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The Jews, because it was time to prepare for the Sabbath and it was evening, were in a hurry to take the bodies from the crosses because they could not remain there during their High Holy day. The Sabbath began, in Roman times, at 6:00 A.M and continued until 6:00 A.M. the next day. (Jesus was put on the cross, according to Roman time reckoning, at 9:00 A.M. or the third hour-- darkness covered the land from noon until 3:00 in the afternoon or between the sixth & ninth hour) and now it was evening, so the soldiers went to Pilate and asked permission to break the legs of the crucified bodies in order to be certain they were dead. It wouldn't be long before 6:00 A.M. would arrive again and there was much preparation to do before the Sabbath. They must have the bodies down from the crosses and buried by that time. Pilate gave them permission. When the soldiers came to the three crosses, they broke the legs of the two thieves but when the came to the body of Jesus, they saw that he was already dead and they did not break his legs. It had been prophesied that no bone would be broken.
John 19:36-For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled; A bone of him shall not be broken.
One of the soldiers pierced His side and blood and water flowed from the wound. This, too, was prophesied in the scriptures:
John 19:37-And again, another scripture saith, They shall look on him whom they pierced.
A man named Joseph of Arimthea, a follower of Jesus, approached Pilate-- secretly because he feared the Jews, and asked for the body of Jesus. Joseph had a tomb in the same garden in which Jesus was crucified that he had prepared for himself to use when he died but he wanted to use the tomb for Jesus and when he asked Pilate for the body it was given to him.
Nicodemus, who had first approached Jesus at night, also came and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes-- about a hundred pounds in weight. They then took the body of Jesus and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, for this was the manner in which the Jews prepared the bodies of their dead for burial. He was then placed in the tomb.
A great stone was rolled against the entrance to the tomb,
and guards were sent to watch over it, for the Jews feared Jesus'
disciples would come and steal the body and say that Jesus had
arisen as He said He would do.
