{We wrote} (epesteilamen). First aorist active of
epistell(935c), to send to and so to write like our epistle
(epistol(885c)). Old verb, but in the N.T. only here and Ac 15:20 Heb 13:22 . It is the very word used by James in this "judgment"
at the Conference ( Ac 15:20 , episteilai). B D here read
apesteilamen from apostell(935c), to send away, to give orders.
Wendt and Schuerer object to this as a gloss. Rather is it an
explanation by James that he does not refer to the Gentile
Christians whose freedom from the Mosaic ceremonial law was
guaranteed at the Jerusalem Conference. James himself presided at
that Conference and offered the resolution that was unanimously
adopted. James stands by that agreement and repeats the main
items (four: anything sacrificed to idols, blood, anything
strangled, fornication, for discussion see Ac 15 ) from which
they are to keep themselves (direct middle phulassesthai of
phulass(935c), indirect command after krinantes with accusative,
autous, of general reference). James has thus again cleared the
air about the Gentiles who have believed (pepisteukot(936e),
perfect active participle genitive plural of pisteu(935c)). He asks
that Paul will stand by the right of Jewish Christians to keep on
observing the Mosaic law. He has put the case squarely and
fairly.
|