(Simon Bening, ca. 1525-1530, Flemish)
Wikimedia Commons public domain
The gospel of John is here citing Psalm 34:20, where it is said of the Lord that “He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken.”
It was important to the understanding of Jesus as the perfect illustration of the Passover lamb that no bone in his body be broken.
Among the instructions given for the Passover meal is this, from Exodus 12:46: “In one house shall it be eaten; thou shalt not carry forth ought of the flesh abroad out of the house; neither shall ye break a bone thereof.”
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