Mark 15:27

two thieves Rather, two robbers, or malefactors as St Luke calls them (Luke 23:33). See note above, Mark 11:17. It is more than probable that they belonged to the band of Barabbas and "had been engaged in one of those fierce and fanatical outbreaks against the Roman domination which on a large scale or a small so fast succeeded one another in the latter days of the Jewish commonwealth." This explains the fact that we read of no mockery of them, of no gibes levelled against them. They were the popular heroes. They realized the popular idea of the Messiah. See Trench's Studies, p. 294.