A controversial historical document excluded from biblical canon presents an intriguing claim about a figure potentially involved in the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, challenging aspects of the traditional narrative that has endured for nearly two millennia.
The manuscript in question, known as the Acts of Pilate or more commonly the Gospel of Nicodemus, contains specific details about the Roman soldier who reportedly pierced Jesus’ side during the crucifixion. Despite its purported revelations concerning the death of Christ, this text was never incorporated into the standardized biblical collection recognized by major Christian denominations.
Regarding the chronology of the crucifixion, scholarly consensus places Jesus’ death on Good Friday, specifically April 3, 33 CE, at approximately 3:00 p.m. NASA has inadvertently contributed to this historical dating through its astronomical research. The space agency notes on its website: “Christian texts mention that the Moon turned to blood after Jesus’s crucifixion – potentially referring to a lunar eclipse, during which the Moon takes on a reddish hue. Using this textual source, scholars narrowed down a possible date of crucifixion to Friday, April 3, 33 C.E. because a lunar eclipse occurred that day.”
The canonical Gospel of John references the spear incident in chapter 19, verse 34: “But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out.” However, this authorized biblical text does not identify the soldier by name.
The Gospel of Nicodemus goes further, specifically naming this soldier as Longinus. According to this extra-biblical account, Longinus took a lance and pierced Jesus’ side, resulting in the flow of blood and water described in John’s gospel.
Eastern Orthodox tradition suggests Longinus may be the centurion referenced in Matthew 27:54 who declared, “Truly this was the Son of God,” following the earthquake that occurred after Jesus’ death. Although unnamed in canonical scripture, legends maintain that Longinus witnessed supernatural events during the crucifixion and subsequently converted to Christianity, later becoming a missionary who preached the gospel until his eventual martyrdom during the early Roman Empire when Christianity remained an illegal religion.
While no conclusive historical or archaeological evidence confirms Longinus as a historical figure, his legacy has been memorialized in religious art and architecture, including a prominent statue beneath the dome of Saint Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City.
The Gospel of Nicodemus remains outside canonical scripture for several reasons. Scholarly debate continues regarding its authorship, with many historians dating its composition to the fourth or fifth century CE—several hundred years after the events it describes. This significant chronological gap represents a primary reason early Church authorities excluded it from the biblical canon. However, some traditions attribute its authorship to the biblical Nicodemus mentioned in John’s gospel as assisting with Jesus’ burial.
This text represents one of numerous apocryphal writings that offer alternative or supplementary perspectives on biblical narratives but were ultimately excluded from the officially recognized scriptural collections of major Christian traditions.