John only uses one word to describe the physical horror of crucifixion. Morris observes that, “Popular piety, both Protestant and Catholic, has often tended to make a great deal of the sufferings of Jesus, to reflect on what was done and to dwell on the anguish He suffered. None of the Gospels does this. The Evangelists record the fact and let it go at that. The death of Jesus for men was their concern. They make no attempt to play on the heartstrings of their readers.” Morgan elaborates further: “It may be a challengeable opinion, but I think the Church of God has suffered more than it knows by pictures of the crucifying of Jesus; and sometimes by very honest and well-intentioned sermons, trying to describe the matter on the physical side. I am not denying the tragedy and the pain of it physically, but the physical suffering of Jesus was nothing compared to the deeper fact of that Cross.” We can relate to the physical sufferings, but the spiritual sufferings of Christ are something which we have no ability to comprehend, and yet that is not really what Morgan and Morris are pointing toward. They are somewhat echoing the words of Christ in (Luke 23:27-28) where He tells the women not to weep for Him. The importance of the cross is not what Jesus suffered physically — that had been done by thousands of others — but in what He accomplished by His perfect sacrifice upon it.

Luke 23:27-28  A large number of people followed him, including women who mourned and wailed for him.  Jesus turned and said to them, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep for yourselves and for your children.

Jesus was crucified between the two thieves. This may have been intentional on the part of the chief priests to lay on Him this final indignity of total association with robbers and thieves. In fact, the execution time for the thieves may not have been at this time, but the chief priests may have sped it up to add to the shame of Jesus. They thought they were getting the last laugh. However, this intention was also of the Father who would have His Son to be one with sinners in His death (Mark 15:27-28, Isa 53:12) so that atonement could be made for them.

Mark 15:27-28 (MKJV)  And with Him they crucified two thieves, the one off the right, and one off the left.  And the Scripture was fulfilled which said, “And he was numbered with the lawless.”

Isaiah 53:12  (MKJV) Therefore I will divide to Him with the great, and He shall divide the spoil with the strong; because He has poured out His soul to death; and He was counted among the transgressors; and He bore the sin of many, and made intercession for transgressors.