98 EARLY WISDOM GOSPELS
After this Yeshua, knowing that all had been done to fulfill the words of the
scripture, said,
"I am thirsty."^66
A jar filled with vinegar^67 was lying there. So they put a sponge soaked with
the vinegar on a branch of hyssop and held it to his mouth.
Then when Yeshua had taken the wine, he said,
"It is ended."
And bowing his head, he gave up his spirit.^68
THE FATE OF YESHUA'S BODY
Since it was Friday the Preparation Day, the Jews asked Pilatus that their legs
be broken and they be taken away so that the bodies would not remain on the
cross on Shabbat.^69 The soldiers came and broke the bones of the first man
and then of the other one crucified with him. But when they came to Yeshua
and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. But one of the
soldiers stabbed his side with his spear, and at once blood and water came out.
And the one who saw this has testified to it, and the testimony is true, and
he knows he is speaking the truth so that you may also believe.^70
These things happened to fulfill the scripture, "No bone of his will be bro-
ken."^71 And elsewhere it says, "They will look at him whom they stabbed."^72
After these things Yosef of Arimathea,^73 being a student of Yeshua, but a se-
cret one for fear of the Jews, asked Pilatus if he could take away Yeshua's body.
Pilatus allowed it.
Then he came and took the body.
Nikodemos came too, the one who first came to him during the night, and
he brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds. So they
took the body of Yeshua and wrapped it in aromatic spices in linen cloths, as
is the burial custom of the Jews.
- Psalm 22:15.
- This could mean a cheap, sour wine.
- Or "his breath."
- Sabbath.
- In this unusual insertion into the narration, the narrator notes the specific event of blood
and water issuing from Jesus' side and concludes that the event has been witnessed, the testi-
mony is true, and "you may also believe." - Psalm 34:20; Exodus 12:36; Numbers 9:12.
- Zechariah 12:10.
- Joseph of Arimathea.