Baptist Christians 2: In the 2nd section, the theme of old/new man
Berlin, Potsdamer Platz, 12.11.1989
is illustrated by the example of the ages of man. First, Jesus helps a man who breaks the chains of the old way of life to a new life, 5:1-20.
In 5:21-43, the ages of the woman are presented. The 12-year-old girl who becomes marriageable and ends the life period of childhood dies for her parents, the life age of fertility, of her own family begins.
This period of life ends for the older woman. For her, a new time with new tasks begins with menopause.
If the Sabbath is basically no longer valid, can’t the Gentile Christians accommodate the Jewish Christians to such an extent that at least the healings are not performed on the Sabbath but on another day?
The answer is again: No, the Jewish religious laws fall away without substitution. Here the Jewish authorities separate from Jesus, the people run to him, 3:7-12, disciples (apostles) are called, 3:13,19.
James 3: The 2nd Jewish-Christian section is devoted to the question:
Berlin, Victory Column, 11.11.1989
What Jewish religious laws apply in the community of Jesus? This is exemplified by the question of fasting and Sabbath observance, 2:18-3:6.
The basic question is: Do the disciples of Jesus have to fast? Answer: No. Now a compromise offer is formulated: Couldn’t the Jesus disciples at least fast on the Sabbath? Answer: No.
James 2: In 2:21-12 the initial question is varied again:
Berlin, Reichstag, 11.11.1989
Now the moral level is touched: After the external conflict (ability) and the internal conflict (will), the problem is once again aggravated as a moral conflict:
May Jesus heal? May Jesus play God and cancel the punishment of the disease imposed by God? In 2:13-17 the question of forgiveness of sins is generalized.
The moral question becomes the theological one: may Jesus remove the Jewishly commanded barrier between the people of God, the Jews, and the Gentiles?
The message of the whole passage is: Yes, Jesus may heal and he did. Gentiles, if they want and believe, can belong to the people of God.
In the 1st section of the tradition of the church of James
Berlin, Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church, 11.11.1989
(1:21-2:17) is about healing miracles. In 1:21-28 Jesus is attacked. Here the basic question is asked: Can Jesus heal the sick person?
In 1:40-45 the question is varied and focused on the will: The sick person wants to be healed, does Jesus want to heal him or is he not interested in the suffering of the sick person?
Yes, Jesus wants to heal him (the reader already knows that he can do this from 1:21-28), the sick person gets well.
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