"The lance of Phinehas again has caused me to fear, for by the slaughter he wrought with it he hindered the pestilence. The lance guarded the tree of life, it made me glad and made me sad; it hindered Adam from life, and it hindered death from the people. But the lance that pierced Jesus, by it I have suffered; He is pierced and I groan. There came out from Him water and blood; Adam washed and lived and returned to Paradise." [Hymns & Homilies of Ephraim the Syrian - Hymns, 39 - Edited by Philip Schaff & Henry Wace]
The spear and the lance are both thrusting weapons which have a sharpened head on at least one end. Sometimes spears had points at both ends so they could be used to strike someone pursuing you or be stuck upright in the ground when not in use (1 Sam 26:7; 2 Sam 1:6, 2:23). During biblical times spears were common instruments of war, hunting, and fishing (Job 39:23; 1 Chr 12:8, 24, 34; 2 Chr 11:12; 14:8; 23:9; 25:5; 26:14; 2 Ki 11:10; Neh 4:13 -21; Jer 6:23; 46:4; 50:42; Nahum 2:3; 3:3).
The hide of Leviathan was such that spears could not penetrate it (Job 41:7, 26). The spear of the Lord's wrath against the enemies of Israel was so fierce that it terrified even the sun and the moon (Hab 3:11). The Mighty God has been known to shatter the spears of the wicked and to cause advancing armies to turn their spears against themselves (Psa 46:9; Hab 3:14). No wonder David prayed "brandish spear and javelin against those who pursue me" (Psa 35:3).
Israel often found itself at a great disadvantage in war. The Philistines kept the knowledge of metallurgy from them so they could not produce their own iron tools or spear heads. Israelite soldiers would often come to battle without a spear among them (Judg 5:8; 1 Sam 13:19-22).
Large and formidable warriors such as Goliath were said to have spear shafts as long as weaver's rods (1 Sam 17:7; 2 Sam 21:19; 23:21; 1 Chr 11:23; 20:5). David was not intimidated by the size of Goliath's weapons for he declared, "It is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves" (1 Sam 17:45, 47). Later, some of David's mighty men single-handedly slew as many as 300-800 men with their spears in a single battle (2 Sam 23:8, 18; 1 Chr 11:11, 20). When the evil spirit took hold of Saul, the king threw spears at David and Jonathan causing David to flee without any weapons at all (1 Sam 18:10; 19:9-10; 20:33; 21:8).
The spear and the lance share the same symbolism and are often used as synonyms. Being weapons, they are symbols of war. The crossed spears of Kenya's flag represent its nation's ability to defend its borders. In the ancient world, a declaration of war could be as simple as throwing a spear, especially if it was thrown across a national or tribal boundary. During medieval times, a knight signified his intentions with the point of his lance. When pointing forward, he was attacking. When pointing backward, he approached in peace. Soldiers were sometimes rewarded with ceremonial spears for feats of valor. Therefore spears and lances are also symbols for courage in battle. The Lord summons His enemies to war by challenging them to "beat their pruning hooks into spears" (Joel 3:10). Conversely, spears are beaten into pruning hooks to signify the international peace of the millennial kingdom (Is 2:4; Mic 4:3). The armies gathered against Israel during earth's final battle will be so numerous that the survivors will gather enough spears from the slain to burn as fuel for seven years (Ezek 39:9).
God sent a plague upon the Israelites encamped in the wilderness because they had joined themselves to Moabite prostitutes in the fertility rites of Baal. While 24,000 of his brethren lay dead, Zimri openly paraded his prostitute past the assembly which was weeping before the Tabernacle and took her into his tent. Enraged, Phinehas took a spear and drove it through the couple, ending the plague (Num 25:7-8). The Hymns and Homilies of Ephraim the Syrian present the dilemma of the religious zealot: the Devil is delighted with the sacrifice of the sinners Zimri and Cozbi - they will never be taken from his grasp; and yet, he trembles in fear because, by upholding the Law, Phinehas has stopped the plague and saved many from his clutches (Hymns & Homilies of Ephraim the Syrian: Hymns, 39).
Spears are identified with the axis mundi or world axis, especially in Japan where Izanagi and Izanami created the first island from the salt which dripped from a jewel-encrusted spear with which they had stabbed the primordial sea. As an axis mundi, the spear may be traveled as a path between the three flat worlds of heaven, earth, and hades. Additionally, spears may act as messengers since notes may be tied to their shafts before they are thrown. Metabus tied his baby girl to a spear and hurled her safely over a river in order to escape his enemies (Aen. 11.522f). She then grew up to be a great warrior. The lance is an obvious phallic symbol and is associated with sacrifice and the magician's wand. Symbolically, it is not as heavenly, or magical as the sword.
Spears are attributes of many gods and goddesses including Athena, Aphrodite, Artemis, Ares, and Zeus. Romulus' spear sprouted leaves and became a tree (Met. 15.560f). Chemosh, the Moabite war god, was pictured on coins carrying a spear in one hand and a sword in the other. The rust from Achilles' spear head became a healing plant. Indra's spear symbolizes knowledge and triumph. To get the attention of Baal, his worshipers cut their own flesh with spears (1 Ki 18:28).
The spear or lance is an instrument of the Passion. Because the day after the Crucifixion was a special holy day, the Jews wanted the executions hastened lest the bodies of the condemned defile the sabbath. They therefore petitioned Pilate to have the leg bones of the criminals broken. When the Romans approached to break the legs of Christ, they were surprised to discover that He had already expired. A soldier, later identified as Longinus, pierced Jesus' side with a spear to make certain that He was truly dead (John 19:31-34). The Apostle John writes that this incident occured to fulfill the prophecies that 1) no bone of the Passover lamb would be broken, and 2) the people shall "look upon the one they have pierced" (John 19:36-37; Zech 12:10; Ex 12:46; Num 9:12; Ps 34:20). Leo the Great writes that from this wound "flowed the blood of Redemption and the water of baptism" (Leo the Great: Letters & Sermons). It is generally believed that the spear pierced Christ's heart and that the twin flows of blood and water represent the Eucharistic and baptismal rites. The outpouring of blood and water gave rise to the notion that Christ ultimately died of a broken heart.
According to The Arabic Gospel of the Infancy of the Savior, Judas Iscariot, the betrayer of Christ, was a child demoniac. Whenever Satan entered him, he would bite everyone within reach. If he was alone, the afflicted boy would bite himself. His mother brought him to Mary, hoping that the Virgin could effect a cure. At this time, Satan entered the boy causing him to try biting the Savior, but, being unsuccessful in his endeavors to attack the Child Jesus, Judas struck Christ on His right side. At this, the Devil left him and fled in the shape of a mad dog. Legend states that the soldier's spear pierced Jesus in the same spot that Judas had many years earlier struck Him.
Popular legend gave the name Longinus to the Roman soldier who pierced the side of Christ. It is said that he was the same soldier who cried, "Surely this man was the Son of God!" (Mk 15:39). He later became a Christian and converted many to the new faith. His lance was unearthed by Helena at the same time and place as the Holy Nails and the True Cross. It was later buried at Antioch to prevent its capture by the Saracens. This spear was rediscovered in 1098 and wrought many military miracles during the First Crusade.
Grail tradition associates the "Holy" or "Bleeding Lance" with the sacred chalice. In stories of the Holy Grail, Longinus' lance is occasionally glimpsed dripping blood into the cup passed during the Last Supper. This is the spear which gave the Fisher King wounds which would not heal. His injuries could only be cured by the miraculous powers of the sacred instrument which inflicted them.
Like many weapons, the lance is a symbol of martyrdom and an attribute of saints such as the Apostles Thomas and Jude who were martyred with its use. Spears are also symbols of warrior saints such as St. Michael the Archangel and St. George of Cappadocia whose battles portray the triumph of good over evil. St. Michael triumphs over the Devil and St. George slays the dragon ravaging the area of Selena. George's broken lance is usually seen lying on the ground or held in one hand while he kills the dragon with his sword. However, some pictures show this knight pinning the dragon to the ground with his lance and then finishing it off with a sword.
Spears are often used as figurative weapons. David, speaking for himself and typologically for Christ compares the teeth of those who slandered and accused him to spears (Psa 57:4). Godbey writes of the "spear of persecution or scandal." Chrysostom suggests that the spear of the Devil is broken when he tries to attack those who nurse no love of money (Homilies of St. John Chrysostom). According to Ignatius, soldiers in the army of God should use love as their spears lest they lose heart and desert the faith (The Epistle of Ignatius to Polycarp - The Duties of the Christian Flock).
All scripture quotes are from the NIV Bible unless otherwise indicated.
Comments© 1998 by Suzetta Tucker
To cite this page:
Tucker, Suzetta. "The Weapons of Christ - Spear or Lance."
ChristStory Christian Bestiary. 1998. http://ww2.netnitco.net/users/legend01/spear.htm
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