Mark 15:27Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

The Lord was executed alongside criminals so that people would perceive Him as a transgressor. This occurred according to divine will, fulfilling the prophecy: ‘He was counted among the wicked’ (Isaiah 53:12). The two thieves symbolize two distinct groups: the Jewish people and the Gentiles. Both nations were in rebellion—Gentiles having violated the natural law and Jews having broken both that law and the written commandments given by God. The Gentile was a shrewd wrongdoer, while the Jewish nation remained blasphemous to the very end. In the midst of these two peoples, the Lord was crucified, embodying the cornerstone that brings unity to all.

Here stands the Judge among the crowd: one thief expressed faith and was granted freedom, while the other was ridiculed and condemned. Then He revealed His authority over both the living and the deceased: some He would assign to His right, and others to His left. This mirrors the fate of the thieves: one signifying those destined for the left, and the other for the right. He was both undergoing judgment and revealing the nature of judgment itself.

Among the criminals who faced crucifixion alongside Him, it is stated, “And to the evildoers He was numbered” (Isaiah 53:12; Mark 15:28). Initially, there were two wrongdoers at the crucifixion, but one ceased to exist, while the other persisted in his wickedness until the very end, refusing to embrace salvation. Although he was affixed to the cross, he continued to provoke the Lord with his blasphemous words.

The execution that the Sanhedrin and Pilate imposed on Jesus Christ was one of deep disgrace. Nevertheless, the divine majesty of Jesus radiated even amidst the shame and dishonor. The crucifixion of the criminals alongside Him, the inscription above His head, and the division of His garments are events that, from a human perspective, aimed to degrade Jesus Christ; yet, in a divine context, they instead contribute to His glory. With Him were two thieves, one positioned at His right hand and the other at His left. The Sanhedrin believed this arrangement suggested that Jesus was no different from the criminals, even positioning Him as the leader among them due to His central placement. The malevolence of the Sanhedrin sought not only the disgraceful execution of the Redeemer but also aimed to amplify the humiliation of Jesus, desiring for the crowd to perceive the Teacher of the Nazarenes in this light.

Two criminals were crucified alongside Him, differing in their hearts and attitudes. One, hardened by sin, joined in the mockery, while the other refrained from scorn. The background of this condemned man and the reasons behind his execution remain unknown; however, it appears that a profound awareness of his sins and guilt before God had been instilled in him prior to his crucifixion, which allowed him to perceive deeper truths. As he came to understand the justice of his own suffering, he was profoundly moved by the sight of the innocent One enduring agony and triumphantly praying for those who wronged Him.

The accounts of Christ's suffering on the cross and His death are depicted similarly in the Gospel of Matthew and the Gospel of Mark. As the procession with the condemned reached Golgotha, Christ was offered a drink described as ‘vinegar mixed with gall’ in Matthew and ‘wine mixed with myrrh’ in Mark. This drink, intended to dull the senses and alleviate pain, was made from sour wine mixed with bitter and aromatic substances. However, Christ, desiring to fully experience the depth of His suffering that He had willingly accepted, refused to drink after tasting it. Following this, the soldiers proceeded to crucify Christ, which Mark notes occurred at the third hour.

Other soldiers executed the two criminals alongside Jesus, positioning one on His right and the other on His left; thus, the prophecy of the Prophet Isaiah came to fruition, as noted by the Evangelist: He was numbered with the transgressors (Isaiah 53:12).

Upon their arrival at the site of the crucifixion, the three crosses were laid upon the ground, with Jesus' cross, as the foremost criminal, positioned in the center as a symbol of profound ridicule. His garments were removed, leading to the most harrowing aspect of the execution—His being nailed to the cross. Christ was affixed to the instrument of His demise, His arms extended along the crossbar, and a large iron nail was driven through the center of each palm into the timber with the force of a hammer. This same nail was thrust into His feet. Subsequently, the soldiers exerted themselves to elevate the cross, complete with its living sacrifice, and secure it in the designated hole.

Considering the large assembly present at the feast in Jerusalem, it seems that Pilate aimed to enhance the grim spectacle of the crucifixion by commanding that two criminals be executed alongside the Lord Jesus Christ (Lk. 23:32; Mt. 27:38; Mk. 15:27; Jn. 19:18). Thus, rather than a single victim, three crosses were witnessed by the crowd making their way from Pilate's judgment seat to Golgotha. For further details on the crucifixion, see Luke 23:33.

On Golgotha, Christ was crucified alongside other criminals, fulfilling the prophetic scripture that states, “He was counted among the evildoers” (Isaiah 53:12), as noted by the Evangelist Mark (15:28). The Lord Jesus Christ willingly embraced the agony of the Cross and chose to forgo a special mixture of wine and myrrh, typically offered to those condemned to crucifixion to alleviate their awareness of pain. Fully aware of the heinous act being perpetrated against Him, enduring excruciating torment as the nails pierced His hands and feet, and as blood streamed from His wounds, the crucified Christ remained silent, not making a single sound of anguish or complaint. Instead, He prayed to God the Father for those inflicting His suffering, saying, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34).