meirakion, pais, ephebos

Steven Craig Miller scmiller at www.plantnet.com
Thu Dec 2 18:11:56 EST 1999


To: Garland H. Shinn,

<< Regarding PAIS, I note that the word is used of the centurion's servant 
in Matt 8:5-13 while Luke uses the word DOULOS in what is apparently the 
same incident in 7:1-10. I would welcome your take on how is PAIS being 
used in the Matthean account. Is there some cultural phenomenon occuring
here? >>

Sure, PAIS could also be used to refer to a servant or slave. In a similar 
manner, the English term "boy" was used to refer to a male servant or slave.

-Steven Craig Miller
Alton, Illinois (USA)
scmiller at www.plantnet.com

"Words are like people. To know them well one must meet them on their own 
level, in their own environment. In different circumstances they react 
differently. Like a face they take on varying expressions. Some of them 
move from place to place; some never return to their earlier familiar 
surroundings. But to know their past is to know a little better what makes 
them act as they do in the present" (Frederick W. Danker, "Multipurpose 
Tools for Bible Study," 1993:135).




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