Jesus was crucified with two thieves? A new theory considers that they were his disciples – 18/04/2019

The gospels state that Jesus was crucified with two other men. But they do not say who were. Marcos and Mateo say that they were "bandidos" (in Greek: ballasted). Lucas calls them "criminals" (kakurgos). And Juan only talks about the "two others", without further explanation.

Tradition has always considered them "Thieves". That is why it was thought that they were the perpetrators of some robberies and that, by chance, they were doomed to die on the same day as Jesus, on the orders of Pontius Pilate.

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But that does not seem to be what is deduced from the Gospels. The crucifixion was a punishment that the Romans applied only to the political rebelssocial revolutionaries and subversives. We know that during the years when Rome dominated Judea, only seditious or sympathetic crucifixes were crucified. Never a thief. Why, then, that day crucified two thieves with Jesus?

A death scene

Flavio Josefo brings the solution. In The War of the Jews, he says that in the middle of the first century, the word fleet (which the Bibles translate as "bandit") had acquired a new meaning. Josefo declares: "A new species of bandits was born in Jerusalem: the badbadins" (2,254). In other words, when writing the Gospels, the term weighted did not refer to any villain, but to the revolt the Jews against Rome. Therefore, the "bandits" crucified with Jesus were not thieves but social agitators.

This first conclusion leads us to ask: what was their relationship with Jesus of Nazareth? Because according to the Gospels, Jesus was condemned to death by a political subversive (Mk 15,2), a rebel (Lk 23,2) and a social agitator (Lk 23,5). That does not mean that it was, but that the Roman authorities they considered it as such. The fact that on his head was placed a poster with the motive of his condemnation: "The King of the Jews" (Mk 15,26), confirms that the cause of his condemnation was political in nature and not religious.

Now, if the men who were with you were too, it makes sense to ask: Did they have a connection with Jesus?

Pain that afflicts us

The gospels do not bind them at all. However, it is unlikely that many people sentenced on the same day, at the same time, at the same place, for the same case, by the same governor and with the same sentence, are not related. On the other hand, there were also no political uprisings every day in Judea, as if to badume that they were social disruptors of another different rebellion of Jesus

Moreover, when the soldiers arrested Jesus on the Mount of Olives, he defended himself by saying: "Did you come to take me with swords and sticks, as if I were a bandit ( weighted)? " (Mk 14,48, Mt 26,55, Lk 22,52). That is to say that Jesus was considered a Lestes, the same title used to designate the two men crucified with him. This brings us to a second conclusion: the two convicts must have been disciples of Jesusimprisoned and tried for the same crime. That's why they ended up dying with him.

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An indirect confirmation of this lies in the words of one of them, the so-called "good thief", who, in defending Jesus from the insults of the other crucified, says: "Do not be afraid God, you who suffer even phrase? (Lk 23,40) .Although this scene does not seem to be historical, it indicates that, for Luke, the torture companions suffered "the same condemnation" as Jesus, c & # 39; that is to say that they had been convicted for the same reason.The word "condemnation" (in Greek kríma) does not only mean punishment, but the entire judicial process.

Forget the promises

But if the two crucified with Jesus were his disciples, when were they arrested? Because according to the gospels at the time of arrest, they only captured Jesus and left others free.

A careful reading of the texts reveals that this was not the case. Authorities they also tried to trap them. For example, the fact that at the time of Jesus' arrest his disciples "abandoned him and all fled" (Mark 14:50) reveal that they also wanted to stop them. Similarly, when the high priest questions Jesus, he questions not only his teachings but also tries to obtain information about his disciples (Jn 18:19). And in the three denials of Peter (Mk 14: 66-71), some present they recognized him as one of his supportersbut he categorically denied it with curses and oaths (Mk 14:31). Beyond whether or not the story has a historical basis, Pedro's fear is only explained if the disciples are afraid of being recognized and suffering the same fate as their leader. .

We must therefore conclude that the representatives of the law did not only want to capture Jesus, but also his followers.

In the light of a housekeeper

At this point, we must make an objection. Do not the gospels say that when they arrested Jesus, they all fled his followers and stopped anyone?

Yes, but that does not mean that they have really fled. It seems rather than the opposite has happened. For example, in the scene of Peter's denial, while Jesus was being judged in the high priest's palace, a maid said to him, "You were also with Jesus the Nazarene" (Mk 14: 66-67). Why do you say "you too"? Who else was with Jesus at this time? If we badume that in addition to Jesus, they were judged in the palace other disciples of his, the sentence is perfectly clear.

The Gospel goes on to say that Peter, on the words of the maid, was frightened and went to the door. Then the little girl said to some who were there: "It's one of them" (Mk 14,69). Now, the woman is not only referring to Jesus but to a group ("she is one of them"). Once again, the sentence makes sense if "they" are disciples arrested with Jesus.

Not long after, others recognized Peter and said, "Yes, you are part of it" (Mk 14,70). Again, the plural ("one of them") confirms that the inmates were several men, not just Jesus; and that Pedro is accused of belonging to this group.

The man in the middle

Another detail that confirms the relationship between Jesus and these two men is the path how they were crucified. The four gospels say that Jesus was placed in the middle, while the two others were placed "one on his right and one on his left" (Mk 15,27, Mt 27,38, Lk 23,33, Jn 19, 18). .

What was the reason for locating them like this? The most plausible explanation is that Jesus was considered the leader of the other two. We know that the seats to the right and to the left of a king were the most prestigious. Placing their followers on either side, the executioners wanted to make fun of Jesus and parody a royal court. We know that these jokes were frequent. Philo of Alexandria, for example, in the first century tells us the case of some crazy called Carabas, that they wanted to ridicule, and dress him up as a king, while young people were placed on his right and left, posing as his entourage.

Credible little hopes

One last scene confirms that those crucified with Jesus had a connection with him. Mark and Matthew recount that with those who mocked Jesus, "the two crucified also insulted him" (Mk 15,32, Mt 27,44). If these two men were mere thieves who had nothing to do with Jesus, Why did they insult him? But the scene becomes clear if they were his supporters. As part of their movement, they were disappointed by the failure of the leader and protested indignantly.

Lucas reports some words from these men. Although the scene is not entirely historical, it only makes sense if, for Luke, the crucified were disciples of Jesus. Let's see

The first of them blames Jesus: "Are not you the Messiah? To save you and us" (Lk 23,39).

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If the man was an ordinary criminal, his sentence is not understood. How can a simple thief, who does not know Jesus, believe that he is the Messiah? And why would he expect me to save him and his partner from harm? But it makes sense if this man knows Jesus, has participated in his messianic project and is executed for following him as a Messiah.

The words of the other crucified are also revealing. Luke says that he asks Jesus: "Remember me when you come to your kingdom" (Lk 23,42). This is surprising the confidence with which he speaks to you. He is one of the few people in the entire gospel to call him "Jesus," which is illogical for a delinquent who sees him for the first time. On the other hand, the man is convinced that Jesus is king and that he has the power to bring him into his kingdom. This means that he accepted his teachings and remained a faithful disciple.

The sunset of a memory

Is it possible to know the identity of these two disciples? The gospels keep their names silent. They did not belong to the Twelve, because they reappear later, gathered in Jerusalem (Acts 1:13). But Jesus had a larger group of followers who accompanied him. Some helped him during the last days spent in Jerusalem, like the one who had lent him the donkey to enter the city (Mk 11: 1-6) or the one who had prepared the room for him. last supper (Mk 14,12-16). To this larger group of collaborators had to belong the two crucified with him.

Missing answering a question. Why the Gospels they never said that the two crucified were his disciples? The answer is simple Very quickly, among the first Christians, the idea of ​​the saving death of Jesus developed. That is to say, the thesis was elaborated that Jesus had given his life for humanity and that his death on the cross had been redemptive. So, crucifixion has become the central fact of his life, and it has been badigned a unique and incomparable saving value. In this context, a Jesus dying for the Kingdom with other companions, it made him lose centrality and exclusivity. This is the reason why tradition quickly forgot the identity of these two disciples. He was dead alone.

PS