Jesus had declared earlier: “I, if I am lifted up, will draw all men unto Me” (John 12:32). The dying thief on the Cross is the first fulfilment of that Prophecy. Here we find Christ illustrating His threefold Office of Prophet, Priest, and King:

• Prophet (Acts 3:22), Jesus said to the daughters of Jerusalem, “Weep not for Me, but for yourselves, and for the days that are coming.” (Luke 23:28) – Prophetic Declaration.
• Priest (Hebrews 4:15), Jesus prayed: “Father forgives them,” (Luke 23:34); and cried in triumph, “It is Finished” (John 19:30).
• King (Revelation 19:16), Jesus opened the door of Glory of Heaven for a believing Individual to enter – “Today you will be with Me in Paradise.” (Luke 23:43b).

It is a manifestation of Christ’s Saving Grace – the exchange for his (thief’s) sin for Christ Righteousness – Luke 23:42-43 “Then he said to Jesus, ‘Lord, remember me when You come into Your Kingdom. And Jesus said to him, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”  There are two truths emerging from this Divine Exchange between the believing thief and Jesus:

The Triumph of Faith – The Bible teaches: “He that believeth and is baptised shall be saved.” (Mark 16:16a). The dying believing Thief could only believe (Luke 23:42) – his naked faith in Christ’s Promise saved him (Luke 23:43). Thus, he is saved by Grace through Faith (Ephesians 2:8-9). When Jesus assured the dying believing Thief: “Today you will be with Me in Paradise,” it means immediate entrance into Christ’s Glory – He departed with Christ, and revelled in His (Christ’s) Presence.

The Triumph of Grace – The dying believing Thief was “a dead-bed” conversion, that whenever and wherever a Sinner repents and receives the Lord Jesus Christ as his Lord and Saviour, he experienced God’s Grace in Salvation – Ephesians 2:8-9 “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” Jesus assured: “Whoever cometh to Me, I will in no wise cast out” (John 6:37). 

1.4 The Cross of Rejection

The Thief who rejected and blasphemed Christ on the Cross, suffered the consequence of separation from God and His (God’s) Redemptive Work and Presence –  Eternal Separation from God – Luke 23:39 “Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him (Christ), saying, ‘If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us.’” This Thief died in his callousness (heartlessness) and in his sin – this unrepentant, unsaved Thief was so near to Christ as his now repentant Companion in crime was, and he could have received the same assurance of pardon from the Lord Jesus, if he cried out for the Lord Jesus’ mercy; but, instead, continued to blasphemed the Lord Jesus to the end.

From one side of the Cross of Christ, a Thief goes to Paradise (Luke 23:43); while the unrepentant Thief goes to Perdition (Hell – “Lake of Fire and Brimstone” {Revelation 20:15}). Here God’s Universal Law is enacted (ratified) – Christ is either the Saviour of Life or Death. The three Crosses on Calvary demonstrates how the Cross of Christ divides the world.

Wherever Christ is lifted up in testimony and offered, there are those who repented and received the Lord Jesus Christ as their Personal Lord and Saviour; and there are those who scorn in disbelieve on the other, like the unrepentant Thief who continued to blasphemed the Lord Jesus (Luke 43:39) – thus, the Preaching of the Cross of Christ is either the Power of God unto Salvation, or it is foolishness: – 1Corinthians 1:22-24 “For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the Power of God and the Wisdom of God.”  The sad situation of the unrepentant Thief show-forth two thoughts:

Christ without the Cross – The unrepentant Thief wants Christ without the Cross – Luke 23:39 “Then one of the Criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him (Christ), saying, ‘If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us.’” – In the beginning, both Thieves cried, “If You be the Christ, save Yourself and us” – Matthew 27:44 “Even the robbers who were crucified with Him (Christ) reviled Him with the same thing.” (Mark 15:32b):

• The Thief who believed, discovered that Christ could provide the way of Salvation and acknowledged Him and received Him – Luke 23:42-43 “Then he said to Jesus, ‘Lord, remember me when You come into Your Kingdom. And Jesus said to him, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.” Even though he still has to pay the physical penalty for his crime (John 19:32).
• The unrepentant Thief clung to his desire of the bloodless Gospel – Luke 23:39 “Then one of the Criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him (Christ), saying, ‘If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us.’” The Modern-Christianity is for a Christ without the blood-stained Cross – called the “ethical Christ,” “the Social-Christ,” “Christ the Teacher, the Exemplar.” But Christ and His Cross are eternally nailed together, Paul stated: “We preach Christ crucified,” – 1Corinthians 1:23-24 “But we preach Christ crucified to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, but to those who are called both Jews and Greeks, Christ the Power of God and the Wisdom of God.”

Christ crucified on the Cross is the only Gospel that God’s Spirit acknowledges and works on – Ephesians 1:7 “In Him (Christ) we have the redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.” The Preaching of the Cross is always the Power of God unto Salvation (1Corinthians 1:23-24).

The Thief Died in his Sin – The unrepentant Thief died in his sin, even though the Salvation was close at hand – Christ was in his midst – Mark 15:27-28 With Him (Christ) they also crucified two robbers, one on His right and the other on His left. So, the Scripture was fulfilled which says, ‘And He (Christ) was numbered with the transgressors” It was impossible for Christ to be any nearer to either of the Thieves than He was. The one Thief took the opportunity and received Jesus as Lord and Saviour and was with Jesus in Paradise (Luke 23:42-43); whereas the other Thief was just as close to the Lord Jesus Christ, but he failed to take his opportunity to accept God’s proffered (extended) Mercy. The unrepentant Thief was in the perilous state without Christ, as he died in his sins (Romans 5:12; 1Corinthians 15:22a) – Revelation 20:16 “And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.