Why was Jesus Christ crucified like a thief?

[Olympiada]

What does that say about us? Are we to identify with the thieves of this world so as not to get too proud? Jesus Christ was treated like a common criminal. Ought we not to think of ourselves as one too so as to follow in His footsteps?

[Andreas Moran]

Christ's commandments are to love God with all our heart, all our soul, and all our mind, and to love one another as He loved us. If these commandments are laws, then I am a criminal in that I break these laws by both commission and omission. If we accept our cross and confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, then our crimes are remitted and we may follow the Good Thief. Otherwise, we follow the other thief. Thus, our cross may be the door to paradise or to perdition.

[Antonios]

What does that say about us? Are we to identify with the thieves of this world so as not to get too proud? Jesus Christ was treated like a common criminal. Ought we not to think of ourselves as one too so as to follow in His footsteps?

Dear Olympiada,

The only thief we are to identify with on Golgotha is the repentant thief.

"And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation?
And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss.
And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.
And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise." Luke 23:39-43

Jesus dying like a thief demonstrates that even if the world treats you like a blaspheming sinner and worthless criminal, you should accept your cross and have faith in God's mercy and love and strive always for righteousness and goodness.

in Christ,
Antonios

[M.C. Steenberg]

The only thief we are to identify with on Golgotha is the repentant thief.


Perhaps the theives on either side give us a double identification. We know our lives betray us as the bad thief, the one who taunts Christ -- perhaps not in our words, as he; but certainly in our behaviours and actions. The 'good theif' is the mark set before us. It is his words we utter at the altar.

INXC, Dcn Matthew

[Antonios]

Dear Father Deacon Matthew,

Quite true what you say. I should have said 'the only thief on Golgotha that we are to emulate is the repentant thief." Thank you for the correction.

In Christ,
Antonios

[Olympiada]

To separate out this idea of thief from this whole thread, was thieving a really big problem in Jesus Christ' time. I mean why was he crucified on the cross next to two thieves. Why thieves and not robbers or murderers or rapists? Was a thief the worst kind of criminal then?

[Herman Blaydoe]

To separate out this idea of thief from this whole thread, was thieving a really big problem in Jesus Christ' time. I mean why was he crucified on the cross next to two thieves. Why thieves and not robbers or murderers or rapists? Was a thief the worst kind of criminal then?

Well, I suspect the word "thief" in those days connotated more than simple stealing and probably also involved violence including murder.

[Andreas Moran]

Not to mention sedition if we think of Barabbas.

[Nina]

They also stoned many offenders.

[Kosta]

Yes, thieves during that era tended to be more than petty robbers, they included murderers. And most likely there were many more crucified together on that day, not just Jesus and two thieves. Basically this means Jesus wasnt the first or last in the line of many crucifixions that day.

[Nicolaj]

He was not!

He was crucified as the king of the Jews!

God have mercy! Nicolaj

[Herman Blaydoe]

Nicolaj,
Do you understand what "mocking" means?

[Nicolaj]

Nicolaj,
Do you understand what "mocking" means?

I had to look it up but now I know. I was not mocking about this!

This way to punish was meant for thieves, but Jesus was crucified as the king of the Jews, the crime he was accused of.

So was written on the Cross, and this was why the priest complained to Pilate.

It had to be fulfilled what was written in the Prophets and the Psalms about the Son and his Coming and Ending!

In Christ, Nicolaj, the sinner.

[Father David Moser]

I had to look it up but now I know. I was not mocking about this!

This way to punish was meant for thieves, but Jesus was crucified as the king of the Jews, the crime he was accused of.

So was written on the Cross, and this was why the priest complained to Pilate.

It had to be fulfilled what was written in the Prophets and the Psalms about the Son and his Coming and Ending!

In Christ, Nicolaj, the sinner.

Nicolaj,

I think you missed the thrust of Herman's question. He was not referring to your comments as "mocking" but rather that the sign Pilate nailed above the head of Christ on the cross was his way of mocking the Jews who accused Christ and insisting that He be killed even when Pilate did not find fault. Yes it was an accurate sign - but it was not because Pilate (or anyone else) believed that Jesus was the King of the Jews and that was why He was on the cross, but rather that Pilate was mocking the Jews who were in turn mocking Christ.

Fr David Moser

[Anthony]

I think it is along the right lines to imagine these "thieves" as more like bandits, with an element (as Andreas pointed out) of sedition. Perhaps something like the "klephts" or "hajduk" of the 19th century Balkans, rather than, say, the Artful Dodger. Hence the penalty of crucifixion, which was used (I think, though don't trust me on this) primarily against those who took up arms in defiance of the Roman state. (Spartacus also comes to mind.)

[Nina]

I think it is along the right lines to imagine these "thieves" as more like bandits, with an element (as Andreas pointed out) of sedition. Perhaps something like the "klephts" or "hajduk" of the 19th century Balkans, rather than, say, the Artful Dodger. Hence the penalty of crucifixion, which was used (I think, though don't trust me on this) primarily against those who took up arms in defiance of the Roman state. (Spartacus also comes to mind.)

Yes, you are right. Here (http://wiki.phantis.com/index.php/Kleftes)is some more info.

[Jim McQuiggin]

Would I be correct then in understanding them as similar to the pirates of the high seas? That is to say, bringing destruction and fear, and bearing allegiance to no one? If that is the case, then the crime for which Jesus was executed, namely that he stood in opposition to the authority of the day would seem to identify him rather ironically with the two thieves. It would also put quite an interesting light on the conversion of the repentant thief.

[Nina]

I think the main accusation towards Christ was that He blasphemed when He said that He is the Son of God. I think that St. Nikodimos (if I am not mistaken) said that Christ did not blaspheme because not only He was the Son of God, but also in the OT there is a verse which states the same - therefore the accusation about blasphemy is rendered invalid. But the Romans had no idea about such things, of course. If I come across that text again I will post it.

[Leonard]

I think the main accusation towards Christ was that He blasphemed when He said that He is the Son of God. I think that St. Nikodimos (if I am not mistaken) said that Christ did not blaspheme because not only He was the Son of God, but also in the OT there is a verse which states the same - therefore the accusation about blasphemy is rendered invalid. But the Romans had no idea about such things, of course. If I come across that text again I will post it.


The Sadducees obviously needed to get rid of Jesus! He had raised Lazarus from the dead, and that SHAMED their doctrine of 'no resurrection.' They even hit him with an argument that went back 150 years or so, and that nobody had been able to answer: That was in the story of the seven brothers who each married the same woman, and in turn each died childless. They had absolutely STUMPPED the Pharisees with that one! "So all 7 had her to wife. In your supposed 'resurrection,' whose wife would she be." Jesus then COMPLETELY TURNED THE TABLES ON THEM, answering them out of the Torah (the Sadducees--I'm sure most of you know--only accepted the Torah, not the rest of the Old Testament), even using the Sadducees own catch phrase: "He is the God of the living, not of the dead!" By showing that God said "I am (present tense) the God of Abraham...." some 500 or so years after Abraham's death, HE PROVED SCRIPTURALLY THAT THERE WAS LIFE AFTER DEATH!

So the Sadducees needed Him killed, and killed quick. Their own accusation was 'blasphemy against YHWH,' but that would never have stood up in a Roman court, so they had to accuse him of some crime the Romans would recognize. That is why they told Pilate that He 'claimed to be a King.'

Crucifixion was a much-used form of execution by the Romans, and was used for almost any fairly serious crime.