The Six Thieves of Calvary
Matt 26:47-56
47 While he was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived. With him was a large crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests and the elders of the people.
48 Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: "The one I kiss is the man; arrest him."
49 Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, "Greetings, Rabbi!" and kissed him.
50 Jesus replied, "Friend, do what you came for." Then the men stepped forward, seized Jesus and arrested him.
51 With that, one of Jesus’ companions reached for his sword, drew it out and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear.
52 "Put your sword back in its place," Jesus said to him, "for all who draw the sword will die by the sword.
53 Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels?
54 But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen in this way?"
55 At that time Jesus said to the crowd, "Am I leading a rebellion, that you have come out with swords and clubs to capture me? Every day I sat in the temple courts teaching, and you did not arrest me.
56 But this has all taken place that the writings of the prophets might be fulfilled." Then all the disciples deserted him and fled.
Luke 23:39-43
39 One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: "Aren’t you the Christ? Save yourself and us!"
40 But the other criminal rebuked him. "Don’t you fear God," he said, "since you are under the same sentence?
41 We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong."
42 Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom."
43 Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise."
Now, if I were to ask you to tell me about the thieves that were a part of the crucifixion of our Lord Jesus Christ, I would dare say that most of you would tell me of the three. But did you know that there are actually six?
1. Judas Iscariot: The Thief Who Regretted
John 12:3-6
3 Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.
4 But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected,
5 "Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages."
6 He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.
Here’s what we know about Judas:
Chosen by Christ
Taught by Christ
Sent forth by Christ
Held a position of trust
Consumed with greed, he fell and betrayed the Lord
His betrayal turned to regret and suicide
Don’t underestimate Satan’s power
2. Barabbas: The Thief Who Was Replaced
Matt 27:15-17: Now it was the governor’s custom at the Feast to release a prisoner chosen by the crowd. At that time they had a notorious prisoner, called Barabbas. So when the crowd had gathered, Pilate asked them, "Which one do you want me to release to you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?"
It was the custom to release a prisoner at Passover
Crowd was given an opportunity to choose between Jesus and Barabbas. Acts 3:14,15: “You disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you. You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. We are witnesses of this.”
Barabbas:
- insurrectionist
- murderer
- robber
- notorious prisoner
- tried, convicted, awaiting execution
- deserved to die
- his name means, “son of a father” Jesus: Son of the Father
Crowd was manipulated by the chief priest
What the choice revealed about the crowd
- more upset about the teachings, claims, miracles and influence of Jesus than the crimes of Barabbas
- detested the rebuker of sin more than the robber and murderer
- the custom-breaker was more despised than the law-breaker.
Jesus took Barabbas’ condemnation—his scourging, humiliation, death and sins. And He took our place as well.
3. The Thief With the Hardened Heart
Luke 23:39: “If you’re the Christ, why don’t you save yourself and us?”
Being crucified with thieves is a fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy.
Isa 53:12: “Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.”
Crucifixion of the three had some similarities:
Nailed
Naked
Raging thirst
Agonizing pain
People gazing
Both blasphemed Jesus, but one kept it up (Matt.27:44). This thief died in a state of rebellion in spite of the rebuke and repentance of the other thief—and a Savior close at hand. O, the hardened heart of sinful man! How great it is.
4. The Thief Who Repented
Luke 23:40-43
40 But the other criminal rebuked him. "Don’t you fear God," he said, "since you are under the same sentence?
41 We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong."
42 Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom."
43 Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise."
This thief had a change of heart. Why?
He feared God
He recognized death was at hand
He admitted the sinfulness of his conduct
He was impressed with the innocence of Jesus
This was true repentance. It didn’t bring escape from physical death, but relief, comfort, and fellowship beyond this life.
5. The Thief Who Stole Man’s Heart
His name? Satan! It all began long ago—back in the garden of Eden. He stole our affection, our loyalty, our relationship with the Father, our innocence.
He was there—at the crucifixion—viewing this ghastly scene, with an evil smirk on his face. He thought he had won the day. But listen to the words of Jesus in John 10:10: “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they might have life, and have it to the full.”
Jesus came to rescue us from Satan’s evil clutches and deliver us into the Father’s hand once again.
Satan would like to steal us back if he could, so be on your guard. He wants to steal your soul, your testimony, your influence, even your fruit! But God has provided us more than enough power to resist him.
6. The Thief Who Was Not a Thief
Jesus was approached as a thief in the Garden of Gethsemane. Do you remember what He said? “Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest me as though I was a robber?” (Matt.26:55).
Also, Jesus received the sentence of a thief. The punishment was far more severe than that in our day.
The bible tells us that His return to earth will be like a thief –unannounced, when people least expect it.
In a sense, we were all thieves—converted thieves, but thieves nonetheless. We held back from God His rightful ownership of us. But He loved us even when we were in a state of rebellion and died to redeem us—buy us back!
Yes, its true. Jesus was guilty.
Guilty of loving the unlovable
Guilty of speaking the truth
Guilty of forgiving sinners
Guilty of being Almighty God
DURING THE WAR BETWEEN BRITAIN AND FRANCE, men were drafted into the French army by a lottery system. When someone’s name was drawn, he had to go off to battle. But there was once exception: a person would be exempt if another was willing to take his place. On one occasion the authorities came to a man and told him he was among those who had been chosen.
But he refused to go, saying, “I was shot two years ago.” At first they questioned his sanity, but he insisted that this was the case. He claimed that the records would show that he had been drafted 2 years earlier and that he had been killed in action. “How can that be, since you are alive now?” they questioned. He explained that when his name came up, a close friend said to him, “You have a large family, but I am not married and no one is dependent on me. I’ll take you name and address and go in your place.” And that was indeed what the record showed. This unusual case was referred to Napoleon Bonaparte, who decided that the country had no legal claim on that man. He was free. He had died in the person of another.
