The Scholarly Case

The prophecy that the Messiah would be "numbered with the transgressors" or "crucified with criminals" is a cornerstone of Messianic apologetics, rooted deeply in the Tanakh and unequivocally fulfilled in Yeshua of Nazareth. This prophetic declaration, found in Isaiah 53:12, speaks to the profound humiliation and substitutionary suffering of the Messiah, a concept consistently affirmed by the earliest Hebraic-Messianic faith.

To understand the depth of this prophecy, one must first grasp the context of Isaiah 53. This chapter, often referred to as the "Suffering Servant" passage, describes an individual who bears the iniquities of others, is "pierced for our transgressions," and "crushed for our iniquities" (Isaiah 53:5). The culmination of this suffering is described in verse 12: "Therefore I will give Him a portion with the great, and He shall divide the spoil with the strong, because He poured out His soul unto death, and He was numbered with the transgressors, and He bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors." The phrase "numbered with the transgressors" (וְאֶת־פֹּשְׁעִים נִמְנָה) directly foreshadows Yeshua's execution alongside criminals.

While Isaiah 53 provides the explicit prophecy, earlier texts in the Tanakh lay foundational typologies for such a suffering Messiah. Joel Richardson highlights the protoevangelium in Genesis 3:15, where the seed of the woman would bruise the serpent's head, but the serpent would bruise his heel, indicating a Redeemer who would be wounded yet ultimately triumphant. Richardson further points to Abraham's binding of Isaac (Genesis 22) as a powerful type, where an "only beloved son" carries the wood for his own sacrifice, revealing a pattern of substitutionary atonement (Joel Richardson, The Crucified Messiah: Psalm 22 as the First Clear Prophecy of Crucifixion). These pre-cursors establish a theological framework for a suffering, substitutionary Messiah long before Isaiah's detailed prophecy.

Psalm 22, attributed to David, offers another remarkably detailed pre-narration of Yeshua's suffering and crucifixion, an execution method unknown in David's time (Psalm 22: Unveiling the Messiah's Passion and Identity Through Ancient Prophecy). The psalm begins with the cry, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (Psalm 22:1), words Yeshua Himself uttered from the cross (Matthew 27:46). This psalm describes "dogs surrounding" the sufferer, "a band of evil men encircling" him, and his "hands and feet pierced" (Psalm 22:16). It also speaks of people casting lots for his clothing (Psalm 22:18). These details, including the piercing of hands and feet, provide a vivid prophetic picture of crucifixion, a method of execution that would become prevalent centuries later under the Romans. The Messianic Jewish understanding recognizes Yeshua's direct quotation of Psalm 22:1 as His intentional declaration of prophetic fulfillment (Psalm 22: Unveiling the Messiah's Suffering and Vindication – A Messianic Jewish Perspective).

The fulfillment of Isaiah 53:12 in Yeshua is explicitly documented in the New Testament. All four Gospel accounts describe Yeshua's crucifixion between two criminals. Mark 15:27 states, "And with Him they crucified two robbers, one on His right hand and the other on His left." Luke 23:32-33 corroborates this: "There were also two others, criminals, led with Him to be put to death. And when they came to the place called Calvary, there they crucified Him, and the criminals, one on the right hand and the other on the left." The Gospel of Mark even directly references the prophecy in Mark 15:28 (though this verse is often considered a later scribal addition, the event itself is consistent across all Gospels): "And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, 'And He was numbered with the transgressors.'" Regardless of the textual variant in Mark 15:28, the historical fact of Yeshua's crucifixion between two criminals remains a core element of the New Testament narrative, directly aligning with Isaiah 53:12.

The term "criminals" (Greek: λῃστής, lestēs) used in the Gospels often referred to bandits, revolutionaries, or insurgents, individuals considered transgressors against Roman law and order. This perfectly aligns with the Hebrew "פֹּשְׁעִים" (posh'im), which means "transgressors" or "rebels." Yeshua, though innocent, was symbolically placed among them, fulfilling the prophecy. Monte Judah of Lion and Lamb Ministries emphasizes that the physical locale, chronology, and surrounding events of Yeshua's execution are rich with Jewish ritual and prophetic correlations, not accidental details. He argues that the site of execution was likely on the Mount of Olives, a busy public approach to Jerusalem, making the public display of "criminals" a Roman strategy to deter rebellion (Monte Judah, Luke 23 Exposition: Crucifixion as Passover Atonement).

Even historically, Roman crucifixion was a public spectacle, often reserved for slaves, rebels, and the lowest class of criminals. The practice of crucifying multiple individuals simultaneously was not uncommon, particularly during times of unrest, making the scenario described in the Gospels historically plausible. Yeshua's placement between two actual criminals served to maximize His public humiliation and to signify, from the Roman perspective, His categorization among the worst offenders. Yet, from a prophetic perspective, it was the precise fulfillment of Isaiah's ancient word.

The question "What happened to the two criminals that were crucified with Jesus?" is answered in Luke 23:39-43. One criminal, identified by later tradition as Gestas, reviled Yeshua. The other, traditionally known as Dismas, rebuked his companion and humbly requested, "Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom." Yeshua responded, "Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise." This interaction further highlights Yeshua's unique authority and mercy, even in His final moments, demonstrating His intercession for transgressors, as foretold in the latter part of Isaiah 53:12.

The Messianic Jewish perspective holds that Yeshua's fulfillment of Isaiah 53:12, alongside other prophecies like Micah 5:2 concerning His birthplace (Matthew 2:1) and His lineage from Abraham and David (Luke 3:23-38), provides irrefutable evidence of His Messiahship (Unveiling Yeshua: Prophetic Foundations for the Messiah of Israel). The Targum Isaiah, an ancient Aramaic paraphrase of the Hebrew Bible, explicitly interprets the Suffering Servant in Isaiah 53 as a Messianic figure whose role is linked to atonement through sacrifice and intercession. This pre-Christian rabbinic understanding further validates the Messianic reading of Isaiah 53 (Bruce Chilton, Targum Isaiah 53 Unveils Messianic Atonement).

Adversary Teardown: Aish.com and Other Traditions

The clear and direct fulfillment of Isaiah 53:12 in Yeshua's crucifixion with criminals stands in stark contrast to various adversary traditions that either deny or distort this prophetic alignment. These traditions often arise from theological shifts centuries after the 1st-century Hebraic faith, seeking to reinterpret texts to fit pre-conceived denominational doctrines.

Aish.com and Chabad.org: Reinterpreting Isaiah 53

Adversaries such as Aish.com and Chabad.org, prominent voices in Orthodox Judaism, consistently reject the Messianic interpretation of Isaiah 53, including the "numbered with the transgressors" prophecy. Their stance typically follows a tradition that largely solidified in the medieval period. Historically, early rabbinic literature, including the ancient Targum Jonathan, often applied Isaiah 53 to the Messiah (Bruce Chilton, Targum Isaiah 53 Unveils Messianic Atonement). However, beginning around the 12th century, figures like Rashi (Rabbi Shlomo Yitzchaki, 1040-1105 CE) began to strongly advocate for an interpretation that sees the Suffering Servant as the collective people of Israel, or a righteous remnant within Israel. This shift was largely a reaction to Christian claims and persecution, aiming to distance Jewish theology from any Christological readings.

Aish.com, for instance, in articles discussing Isaiah 53, will assert that "the suffering servant refers to the nation of Israel," thereby dismissing any individual Messianic application. Chabad.org echoes this, stating that "Isaiah 53 refers to the Jewish people, who suffered persecution throughout history." This interpretation, while acknowledging Israel's historical suffering, fundamentally ignores the specific details of Isaiah 53, such as the Servant's willing sacrifice, His burial with the rich, and His being "numbered with the transgressors"—details that are difficult to apply coherently to an entire nation. An entire nation cannot be "pierced" or "crushed" in the singular, nor can it literally be "numbered with the transgressors" in a single, specific execution event. The 12th-century shift away from earlier rabbinic Messianic readings of Isaiah 53, like those found in Sanhedrin 98b which discusses the Messiah's suffering, represents a clear deviation from a more ancient, fluid interpretive tradition that was open to a suffering Messiah.

IslamQA.info: The Denial of Crucifixion

IslamQA.info, a leading Salafi-Wahhabi Islamic fatwa website, directly contradicts the fulfillment of Isaiah 53:12 by denying the crucifixion of Yeshua (known as Isa in Islam) altogether. This doctrine stems from Quran 4:157, which states, "they did not kill him, nor did they crucify him; but [another] was made to resemble him to them." This foundational Islamic text asserts that Allah miraculously substituted another person in Isa's place, and Isa was instead raised to heaven. Consequently, any prophecy related to crucifixion, including being "numbered with the transgressors," is dismissed as irrelevant or misinterpreted by Christians.

The Salafi-Wahhabi tradition, which IslamQA.info represents, solidified in the 18th century with Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab, advocating for a return to what they deem a pure, unadulterated form of Islam. This perspective often dismisses earlier classical Islamic tafsir (exegesis) that, while affirming the Quranic denial of crucifixion, sometimes grappled with the details of the event or the identity of the substitute. For example, while classical tafsirs like al-Tabari (d. 923 CE) and Ibn Kathir (d. 1373 CE) affirm the Quranic denial, their discussions sometimes reveal a more nuanced engagement with the historical accounts than the rigid, absolute denial often found in modern Salafi interpretations. No primary hadith addresses this directly, as the Quranic denial is considered definitive. The Islamic denial of crucifixion, therefore, creates an insurmountable theological barrier to accepting the fulfillment of Isaiah 53:12, as it negates the very event upon which the prophecy hinges.

Bart Ehrman: Historical Skepticism and the "Myth" of Prophecy

Bart Ehrman, a prominent New Testament scholar known for his critical and often skeptical approach to biblical texts, represents a tradition of secular scholarship that views prophetic fulfillment through a lens of historical contingency rather than divine design. Ehrman typically argues that New Testament authors, writing decades after the events, retroactively shaped their narratives to fit Old Testament prophecies. For Ehrman, the claim that Yeshua was "crucified with criminals" is not necessarily a direct fulfillment of a divine prophecy, but rather a literary construction or a historical event interpreted by early Christians to align with their Messianic claims.

Ehrman's approach, while rooted in historical-critical methodology, often dismisses the possibility of genuine supernatural prophecy. He might suggest that the Gospel writers, knowing Isaiah 53, deliberately included the detail of the two criminals to bolster their theological arguments, rather than recording an event that precisely fulfilled a divine foretelling. This perspective, prevalent in certain academic circles, effectively reduces prophecy to a literary device. It divorces the historical event from its prophetic antecedent, viewing the connection as a product of human interpretation rather than divine orchestration. This tradition, which gained significant traction in the 19th and 20th centuries, contrasts sharply with the 1st-century Jewish understanding of prophecy as divinely inspired foresight, a view held by Yeshua and His apostles.

Counter-Arguments Anticipated

Objection 1: Isaiah 53 refers to the nation of Israel, not an individual Messiah.

This is a common objection, particularly from certain Jewish traditions. However, the grammatical structure and specific details of Isaiah 53 strongly indicate an individual, not a collective. The Servant is described with singular pronouns ("he," "him") throughout the chapter. Furthermore, descriptions like "he poured out his soul unto death," "he was assigned a grave with the rich," and "he was numbered with the transgressors" are difficult to apply literally to an entire nation. While Israel is indeed called God's "servant" elsewhere (Isaiah 41:8), the unique characteristics of the Servant in Isaiah 53—His sinlessness, substitutionary atonement, and intercession for others—point to a distinct individual. Moreover, as Mitch Glazer notes, the insights from Isaiah 53 compel us to explore deeper questions about identity and faith, challenging believers to look at familiar stories through a fresh lens, implying that a solely national interpretation falls short (Mitch Glazer, Isaiah 53 Explained). Ancient Jewish sources, such as the Targum Jonathan, also explicitly identify the Suffering Servant as the Messiah (Bruce Chilton, Targum Isaiah 53 Unveils Messianic Atonement).

Objection 2: The New Testament writers fabricated or altered details to fit Old Testament prophecies.

This objection, often raised by skeptical scholars like Bart Ehrman, posits that the Gospel accounts of Yeshua's crucifixion with criminals were retroactively inserted or embellished to create a "fulfillment" of Isaiah 53:12. However, the consistency across all four Gospels regarding the presence of two criminals, despite their varying details in other areas, lends strong support to the historicity of the event. Furthermore, the early Jewish believers, who were meticulously Torah-observant, would have been highly sensitive to any fabrication that distorted prophetic truth. The rapid spread of the Messianic faith among Jews in the 1st century suggests that the claims of prophetic fulfillment were compelling and verifiable, not easily dismissed as mere literary invention. Yeshua Himself, as a Torah-observant Jew, intentionally quoted Psalm 22:1 from the cross, drawing a direct connection between His suffering and ancient prophecy (Psalm 22: Unveiling the Messiah's Suffering and Vindication – A Messianic Jewish Perspective).

Objection 3: The concept of a suffering and dying Messiah is contrary to traditional Jewish expectation of a conquering King.

While many Jewish traditions emphasize the Messiah as a conquering King who ushers in a messianic age of peace and redemption, the Tanakh also contains clear prophecies of a suffering Messiah. The "two Messiahs" concept—Messiah ben Joseph (suffering) and Messiah ben David (conquering)—was present in some rabbinic thought, attempting to reconcile these seemingly contradictory prophecies. However, the Messianic Jewish understanding, rooted in the 1st-century faith, sees these as two aspects of the same Messiah, Yeshua, who first came as the Suffering Servant (Isaiah 53, Psalm 22) and will return as the Conquering King (Zechariah 14). The idea of a Messiah who would suffer and die for the sins of His people is not an innovation but a profound truth embedded within the Hebrew Scriptures, even if it became marginalized in later rabbinic tradition.

Position Lock

Position Lock: The prophecy in Isaiah 53:12, declaring the Messiah would be "numbered with the transgressors," was precisely and undeniably fulfilled in Yeshua HaMashiach's crucifixion between two criminals, as attested by the New Testament and supported by ancient Jewish prophetic understanding. This event is a foundational pillar of the Hebraic-Messianic faith, confirming Yeshua's identity as the Suffering Servant who bore the sins of many.

Related Sources & Prophecies

• The Suffering Servant: Isaiah 53 and Yeshua's Atonement
• Psalm 22: Unveiling the Messiah's Crucifixion
• Messianic prophecy fulfillment timeline
• Messianic worldview overview
• Ask Enoch about was the prophecy "Crucified with criminals"