Longinus

John 19:28-37

28 After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the Scripture), “I thirst.” 29 A jar full of sour wine stood there, so they put a sponge full of the sour wine on a hyssop branch and held it to his mouth. 30 When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

31 Since it was the day of Preparation, and so that the bodies would not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken and that they might be taken away. 32 So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first, and of the other who had been crucified with him. 33 But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. 34 But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water. 35 He who saw it has borne witness—his testimony is true, and he knows that he is telling the truth—that you also may believe. 36 For these things took place that the Scripture might be fulfilled: “Not one of his bones will be broken.” 37 And again another Scripture says, “They will look on him whom they have pierced.”

Ever hear of a man named Longinus?  He is like King Arthur – he is based very loosely on a few short historical references and the legends around him continue to grow.  But unlike King Arthur, there is no doubt that Longinus was a real person – he is referred to several times in the Bible. 

The Bible doesn’t name him but by 300 AD or so the Centurion who stood watch with his soldiers at Jesus’ crucifixion had come to be called Longinus.  That name appears to be the Latinized form of the Greek word Lonche which means Lance or Spear.  But truth be told, very little is actually known about him other than a few short references from the Bible.  But plenty of legends have sprung up about him.

One legend says that Longinus is a tragic old man who still walks the earth because the blood and water from the spear-wound on Jesus side made him immortal – but not eternally young.  Another story from around 400 A.D. says that God imprisoned him in a cave to be eaten alive by a bear and then to be resurrected each night to endure it all again the next day and every day afterwards until the end of the ages.  

Probably the most reasonable story is that Longinus became a Christian after his experience at the Cross.  This one I can almost believe. In fact, many people do believe this one because today the Catholic Church reveres Longinus as a Saint.

Let’s look at the facts.  Let’s forget about Saints, indulgences, bear caves and eternally old men.  Let’s just state what we do know about this centurion and the situation he found himself in that day.

Longinus is not his name but since his real name was never mentioned in the Bible, Longinus will do for now.

Longinus stood watch at the cross while Jesus hung there.  Longinus saw Jesus die after saying “It is finished.”  Longinus said “Surely this man was innocent” as reported in Luke and he also said “Surely this was the Son of God” as reported in Matthew and Mark.   Some people are bothered by the slight differences in these accounts.  Truthfully, if you have ever had to interview witnesses to a crime or an event then you already know what happened – no two witnesses are ever standing in exactly the same spot and details always vary among them.  More often than not, it is the sum of those accounts that represents the full story – in other words, Longinus made both statements and different people heard each one separately.  

And now let’s get to the key element of this account – the spear wound in Jesus’ side – Did Longinus spear Jesus on the Cross?  None of the 4 Gospels in the Bible say for certain who it was – just a soldier. However, there is a 5th account of this event in the Bible and it tells very clearly who speared Jesus? 

According to the account of the crucifixion found in Isaiah Chapter 53, we speared Jesus on the Cross.  “But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.”  Isaiah 53:5 

Ultimately we are the cause of the death of Jesus Christ.

The Romans were the vehicle by which Jesus was crucified.  And the Sanhedrin with their utterly corrupt and power hungry leaders became the catalyst that opened the door to God’s wrath against our sins and our transgressions.  But ultimately it may as well have been each one of us standing in Pilate’s courtyard screaming “Crucify him!”  It may as well have been us driving the nails into his hands and feet. It may as well have been us who pushed the thorny crown down onto his head.  In that regard, we are all guilty.

The 53rd chapter of Isaiah was written about 800 years before the birth of Christ and it is remarkably precise in every detail.  Jesus himself acknowledged that it referred to him when he quoted a verse from it in Luke 22:37. And here’s the thing about Isaiah 53:  It is perfectly clear on the matter of who is to blame – we are. “He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities.”  But even in that indictment from the highest authority there is still hope.  Even though we have been found guilty by the highest court in the universe, we still have hope.

1 Peter 2:24 in the NIV says “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.“

Peter is paraphrasing and quoting part of the passage from Isaiah that we just read.  And Peter reveals that there is hope when he said, “…so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.”  What Peter is telling each and every Christians is that once upon a time we sat on death row waiting for the executioner to make his rounds but through Jesus Christ we have been pardoned.  “By his wounds we have been healed.”

So, who is Longinus?  If we put aside every myth and every legend about him then it becomes painfully apparent that in our own way each of us is Longinus.  Each and every one of us played our part in driving the spear into Jesus’ heart.  

Many in the Catholic Church believe that Longinus saw Jesus alive again and became a Christian.  I, too, want to believe that. But, no one knows for certain that he did or did not. So, rather than have a pointless debate that will settle nothing let me leave you with a much more important and meaningful question: Has the part of you that helped drive the spear into Jesus Christ’s heart seen him alive again through eyes of faith and become a Christian?