Pilate was amazed that He was already dead, and calling the centurion, he asked him, “Did He really die so soon?”
Pilate’s amazement shows that Christ’s death occurred sooner than the usual course of crucifixion. Those who were crucified sometimes suffered for a long time, so Pilate verified the fact of death by summoning the centurion. This is also an important testimony that Jesus’ death was real and was officially confirmed through representatives of Roman authority. God so arranged it that even those who were responsible for carrying out the execution would, unwillingly, bear witness to His death. This is important for the Gospel, because Christ’s resurrection could not be presented as an illusion or a return from fainting. He truly died, and His death was confirmed by the very people who were responsible for carrying out the execution.