# The Immortal Centurion story **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 5, 2002, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-immortal-centurion-story/127159 "2002-09-05T06:13:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![SoldierofFreedom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3bc359/32.png) [@SoldierofFreedom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SoldierofFreedom)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2017, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-immortal-centurion-story/127159/41 "2017-01-24T04:08:58Z")
The story of the Immortal Centurion story I was told by a Bishop in Rome that it is written in the Dead Sea Scrolls and that Casca Rufio Longinus did and still today suppose to still walk the earth. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2017, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-immortal-centurion-story/127159/42 "2017-01-24T05:03:37Z")
> [@SoldierofFreedom](#): > > The story of the Immortal Centurion story I was told by a Bishop in Rome that it is written in the Dead Sea Scrolls and that Casca Rufio Longinus did and still today suppose to still walk the earth. The large majority of the Dead Sea Scrolls predate Jesus and are either copies of known Hebrew scriptures or Jewish sectarian writings from the Second Temple period. Of the small number of the scrolls that postdate Jesus, I’m not aware of any that mention Longinus, but I’m not an expert. Anyway, this story sounds like a bunch of nonsense to me. ---
**Author:** ![md2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@md2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md2000)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2017, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-immortal-centurion-story/127159/43 "2017-01-24T05:27:38Z")
The idea that Jesus was killed by a spear to the side, IIRC, was because the Jews did not want someone hanging on a cross on the Sabbath (and Passover) during a holy time. So when he was not dead by almost sundown Friday, the Romans to avoid upset temple priests, wrapped up the job quickly. …or at least, something I heard in Sunday school. ---
**Author:** ![TSBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/77aa72/32.png) [@TSBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TSBG)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2017, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-immortal-centurion-story/127159/44 "2017-01-24T05:38:02Z")
The zombie jokes sort of write themselves, don’t they? ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2017, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-immortal-centurion-story/127159/45 "2017-01-24T06:04:25Z")
On the question of the immortality of Lazarus: I recently visited Larnaca in Cyprus. Across the road from the hotel that I stayed in was the [Church of St Lazarus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_of_Saint_Lazarus,_Larnaca). The local legend is that after his resurrection, Lazarus came to Cyprus and established a church there. After about 30 years, he died a second time and was buried in the church – and, indeed, I saw his alleged tomb there. So not all Christian legends have Christ making Lazarus immortal. ---
**Author:** ![Vicsage](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/e68b1a/32.png) [@Vicsage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vicsage)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2017, 6:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-immortal-centurion-story/127159/46 "2017-01-24T06:57:06Z")
Mathew 16: 28. Jesus sates that there are some standing there who would not taste of death until he brings about his kingdom. Seems to indicate that there is at least one 2000 years old walking around ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2017, 8:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-immortal-centurion-story/127159/47 "2017-01-24T08:46:18Z")
> [@md2000](#): > > The idea that Jesus was killed by a spear to the side, IIRC, was because the Jews did not want someone hanging on a cross on the Sabbath (and Passover) during a holy time. So when he was not dead by almost sundown Friday, the Romans to avoid upset temple priests, wrapped up the job quickly. …or at least, something I heard in Sunday school. Actually the story says he was dead (it’s quoted in one of the first posts); the spearing was to make sure that he was really, really, really dead, as he’d died relatively quickly. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2017, 10:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-immortal-centurion-story/127159/48 "2017-01-24T10:32:00Z")
I liked Doctor Who’s recasting of the story. ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2017, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-immortal-centurion-story/127159/49 "2017-01-24T14:28:20Z")
> [@Humble\_Servant](#): > > Not to mention that the Wandering Jew is also often conflated with the story of Lazarus–since Jesus doesn’t do a half-assed job of things, when he raised Lazarus from the dead, Lazarus couldn’t die again. Couple of SF classics, _Lazarus Long_ and _A Canticle for Liebowitz_, take this tack. I don’t think it’s stated in “A canticle for Leibowitz” that the Jewish guy is Lazarus. I always assumed he was the usual wandering Jew, whatever his name is. I heard also about the immortal centurion legend too, however, but can’t remember where. ---
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2017, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-immortal-centurion-story/127159/50 "2017-01-24T15:17:39Z")
> [@FriarTed](#): > > Jesus doesn’t answer & TBD/the author himself does not affirm it, but the idea of SOMONE in Jesus’s day living until the Second Coming has excited Christian AND non-C’tian imagination. Of course in Jesus’ day _everyone_ was supposed to live until the Second Coming, which was believed to be imminent. Hence Paul’s answer to worries from one of the churches about whether people who had actually died would still be saved along with the living (he reassured them they would). It was only when it became apparent that Jesus wasn’t coming any time soon that the Christians rejiggered their doctrine and told the faithful that Jesus had been speaking figuratively. ---
**Author:** ![MarcusF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/67e7ee/32.png) [@MarcusF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MarcusF)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2017, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-immortal-centurion-story/127159/51 "2017-01-24T15:40:02Z")
]As the thread has been resuscitated maybe it’s worth saying that Heinlein has Lazarus Long claim to have met and spoken to the Wandering Jew. He says: > [@](#): > > from _Time Enough for Love_ p.48 > > Lazarus grinned and shrugged. “Suit yourself. Tell her not to bother with a chastity girdle; I don’t have the energy. But I’ll still win the bet. Probably without laying eyes on her; it won’t take you long to decide that I am an unbearable old bore. Which I am and have been almost as long as the Wandering Jew—a crashing bore if I ever met one—did I tell you I had met him?” > > “No.And I don’t believe you have. He’s a myth.” > > “A fat lot you know about it, Son. I have met him, he is authentic. Fought the Romans in 70 A.D. when Jerusalem was sacked. Fought in every Crusade—incited one of them. Redheaded of course; all of the natural long-lifers bear the mark of Gilgamesh. When Imet him he was using the name Sandy Macdougal, that being a better handle for the time and placc for his current trade, which was the long con, with a variant on the Badger game.\* ---
**Author:** ![md2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@md2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md2000)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2017, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-immortal-centurion-story/127159/52 "2017-01-24T15:53:05Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > Actually the story says he was dead (it’s quoted in one of the first posts); the spearing was to make sure that he was really, really, really dead, as he’d died relatively quickly. Which, of course, also brought up the discussion for eight-year-olds, why stabbing someone with a big spear would make them bleed water. The things you learn in Sunday school… 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2017, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-immortal-centurion-story/127159/53 "2017-01-24T16:09:22Z")
> [@md2000](#): > > Which, of course, also brought up the discussion for eight-year-olds, why stabbing someone with a big spear would make them bleed water. The things you learn in Sunday school… 🙂 I trust the lymphatic system and the bladder were mentioned? ---
**Author:** ![leahcim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b4bc9f/32.png) [@leahcim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leahcim)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2017, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-immortal-centurion-story/127159/54 "2017-01-24T17:33:15Z")
> [@md2000](#): > > Which, of course, also brought up the discussion for eight-year-olds, why stabbing someone with a big spear would make them bleed water. The things you learn in Sunday school… 🙂 We’re dealing with a man who could turn water into wine, and transubstantiate wine into the Blood of Christ. I only assume that when he died the spells wore off. ---
**Author:** ![md2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@md2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md2000)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2017, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-immortal-centurion-story/127159/55 "2017-01-24T17:45:15Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > I trust the lymphatic system and the bladder were mentioned? After drinking all that vinegar wine, I presume his back teeth were floating. ---
**Author:** ![Kinthalis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kinthalis/32/16084_2.png) [@Kinthalis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kinthalis)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2017, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-immortal-centurion-story/127159/56 "2017-01-24T20:32:04Z")
> [@Vicsage](#): > > Mathew 16: 28. Jesus sates that there are some standing there who would not taste of death until he brings about his kingdom. Seems to indicate that there is at least one 2000 years old walking around Wasn’t Christianity an end of days cult? Basically believing the end of the world was nigh and Jesus was going to topple rome and bring about heaven on earth within their lifetimes? Seems to fit. In other words, I don’t think they meant to say that there would be immortals amongs them, but rather that the end times were coming sooner than you think. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-immortal-centurion-story/127159.md?page=2)