Cornelius rubbed his right hand across his eyes, several times, and said, “First he made those who were with him angry because he embraced me, and I need not tell you that most Jews would rather eat the meat of a pig than touch a Roman. Then he turned to the others and said, ‘Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great a faith as his in all of Israel.’ After that he turned to me, touched my cheek lightly with his fingers, and said, ‘Go your way; and as you have believed, so be it done unto you.’ By the time I arrived at my house there was already a celebration, for the palsy had departed from the body of Linus and there was great joy in my family. To show my gratitude I contributed heavily to the village’s treasury so that they could erect a synagogue. If you should have the occasion to visit Capernaum, anyone will direct you to it and tell you that a Roman centurion is responsible for their place of worship.”

The centurion bowed his head, and when he did I saw a familiar glint of metal. Without thinking of the possible consequences from this tough fighting man, I reached down inside his tunic and removed a heavy gold amulet hanging from a thin leather cord. I turned it toward the window until I saw it had the same markings as the one Joseph had given me four days ago—including the unmistakable outline of a fish!

“Does Pilate know?” I asked gently.

He shook his head.

“And he’ll not know from me, Cornelius,” I heard myself saying. “Tell me, are you absolutely convinced that Jesus was dead when you departed from Golgotha?”

“He was. Positively. I have seen many dead men in my years of service, and I have taken many lives in battle. There was no longer a spark of life in Jesus, and in truth his flesh was already beginning to grow cold and hard to the touch.”

“If he was dead, why did you pierce his body with the spear?”

“I don’t know for a certainty,” he half sobbed. “At the time I remember thinking it was the very least I could do for my Lord, for I could not bear the thought of his bones being smashed. Somehow I knew he would understand my wanting to save him from that shame even if it had to be at my own hands.…”

I shuddered and looked away, recalling that in both the Book of Exodus and the Book of Numbers, the prescribed preparation of the Paschal lamb for the Passover feast, after it had been slain for sacrifice, specified that no bones of it should be broken.