the soldiers "break the legs of the first and of the other which was
crucified with" Jesus, with what a shudder did he see them approach His
cross; but what a relief to him when they "saw that He was dead already,
and brake not His legs."

In a single clause John pictures a scene ever vivid in Christian
thought. He knew that Jesus "gave up His spirit" when "He bowed His
head." The executioners pronounced Him dead. "Howbeit one of the
soldiers"--to make this certain beyond dispute--"with a spear pierced
His side, and straightway there came out blood and water." There was now
no pain to excite the Apostle's sympathy, and yet he reports the
incident as being of special importance. He calls attention to the fact
that he was an eye-witness, and that there was something in it that
should affect others as well as himself. He says, "He that hath seen
hath borne witness, and his witness is true; and he knoweth that he
saith true, that ye also may believe." He explains why these incidents
so deeply impressed him. They recalled two prophecies of the Old
Testament. One was this, "A bone of Him shall not be broken." This
reminded John of the Paschal Lamb which should be perfect in body; and
of Jesus as the Lamb of God, by which name He had been called when
pointed out to him as the Messiah. All through life Jesus had been
preserved from accident that would have broken a bone, and in death even
from the intended purpose that would have defeated the fulfilment of the
prophecy.

The other prophecy was this,--"They shall look on Him whom they
pierced." Because of what John saw and tells, we pray in song,

"Let the water and the blood
From Thy riven side which flowed,
Be of sin the double cure:
Cleanse me from its guilt and power."

[Illustration: IN THE SEPULCHRE _H. Hofmann_ Page 201]

John once more furnishes a contrast between Jesus' foes and friends. He
says that the Jews asked Pilate that the bodies of the crucified might
be taken away. This was to the dishonored graves of malefactors. John
more fully than the other Evangelists tells of Joseph of Arimathaea who
"besought Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus"--for
honorable burial. Other Evangelists tell of his being "rich," "a
counsellor of honorable estate," "a good man and a righteous," who "had
not consented to" the "counsel and deed" of the Sanhedrin of which he
was a member, because he "was Jesus' disciple." Mark says, "He boldly
went in