(Matthew 27:38 and Luke 23:32). This Is Appendix 164 From The Companion Bible.
Misled by tradion and the ignorance of Scripture on the part of mediæval painters, it is the general belief that only two were crucified with the Lord.
But Scripture does not say so. It states that there were two "thieves" (Greek lestai = robbers, Matthew 27:
It is also recorded that both the robbers reviled Him (Matthew 27:
But the other discrepancy is, according to Matthew, that after the parting of the garments, and after "sitting down they watched Him there", that "THEN" were there two robbers crucified with Him, one on the right hand and the other on the left" (Matthew 27:
The first two (malefactors) who were "led with Him" were placed one on either side. When the other two (robbers) were brought, much later, they were also similarly placed; so that there were two (one of each) on either side and the Lord in the midst. The malefactors were therefore the nearer, and being on the inside they could speak to each other better, and the one with the Lord, as recorded (Luke 23:
John's record confirms this for he speaks only of place and not of time. He speaks, generally of the fact: "where they crucified Him, and with Him others, two on this side, and that side, and Jesus in the midst" (John 19:
But John further states (19:
There are two words used of the "other" and "others" in John 19:
THE FIVE CROSSES AT PLOUBEZERE, NEAR LANNION, Cotes-du-Nord, Brittany.
In the former passage we read, "they brake the legs of the first and of the other." Here the Greek is allos, which is the other (the second) of two when there are more (see Matthew 10:23; 25:16, 17, 20: 27:61; 28:1. John 18:15, 16;
20:2, 4, 8, and Revelation 17:10).
In the latter passage (Luke 23:
From this evidence, therefore, it is clear that there were four "others" crucified with the Lord; and thus, on the hand, there are no "discrepancies", as alleged; while, on the other hand, every word and every expression, in the Greek, gets (and gives) its own exact value, and its full significance.
To show that we are not without evidence, even from tradition, we may state that there is a "Calvary" to be seen at Ploubézéré near Lannion, in the Côtes-du-Nord, Brittany, known as Les Cinq Croix ("The Five Crosses"). There is a high cross in the centre, with four lower ones, two on either side. There may be other instances of which we have not heard.
"In the Roman Catholic church.... the altar-slab or 'table' alone is consecrated, and in sign if this are cut in its upper surface five Greek crosses, one in the centre and one in each corner... but the history of the origin and development of this practice is not fully worked out" (Encycl. Brit., 11th (Cambridge) ed., vol. i, pages 762, 763). This practice may possibly be explained by the subject of this Appendix.
1 Compare Matthew 6:21, 24; 8:21; 11:3. Luke 5:7; 6:6; 7:41; 9:56; 14:31; 16:13, 18; 17:34, 35; 18:10; 23:40.
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