Did Jesus Redeem Mankind? — Page 236
? 229 of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water” (St. John 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. Among the Jews, however, they gave out that he had expired and that is why they did not break his bones. It appears that the Jews were also ill at ease and felt that they had caused an innocent man to suffer. Since there was fear in their hearts and they knew that they were subjecting a just and Godly man to punishment, therefore when they witnessed a terrible storm, they were panicky, taking it as the wrath of God, and consequently did not put forward any further obstacle; on the contrary they said if he had died, he might be buried. All these incidents add up to the conclusion that there is no question of the Messiah dying on the Cross. Generally, people would live as long as seven days and their legs had to be broken to finish them off. There was no chance therefore, of their passing away after being on