{"id":4400,"date":"2017-03-01T08:00:59","date_gmt":"2017-03-01T00:00:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.jeffangiegoh.com\/?p=4400"},"modified":"2021-11-25T18:08:19","modified_gmt":"2021-11-25T10:08:19","slug":"171-the-piercing-of-jesus%e2%80%99-side","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.jeffangiegoh.com\/?p=4400","title":{"rendered":"171. The Piercing of Jesus\u2019 Side"},"content":{"rendered":"

31 <\/sup>Since it was the day of Preparation, the Jews did not want the bodies left on the cross during the sabbath, especially because that sabbath was a day of great solemnity. So they asked Pilate to have the legs of the crucified men broken and the bodies removed.\u00a032 <\/sup>Then the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and of the other who had been crucified with him.\u00a033 <\/sup>But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs.\u00a034 <\/sup>Instead, one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once blood and water came out<\/span>.<\/strong> [John 19:31-34<\/span>, NRSV<\/em>]<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a> Longinus\u00a0pierces the side of Jesus with the\u00a0Holy Lance<\/a>.\u00a0Fresco<\/a> by\u00a0Fra Angelico<\/a> (1395\u20131455)<\/span><\/p>\n

When the youth leaders at the Blessed Sacrament Church at BDC, Kuching called, they spelt out clearly what they wanted: \u201cPlease give us a talk on the piercing of Jesus\u2019 side by the centurion.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

So we went to speak with the group, which in the mean time had grown into a bigger crowd that included all who were interested in the topic and could come that Friday evening, the first Friday of the Chinese Lunar New Year festive season.<\/span><\/p>\n

Amongst other issues, we wanted to attend to a few questions which are commonly asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

1. Who was it that pierced Jesus\u2019 side?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Saint John\u2019s Gospel narrates that it was \u201cone of the soldiers\u201d who pierced Jesus\u2019 side, not the centurion who had charge of that group of soldiers. From scriptural evidence, then, the organisers of the seminar were mistaken.<\/span><\/p>\n

And yet, the organizers were half right, in that there are all kinds of legends and \u201ctraditions\u201d concerning the one who pierced Jesus\u2019 side. One of those legends tells of a centurion who did the piercing. Identified as Longinus, this nameless soldier was inflated into a centurion in a legend that grew and stretched. One strand of the legend speaks of the centurion being quite blind at the time. On piercing Jesus\u2019 side, blood and water poured out and fell upon his eyes. Thereupon he was instantly healed and he converted. Even though later identified as Longinus, one would do well to remember that the name is probably derived from a latinised Greek term lonche<\/em> meaning lance. So now, from legend, the one who pierced Jesus\u2019 side is Saint Longinus whose symbol is the holy lance, venerated in the Roman Catholic Church, the Eastern Orthodox Church and some other Christian communions. There is a statue of St Longinus in Saint Peter\u2019s Basilica in Rome by Bernini. Icons of the same St. Longinus are common in the Eastern Orthodox Church as well.<\/span><\/p>\n

2. What Scriptures say about the purpose(s) of all this?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Of greater significance than legends of dubious values, is perhaps the question concerning what John is saying about the significance of Jesus\u2019 side being pierced.<\/span><\/p>\n

In the pericope of John 19:31-37, the Evangelist lists three reasons.<\/span><\/p>\n