Abstract

Jesus focussed entirely on Israel. Encounters between Jesus and non-Jewish people are only sporadically mentioned in New Testament sources and traditions. The question of how to deal with Gentiles was not reflected or answered in any systematic way by Jesus as a historical figure. It was the task of Early Christianity to discover potentials and impulses in the life and work of Jesus for the encounter with the pagan world. The question now arises with great urgency since the formerly inner-Jewish community – precisely through the work of Paul – has developed into a community within the world of nations. Every Gospel of the New Testament justifies this step differently, with the intention of remaining faithful to the message of Jesus while being sensitive to current challenges.