Category:Thieves of Golgotha (subject)

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The Thieves of Golgotha, according to Christian tradition, were "two brigands" crucified with Jesus of Nazareth.

Overview

The Gospels of Mark, Matthew, Luke, and John all claim that Jesus of Nazareth was not crucified alone (see Crucifixion of Jesus). Mark, Matthew and Luke specify that "two brigands" were crucified within him. They were not "robbers"; the term denotes "political prisoners" who like Jesus were accused of rebellion. The story of Barabbas seems to confirm that there must have been some "insurrection" or riot against the Romans. We know nothing, however, about the circumstances in which these two men were arrested and charged, or about their association with Jesus.

According to Mark and Matthew, they both "taunted" Jesus, even though we are not told the reason for their behavior. We can only speculate that they had been, voluntarily or involuntarily, involved in the uprising caused by Jesus' messianic proclamation in Jerusalem and now they "blamed" him for their destiny, out of anger or disappointment. As he did in all stories, like the Anointing of Jesus, that had disturbing political implications, Luke turned the narrative in yet another moral example of Jesus' forgiving attitude toward the sinners, by claiming that one brigand insulted Jesus, while the other asked for forgiveness and was forgiven by Jesus. John chose to remain silent; he does not specify the identity of the "two" and does not mention their attitude toward Jesus. The later Christian tradition will completely erase any political references by turning the two "political prisoners" into common "thieves."

In the Gospels, the "Thieves" are unnamed. The names of the Good and the Unrepentant Thief, Dysmas and Gestas, or Titus and Dumachus, come from the later Christian tradition (the Gospel of Nicodemus and the Arabic Infancy Gospel, respectively). The latter document adds a tale about how Titus prevented the other thieves in his company from robbing Mary and Joseph during their flight into Egypt.

In the Russian tradition, the Good Thief's name is neither Dysmas nor Titus, but Rakh.

The Thieves of Golgotha in ancient sources

Gospel of Mark

Mark 15:27.32 (NRSV) -- [27] And with him they crucified two bandits, one on his right and one on his left... [32] ... Those who were crucified with him also taunted him.

Gospel of Matthew

Matthew 27:31b-56 (NRSV) -- [38] Then two bandits were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left... [44] The bandits who were crucified with him also taunted him in the same way.

Gospel of Luke

Luke 23:32-33.39-43 (NRSV) -- [32] Two others also, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him. [33] ...they crucified Jesus with the criminals, one on his right and one on his left... [39] One of the criminals who were hanged there kept deriding him and saying, "Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us!" 40 But the other rebuked him, saying, "Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? 41 And we indeed have been condemned justly, for we are getting what we deserve for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong." 42 Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." 43 He replied, "Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise."

Gospel of John

John 19:18.32 (NRSV) -- [18] ...they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, with Jesus between them... [32] Then the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and of the other who had been crucified with him...

Cf. Gospel of Nicodemus

Nicodemus (or Acts of Pilate) 9:5 -- [Pilate said,] "Thy nation hath convicted thee as being a king: therefore have I decreed that thou shouldest first be scourged according to the law of the pious emperors, and thereafter hanged upon the cross in the garden wherein thou wast taken: and let Dysmas and Gestas the two malefactors be crucified with thee."

• See Thieves of Golgotha (sources) -- survey of ancient sources

The Thieves of Golgotha in literature & the arts

The Thieves of Golgotha, known in later sources as Dysmas (Titus, Rakh) and Gestas (Dumachus), are commonly depicted in Christian iconography in the scene of the Crucifixion of Jesus. In legends, the Thieves took a life of their own, which still inspires novels and works of art on the subject. A few films, notably, The King of Kings (1927 DeMille), film or King of Kings (1961 Ray), film, also gave some special relevance to the characters of the two Thieves.

• See Thieves of Golgotha (arts) -- survey of fictional works

Related categories

• Jesus of Nazareth

External links

• Saint Dismas