FROM ALIENATION TO RECONCILIATION.
Ephesians 2:11-22.
EPHESIANS 2:11. Paul addresses the Ephesian church as being “in times past Gentiles in the flesh.” and he points to the historic antagonism between Jews and non-Jews. On the one hand, Gentiles were scorned as “the Uncircumcision;” on the other, Jews were mocked as “the Circumcision.” And yet, says Paul, this “Circumcision” is (only) “in the flesh made by hands” – inferring that this God-given sign was meant to point to a much greater reality: the circumcision, as he says elsewhere, ‘of the heart, in the spirit’ (cf. Romans 2:28-29; Philippians 3:3; Colossians 2:11-13).
EPHESIANS 2:12. Paul reminds his readers of five disadvantages that they had had as Gentiles These stand in stark contrast to the longer list of privileges enjoyed by his Israelite kinsmen (cf. Romans 9:4-5). First, the Gentiles were previously “without” or “outside of” Christ. [Now, of course, the Ephesian Christians were ‘in’ Christ: ‘seated in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus’ (cf. Ephesians 2:6).] Second, they were “aliens from the commonwealth of Israel” – the only theocracy in the world. Third, “strangers from the covenants of THE promise” (Greek) – God’s promise to Abraham. Fourth, “having no hope” – hopeless, because they (we) did not then even know of the One in whom we now put our hope. Fifth, “without God in the world” – literally “atheists,” in that they had no true knowledge of the true God: ‘the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ’ (cf. Ephesians 1:3).
EPHESIANS 2:13. The reconciliation between Jew and non-Jew can only occur “in Christ Jesus” and “by the blood of Christ.” It was by Him, and Him alone that the “far off” have been brought “nigh.” And at the cost of His sacrifice on behalf of us all (cf. Ephesians 1:7).
EPHESIANS 2:14. The word “He” sits emphatically at the beginning of this sentence. He has not only made peace, but He “is” our peace, who has “made both” (Jew and Gentile) one, and has “broken down the middle wall of partition.” The reference is to a wall in the Temple precinct, beyond which no Gentile dare enter, upon pain of death. Although the physical wall was still standing when Paul wrote this letter, yet the separation between Jew and Gentile was no longer valid. Now “both” Jewish and Gentile believers have access to God “by the blood of Christ” (cf. Ephesians 2:13).
EPHESIANS 2:15. Of course, Jesus came to ‘fulfil’ the law, not to ‘destroy’ it (cf. Matthew 5:17). However, when He died for our sins, its purpose as ‘a schoolmaster unto Christ’ (cf. Galatians 3:24) was fulfilled. “One new man” is a collective term for the church (cf. Ephesians 4:13). ‘We are (all) His workmanship, created (anew) in Christ Jesus’ (cf. Ephesians 2:10). Thus Jewish and Gentile believers are ‘all one in Christ Jesus’ (cf. Galatians 3:27-28).
EPHESIANS 2:16. As we are each reconciled to God through our Lord Jesus Christ, so we each find ourselves also reconciled to one another. On the cross Jesus slew both the enmity between God and man, and the enmity between Jew and Gentile.
EPHESIANS 2:17. Jesus accomplished peace at the cross (cf. Ephesians 2:14-15), so now He “preached peace” after the cross. Beginning in the upper room with His first post-resurrection, ‘Peace be unto you’ (cf. John 20:19-21), He commissioned His apostles to go forth with the same message of peace, and He is still proclaiming it through His preachers and messengers to this very day. This good news is for both those who were afar off (Gentiles), and those who were near (Jews).
EPHESIANS 2:18. Because we have been, once and forever, ‘reconciled’ - both to God and to one another as Jew and Gentile (cf. Ephesians 2:16) - so we both now “in one Spirit” have “access” to God as “Father.” It is a nice Trinitarian picture: Christians living and walking in the Spirit, serving God together, all one in Christ Jesus.
EPHESIANS 2:19. “Now therefore” introduces a shift from being ‘aliens and outsiders’ to being “fellow-citizens with the saints, and of the household of God.” This implies a right to all the privileges of full citizenship, and of membership in God’s family. To us, the Father’s door is always open (cf. Ephesians 3:12).
EPHESIANS 2:20. And we, with the ‘saints’ of old (cf. Ephesians 2:19), are “built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets” (the Bible), “Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner” (cf. Psalm 118:22-23; 1 Peter 2:4).
EPHESIANS 2:21. “In whom” we are built into a “a holy temple in the Lord” (cf. 1 Peter 2:5).
EPHESIANS 2:22. “In whom ye also” includes the Gentile believers, who are “built together” with the Jewish believers, “through the Spirit,” as a “habitation” fit for God to dwell in. In other words, believers are God’s temple upon the earth.
