Jesus did not just have his twelve. He had a whole posse of girls with him too. And they were the ones standing there watching him die. You know why? Probably because no-one cared what women were doing.
vs 42
This verse gives us a reason, then, for what happens next. Something to do with the next day being Sabbath.
vs 43
Why did he do this? I've no idea exactly. Perhaps, since he'd died already, if he was left to hang there for the whole Sabbath too, he'd make a mess.
vs 44
He should be surprised - he was only on the cross a few hours. Centurions know everything. And if they don't, they just whack a soldier in the helm and find out.
vs 45
After all, none of this pretending to be dead early so that your friends can come and save you.
vs 46
As you would do with a corpse. Of someone that had died. And who you were not expecting to return.
vs 47
Which is good, because otherwise they wouldn't have known where to go later in the story.
