Mark 15:27-28: Jesus Is Crucified between Two Robbers and Numbered with Transgressors. Jesus is crucified between two robbers, one on His right and one on His left. By being executed alongside these criminals, the innocent Jesus was counted among lawbreakers and treated as though He were one of them. Mark explicitly explains that this fulfilled the Messianic prophecy that said: "And He was numbered with transgressors."
In Mark 15:27-28, Jesus is crucified between two robbers, fulfilling Isaiah's prophecy that the Messiah would be numbered with transgressors.
Following his description of Jesus's crucifixion and Pilate's inscription declaring Him to be THE KING OF THE JEWS(Mark 15:22-26), Mark next describes the men who were crucified alongside Him.
They crucified two robbers with Him, one on His right and one on His left (v 27).
Mark now observes that Jesus was not crucified alone.
The pronoun--they--refers to the Roman soldiers. The pronouns--Him, His, and He--in Mark 15:27-28 refer to Jesus.
The soldiers crucified two robbers with Him (v 27). Matthew likewise records that "two robbers were crucifiedwith Him" (Matthew 27:38), while Luke describes them more generally as "two others also, who were criminals" (Luke 23:32-33). John simply states that Jesus was crucified "withtwo other men" (John 19:18). Taken together, the Gospel accounts indicate that these two men were criminals whose crimes included robbery.
These two robbers were likely highwaymen who preyed upon vulnerable travelers along the roads surrounding Judea. Such men often robbed, assaulted, and sometimes murdered those they attacked. Jesus described this kind of criminal in His Parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:30-36).
Mark says that one robber was crucifiedon His rightand the other on His left (v 27). This detail not only describes the physical arrangement of the three crosses, but also fulfills Messianic prophecy.
And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, "And He was numbered with transgressors" (v 28).
The exact Scripture that Mark cites comes from Isaiah's prophecy concerning the Suffering Servant:
"He poured out Himself to death, And was numbered with the transgressors." (Isaiah 53:12b)
Jesus, though completely innocent, was publicly numbered (i.e. "counted as being") with transgressors and put to death among guilty criminals.
The Roman authorities treated Him as though He were no different from the robberscrucified beside Him. The Jewish leaders had condemned Him for blasphemy (Mark 14:64), while the Romans executed Him under the political charge that He was THE KING OF THE JEWS (Mark 15:26). Yet in reality Jesus was guilty of neither crime.
It is of great irony that the only perfectly righteous Man who ever lived was executed in the place reserved for criminals and was literally numbered with transgressors.
Matthew appears to allude to this same prophecy simply by mentioning that Jesus was crucified between two robbers (Matthew 27:38). His Jewish readers, already familiar with Isaiah 53, likely would have recognized the fulfillment without further explanation.
Mark, however, writes primarily for Gentile readers who were less familiar with Israel's Scriptures. Accordingly, he explicitly identifies this event as the fulfillment of prophecy, helping his Roman audience understand that Jesus's death unfolded according to God's predetermined plan.
Isaiah's prophecy reaches beyond the physical placement of Jesus between two criminals. The Messiah was not merely executed beside sinners. He willingly identified Himself with sinful humanity in order to bear its judgment.
As Isaiah also wrote:
"The LORD has caused the iniquity of us all To fall on Him." (Isaiah 53:6b)
Jesus was counted numbered among sinners so that sinners might be numbered as righteous through Him (2 Corinthians 5:21).
There is another possible Messianic allusion in Jesus being crucified between two condemned men.
The Old Testament patriarch Joseph's life foreshadows the Messiah as the Suffering Servant. Like Jesus, Joseph suffered unjustly alongside two other prisoners (Genesis 40:1-3). One of Joseph's fellow prisoners was restored to life and service, while the other perished (Genesis 40:20-22). Likewise, Jesus was crucified between two criminals. Luke records that one of these robbers later believed in Jesus and received His promise of Paradise, while the other died in unbelief (Luke 23:39-43).
This is one of many parallels between Joseph and Jesus.
Matthew later records that both robbers initially mocked Jesus (Matthew 27:44). Mark likewise observes that those crucified with Him insulted Him (Mark 15:32).
Luke supplies an important additional detail. During the hours Jesus hung upon the cross, one of the tworobbers underwent a remarkable change of heart. After rebuking the other criminal for mocking Jesus, he turned to the Messiah in faith and pleaded:
"Jesus, remember me when You come in Your kingdom." (Luke 23:42)
Jesus answered him:
"Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise." (Luke 23:43)
Thus, the two robbers who were crucified beside Jesus became vivid pictures of humanity's two possible responses to the crucified Messiah. One rejected Him to the end. The other believed in Him and received eternal life.
Mark next describes the mockery Jesus endured while hanging on the cross from those passing by, the chief priests and scribes, and even the robbers who were crucified with Him (Mark 15:29-32).
Mark 15:27-28
27 They crucified two robbers with Him, one on His right and one on His left.
28 [And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “And He was numbered with transgressors.”]
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Mark 15:27-28 meaning
The parallel gospel accounts of Mark 15:27-28 are found in Matthew 27:38, 27: 44 and Luke 23:32-33, 39-43.
In Mark 15:27-28, Jesus is crucified between two robbers, fulfilling Isaiah's prophecy that the Messiah would be numbered with transgressors.
Following his description of Jesus's crucifixion and Pilate's inscription declaring Him to be THE KING OF THE JEWS (Mark 15:22-26), Mark next describes the men who were crucified alongside Him.
They crucified two robbers with Him, one on His right and one on His left (v 27).
Mark now observes that Jesus was not crucified alone.
The pronoun--they--refers to the Roman soldiers. The pronouns--Him, His, and He--in Mark 15:27-28 refer to Jesus.
The soldiers crucified two robbers with Him (v 27). Matthew likewise records that "two robbers were crucified with Him" (Matthew 27:38), while Luke describes them more generally as "two others also, who were criminals" (Luke 23:32-33). John simply states that Jesus was crucified "with two other men" (John 19:18). Taken together, the Gospel accounts indicate that these two men were criminals whose crimes included robbery.
These two robbers were likely highwaymen who preyed upon vulnerable travelers along the roads surrounding Judea. Such men often robbed, assaulted, and sometimes murdered those they attacked. Jesus described this kind of criminal in His Parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:30-36).
Mark says that one robber was crucified on His right and the other on His left (v 27). This detail not only describes the physical arrangement of the three crosses, but also fulfills Messianic prophecy.
And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, "And He was numbered with transgressors" (v 28).
The exact Scripture that Mark cites comes from Isaiah's prophecy concerning the Suffering Servant:
"He poured out Himself to death,
And was numbered with the transgressors."
(Isaiah 53:12b)
Jesus, though completely innocent, was publicly numbered (i.e. "counted as being") with transgressors and put to death among guilty criminals.
The Roman authorities treated Him as though He were no different from the robbers crucified beside Him. The Jewish leaders had condemned Him for blasphemy (Mark 14:64), while the Romans executed Him under the political charge that He was THE KING OF THE JEWS (Mark 15:26). Yet in reality Jesus was guilty of neither crime.
It is of great irony that the only perfectly righteous Man who ever lived was executed in the place reserved for criminals and was literally numbered with transgressors.
Matthew appears to allude to this same prophecy simply by mentioning that Jesus was crucified between two robbers (Matthew 27:38). His Jewish readers, already familiar with Isaiah 53, likely would have recognized the fulfillment without further explanation.
Mark, however, writes primarily for Gentile readers who were less familiar with Israel's Scriptures. Accordingly, he explicitly identifies this event as the fulfillment of prophecy, helping his Roman audience understand that Jesus's death unfolded according to God's predetermined plan.
Isaiah's prophecy reaches beyond the physical placement of Jesus between two criminals. The Messiah was not merely executed beside sinners. He willingly identified Himself with sinful humanity in order to bear its judgment.
As Isaiah also wrote:
"The LORD has caused the iniquity of us all
To fall on Him."
(Isaiah 53:6b)
Jesus was counted numbered among sinners so that sinners might be numbered as righteous through Him (2 Corinthians 5:21).
There is another possible Messianic allusion in Jesus being crucified between two condemned men.
The Old Testament patriarch Joseph's life foreshadows the Messiah as the Suffering Servant. Like Jesus, Joseph suffered unjustly alongside two other prisoners (Genesis 40:1-3). One of Joseph's fellow prisoners was restored to life and service, while the other perished (Genesis 40:20-22). Likewise, Jesus was crucified between two criminals. Luke records that one of these robbers later believed in Jesus and received His promise of Paradise, while the other died in unbelief (Luke 23:39-43).
This is one of many parallels between Joseph and Jesus.
Both Joseph and Jesus were:
(Genesis 37:3; Matthew 3:17)
(Genesis 37:18-35; Matthew 26:47-50)
(Genesis 39:1-10; Matthew 26:39)
(Genesis 39:11-20; Matthew 26:57-68)
(Genesis 40:1-3, 20-22; Mark 15:27; Luke 23:39-43)
(Genesis 41:39-46; Philippians 2:9-11)
(Genesis 50:20; Mark 10:45; 1 John 2:2)
Matthew later records that both robbers initially mocked Jesus (Matthew 27:44). Mark likewise observes that those crucified with Him insulted Him (Mark 15:32).
Luke supplies an important additional detail. During the hours Jesus hung upon the cross, one of the two robbers underwent a remarkable change of heart. After rebuking the other criminal for mocking Jesus, he turned to the Messiah in faith and pleaded:
"Jesus, remember me when You come in Your kingdom."
(Luke 23:42)
Jesus answered him:
"Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise."
(Luke 23:43)
Thus, the two robbers who were crucified beside Jesus became vivid pictures of humanity's two possible responses to the crucified Messiah. One rejected Him to the end. The other believed in Him and received eternal life.
Mark next describes the mockery Jesus endured while hanging on the cross from those passing by, the chief priests and scribes, and even the robbers who were crucified with Him (Mark 15:29-32).