Free Bible Commentary
“Ephesians 2:14-17”
Categories: Ephesians“For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall, by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, so that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace, and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity. And He came, and preached peace to you who were far off, and peace to those who were near.”
--- End of Scripture verses---
Quoting today from the Truth Commentary series on Paul’s letter to the Ephesians written by Colly Caldwell, Guardian of Truth Foundation, Copyright 1994.
On verse 14: “The apostle dealt with three aspects of the ethnic division between Jew and Gentile in this passage: (a) the Gentiles’ former condition had left them without the inner peace which comes with hope (2:11-13); (b) there was no peace between two larger ethnic groups, the Jews and the Gentiles, who were at enmity with each other (2:14-15); and (c) both ethnic groups were separated from God without peace because of sin and were therefore alike spiritually (2:16-18). The conclusion provided by the Holy Spirit to each phase of the discussion is ‘Christ is our peace.’ He alone provides peace within our own souls, peace with our fellows, and peace with God.
“Specifically, he made both (amphotera) one. He brought the two peoples (Jews and Gentiles) together as Christians. He did that by breaking down the wall between them. To break down…is literally to loosen in such a way as to destroy or demolish. A middle wall (mesotoichon) is a barrier. In this case it was a barrier of hostility, hatred, contempt, and separation created by their customs and laws. A partition (phargmou) is a fence, hedge or divider. In this case, it was in their minds and attitudes toward one another.
“The old temple grounds in Jerusalem had contained a dividing wall between the court of the Gentiles and the court of the Israelites. The new temple of God (cf. v. 21) was established upon unity and identification of all men as one (John 10:16; Gal. 3:28). Christ had provided a great commonness for them. They all had the same God, the same Christ, the same salvation, and the same hope (Eph. 4:4-6). Christ’s coming destroyed all dividing barriers and brought all men spiritually together in one body.”
On verse 15: “All this was affected by Christ when he abolished (katargesas) the source of the enmity, the Law itself. To ‘abolish’ is to make null and void, to render inoperative and no longer mandatory, to make useless, to cancel, or to abrogate. The Law of Moses was the source of enmity (echtran) between the two peoples. Their animosity, feuding, and alienation resulted from national application of the ordinances and promises of the Law to only one side of the dispute.
“Christ nailed the Law to his cross (Col. 1:20-22; 2:14; Heb. 10:1-10). The separating influence, the Law, had divided the nations because it was a national law, designed for Israel only. The Law, in which they had taken so much pride, had been the very source of their separation. Christ took away the entire Mosaic legal system contained in ordinances and left the Jew with no reason for special pride (Col. 2:1-4; Rom. 7:1-4; Gal. 5:2-4; 2 Cor. 3:14).
“Our word ‘dogma’ comes from the Greek word ordinances (dogmasin). ‘Ordinances’ are decrees, statutes, edicts or specific rules. When the Law with its specific edicts concerning the segregation of Israel from the nations was taken away, there was no reason to identify separately the Jews from Gentiles in any spiritual sense. Christ willed that the Gentiles be included in the one body by grace through faith.”
Please read Ephesians 2:18-22 for tomorrow.
Have a great day!
- Louie Taylor
Share
