GOD

… Reconciling the world unto God …

The Scripture used throughout this study is quoted from the King James Version. Any explanatory insertions by the author within a Scripture verse are enclosed in brackets [ ].

© 1996 by Vincent C. Finnegan

P.O. Box 3098, Latham NY 12110, USA

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God’s Word is authored by God and, as such, is a perfect Word. The precision and minute accuracy of God’s Word is unparalleled. The writing is exact in every detail. No other book in existence can compare, not only with its content, but also with its writing. God has a purpose for everything that is written where it is written, how it is written, and to whom it is written. Nothing is haphazardly placed in God’s Word.

When we come to the Word, we must discipline ourselves to read that which is written and not read into it that which we think. The one great requirement of every Christian is to rightly divide the Word of Truth.

II Timothy 2:15:
Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

The Bible is the Word of Truth, but if it is wrongly divided, we do not have the true Word. We will have the Word of Truth only to the extent and in the proportion that it is divided rightly. In order to divide rightly the Word of Truth, the workman of God’s Word must be meek.

James 1:21:
Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.

“Meekness” is to be receptive towards God’s Word without being argumentative, stubborn, or resistant because of one’s own ideas or opinions.

A person can divide the Word any way he wants, making it mean that which he wants it to mean. Often people work the Word to substantiate their own theology by finding those scriptures that support their own beliefs. They are dividing the Word, but they are not rightly dividing it.

Meekness is a primary key in dividing rightly God’s Word. We must be willing to change our thoughts and opinions to line up with the Word of God, not change the Word to agree with our thoughts and opinions.

As workmen we do not want to be ashamed of our workmanship; therefore, we are to study and rightly divide God’s Word. We must allow the Word of God to speak for itself. One of the simple keys for rightly dividing God’s Word is to understand topical development. And one of the keys to understanding topical development is to read exactly that which is written.

Different sections of Scripture sometimes cover the same subject. To gain full understanding of the subject, one must read all the information pertaining to it. As we do this, we must be careful not to confuse similar records as being identical. Jesus Christ fed a multitude of people twice, yet often these similar records are confused as being identical because we have failed to read exactly that which is written.

In that God was so meticulous in the writing of His Word, we should control our minds so as not to be haphazard in the reading of it. To observe topical development in the Scrip tures is to look carefully at all the sections pertaining to the same subject.

In the Old Testament often the same incident or subject is covered in three places — Kings, Chronicles, and the book of a prophet such as Jeremiah or Isaiah. To illustrate this important aspect of studying God’s Word, we will look at a significant event in the life of King Hezekiah.

II Chronicles 32:24:
In those days Hezekiah was sick to the death, and prayed unto the LORD: and he spake unto him, and he gave him a sign.

Not much information about this incident is given here. However, much more detail is given in II Kings.

II Kings 20:1-11:
In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz came to him, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Set thine house in order; for thou shalt die, and not live.
Then he turned his face to the wall, and prayed unto the LORD, saying, I beseech thee, O LORD, remem ber now how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore.
And it came to pass, afore Isaiah was gone out into the middle court, that the word of the LORD came to him, saying,
Turn again, and tell Hezekiah the captain of my people, Thus saith the LORD, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will heal thee: on the third day thou shalt go up unto the house of the LORD.
And I will add unto thy days fifteen years; and I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria; and I will defend this city for mine own sake, and for my servant David's sake.
And Isaiah said, Take a lump of figs. And they took and laid it on the boil, and he recovered.
And Hezekiah said unto Isaiah, What shall be the sign that the LORD will heal me, and that I shall go up into the house of the LORD the third day?
And Isaiah said, This sign shalt thou have of the LORD, that the LORD will do the thing that he hath spoken: shall the shadow go forward ten degrees, or go back ten degrees?
And Hezekiah answered, It is a light thing for the shadow to go down ten degrees: nay, but let the shadow return backward ten degrees.
And Isaiah the prophet cried unto the LORD: and he brought the shadow ten degrees backward, by which it had gone down in the dial of Ahaz.

Had we stopped reading in Chronicles, we would not have gained the great scope of this record. Isaiah offers even more information. Isaiah 38:1-8 reiterates that which we read in Kings. The rest of the chapter communicates that which happened after he recovered of his sickness. Read all of chapter 38.

Topical development in the Gospels is also very important to acknowledge but has most often been neglected. Many common Christian doctrines and beliefs are based on a wrong dividing of God’s Word because one Gospel is embraced while the other Gospels are completely ignored on the same subject.

To illustrate in a dynamic way the absolute importance of following topical development, we are going to study in detail exactly that which God had written about those crucified with Christ. That which we will read will most probably contra dict religious traditions. Tradition, rather than the rightly- divided Word, has been embraced by most regarding this subject. However, if we want to know the truth, we must be willing to change our thoughts and opinions to line up with the Word of God. Tradition should never be more important to us than the truth. The aim of this study is not to attack religious tradition but rather to illustrate how the Word interprets itself by the development of a topic.

The final night of Jesus Christ’s captivity was spent in Pilate’s judgement hall called the Praetorium. A cohort of Roman soldiers tortured and mocked him during this time. Early in the morning on the day of his crucifixion, he was lead from the Praetorium to Golgotha. Simon of Cyrene was forced to carry his cross. By this time, after 40 hours of captivity and torture, Jesus Christ did not have the strength to carry his own cross.

Matthew 27:32:
And as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name: him they compelled to bear his cross.

Before we continue to read, remember that God means that which He says, and says that which He means. So we should simply read that which is written and not read into it. A specific order of events needs to be acknowledged here.

Matthew 27:33-38:
And when they were come unto a place called Golgo tha, that is to say, a place of a skull,
They gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall: and when he had tasted thereof, he would not drink.
And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots.
And sitting down they watched him there;
And set up over his head his accusation written, THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.
Then were there two thieves crucified with him, one on the right hand, and another on the left.

The first thing that happened was they crucified him. The soldiers then gambled for his garments while he was hanging on the tree. After this they sat down and watched him, which indicates that time was advancing. To set the accusation over his head would necessitate acquiring the material, writing on it, getting a ladder, figuring out how to hang it without knocking the cross down, and then finally hanging it — all of which takes time. After all this took place, the Word says “then.”

Matthew 27:38:
Then were there two thieves crucified with him, one on the right hand, and another on the left.

After all of this, two thieves were crucified with him. The English words “two thieves” in the Greek are duo lestai. Duo stands for “two;” and lestai which was translated “thieves” would have been better translated “robbers.” The Greek word most often used for thief is kleptes. A thief is one who steals. From the word kleptes we get the English word “kleptomaniac” which is a person with a persistent, neurotic impulse to steal without economic motive. A thief does not commit major crimes that are punishable by the gruesome capital punishment of crucifixion. In our society the crime of theft is considered a misdemeanor, not a felony. Robbery is a much more serious offense. A robbery is a premeditated felony, often accompanied by violent acts causing serious injury or even death. A robber could receive the punishment of crucifixion.

Before we move on to another Gospel, we will review the order of events.

1. They crucified him,
2. Gambled for his garments,
3. Sat down and watched him,
4. Placed accusation over his head.
5. Then others were crucified.

Mark 15:26-32 covers the same record, but adds no further information which is not given in the other Gospels. So to conserve space, we will skip Mark and go to Luke. Luke gives us information which can be viewed as contra- dicting unless we apply the principle of topical development. The information given enlarges our understanding of the whole subject. The only conflict is with our tradition.

Luke 23:32 and 33:
And there were also two other, malefactors, led with him to be put to death.
And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left.

In Matthew there were two robbers, duo lestai; here we have two malefactors, duo kakourgoi. The word “kakourgoi” means evil-doer. The specific evil is not communicated in this word as it is with the word “lestai.” Every robber is a malefactor, but not every malefactor is a robber. A male- factor could be a murderer, rapist, etc.

Possibly different words are used to describe the same two people, or the term could be referring to two sets of two, a total of four people, crucified with Christ. Look at verses 32 and 33 again.

The malefactors were led out with him and were crucified with him. We read in Matthew — first Jesus was crucified; then they gambled, sat down, placed an accusation; and then two robbers were crucified. With the additional information of Luke, we learn that two malefactors were led out with him and immediately crucified. Notice the order of events: first the record in Luke, then Matthew, making a total of four crucified with him.

Luke gives more information which needs to be compared with Matthew.

Luke 23:39-43:
And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us.
But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same con demnation?
And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss.
And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.
And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.

In Luke, one malefactor railed on him; one did not and was promised a place with Christ in paradise. Matthew shows us that both robbers railed on him.

Matthew 27:41-44:
Likewise also the chief priests mocking him, with the scribes and elders, said,
He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him.
He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God.
The thieves also, which were crucified with him, cast the same in his teeth.

Both thieves (plural) railed on him; while in Luke one did and one did not. Is this a contradiction? No. Absolutely not! In Luke are two malefactors; in Matthew, two robbers. One malefactor and two robbers railed on him. One male- factor did not rail on him and will be in paradise. If we honestly read that which is written, four were crucified with Christ, not two, as tradition has led us to believe.

Maybe the record in John is the cause for the confusion. The record in John has an error in translation.

John 19:18:
Where they crucified him, and two other with him, on either side one, and Jesus in the midst.

This verse seems to refer to only two; however, we should have noticed the word “midst.” “Midst” is middle. When one is on each side, the correct word for the third person’s position is “between,” not “midst.” To be in the “midst,” more than two others must be involved. God uses words with a precise accuracy, even though we do not. When He had written “midst,” He meant “midst,” not “between.” If only two others were there, He would have put the word “between.”

The difficulty of this verse is the word “one;” however, this word is not in the Greek text. It was added by the translators. Look at the excerpt below from a Greek interlinear text. The brackets around the word “one” show it was added.

Take the word “one” out of John 19:18, and that which is left corroborates with that which we have already read in Matthew and Luke.

Where they crucified him, and two other with him, on either side, and Jesus in the midst.

Two others were with him on either side, making a total of four. Now consider the following.

John 19:32 and 33:
Then came the soldiers, and brake the legs of the first, and of the other which was crucified with him.
But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs:

If only two were crucified with Jesus, one on each side, how could the soldiers break the legs of the first and the other, then come to Jesus? Again, the Word is not written haphazardly. That which we just read is impossible with only two, but with four does make sense. They broke the legs of one robber, then a malefactor, then came to Jesus who was in the midst, and saw he was dead already. The other male- factor and robber are not mentioned because the subject is Jesus Christ.

The word “other” in verse 32 — “and of the other which was crucified with him” — adds the final truth to consider with this topical development. A number of Greek words are translated as the English word “other.” The word “other” in John 19:32 is allos which is used when more than two may be involved. Four were crucified, so the word allos is used. The soldiers broke the legs of the first and of the other (allos). If only two were involved, the word used would be heteros, as in Luke.

Luke 23:32:
And there were also two other [heteros], malefactors, led with him to be put to death.

Heteros is used because only two were involved, two malefactors.

We have reviewed the sections of Scripture which cover the subject of the others crucified with Christ. The full understanding of the subject is now clear because we con- sidered all the information pertaining to the subject.

Early in the morning, Jesus Christ was led from the Praetorium to Calvary with two malefactors, and the three were crucified together. Then the soldiers gambled for his garments. They sat down and watched him on the cross. After sitting, they decided to hang an accusation over his head. Then, the two robbers were crucified on his right and left.

Both robbers and one malefactor railed on him, while the other malefactor was compassionate, asking to be remem bered in his kingdom. John did not deal with time, as did Matthew and Luke, but with location. Jesus was in the midst of four. They crucified him and two others with him on either side; Jesus in the midst.

The soldiers broke the legs of the robber and the other being a malefactor, then, coming to Jesus, saw that he was dead already. The practice was for the condemned man to be placed on the tree with his feet in a carved out area so he could hold himself up.¹ His arms were extended directly above his head and tied to the tree. A rope was tied around his mid-section. When the man’s legs were exhausted, he would collapse, his body fall against the rope which would crush his lungs so eventually he would die of suffocation. The reason for breaking the legs was to hasten this process because the Sabbath was coming.

Jesus Christ did not die until everything was accomplished to redeem man. His death corresponded with the time set in the law for the Passover lamb to die. When the soldiers came to him, time had passed, and he was dead already.

Applying this simple key of topical development, we clearly see four were crucified with Christ. This principle of interpretation should be applied every time we study God’s Word if we want to rightly divide the truth.

People have had many misunderstandings and erroneous beliefs because of a failure to understand or apply topical development. To help better develop your skill in utilizing this principle, the following outline of the denials of Peter is given so you can examine them on your own. Tradition teaches Peter denied Christ three times. The Scriptures teach six denials.

1. John 18:15-18
   The first denial in which Peter was accused by a young female doorkeeper. Jesus was before Annas.
2. Matthew 26:69 and 70; Luke 22:55-57; Mark 14:66-68a
   The accuser was a young maiden. Peter was sitting by the fire in the courtyard. Jesus was before Caiaphas.
3. 3.Luke 22:58
   The accuser was a man. The accusation also took place at the fire in the courtyard.
   
   Mark 14:68b. First cock-crowing.
   
   
4. Matthew 26:71 and 72; Mark 14:69 and 70a
   The accuser was a maiden who served the high priest, a different maiden from denial number two. This happened in the porch area where a large door or gate was.
5. Matthew 26:73 and 74a; Mark 14:70b and 71; John 18:25
   This time several accusers were saying that Peter’s Galilean dialect was evidence of his discipleship to Jesus. This happened in the courtyard area with Peter standing next to the fire.
6. Luke 22:59 and 60a; John 18:26 and 27a
   The accuser was a servant of the high priest who had been present at the arrest in the garden. The sixth denial occurred immediately after the fifth at the fire in the courtyard.
   
   While Peter spoke the final denial, the cock crowed a second time (Matthew 26:74b; Mark 14:72a; Luke 22:60b; John 18:27b).

The study of the six denials illustrates clearly how the Word of God interprets itself by topical development. This study principle is also very important when working the seven Church Epistles since they all pertain to the doctrine of the Christian Church. The precision and minute accuracy of God’s Word can be understood, if we remain faithful to rightly dividing the Word of Truth.

To study and rightly divide God’s Word, we are greatly in need of God’s help.

God, teach us, give us understanding, enlighten the eyes of our hearts to know You and Your Word. Give us:

Meekness, to receive your Word above our own prideful thoughts and opinions;
Wisdom, to work Your Word accurately and courage not to be swayed by tradition;
Patience, to be workmen so we may rightly divide the truth;
Passion and hunger for You and Your truth;
Pure hearts, open to You, Your Words and ways above our thoughts and ways.

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Footnotes:

¹ The Cross was literally a tree as indicated in I Peter 2:24: “Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.”

 

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