Most of the men they crucified were a pretty brutal lot who went to their deaths savagely cursing their executioners and the morbid sightseers.  But there was nothing like that about Jesus.  The soldier had never come across anyone like him before.  It was not only the few words he had uttered – his prayer that everyone responsible for his death might be forgiven; his provision for his Mother’s future; his gentleness and care for the terrorist dying next to him.  There was his whole bearing which was altogether new to the soldier.  He would like to help Jesus only he was now past all help.

And then Jesus spoke to him.  “I’m thirsty”.  One of the torments of crucifixion was a thirst which gradually became unendurable through the steady loss of blood.  Here then was something he could do and in his eagerness to help, although he was on guard duty, he actually ran to where a sponge was lying by his haversack.  He plunged it into the mug of sour wine which he had brought with him and putting the sponge on a stick, a hyssop cane, he raised it gently to the parched mouth of the dying Christ.

As the troubled concern of Pilate’s wife had contrasted so strongly with the malice of Our Lord’s accusers, so this single act of compassion relieved the brutality of those three terrible hours on Calvary.  That it was perfomed not by a disciple but by a hard-bitten legionary makes it all the more creditable.