Paul reminds the Ephesians that Christ has Destroyed
the Hostility between Jew and Gentile
Ephesians
2:13-15 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by
the Blood of Christ. For He is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath
broken down the middle wall of partition between us; Having abolished in
His flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in
ordinances; for to make in Himself of twain one new man, so making
peace; KJVPaul once a high ranking Pharisee in the Jewish religion, even an esteemed member of the Sanhedrin now writes to people that during those days he considered to be sub-humans. The Jews and Gentiles over the centuries were at all times at odds with one another or to be real they hated one another, each not understanding the others way of life. God the Father (after He called Abraham out of his Father’s land) made a covenant with Abraham (Genesis 17:1-7) and from that point on God saw only two groups of people upon the earth and that was Jews (who came from Abraham) and Gentiles (all other human beings on the earth). Paul now declares that although the Gentiles were at a distance from the One True God and went about worshipping and serving false gods, now (in complete contrast) to “at that time” (Ephesians 2:12) they have been brought into fellowship with the One True God “by the blood of Christ” (Ephesians 2:13).
Even after our Lord Jesus’ Resurrection from the dead and then walking with the Apostles for 40 days before His Ascension, the Apostles did not realize or recognize that our Lord Jesus Christ would give the same Grace to sinful Gentiles that they too had received from Him. The Apostle Peter and other circumcised Jews who went with him to the house of a Gentile Roman Centurion named Cornelius did not expect any of them to be saved by God for they had not understood our Lord’s words in (John 10:16); they did not even want to go to them and this was their reaction when God did save their whole household as documented by Dr. Luke with these words, “While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who were listening to the message. All the circumcised believers who came with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. For they were hearing them speaking with tongues and exalting God. Then Peter answered, ‘Surely no one can refuse the water for these to be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we did, can he?’ And he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay on for a few days.” (Acts 10:44-48).
It was the Will of God the Father to openly display our Lord, Master, and Savior Jesus Christ publically on that Cross showing His hatred for sin that He would subject His only begotten Son to such anguish, affliction, and agony physically and spiritually as He (our perfect sinless Lord Jesus) carried the sins of the world (1 John 2:2), but at the very same time showing His unconditional love for sinful fallen humanity that He (God the Father) would provide a sacrifice for our sins that we never could provide because He is “rich in mercy” (Ephesians 2:4). It is our union with our Lord, Master, and Savior Jesus Christ that makes peace with God and gives us peace within and makes us peacemakers in this wicked world we live in as aliens and pilgrims. Therefore, Paul now declares to these Ephesian believers that our Lord Jesus Christ has made Jew and Gentile one new human being in Himself by His sacrificial death on the Cross. Paul uses the English phrase “hath broken down” which is translated by one Greek word luo a primary verb meaning to loosen, break up, shatter, put off, dissolve, or destroy. What has our Lord Jesus destroyed? Paul calls it “the middle wall of partition” (Ephesians 2:14). Figuratively it refers to a fence erected to cause separation between two parties. In this case, Paul refers to the Jewish Mosaic Laws that no Gentile had any knowledge of or understanding of, so this is what caused the hostility between the two people (Jew and Gentile), but now Christ death has shattered this invisible imaginary wall and through or by His Blood ONLY now both Jew and Gentile have access to the Throne of God (Hebrews 4:16).
Paul uses the English phrase “Having abolished” to begin verse 15 and this phrase is translated by one Greek word katargeo which means to make void, put away, to make of no effect, or to render entirely idle or useless. What is it that our Lord, Master, and Savior Jesus Christ has made of no effect anymore? It is the hostility or opposition caused by “the law of commandments contained in ordinances” (Ephesians 2:15). In other words, our Lord, Master, and Savior Jesus Christ has “in His Flesh” completely destroyed the requirements for obeying the Mosaic Laws given to the Jews by fulfilling them by His coming as He declared with these words, “Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished. Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:17-20) and only being united to Him through regeneration and the new birth (John 3:3-5) can Jew or Gentile have TRUE RIGHTEOUSNESS.
Paul declares that our Great High Priest Jesus Christ has made Jew and Gentile into “one new man” (Ephesians 2:15), that is, one new quality of man and all the dissension, distrust, and disillusion between us has been removed permanently forever in His Flesh and nailed to His Cross as Paul wrote with these words to the Colossian believers, “And you who were dead in trespasses and in the uncircumcision of your flesh (your sensuality, your sinful carnal nature), [God] brought to life together with [Christ], having [freely] forgiven us all our transgressions, Having cancelled {and} blotted out {and} wiped away the handwriting of the note (bond) with its legal decrees {and} demands which was in force {and} stood against us (hostile to us). This [note with its regulations, decrees, and demands] He set aside {and} cleared completely out of our way by nailing it to [His] cross. [God] disarmed the principalities and powers that were ranged against us and made a bold display {and} public example of them, in triumphing over them in Him {and} in it [the Cross].” (Colossians 2:13-15).
My own Personal Note: Ah! Rest…. It is something that all human beings can relate to in the natural world. Our physical bodies demand rest and will break down unless we give them the proper rest they require. There is a rest, however, of the soul that is far greater than the rest of our bodies, and that rest comes only from the Lord Jesus Christ. What type of rest does Christ want to give to a lost soul? Matthew 11:28 (AMP): “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy-laden and overburdened, and I will cause you to rest. [I will ease and relieve and refresh your souls.]” In this verse from the Gospel of Matthew, the word “rest” that Christ uses means “repose or a freedom from work, strain, or responsibility; the absence of mental or emotional stress or anxiety.” He is talking here about peace of mind. Not a false or made up peace, but the peace that only He can give. His peace enables a person to deal with the most tragic events of life with a calm confidence and assurance that such things are not happening in vain but for an eternal purpose. If we have truly entered into Christ’s rest, we will be eating His words daily and we will become daily what His word says, that we are kings and priests of God who are daily conformed into the image of the Lord Jesus Christ. When this rest comes upon us…it is Heaven here on earth! Excerpt from my Book entitled, “Silent Assassins of the Soul: Finding Freedom from Sexual Impurity through the Lord Jesus Christ, A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs”
“The ‘peace’ here referred to is that by which a ‘union’ in worship and in feeling has been produced between the Jews and the Gentiles formerly they were alienated and separate. They had different objects of worship; different religious rites; different views and feelings. The Jews regarded the Gentiles with hatred, and the Gentiles the Jews with scorn. Now, says the Apostle, they are at peace. They worship the same God. They have the same Savior. They depend on the same Atonement. They have the same Hope. They look forward to the same Heaven. They belong to the same redeemed family. Reconciliation has not only taken place with God, but with each other. ‘The best way to produce peace between alienated minds is to bring them to the same Savior.’ That will do more to silence contentions, and to heal alienations, than any or all other means. Bring people around the same cross; fill them with love to the same Redeemer, and give them the same Hope of Heaven, and you put a period to alienation and strife. The love of Christ is so absorbing, and the dependence in His Blood so entire, that they will lay aside these alienations, and cease their contentions. The work of the Atonement is thus designed not only to produce peace with God, but peace between alienated and contending minds. The feeling that we are redeemed by the same Blood, and that we have the same Savior, will unite the rich and the poor, the bond and the free, the high and the low, in the ties of brotherhood, and make them feel that they are one.” Albert Barnes
If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...
Sincerely in Christ,
Clifford D. Tate, Sr.
Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…
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