The Thief's View

 

Following the sentencing that morning, we were scourged…lashed with a bronze-laced whip that could be used to kill a person and save the trouble of a cross…but the soldiers stopped the scourging shortly after starting. The Centurion came in and ordered his soldiers to leave us chained and follow him to the Prefect. There was a special scourging assignment for them that needed to be done quickly…something about stopping a civil uprising.

 

They just stopped the scourging and left us where we were…chained to the lashing post.  I lost consciousness, but not before I heard shouts and cursing coming from outside as the crucifixion squad headed for the Praetorium.

 

I came to as the soldiers unchained me.  The other thief was being unchained and he had ceased his cursing.  Even he knew how merciless the crucifixion squad could be.  Their only charge was to make sure we got to the hill alive and they were well trained to know what they could do to a body without killing it.  So far we had gotten off easy.

 

They strapped the heavy cross pieces to our backs over the frayed flesh and I just about blacked out again.  They were ready and yanked us both up and stuffed a horrid soaked rag into our mouths.  The stuff that drained down our throats relieved the pain enough to endure the path to the hill.  There they knocked us to the ground and drove those rusty spikes through our wrists.  The horrible liquid had done its job and we stayed conscious, even when they hoisted us up and nailed in our feet.  The sun was up and warming the hill.

 

We watched as the third criminal came up the hill.  Crowds had gathered and I saw priests and scribes following at a distance. I knew then what the special scourging was that cut ours short.  He had been lashed to the point that I doubt his own mother would have recognized him.  They were shouting all kinds of hatred toward him.  “Crucify him!”  “What king of the Jews?” “Save yourself now!”  Many spit on him. The wailing was terrible.

 

He was exhausted and collapsed before he got to us. They tried to force that horrid rag of liquid on him but he refused.  Another had carried his cross and dropped it next to him. He made no sound as they nailed in the spikes and set him on his tree.  This was the rebel rabbi named Jesus; the one that had been stirring up the people for the last few years and had caused the riot in the temple court; the one that had gotten me caught! I actually forgot my pain as I watched them hoist him up.

 

Then the air was gone and I had to take a breath; that meant having to push myself up…the pain was beyond any I had ever experienced but I didn’t black out…the Romans were good at their work.  I got as deep a breath as I could and looked over at Jesus…god, he was so brutalized…we looked untouched in comparison.  Then the guards slapped the top of his head with a spear that further drove the thorn crown into his flesh.  It didn’t seem to draw any blood. How could it?  His blood was all on the outside.

 

For me, agony and another breath. 

 

They nailed a sign to the top of his cross.  I couldn’t read it but a chant broke out in the crowd, “King of the Jews; King of the Jews; King of the Jews!”  One yelled that it should have said, “He said I am King of the Jews.”  Another yelled, “You saved others, save yourself!”  “If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross!”

 

Another breath and agony.  I was going to die today next to this lousy rabbi!  The hate welled up in me as I remembered the square and being caught as he turned a table over on me and everyone saw what I was doing.  God, I hated him!  There was no place to run, no place to hide.  All eyes were on him as he moved to each table and all eyes saw me, too, and what I was doing with my scales.  They dragged me from the square into the hands of the Romans. The Romans had no tolerance for locals causing a civil uprising.

 

I hated him and took up the other thief’s taunt…”If you are the Christ, the King of the Jews, save yourself and us!” The price was air and agony.  I stopped my cursing. He remained silent.  My breaths and agonies were his too. The minutes were hours.  I was going to die and face God.  I had no doubt of that.  I was going to have to explain myself to Him.

 

He remained silent.  At noon it got dark…stormy dark, but no storm.  Then he spoke to a woman in the crowd. “Woman, behold your son.”  He spoke to a man next to her, “Behold your mother.”  I was stunned.  Apparently, his mother was seeing all of this and he was loving her, even from His cross!  In His agony he was loving her; providing for her!

 

He spoke again...“Father, forgive them.  They know not what they do.”  My mind reeled.  How could He forgive them?! The other thief heard Him but just kept taunting.  My heart broke.  My spirit failed within me.  My soul cried out in anguish.  I shouted to the other thief, “Do you not fear God, because you are under sentence too, and rightly? We receive our just punishment, but not this man.  He has done nothing wrong!”  I had to push myself up again but strength had returned in my passion over what I was witnessing.  There was no pain.  I was a sinner about to fall into the hands of the living God; a terrifying thought that had never crossed my mind and now caused me to shudder against the spikes! I was about to face my creator and now I believed His Son hung next to me!

 

How could I speak to His Son now?  What could I say?  How could I express my heart to Him after all that I had done, what I had said, and after hating him so much; after taunting Him to his face?  I had no right…but I had to speak, say something to show Him…something to express my belief.  The words just came out.  “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”

 

He spoke again, but directly to me!  He looked over with love in his eyes so deep I was enveloped.  All faded around me; only He and I were on that hill.  “Today you will be with Me in Paradise.”  Today, today, I will be with Him in Paradise?!  My world reeled.  I tried to grasp what He had said!  Hope flooded through me!  My spirit soared!  I had no sense of now…just eternity.  I rested in Him.

 

The darkness began to lift…He was clearly visible to all now, and a hush came over the crowd.  The priests and scribes begin to murmur but then, even they fell silent.  It was erie.  Then I saw them.  Legions. Legions of shining beings were spread all around that hill; each with a hand resting on his sword, but absolutely silent and unmoving.  Their eyes… all were on Jesus.  Surely, these had come at His bidding to stop this travesty.  Surely they were waiting for His word to strike! I thought the crowd had gone silent because of them, but their eyes were on Him.  They seemed unaware of the beings. Total silence.

 

Then He lifted his eyes upward and spoke to the heavens:  “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” I knew that Psalm! Silence…silence…

 

Then He cried out, “It is finished!”

 

His body went limp, pulling hard against the spikes in his wrists.  It was three o’clock. The Centurion was standing right in front of him when he cried out…his men had been gambling for his clothes under the cross and he had driven them off when the skies went dark.  The Centurion was transfixed and it was easy to hear him in the hush.  “Truly this man was the Son of God!”

 

My vision started to narrow as I begin to black out.  I had forgotten to breathe!  Again I pushed up to get some air…the agony returned, but my strength remained.  The guards noticed and so did the Centurion. It was clear that I would experience one other agony before dying, but now I didn’t care.  He had promised me Paradise!  Today!  I was to see Him again and His promise was today!  My strength would not frustrate the crucifixion squad.  They would break my legs.  That would end it and I would be released to be with my Lord!  TODAY!