Since it was the preparation day, the Jews did not want the bodies to remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a special day). They requested that Pilate have the men’s legs broken and that their bodies be taken away.

For these things happened so that the Scripture would be fulfilled: Not one of His bones will be broken.

If He called those whom the word of God came to ‘gods’—and the Scripture cannot be broken—