Firstly, we learn from this record the importance of realising that outward correctness in life and specially in religious duties and following God's rules in outward matters, can hide a heart that is totally devoid of grace and spiritual life.

Here were these Jews being meticulous over matters of the law of Moses, and the sacredness of the Sabbath. Such is their correctness in these religious duties that they take great pains to see that the Sabbath is not desecrated, particularly as it was a special Sabbath, and so go to Pilate to ask him to make sure the bodies of the crucified were dead and buried before the Sabbath begins, and so ask for the legs of the crucified people to be broken to hasten death, so that the bodies could be taken down before the Sabbath commences.

Outwardly these Jews were very religious and showed great devotion to God and the things of God, and yet they hated the Lord of glory and crucified him without any just cause. God had sent them the promised Messiah and Saviour and they did not receive him, nor did they understand his message, or the blessings he came to provide. Their hearts were set totally on earthly things and earthly glory, and not on heavenly. They did not love God whom they outwardly served so correctly, nor did they know him. Their worship, though outwardly given to God, was really given to the world and to the evil one.

The thing that matters before God is a new creation and repentance before God and faith in Jesus as Saviour, and showing this faith in the love of God we share with others.

Secondly, we have irrefutable testimony here that Jesus truly died and was buried. We are told that the soldiers came and broke the legs of the two criminals, but that when they came to look at Jesus, they saw he was dead already. To make totally sure one soldier plunged his spear into the side of Jesus, and water and blood came out. Here is complete proof that Jesus was dead. These soldiers were experienced in the matter of executions and particularly crucifixion. They knew when crucifixion had brought death, because they had seen it so many times. They left nothing to chance, however, and pierced Jesus' side.

Then there was this man who saw all that happened and bore testimony to the fact of the soldiers actions, and emphasises the fact of the evidence that Jesus really died. This evidence is so important, because ever since Jesus rose from the dead, there have been those who seek to deny the resurrection of Jesus by postulating that Jesus did not really die on the cross, but simply fainted, and that he was revived later. The record given through the Holy Spirit leaves no doubt that Jesus truly died, and so when he was seen alive again, it is proof that he had conquered death, and brought in eternal life for all who believe.

Thirdly, we learn how clear is the evidence that Jesus did not die, not because he was overcome by evil men or because he was too weak to defend himself. Jesus' death is not simply another example of good people being persecuted and killed because of their goodness.

What do we read here. We read that in the fact that the legs of Jesus were not broken, and in the fact that the Jews looked one Jesus whom they had crucified, Scripture, that foretold these very things, was fulfilled.

What does this show to us? It shows us that the death of Jesus was according to a plan, and that this was the plan of God, because prophecy in the Old Testament was given by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. How can the death of Jesus be a chance event if all these prophecies were foretold and they were proved to be correct?

The truth is as Peter expresses it in his sermon of the day of Pentecost in Acts 2. "This man was handed over to you by God's set purpose and foreknowledge; and you (Jews), with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross." (Acts 2:23). All through the Bible we are told that God planned to redeem us sinners by giving his one and only Son to take our nature, and die in our place, so bearing our sin and its just penalty in our place, that we might be saved. So all the details of this great atoning event were foretold beforehand, so that we might see God's eternal plan of love to redeem us and save us, and make us his own dear people.