One thing I have learned about God, there is nothing He does without it having some significant meaning or teaching behind it, and it’s often in the details. For example, have you ever stopped and considered why Jesus hung on a cross between two thieves? Was it just coincidence that Jesus was erected on the same day between two thieves who also were being executed for their crimes? Nothing with God is ever just a coincidence.
So, what could possibly be the reason God orchestrated the death of Jesus to coincide with that of two thieves, on the same hill, on the same day, next to each other? Well, apart from the fact it was prophesied that He would be counted among the rebels (Isaiah 53:9) God was putting on display another message that many of us fail to recognize. Remember, always pay attention to detail when it comes to the things God is doing. Jesus did not only hang on a cross with two thieves, but He was placed between them, also significant. What message then is God sharing with us who have the willingness to pay attention?
The cross is often only ever seen as something of importance to those who believe, but the truth is the cross is significant to all people everywhere, whether you believe or not. Let’s take a moment to recount this particular scene.
- When they came to the place called The Skull, there they crucified Him and the criminals, one on the right and the other on the left. – Luke 23:33
It should be noted that Jesus is always between the sinner and our judgement or our mercy. He is our mediator, our advocate. “For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus…” – 1Timothy 2:5. Jesus always takes the posture and position as the One we must go through to gain access to God’s goodness in mercy, hope, peace, joy, redemption, salvation, and life. “Jesus *said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.” – John 14:6. “Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.” – Hebrews 7:25
The cross is not only the object of Roman execution used to put Jesus to death, but it serves as a symbol or reminder to all humanity of judgement and wrath or mercy and grace. The cross presents a choice every person must make no matter the background, race, age, gender, status, nationality, etc. This is highlighted by the conversation the two criminals on either side of Jesus were having on the cross.
- One of the criminals who were hanged there was hurling abuse at Him, saying, “Are You not the Christ? Save Yourself and us!” But the other answered, and rebuking him said, “Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed are suffering justly, for we are receiving what we deserve for our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” And he was saying, “Jesus, remember me when You come in Your kingdom!” And He said to him, “Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise.” – Luke 23:39-43
As noted in this scripture, the first criminal mocked Jesus, questioned His identity and rejected His death as a sacrifice for sins, while the other criminal fully accepted Jesus as the Christ and His death as a life being offered in sacrifice for sins He did not commit. We are quickly reminded by the response of the first criminal that the cross is often seen by those who do not believe as foolishness. Hence, why Paul wrote, “For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” – 1Corintians 1:18
Everyone without exception must one-day answer to the cross, Jesus being the factor that changes what consequence the cross holds for us. We either accept the cross as something we choose to bear as our identifying by faith with what Christ accomplished on the cross for our life in taking upon Himself our judgement, or it becomes our judgement, having rejected the judgement that Christ took upon Himself for us, we choose to accept that judgement as our own. This is why Jesus said, “He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil.” – John 3:18-19
So, there is Christ on the cross taking upon Himself the judgement of all sin, canceling every warrant death had against our life so that we may have life in Him. And to one side of Christ, we have the sinner who rejects Christ and His death upon the cross, accepting the cross then as his own judgement to which death will issue its warrant against said sinner at the appointed time. Then there is the sinner to the other side who accepts Christ and His death on the cross as a sacrifice for the sins of others including himself; to whom Jesus says, “today you will join me in paradise.” This sinner no longer accepts the cross as his judgement but instead his sacrifice. Where he identifies with the sacrifice of Christ by laying down his life as Christ did, for the well-being of others. Jesus conveyed such a truth in the statement, “Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.” – Matthew 16:24. This is the message of the three crosses. A visual God staged to give light to an eternal truth centered around the cross of Christ.