After a night of anguish, mockery, lies, beatings and fake trials, Jesus was sentenced to execution by crucifixion by the spineless governor Pilate at 6:00 a.m. (John 19:14). He bore His cross to travel from the Praetorium to Golgotha (John 19:17). Apparently, the weight of the cross was too much for His battered, weakened and anemic body to bear, so they laid the cross on Simon a Cyrenian (Luke 23:26). They nailed Jesus’ precious hands and feet to the cross at 9:00 a.m. (Mark 15:25), and He was suspended on those iron spikes for six grueling hours, until 3:00 p.m. (Matt. 27:45-50). The Roman executioners came to break the legs of the helpless victims on the crosses (in order to hasten their deaths), but “when they came to Jesus…they did not break His legs” (John 19:33). The reason? “They saw that He was already dead.” Instead, they “pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out” (19:34).
The vile Jews finally got what they wanted. But, in that moment, they (and we) got what they needed. He was already dead! May that thought never get comfortable in our heads!