A Roman centurion’s concern for his slave focuses our attention on the presence of non-Jews in the land of Israel in the first century. A modern Jewish authority on the history of the period provides the story’s background.

When Jesus had finished saying all these things to the people, he entered Capernaum. There, a centurion’s slave,

A Roman centurion — from the tombstone of Marcus Favonius facilis of the 20th Legion stationed in Britian.

whom his master valued highly, was sick and near death. The centurion heard of Jesus and sent some Jewish elders to ask him to come and heal his slave. When they came to Jesus they begged him earnestly: “He deserves this favor from you. He loves our people and he himself has built a synagogue for us.” So Jesus went with them. (Lk. 7:1-6)

This story about Jesus and a centurion poses a historical and halachic question: How is it possible that a non-Jew, and an officer in the Roman army no less, would build a synagogue for Jews in the land of Israel?

Non-Jews

Isaiah 56:7 states: “My

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