Christian Reflection and Prayer

Scripture:

Read Mark 15:27

"And with Him they crucified two
robbers" (Mark 15:27)

Reflection:

Jesus wasn't the first person to be crucified.
Crucifixion was practiced in the ancient Near
East long before. In 519 BC three thousand
political enemies were crucified on one
occasion by Darius 1 in Babylon. In 71 BC
the Roman general Crassus crucified six
thousand slaves who had fought with
Spartacus. So having three criminals crucified
together was not unusual.

We know very little about the two criminals
crucified with Jesus. Mark calls them "robbers".
Jesus used this same word in His parable of
the Good Samaritan to describe the highway
robbers who beat the man, stole his clothes
and left him for dead. Mark also used this word
to describe murderous rebels when he first
introduced Barabbas, "And among the rebels
in prison, who had committed murder in the
insurrection, there was a man named Barabbas.
" (Mark 15:7). Though we don't know their
precise crimes- these were clearly vicious men.

If Jesus was guiltless why would He be crucified
with such vicious criminals? Jesus went to the
cross because He was being punished for all our
sins, not because of anything He had done. He
carried all the atrocities of Hitler, Stalin and Mao
and bore their guilt before God- and our own sin
and guilt too. So it was fitting that He be crucified
along with one robber on His left and another on
His right.

In a few days we will encounter these two robbers-
and an exchange which has brought incredible
comfort to guilt-stricken people ever since.

THE PRAYER:

Lord Jesus, You were numbered with the criminals
not for anything You had done, but because of our
sins against God's Law. Forgive and restore us.
Amen.

(Lutheran Hour Ministries Lenten Devotional)