The Greek word used in Matthews account to refer to the servant of the centurion is PAIS. In the language of that time, PAIS had 3 possible MEANINGS:
1. It could mean Son or a Boy
2. It could mean servant
3. It could mean a servant who is his master's MALE LOVER
Often these LOVERS were younger than their masters, even teenagers.
To our Modern day Church pastors and Priests, the idea of this story about a Teen lover seems impossible to believe. But to understand the true story, we have to place ourselves in the ancient cultural norms of those times.
In ancient times commercial transactions were the most predominant means of forming a new relationship. Under the law, The wife was viewed as the Property of her husband (a status just above "slave")
More over in the time when Jesus allegedly lived, a boy and a girl reached the age to marry at 14 or 15. NOR WAS IT UNCOMMON FOR AN OLDER MAN TO MARRY A YOUNGER GIRL.
In that culture, if you were a homosexual man who wanted a male spouse, you achieved this like your heterosexual counterparts, THROUGH A COMMERCIAL TRANSACTION PURCHASING SOMEONE TO SERVE THAT PURPOSE. A servant purchased to serve that purpose was referred to as PAIS.
Coming back to the story of the Centurion and Jesus.
The bible Provides 3 key pieces of textual and circumstantial evidence.
First in Luke passage, Several additional Greek words are used t describe the one who is sick. Luke says that the PAIS was the centurion's ENTIMOS DOULOS.
The word Doulos in generic terms was used to refer to as SLAVE! And was never used to describe a son/boy. Thus this RULES OUT THE POSSIBILITY OF THIS STORY ABOUT BEING OF A SON WHO WAS SICK.
His use of the word DUOLOS clearly means SLAVE! However Luke also indicates that this was NOT an ordinary slave! The word ENTIMOS means honored. So this was an honored slave, who was his master's pais.
so The 3 words rule out the possibility of the sick person being about the Centurion's Son or an ordinary slave, leaving one viable option of the sick person being the Centurion's young male lover!
A second piece of evidence from verse 9 of Matthew's account. In the course of expressing his Jesus's power to heal by simply speaking, the centurion says that the servant does everything the centurion tell him to. When speaking here of his slaves, the centurion uses the word DUOLOS, but when speaking of the one he is asking Jesus to heal, The centurion uses the word PAIS. In other words when he is quoted in Matthew, the centurion's uses only when referring to the sick person.
The third piece of evidence is circumstantial. In the gospels, we have many examples of people seeking healing for themselves or for family members, But this is the only story in which someone seeks help for his slave. This actin was described as more remarkable by the fact that this was a proud roman centurion who was humbling himself and was pleading to a Jewish Rabbi to heal his servant. The Extraordinary length which the centurion took to heal his servant clearly indicates that the sick person was his MALE LOVER!
So, these facts clearly tells us that this story is about a Centurion and his MALE LOVER. and even when Jesus aware of it, He still healed and blessed them. So, Jesus is both Pro-GAY and Pro-LOVE!
1. It could mean Son or a Boy
2. It could mean servant
3. It could mean a servant who is his master's MALE LOVER
Often these LOVERS were younger than their masters, even teenagers.
To our Modern day Church pastors and Priests, the idea of this story about a Teen lover seems impossible to believe. But to understand the true story, we have to place ourselves in the ancient cultural norms of those times.
In ancient times commercial transactions were the most predominant means of forming a new relationship. Under the law, The wife was viewed as the Property of her husband (a status just above "slave")
More over in the time when Jesus allegedly lived, a boy and a girl reached the age to marry at 14 or 15. NOR WAS IT UNCOMMON FOR AN OLDER MAN TO MARRY A YOUNGER GIRL.
In that culture, if you were a homosexual man who wanted a male spouse, you achieved this like your heterosexual counterparts, THROUGH A COMMERCIAL TRANSACTION PURCHASING SOMEONE TO SERVE THAT PURPOSE. A servant purchased to serve that purpose was referred to as PAIS.
Coming back to the story of the Centurion and Jesus.
The bible Provides 3 key pieces of textual and circumstantial evidence.
First in Luke passage, Several additional Greek words are used t describe the one who is sick. Luke says that the PAIS was the centurion's ENTIMOS DOULOS.
The word Doulos in generic terms was used to refer to as SLAVE! And was never used to describe a son/boy. Thus this RULES OUT THE POSSIBILITY OF THIS STORY ABOUT BEING OF A SON WHO WAS SICK.
His use of the word DUOLOS clearly means SLAVE! However Luke also indicates that this was NOT an ordinary slave! The word ENTIMOS means honored. So this was an honored slave, who was his master's pais.
so The 3 words rule out the possibility of the sick person being about the Centurion's Son or an ordinary slave, leaving one viable option of the sick person being the Centurion's young male lover!
A second piece of evidence from verse 9 of Matthew's account. In the course of expressing his Jesus's power to heal by simply speaking, the centurion says that the servant does everything the centurion tell him to. When speaking here of his slaves, the centurion uses the word DUOLOS, but when speaking of the one he is asking Jesus to heal, The centurion uses the word PAIS. In other words when he is quoted in Matthew, the centurion's uses only when referring to the sick person.
The third piece of evidence is circumstantial. In the gospels, we have many examples of people seeking healing for themselves or for family members, But this is the only story in which someone seeks help for his slave. This actin was described as more remarkable by the fact that this was a proud roman centurion who was humbling himself and was pleading to a Jewish Rabbi to heal his servant. The Extraordinary length which the centurion took to heal his servant clearly indicates that the sick person was his MALE LOVER!
So, these facts clearly tells us that this story is about a Centurion and his MALE LOVER. and even when Jesus aware of it, He still healed and blessed them. So, Jesus is both Pro-GAY and Pro-LOVE!
