Beware of Relics and Legends

There are legends connected with the spear of the soldier that pierced Jesus' side—and some very frightening historical connections. 

³¹Since 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. ³²So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first, and of the other who had been crucified with him.³³But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. ³⁴But 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." ³⁷And again another Scripture says, "They will look on him whom they have pierced"(John 18:31-37).

The spear is known as the Spear of Destiny, the Holy Spear, the Lance of Longinus or the Spear of Christ.  The soldier who drove the spear into Jesus' side is, according to tradition, Longinus. According to the questionable Gospel of Nicodemus that soldier was a centurion who converted to Christianity after the Crucifixion and is venerated as a saint in the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox traditions. The name is very likely a Latinized version of the Greek word for spear used in John 18, logche. Longinus is venerated as a martyr.

In modern times the legend of Saint Longinus was told in the 1939 film The Great Commandment. The basic plot is a love story set against a background of Zealots resisting the Romans in biblical times. Longinus is the commanding officer of a Roman army company that accompanies a tax collector about Judea and ultimately converts to Christianity. John Wayne played a cameo role portraying Longinus in The Greatest Story Ever Told. 

Personally, I find the legend of the Holy Spear itself to be of more interest. It was a relic venerated throughout the Middle Ages. The You Tube accounts of the spear's history are fascinating and mixed. The spear was claimed by Hitler when he marched into Austria. Supposedly it was to give him and the Third Reich invincible power. I wrote a blog about it some time back: Destiny And The Holy Lance.

The lesson for us all: stay with the Word of God and beware of unfounded legends that lead to the false worship of images, so-called relics and objects with magical, mystical powers. We worship the Christ who died and rose again. On this day we humbly give thanks that when he completed His great work on the cross, He rested in His Father's arm until raised again on the Third day. Hallelujah!