The Cairo Debate — Page 64
(13) Gushing forth of blood and water from the sides of Jesus. . The synoptics are uncommunicative. Only John reveals: "But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water. " (Jn. 19:34). . From this act on the part of the centurion it appears that he doubted whether Jesus was dead. . He was not aware of Pilates' tactics; when he pierced the side of Jesus, blood and water rushed forth, and it is evident that the flow of blood and water is a pointer to life and pulsation. This goes to establish that Jesus was in a swoon and was not dead. That is all there is to it. 64 (14) Who took possession of Jesus' body and who placed it in the tomb ? "And Joseph took the body, and wrapped it in a clean linen shroud, and laid it in his own new tomb which he had hewn in the rock; and he rolled a great stone to the door of the tomb, and departed," (Mt. 27 59-60). "And when he learned from the centurion that he was dead, he granted the body to Joseph. And he bought a linen shroud, and taking him down, wrapped him in the linen shroud, and laid him in a a tomb which had been hewn out of the rock; and he rolled a stone against the door of