Bible Verses The Thumpers Try To Ignore
Got this from my friend Okasha, who is a linguist, after yesterday's altercation with Arlen in the gay marriage thread.
He and his should actually read the Bible sometime, rather than letting their tax evading, bigoted, minor prostitute abusing pastors do it for them.
They'd be surprised what's in there.
Let 'er rip, Okasha:
Matthew 19:4-6 deal with the rationale for forbidding divorce except in cases of adultery. It does not define marriage as an institution. When Paul gives the characteristics required in a bishop, in 1 Timothy 3:2, he says the bishop should be the husband of only one wife--plural marriage was accepted if not promoted in the first years of the Christian community.
Matthew 8:5-13. Translators have tiptoed around this one for centuries. In this passage, Jesus is approached by the Roman centurion who begs him to heal--not his "servant" but his "beloved youth."
The first time I ever saw the passage in the Greek, I read it over and over and over, till I was sure I wasn't seeing things.
I wasn't.
The word used for "youth" here is "paide," which can mean "servant" in some contexts, but the adjective is "intimos."
And yes, that's the root word of our "intimate."
In Greek, though, its root meaning is "honor," and "public honor," at that.
It's not a word a Roman officer would use for an inferior who fills his bathtub and polishes his boots. There's a sense that this young man is someone with whom the Centurion's honor is bound up.
And in context, that can only be his lover.
What does Jesus do?
Does he go postal about their relationship? Hardly.
He says, " Verily I say to you, I have not seen such faith, no not in Israel." He's a Gentile, he's gay, he's a member of an occupying army--and Jesus has nothing but praise for him.
How can anyone who isn't retarded claim to be a Biblical Literalist? I just don't know.
He and his should actually read the Bible sometime, rather than letting their tax evading, bigoted, minor prostitute abusing pastors do it for them.
They'd be surprised what's in there.
Let 'er rip, Okasha:
Matthew 19:4-6 deal with the rationale for forbidding divorce except in cases of adultery. It does not define marriage as an institution. When Paul gives the characteristics required in a bishop, in 1 Timothy 3:2, he says the bishop should be the husband of only one wife--plural marriage was accepted if not promoted in the first years of the Christian community.
Matthew 8:5-13. Translators have tiptoed around this one for centuries. In this passage, Jesus is approached by the Roman centurion who begs him to heal--not his "servant" but his "beloved youth."
The first time I ever saw the passage in the Greek, I read it over and over and over, till I was sure I wasn't seeing things.
I wasn't.
The word used for "youth" here is "paide," which can mean "servant" in some contexts, but the adjective is "intimos."
And yes, that's the root word of our "intimate."
In Greek, though, its root meaning is "honor," and "public honor," at that.
It's not a word a Roman officer would use for an inferior who fills his bathtub and polishes his boots. There's a sense that this young man is someone with whom the Centurion's honor is bound up.
And in context, that can only be his lover.
What does Jesus do?
Does he go postal about their relationship? Hardly.
He says, " Verily I say to you, I have not seen such faith, no not in Israel." He's a Gentile, he's gay, he's a member of an occupying army--and Jesus has nothing but praise for him.
How can anyone who isn't retarded claim to be a Biblical Literalist? I just don't know.
posted by Scott at 3:18 PM
3 Comments:
Scott!! You've got me blogrolled baby and I don't even think I've read you yet, though I love it! Thanks for putting me up there, I'll do the same on my next update, promise!
Funny thing is, in my seminary class our professor was sort of hinting about the Roman and his servant verses being pro-gay, that the 'servant' was really his lover if translated correctly, that guy rocked, he made me realize how much I didn't want to be a christian strangely enough.
Why is it people will just believe whatever they are told. Why don't we research anything for ourselves anymore. Oh that's becuase it would require work. I often forget that.
Remeber folks question everything.
Scott. I think that you might find my site (jofj.org) interesting. I tell the story of the Journey of Jesus from a chronological and geographical perspective. DAB
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