This teaching
is a very good example of how man's traditions often conflicts with God's Word.
The reason there has been so much confusion regarding the "others" crucified
with Jesus Christ is because men have divided the Word of
God to suit themselves, According to (tradition of men) many preachers have said
that there was only two, when the words say different.
According to the Words of God, there were four others Crucified with Christ.
Christ make's 5,not 3. The main problem with the traditional teaching is that
they have made the two (Thieves) and the two (malefactors) as if they were the
same.
If we were to continue to teach that there were only two crucified with Christ,
we would have a major discrepancy in God's Word. Remember the Bible was written
in (Hebrew) Old Testament (Greek) New Testament .In Order to understand what the
true words of God say, you must look the words up in the manuscripts of old. The
words are only translated from these text into the English language. There is a
difference.
In some places of the country you will see 3 Crosses in the yards of people. in
other yards you will see 5 Crosses. Lets see who did there homework !
IN Matthew 27:38 and Mark 15:27
clearly states that there were "two thieves" while in Luke 23:32 says
that there were "two malefactors". Let's examine these Scripture's more closely.
As we will see, the key to accuracy is understanding the Greek words that are
used for (robbers / thieves) and for malefactors.
Matthew 27:38 Then were there two thieves (or robbers -- duo lestai)
crucified with him, one on the right hand, and another on the left..
Mark 15:27 And with him they crucify two thieves (duo lestai); the one on
his right hand, and the other on his left...
Luke 23:32 And there were also two other, malefactors (duo kakourgoi),
led with him to be put to death...
As you can clearly see, the Greek word used for "thieves" in Matthew and Mark is
different from the word used for "malefactors" in the Gospel of Luke. A
malefactor can also be called an evil doer.
This is not the same thing as a robber or a thief. Let's again turn to the Words
of God for even greater proof that Christ was crucified with two robbers and
with two malefactors.
The Scriptures teach that both robbers reviled Jesus while only one malefactor
"railed on him (Christ) while the other malefactor defended Christ. First let's
look at what both thieves had to say to Christ while hanging on the cross.
Matthew 27:44 The Thieves also, which were
crucified with him, cast the same in his teeth.
The word thieves is plural. meaning " more than one ".
Luke 23:39 And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him,
saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us.
The word malefactors is plural. What did this person say ? save
thyself meaning Christ. (man cannot save his self ) and us.
The word " US " means more than of one.
Luke 23:40 But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear
God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation?
As we see the other rebuked him by his words. the subject and object has not
changed in the sentence written above. The word "same" means " Identical" in
other words both of the people were condemnation the same judgment.
From God's Word we see that there were four crucified with Christ, and not two,
as tradition has taught us for centuries. However, when we decide to do biblical
research, we continue to make absolutely certain that we are correct according
to the Word of God. So let's continue with some more examples which will help us
to eliminate any doubt in our renewed mind.
How many were crucified with Christ. So let's take a look at two verses in the
Gospel of John 19:17-18. It is so very important when doing Biblical research to
examine each word in the verse. If God is perfect, then thy word must also be
perfect.
Do we have another witness to bare testimony of this crucifixion that took place
?
John 19:17 And he bearing his cross went forth into a place called the
place of the skull, which is called in the Hebrew. (Golgotha)
John 19:18 Where they crucified him, and two other with him, on either
side one, and Jesus and the midst.
There is one small word in the verse 18 which should arrest our attention, and
that is the word " Midst ". This word is a keyword because
grammatically one individual cannot be crucified in the midst of two.
Always, with the use of the word "midst", 4, 6, or 8 are indicated. When a
person is situated with one on either side, that person is BETWEEN and not in
the "midst".
A PERSON IS BETWEEN TWO, BUT IN THE MIDST OF FOUR. This is not hard to
understand and it also clearly demonstrates the minute accuracy of God's Word
when it is rightly divided.
John 19:18 where him they crucified, and with him, others two on this
side and on that side [one], and in the middle Christ.
The word "one" never appeared in any Critical Greek texts, so why is it in the
King James Version? Because by 1611 the Western world had become so
indoctrinated by pictures showing Jesus Christ on the center cross with one evil
doer on each side of him, that when they were translating this particular verse
in John
THEY INSERTED THE WORD "ONE" to agree with established traditional beliefs.
John 19:32 Then came the soldiers, and brake the legs of the first, and
of the other which was crucified with him.
John 19:33 But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already,
they brake not his legs.
John 19:32-33 Then came the soldiers, and brake the legs of the first [duo lestai - a robber], and of the other [duo kakourgoi - a malefactor], which was crucified with him.