A soldier's spear or lance, especially the iron point. John's Gospel uses it in the crucifixion narrative: a soldier pierces Jesus' side with a spear, releasing blood and water—a detail John treats as theologically significant eyewitness testimony. Matthew's less-reliable manuscript tradition adds a spear-thrust before Jesus' death, though this is likely borrowed from John. Classical Greek distinguished the spear-head from the shaft, and could use the plural for a single spear with multiple barbs. Metaphorically, 'eating spears' described a bragging coward—a 'fire-eater' who wouldn't actually fight.