Did Jesus Redeem Mankind? — Page 173
173 down soon, for fear of the Sabbath day setting in. Even if it made a difference of half an hour or three quarters of an hour, it could be reasonably said that the Messiah remained on the. Cross for 2 to 3 hours. As a matter of fact, people retained life even when hung up on the Cross for as long as seven days and would die either on account of hunger and thirst or sepsis of the wounds. Again, it was a rule to break the bones of those who were taken down the Cross alive. But while the centurions on guard broke the bones of the malefactors, they did not break the bones of the Messiah. In fact crucifixion literally means breaking the bones and extracting the marrow. This description was applied because people generally would not give up ghost on the Cross and their bones had to be broken and their marrow taken out. . The bones of the Messiah (peace be on him) were not broken (St. John, ch. 19:33). . MESSIAH LIVED ON THE CROSS. Another proof of the Messiah being yet alive when he was taken down the Cross, is the reference in the New Testament that when the Messiah was taken down "one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came thereout blood and water" (St. John, ch. 19:34). . Oozing of blood and water from the body is certainly not meant as an idiomatic expression; it simply means that liquid blood flowed forth. Otherwise if the version of the. New Testament is taken as it is, it would mean that there are two different substances, water and blood and that there is some substance other than blood serum, while, as a matter of fact there is no other substance. This expression therefore does not stand for blood and water but for running blood.