The soldiers therefore came, and brake the legs of the first, and of the other that was crucified with him:  but when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs:  howbeit one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and straightway there came out blood and water.  And he that hath seen hath borne witness, and his witness is true:  and he knoweth that he saith true, that ye also may believe.  For these things came to pass, that the scripture might be fulfilled, “A bone of him shall not be broken.”  And again another scripture saith, “They shall look on him whom they pierced.”

THE BURIAL.

And after these things, when even was come, there came a rich man from Arimathaea, named Joseph, a councillor of honorable estate, a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews; and he boldly went in unto Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.  And Pilate marvelled if he were already dead:  and calling unto him the centurion, he asked him whether he had been any while dead.  And when he learned it of the centurion, he granted the corpse to Joseph.

He came therefore, and took away his body.  And there came also Nicodemus, he who at the first came to him by night, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds.  So they took the body of Jesus, and bound it in linen cloths with the spices, as the custom of the Jews is to bury.

Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden:  and in the garden a new tomb wherein was never man yet laid.  There then because of the Jews’ Preparation (for the tomb was nigh at hand), they laid Jesus; and rolled a stone against the door of the tomb.

And Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Jesus beheld the tomb, and how his body was laid.  And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments.

SATURDAY—­THE DAY OF SILENCE AND SORROW

THE WATCH AT THE TOMB.

Now on the morrow, which is the day after the Preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees were gathered together unto Pilate, saying, “Sir, we remember that that deceiver said while he was yet alive, ‘After three days I rise again.’  Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day, lest haply his disciples come and steal him away, and say unto the people, ‘He is risen from the dead,’ and the last error will be worse than the first.”

Pilate said unto them, “Ye have a guard:  go, make it as sure as ye can.”

So they went, and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone, the guard being with them.

=His resurrection=

* * * * *

SUNDAY—­THE DAY OF RESURRECTION

THE EARTHQUAKE.

And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled away the stone, and sat upon it.  His appearance was as lightning, and his raiment white as snow:  and for fear of him the watchers did quake, and became as dead men.