Eyewitness News

I can see it now...the headlines would have flashed up on all the News stations, pop-up alerts would have come up on my iPhone, and the front page of the New York Times would have covered the story: "Prophesy Fulfilled: Man Pierced for our Sins". Why would this have been so big, why would we have believed? Because this was eyewitness news, and when there is a witness at the scene of a crime we do believe.
Jesus had died on the cross naturally, nothing had to be done to his body to quicken the process. Jesus freely gave up His Spirit when the time was right. However, it was the Passover and the Jewish leaders didn't want any body hanging on the cross during this special Sabbath making the Roman soldiers kill and remove whoever was left.
"So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the two men crucified with Jesus. But when they came to Jesus, they saw that he was dead already, so they didn't break his legs. One of the soldiers, however, pierced his side with a spear, and blood and water flowed out. This report is from an eyewitness giving an accurate account; it is presented so that you also can believe." John 19: 32-35.
Why was the breaking of bones or the non-breaking of bones and the piercing of the side so important that it had to be witnessed first hand? So you can believe Jesus was the prophesied Messiah! But why should or would you believe in Jesus as the Messiah because of this? Because this was fulfillment of the Scriptures and the prophesy that you had already heard for years and years as a child. "These things happened in fulfillment of the Scriptures that say, "Not one of his bones will be broken," and "They will look on him whom they pierced." John 19:36-37. As an Israelite you would have been told these stories over and over again. They were written all through your history books. "They must not leave any of the lamb until the next morning, and they must not break any of its bones. They must follow all the normal regulations concerning the Passover." Numbers 9:12. "Then I will pour out a spirit of grace and prayer on the family of David and on all the people of Jerusalem. They will look on me whom they have pierced and mourn for him as for an only son. They will grieve bitterly for him as for a firstborn son who has died." Zechariah 12:10.
Jesus was the final lamb sacrificed for the Passover. None of his bones were broken and ultimately He cleaned them and us from the sins of the past, present, and future. God poured out His Spirit of grace on the family of David because Jesus was of the lineage of David, but He was also the Son of God, the only Son of God, and He was pierced for them to receive this grace. This news hit the stands quick and made every headline. When Jesus rose again people began to believe in droves. They would have all known the stories told to them as a child and the questions left unanswered. Because now these unanswered questions and open-ended stories were answered and completed. In Jesus death we now have life. Don't you believe?!