Page 549 - Bible History

522 CHRIST REDEEMS THE WORLD
to have their legs broken, that they might be taken down from the cross and buried.
They usually broke the legs of those who were cru­ ci ed when, for some reason or other, there was not time to allow them to hang upon the cross until they were dead. Breaking their legs would not kill them, but it would cause them to su er great agony and thus make up for the shortening of the time of their cruci­ xion. Immediately after the breaking of the bones, the stroke of a sword or a lance would put an end to their life.
The soldiers took clubs and broke the legs of the thieves who were cruci ed with Jesus. But when they came to Jesus, they saw that He was already dead, and they did not break His legs. One of the soldiers took a spear and pierced His side, and immediately there came out blood and water.
There was a man named Joseph, of Arimathea, a city of Judea, who, although a member of the San­ hedrin, was in secret a disciple of Jesus. Heretofore, he had been afraid to profess his faith openly, but now he went boldly to Pilate and asked him for the body of Jesus.
Pilate was surprised to hear that Jesus was dead so soon. He sent for the centurion and when he had found out from him that Jesus was really dead, he gave the body to Joseph.
Joseph took the body of Jesus down from the cross and wrapped it in ne linen which he had brought for that purpose. But this time he had been joined by Nicodemus, he who rst came to Jesus by night, who