The Spear of Destiny: The Legend and History of Longinus
The crucifixion narrative in the Gospel of John concludes with a moment of stark brutality that paradoxically fulfills ancient prophecy. As the Sabbath approached, the Roman soldiers sought to hasten the deaths of the condemned. They broke the legs of the two thieves crucified alongside Jesus, but when they came to the central cross, they found that the Nazarene was already dead. To ensure this, one soldier raised his spear and thrust it into the side of Jesus, piercing the pericardium and the heart. "And forthwith came there out blood and water" (John 19:34). The Bible leaves this soldier nameless, a generic instrument of the empire. Yet, Christian tradition, merging history and legend, has given him a name, a backstory, and a sainthood. He is known to history as Longinus. The name "Longinus" does not appear in the canonical Gospels. It likely derives from the Greek word for the spear itself ( longche ). It first appears in the Acts of Pilate (part of the ap...