cross…let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him… let God deliver him now, if he desires him. For he said, ‘I am the Son of God’” (Matt. 27:40-43 ESV abbreviated). It is very unlikely that Jesus could have done anything on the cross that would have totally changed the mind of a criminal who believed he was a fake and get him to believe he was the Promised Messiah instead.

What the criminal said both to the other criminal and to Jesus reflects a deep fear of God and recognition of who Jesus Christ was. This is especially true in light of the fact that a few verses later he asks Jesus to remember him when he comes into his kingdom, and Jesuslater in the day. The criminals were led away to be crucified with Jesus, and were immediately crucified next to him.

Luke 23:32 and 33 (ESV)(32) Two others, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him.(33) And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left.

In contrast to these two criminals who Luke says were crucified with Jesus, Matthew 27 says the two robbers were crucified after Jesus had been crucified and the guards had divided his garments by casting lots and had sat down to keep watch over him. This would have taken some time, and the soldiers would not have done those things if