Jesus was the creator of one new humanity

This is a study of Jesus being the creator of one new humanity. He brought all people together in one body making peace by the cross.

1. JESUS WAS THE CREATOR OF ONE NEW HUMANITY
EDITED BY GLENN PEASE

Ephesians 2:15-16 15by setting aside in his flesh the
law with its commands and regulations. His purpose
was to create in himself one new humanity out of the
two, thus making peace, 16and in one body to
reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by
which he put to death their hostility.


PRECEPT AUSTIN RESOURCES

Ephesians 2:15-16 Commentary
Ephesians 2 Resources
Updated: Tue, 05/15/2018 - 12:00 By admin
PREVIOUS
NEXT
Ephesians 2:15 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, (NASB: Lockman)

2. Greek: ton nomon ton entolon en dogmasin katargesas, (AAPMSN) hina tous
duo ktise (3SAAS) en auto eis ena kainon anthropon poion (PAPMSN)
eirenen, (note "in His flesh" en sarki auto" is found in the Nestle-Aland Greek
text at the end of verse 14)
Amplified: By abolishing in His [own crucified] flesh the enmity [caused by]
the Law with its decrees and ordinances [which He annulled]; that He from
the two might create in Himself one new man [one new quality of humanity
out of the two], so making peace. (Amplified Bible - Lockman)
NET: when He nullified in His flesh the law of commandments in decrees. He
did this to create in Himself one new man out of two (“in order to create the
two into one new man”), thus making peace,
NLT: By his death he ended the whole system of Jewish law that excluded the
Gentiles. His purpose was to make peace between Jews and Gentiles by
creating in himself one new person from the two groups. (NLT - Tyndale
House)
Phillips: By his sacrifice he removed the hostility of the Law, with all its
commandments and rules, and made in himself out of the two, Jew and
Gentile, one new man, thus producing peace. (Phillips: Touchstone)
Wuest: the enmity, in His flesh having rendered inoperative the law of the
commandments in ordinances, in order that the two He might create in
himself, resulting in one new man, making peace,
Young's Literal: the enmity in his flesh, the law of the commands in
ordinances having done away, that the two he might create in himself into one
new man, making peace,
BY ABOLISHING IN HIS FLESH THE ENMITY: katargesas, (AAPMSN):
note that the phrase "in His flesh" "en sarki auto" is found in the Nestle-
Aland Greek text at the end of verse 14
Colossians 1:22; Hebrews 10:19, 20, 21, 22
Ephesians 2 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries

3. Ephesians 2:11-22 Our Biography In Brief - Steven Cole
Ephesians 2:13-15 The Unity of the Body, Part 2 - John MacArthur
By abolishing in His [own crucified] flesh the enmity [caused by] the Law with
its decrees and ordinances [which He annulled]; that He from the two might
create in Himself one new man [one new quality of humanity out of the two],
so making peace. (Amplified)
Abolishing modifies "broke down" in Ep 2:14 (note).
Abolishing (2673) (katargeo from kata = intensifies meaning + argeo = be idle
from argos = ineffective, idle, inactive from a = without + érgon = work)
(Click word study on katargeo) literally means to reduce to inactivity. The
idea is to make the power or force of something ineffective and so to render
powerless, null and void. To cause something to come to an end or to cease to
happen. The aorist tense in this context depicts a once for all completed action
in the past.
The word abolish simply means “to nullify.” The Law no longer holds sway
over either Jew or Gentile, since in Christ believers are not under Law but
under grace.
Hughes writes asks how did Christ abolish the law
How did he do this, especially since he said in his Sermon on the Mount, “Do
not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not
come to abolish them but to fulfill them” (see note Matthew 5:17)? Christ
fulfilled the moral law, keeping all its requirements, but he abolished the
Jewish ceremonial law. Thus, the requirements of the ceremonial law (the
washings, the Sabbath restrictions, etc.) which had been such a barrier were
gone. And since he fulfilled the moral law, taking away its condemnation, all
have free access through grace (cf. 2 Corinthians 3:6-15). The gospel is now,
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this not from
yourselves, it is the gift of God — not by works, so that no one can boast”
(Eph 2:8, 9), and because of this we fly across the barrier to God! (Hughes, R.
K.: Ephesians: The Mystery of the Body of Christ. Crossway Books)

4. The Net Bible note adds that "abolishing" can be translated “rendered
inoperative.” This is a difficult text to translate because it is not easy to find
an English term which communicates well the essence of the author’s
meaning, especially since legal terminology is involved. Many other
translations use the term “abolish” (so NRSV, NASB, NIV), but this term
implies complete destruction which is not the author’s meaning here. The
verb katargeo can readily have the meaning “to cause something to lose its
power or effectiveness”, and this meaning fits quite naturally here within the
author’s legal mindset. A proper English term which communicates this well
is “nullify” since this word carries the denotation of “making something
legally null and void.” This is not, however, a common English word. An
alternate term like “rendered inoperative [or ineffective]” is also accurate but
fairly inelegant. For this reason, the translation retains the term “nullify”; it is
the best choice of the available options, despite its problems. (The NET Bible
Notes. Biblical Studies Press)
Flesh (4561) (sarx) (Click word study on sarx) refers to Jesus' physical flesh.
In His flesh - In context Paul refers to the physical death of Christ, which the
Father made possible because "when the fulness of the time came, God sent
forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law. (Galatians 4:4)
Comment: The Divine Son of God was also the Son of Man, born by the Spirit
of a woman and so fully God and fully Man, His perfect Humanity being
necessary so that He could abolish the enmity in His physical flesh and free us
from our sins by the New Covenant in His blood.
Barnes writes "By the sacrifice of his body on the cross. It was not by
instruction merely; it was not by communicating the knowledge of God; it was
not as a teacher; it was not by the mere exertion of power; it was by his flesh--
his human nature--and this can mean only that he did it by his sacrifice of
himself. It is such language as is appropriate to the doctrine of the atonement-
-not indeed teaching it directly--but still such as one would use who believed
that doctrine, and such as no other one would employ. Who would now say of
a moral teacher that he accomplished an important result by his flesh? Who
would say of a man that was instrumental in reconciling his contending

5. neighbors, that he did it by his flesh?… No man would have ever used this
language who did not believe that Jesus died as a sacrifice for sin. (Albert
Barnes. Barnes NT Commentary).
Enmity (2189) (echthra from echthros = enemy, hostile) means hostility, a
reason for opposition, enmity, hatred. Enmity suggests positive hatred which
may be open or concealed whereas hostility suggests an enmity showing itself
in attacks or aggression.
Echthra - 6x in 6v - Luke 23:12; Rom 8:7; Gal 5:20; Eph 2:14, 16; Jas 4:4
Echthra is that spirit that looks with evil suspicion on anyone of a different
race, tongue, nation, or creed. It is the “attitude of heart and mind that puts
up barriers and draws the sword,” but Christ has broken down the barrier
and has taught us to love those who are “hostile”.
Here enmity refers to the personal and national prejudice and exclusiveness
between Jews and Gentiles a result primarily of the separating influence of
the Mosaic legal system. Christ abolished this at Calvary effecting a great
reconciliation and uniting hostile members of the human family. Christ, the
prophesied Prince of peace, is the world’s only hope of lasting peace! Let us
therefore "pray for the peace of Jerusalem", realizing this is a prayer in
essence for our Lord to return. Maranatha!
Regarding enmity Barnes explains that "The idea is, that the ceremonial law
of the Jews, on which they so much prided themselves, was the cause of the
hostility existing between them. That made them different people, and laid the
foundation for the alienation which existed between them. They had different
laws; different institutions; a different, religion. The Jews looked upon
themselves as the favorites of Heaven, and as in possession of the knowledge of
the only way of salvation; the Gentiles regarded their laws with contempt, and
looked upon the peculiar institutions with scorn. When Christ came, and
abolished by his death their peculiar ceremonial laws, of course the cause of
this alienation ceased. (Albert Barnes. Barnes NT Commentary)
John Eadie writes that the enmity between Jew and Gentile was "hatred
which rose like a party wall, and kept both races at a distance. Deep hostility

6. lay in their bosoms; the Jew looked down with supercilious contempt upon the
Gentile, and the Gentile reciprocated and scowled upon the Jew as a haughty
and heartless bigot. Ample evidence is afforded of this mutual alienation.
Insolent scorn of the Gentiles breaks out in many parts of the New Testament
(Acts 11:3, 22:22; 1Thess. 2:15), while the pages of classic literature show how
fully the feeling was repaid. This rancor formed of necessity a middle wall of
partition, but Jesus, Who is our Peace, hath broken it down. (John Eadie, D.,
LL.D. The Epistle of St Paul to the Ephesians - Online)
WHICH IS THE LAW OF COMMANDMENTS CONTAINED IN
ORDINANCES: ton nomon ton entolon en dogmasin katargesas, (AAPMSN):
Galatians 3:10; Colossians 2:14,20; Heb 7:16; 8:13; 9:9,10,23; 10:1-10
Ephesians 2 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries
Ephesians 2:11-22 Our Biography In Brief - Steven Cole
Ephesians 2:13-15 The Unity of the Body, Part 2 - John MacArthur
Note that order of words in the Greek is "the enmity in his flesh, the law of
the commands in ordinances having done away" which signifies that our Lord
abolished the Law by His death on the Cross.
Law (3551) (nomos) in its primary meaning relates to that which is conceived
as standard or generally recognized rules of civilized conduct.
Vincent has this note…
The law, etc., depends in construction on having abolished, and is not in
apposition with the enmity, as A. V. The middle wall of partition, the enmity,
was dissolved by the abolition of the law of commandments. Construe in His
flesh with having abolished. Law is general, and its contents are defined by
commandments, special injunctions, which injunctions in turn were
formulated in definite decrees. Render the entire passage: brake down the
middle-wall of partition, even the enmity, by abolishing in His flesh the law of
commandments contained in ordinances (Ephesians 2)

7. Commandments (1785) (entole from entellomai = order, give commandments)
is most common of the words meaning commandment, stressing the authority
of the one commanding, while éntalma (G1778), a religious commandment,
stresses the thing commanded. It refers to law in general.
Contained is added by the translators for continuity.
Ordinances (1378) (dogma from dokéo = to think) refers to a fixed and
authoritative decision or requirement (see the "decree" [dogma] of the
emperors in Lu 2:1, Acts 17:7).
NIDNTT writes that in classic Greek dogma "stems from the verb dokeo
(think, suppose, imagine, conclude), and means opinion, conclusion, belief. It
occurs only 3 times in the pre-Socratic writers and always in connection with
Pythagoras. From Xenophon onwards in the fourth cent. B.C. it has the
following meanings: (1) opinion (in ordinary speech); (2) a doctrine (in
philosophy, e.g. Epicurus, De rerum natura, 14, 1, 15 and 28); (3) a decree of
God (in religious writers); (4) a decree, ordinance, edict (in official language,
with the emphasis on public promulgation). (See Arndt, 200.)… Where dogma
is used in a general, secular sense as an official, public decree, it has only
indirect theological significance… With the death of Christ, the law with all its
commandments and ordinances “is removed from the world as a factor in
salvation”… The use of dogma is, therefore, all the more surprising when
used in a positive sense (cf. above OT) for teaching that is binding on the
whole church. Acts 16:4 lays the foundation for the idea of dogma as an
ecclesiastical decree, requiring intellectual assent. It runs the risk of turning
the gospel of Christ into legalism. On the other hand, the pressure from the
Judaizers forced the Jerusalem council to take a stance in defining their
attitude. The dogmata of the council were in fact decrees proclaiming liberty
within a defined area rather than a series of tight restrictions. (Brown, Colin,
Editor. New International Dictionary of NT Theology. 1986. Zondervan)
TDNT sums up dogma…
The basic meaning is “what seems to be right”: a. “opinion,” b. “principle,” c.
“resolution,” d. “decree,” and e. “the law.” The verb means “to affirm an
opinion,” “to establish a decree,” “to publish an edict.”

8. 1. In the NT sense d. occurs in Lk. 2:1; Acts 17:7; Heb. 11:23
2. In Colossians 2:14 (note) the reference might be to the new edict of God but
in 2:20 we definitely have legal ordinances (sense e.), so that the real point in
2:14 is that Christ has canceled these. Eph. 2:15 carries a similar reference to
the ordinances of the law.
3. In Acts 16:4 the term is used for the resolutions of the apostolic council. The
apostolic fathers then adopt the term for the teachings of Jesus. (Kittel, G.,
Friedrich, G., & Bromiley, G. W. Theological Dictionary of the New
Testament. Eerdmans)
Dogma refers to a formal statement concerning rules or regulations that are
to be observed -- the idea is a formalized sets of rules which might refer to an
ordinance, a decision or a command. This is the primary meaning of dogma in
Ephesians 2:15. Dogma thus refers to the rules and requirements of the law of
Moses, in this verse specifically referring to the "ceremonial laws" or
ordinances covering the various aspects of the Jewish feasts, sacrifices,
offerings, laws of cleanliness and purification, and all other such distinctive
outward commandments for the unique separation of Israel from the nations.
Paul is saying that "in His flesh" on the Cross, Jesus abolished or made to no
effect these dogma.
Decree (Webster) = an order usually having the force of law; a religious
ordinance enacted by council or titular head; An edict or law made by a
council for regulating any business within their jurisdiction. In general, an
order, edict or law made by a superior as a rule to govern inferiors (Luke 2:1)
Dogma is used of certain decrees of the apostles relative to right living (see
Acts 16:4)
Dogma can refer to something that is taught as an established tenet or
statement of belief (dogma).
Dogma was especially used in ancient Rome to describe the public decrees of
the Roman Senate.

9. Dogma is used 5 times in the NT and is translated: decree, 1; decrees, 3;
ordinances, 1. Dogma is found in the Septuagint (LXX) only in Daniel (Da
2:13; 3:10, 12, 29; 4:6; 6:8ff, 12f, 15, 26)
Luke 2:1 Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus, that a
census be taken of all the inhabited earth.
Acts 16:4 Now while they were passing through the cities, they were delivering
the decrees which had been decided upon by the apostles and elders who were
in Jerusalem, for them to observe.
Acts 17:7 and Jason has welcomed them, and they all act contrary to the
decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus."
Ephesians 2:15 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,
Colossians 2:14-note having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of
decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way,
having nailed it to the cross.
The law consisted of decrees or commands. Dogma is used for God’s laws and
the external precepts of the Mosaic Law. It referred to a legal obligation
which was a binding law or edict which was placed on a public place for all to
see.
In English, dogma means something held as an established opinion; a definite
authoritative tenet; code of authoritative tenets; doctrine or body of doctrines
concerning faith or morals formally stated and authoritatively proclaimed by
a church -- if one is "dogmatic" he is unduly and offensively positive in laying
down principles and expressing opinions
In the late Judaism of the first century AD, Philo and Josephus understood
the Mosaic law as a system of holy tenets, referred to as the dogmata of a
divine philosophy. As the most exalted of all systems, it was superior to the
doctrines of the rest of ancient philosophy.

10. The Law of Moses was a single legislative code which was in turn composed of
separate, formal commandments, which in turn consisted of dogmas or
decrees covering many, if not most, areas of life.
The Law did set up Israel as God’s chosen earthly people, but unfortunately
many Jews became arrogant and treated Gentiles with contempt. The Gentiles
responded with deep hostility, known all too well as anti-Semitism. And yes, it
still exists even in the Church of Jesus Christ!.
Wayne Barber explains what was abolished writing that…
The Law was divided into the moral law and the ceremonial law. He didn’t
abolish the moral law. That has always been here and is fulfilled when we
obey the Lord Jesus Christ (eg, Mt 5:18, 19-see notes Mt 5:18; 5:19). The
moral law says that we love God with all of our heart and our mind and our
strength, and we are to love one another (Ro 13:9, 10-see notes Ro 13:9;
13:10). That is always there and is morally built in. He did not make that
obsolete. He did not make that ineffective. What He did do was to render
ineffective the ceremonial law. It says here, the "commandments contained in
ordinances". In other words, what He did was put religion to death. No longer
could the Jew say, "Oh, I sacrifice. I go to the Temple. I worship on the
Sabbath. I do this. I do that. God loves me more than He loves you." Oh, no.
He took all the external stuff and threw it out. He says, "Now there is only one
way to God, and that’s through Me. You can’t work your way up the ladder."
(Ephesians 2:15-18 Christ the Author of Our Peace - 2)
John MacArthur has some instructive comments on this section writing
that…
The greatest barrier between Jew and Gentile was the ceremonial law, the
Law of commandments contained in ordinances. The feasts, sacrifices,
offerings, laws of cleanliness and purification, and all other such distinctive
outward commandments for the unique separation of Israel from the nations
were abolished. That God’s moral law was not abolished is clear from the
phrase contained in ceremonies. His moral law reflects His own holy nature
and therefore can never change (cf. Matt. 5:17, 18, 19)… All the ceremonial
laws which distinguished and separated Jews from Gentiles were obliterated.

11. Before Christ those groups could not eat together because of restricted foods,
required washings, and ceremonial contamination. Now they could eat
anything with anyone. Before Christ they could not worship together. A
Gentile could not fully worship in the Jewish Temple, and a Jew would not
worship in a pagan temple. In Christ they now worshiped together and needed
no temple or other sacred place to sanctify it. All ceremonial distinctions and
requirements were removed (cf. Acts 10:9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16; 11:17, 18;
Col. 2:16, 17), (MacArthur, J: Ephesians. Chicago: Moody Press)
SO THAT IN HIMSELF HE MIGHT MAKE THE TWO INTO ONE NEW
MAN: hina tous duo ktise (3SAAS) en auto eis ena kainon anthropon:
Colossians 1:22; Hebrews 10:19, 20, 21, 22
Galatians 3:10; Colossians 2:14, 20; Hebrews 7:16; 8:13; 9:9,10,23; 10:1-10
Ep 4:16; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 6:15; Colossians 3:10
Ephesians 2 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries
Ephesians 2:11-22 Our Biography In Brief - Steven Cole
Ephesians 2:13-15 The Unity of the Body, Part 2 - John MacArthur
So that (2443) (hina) introduces a purpose clause.
In Himself - He is the medium or means of reconciliation.
Make - more literally "create". This work was a new creation on a new
foundation with the cornerstone being Christ Himself.
He might make (2936) (ktizo) was a word meaning to create something out of
nothing such as God in the act of creation of the universe, but in the present
context referring to a spiritual creation, the church, an entity that had never
existed prior to this time. In fact, there is no mention of the church in the Old
Testament, although many commentators who espouse a non-literal
interpretation of Scripture, have wrongly interpreted many of the promises
God specifically gave to Israel as being applicable to the church.

12. Paul had just used the same verb, ktizo, pointing to the saints, each one
representing God's new creation in Christ.
For we are His workmanship, created (ktizo) in Christ Jesus for good works,
which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. (see note
Ephesians 2:10)
Paul uses ktizo two more times in Ephesians, the first referring to God's
creation of the universe…
To me, the very least of all saints, this grace was given, to preach to the
Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ, and to bring to light what is the
administration of the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God, who
created (ktizo) all things (see notes Ephesians 3:8, 3:9)
(Paul instructs the Ephesian saints to) put on the new self, which in the
likeness of God has been created (ktizo) in righteousness and holiness of the
truth. (see note Ephesians 4:24)
Two (1417) (duo) is the cardinal number 2 here referring to the "duo" of Jew
and Gentile now joined together.
One (1520) (heis) is the cardinal numeral one and in this verse defines that
which is united as one in contrast to being divided or consisting of separate
parts. Heis speaks of oneness, unity and identity, Jew and Gentile united in
position and privilege. Now race and national distinctions disappear as Paul
explained to the Galatians writing that…
There is neither Jew nor Greek (Gentile), there is neither slave nor free man,
there is neither male nor female; for you are all one (heis) in Christ Jesus.
(Galatians 3:28)
New (2537) (kainos) means new in kind or quality, unprecedented, unheard
of, new in sense that it brings into the world a new quality of thing which did
not exist before.
Net Bible Notes - In this context the author is not referring to a new
individual, but instead to a new corporate entity united in Christ… This is
clear from the comparison made between the Gentiles and Israel in the

13. immediately preceding verses and the assertion in Ephesians 2:14 that Christ
“made both groups into one.” This is a different metaphor than the “new
man” of Eph 4:24; in that passage the “new man” refers to the new life a
believer has through a relationship to Christ. (The NET Bible Notes. Biblical
Studies Press)
Kainos signifies qualitatively new in contrast to néos which indicates
temporally new or new with respect to age. Neos is new simply in point of
time; a thing which is neos has come into existence recently, but there may
well have been thousands of the same thing in existence before. A pencil
produced in the factory this week is neos, but there already exist millions
exactly like it. Kainos on the other hand is new in point of quality, new in
sense that it brings into the world a new quality of thing which did not exist
before.
In the present context the thing which had never existed was believing Jew
and believing Gentile together as one entity.
In rabbinic Judaism, a pagan Gentile coming to know God is thought of as if
he had been created by whoever helped him to attain knowledge of God
Kainos denotes the new and miraculous condition that is emphasized
especially in the church age. Thus we see kainos as a key term in
eschatological statements -- the new heaven and earth in Rev 21:1; 2Pe 3:13-
note, new Jerusalem in Rev 3:12; 21:2, new wine in Mk 14:25, the new name
in Rev 2:17; 3:12, the new song in Rev 5:9, the new creation in Rev 21:5. This
new creation, which is the goal of hope, finds expression in Christian life
(2Cor 5:17). The new aeon has come with Christ. In him Jews and Gentiles
are one new man (Eph 2:15). Believers are to put on the new nature that they
are given (Ep 4:24-note). God’s saving will is worked out in the promised new
covenant that Jesus has established (Lk 22:20; 1Cor 11:25; He 8:8-notes.; He
9:15-note). This is a better covenant (He 7:22-note), infallible (Hebrews 8:7),
everlasting (Heb 13:20-note), grounded on higher promises (He 8:6-note). The
fact that the old and the new cannot be mixed (Mk. 2:21, 22) stresses the
element of distinctiveness. The new commandment of love has its basis in
Christ’s own love (Jn 13:34).

14. One new man - Corporately not individually. In other words, this truth in this
context refers to Christ's body, the church, which is in turn composed of
individual new creations in Christ (cf 2Cor 5:17). Note that God is not making
a new world, but a new man. God makes no attempt to improve world
conditions by repairing the old systems, but He replaces the old, earthly
nationalisms by a new order whose citizenship is of heaven.
Paul summed up this new entity (one new man) when he said,
“For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is
Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call upon Him; for ‘Whoever will
call upon the name of the Lord will be saved’ ” (Ro 10:12-13).
MacDonald explains that…
The church is new in the sense that it is a kind of organism that never existed
before. It is important to see this. The NT church is not a continuation of the
Israel of the OT. It is something entirely distinct from anything that has
preceded it or that will ever follow it. This should be apparent from the
following:
1. It is new that a Gentile should have equal rights and privileges with a Jew.
2. It is new that both Jews and Gentiles should lose their national identities by
becoming Christians.
3. It is new that Jews and Gentiles should be fellow members of the Body of
Christ.
4. It is new that a Jew should have the hope of reigning with Christ instead of
being a subject in His kingdom.
5. It is new that a Jew should no longer be under the law.
The church is clearly a new creation, with a distinct calling and a distinct
destiny, occupying a unique place in the purposes of God. (MacDonald, W &
Farstad, A. Believer's Bible Commentary: Thomas Nelson)
Clement of Alexandria wrote

15. “We who worship God in a new way, as the third race, are Christians.”
The Epistle of Diogenes calls believers “this new race.”
In Christ there is no East or West,
In Him no South or North,
But one great fellowship of love
Throughout the whole wide earth.
John Oxenham
Chrysostom gives a striking illustration…
"Let us imagine that there are two statues, one of silver and the other of lead,
and then that both shall be melted down, and the two shall come out gold. So
thus He has made the two one.”
Eadie explains one new man this way…
One new man—both races being now enabled to realize the true end of
humanity; Gentile and Jew not so joined that old privilege is merely divided
among them. The Gentile is not elevated to the position of the Jew—a position
which he might have obtained by becoming a proselyte under the law; but Jew
and Gentile together are both raised to a higher platform than the
circumcision ever enjoyed. The Jew profits by the repeal of the law, as well as
the Gentile. Now he needs to provide no sacrifice, for the One victim has bled;
the fires of the altar may be smothered, for the Lamb of God has been
offered; the priest, throwing off his sacred vestments, may retire to weep over
a torn veil and shattered temple, for Jesus has passed through the heaven
“into the presence of God for us;” the water of the “brazen sea” may be
poured out, for believers enjoy the washing of regeneration; and the lamps of
the golden candelabrum have flickered and died, for the church enjoys the
enlightening influences of the Holy Spirit. Spiritual blessing in itself, and not
merely pictured in type, is possessed by the Jew as well as the Gentile. (John
Eadie, D., LL.D. The Epistle of St Paul to the Ephesians - Online)
THUS ESTABLISHING PEACE: poion (PAPMSN) eirenen:

16. Ep 4:16; 2Cor 5:17; Gal 6:15; Col 3:10
Ephesians 2 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries
Ephesians 2:11-22 Our Biography In Brief - Steven Cole
Ephesians 2:13-15 The Unity of the Body, Part 2 - John MacArthur
Establishing (4160) (poieo) means to make or produce. The present tense
speaks of the continual effect to make peace between Jew and Gentile at all
times and seasons because the barriers that separated them have been torn
down at the Cross. All are on equal footing at the foot of His Cross.
Peace (1515) (eirene from the verb eiro = to bind or join together what is
broken or divided) means in essence to set at one again or join together that
which is separated. In secular Greek eirene described the cessation or absence
of war. Christ has established peace between Jew and Gentile by removing the
cause of hostility, by imparting a new Spirit indwelt nature, and by creating a
new union, the body of Christ. The Cross of Christ is God’s answer to racial
discrimination, segregation, anti-Semitism, bigotry, and every form of strife
between men. Paul relates this same truth in Colossians affirming that the
saints have…
put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the
image of the One who created him--a renewal in which there is no distinction
between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian,
Scythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is all, and in all. (see notes Colossians
3:10, 3:11) - see especially
Lightfoot paraphrases (Col 3:11) as follows “Christ is all things and in all
things. Christ has dispossessed and obliterated all distinctions of religious
prerogative and intellectual preeminence and social caste; Christ has
substituted Himself for all these; Christ occupies the whole sphere of human
life and permeates all its developments.” (Lightfoot).
Hendriksen sums "Christ is all and in all" (Col 3:11) commenting that
"Christ, as the all-sufficient Lord and Savior, is all that matters. His Spirit-
mediated indwelling in all believers, of whatever racial-religious, cultural, or

17. social background they be, guarantees the creation and gradual perfection in
each and in all of “the new man, who is being renewed for full knowledge
according to the image of him who created him.” Thus, most appropriately,
the very theme of the entire letter, namely, “Christ, the Pre-eminent One, the
Only and All-Sufficient Savior,” climaxes this passage." (Hendriksen, W., &
Kistemaker, S. J. New Testament Commentary Set, 12 Volumes. Grand
Rapids: Baker Book House)
Wayne Barber has an interesting discussion of what Jesus did when He
abolished "in His flesh the enmity"…
The word "abolished" is katargeo. That is the word that means to make
useless, to render ineffective. He gave them a brand new way. Jesus abolished
the Law.
He said it was an enmity. The word "enmity" here in this context means the
cause of enmity. What was the cause of enmity between the Jew and the
Gentile? It was their Laws and their observances, which they thought made
them more spiritual than anybody else and had become their source of pride.
Jesus put an end to the cause of the hatred that existed between the Jews and
the Gentiles. How did He do it?
It says, "by abolishing in His flesh the enmity" There are two things that are
brought into that.
First, by living a sinless life, Jesus fulfilled the Law, which no man could do.
Once He fulfilled it, He was qualified to take it from there…
For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did:
sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin,
He condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the requirement of the Law
might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according
to the Spirit. (See notes Romans 8:3; 8:4)
Not only that, when He took sin upon Himself, He satisfied the curse of the
Law. He became a curse for us.
"CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO HANGS ON A TREE " [Gal 3:13]"

18. The Scripture says. The curse of the Law was satisfied, therefore, rendering
the Law ineffective when a person comes to Jesus Christ [Ro 7:1-6]. The
person who rejects Jesus is guilty of all points of the Law. If a person comes to
Christ, the Law has no effect whatsoever in his life to ever condemn him
again. In Christ we find the fulfillment of that Law [Ro 8:3-4]. We find what
we are looking for, that is the oneness that we need with God.
In effect, what Jesus did when He came He lived the sinless life and went to
the cross and made the Law obsolete and rendered it ineffective. What He also
accomplished did was that He took all the Jewish customs ("the dividing
walls") and all the Jewish observances and made them useless. Jesus put an
end to external religion and replaced it with an internal relationship with the
Father through Himself.
When He established peace, the Jew could not say, "Ah, but we honor the
Sabbath." Jesus says, "What Sabbath?" "Oh, we have a dividing wall." Jesus
would say, "What dividing wall?" The Gentiles on one hand ended paganism
when they came to Christ, and the Jews had to end "religionism" when they
came to Christ. You see, sin is sin. All of the external things they were doing
that separated them from the Gentiles made them feel that pride that God put
to death on the cross. He has brought in something now that is absolutely
brand new. He removed the barriers to our peace.
But do you know what people have done? They don’t want to relate to Jesus
and have peace with Him. Therefore, they come up with the exact same thing
the Jews did. If you want to know what you are like in the flesh and what I am
like in the flesh, study Israel. They are a picture of the vine of flesh in the Old
Testament. They had to have everything external. They had no internal
relationship with God. God said, "I have come in and made a new order. I
didn’t raise the Gentiles up to the level of the Jews. I didn’t lower the Jews to
the level of the Gentiles. I raised them both up into a brand new man, brand
new to this world. The world doesn’t have a clue about us."
If you will think about it, some of the biggest problems we will ever face as a
church are organizational problems. They will be external things that have
nothing to do with the Word of God. I am going to tell you something, folks.

19. May God deliver us from ever having the shackles of what this world does to
govern what people think the church of Jesus Christ is. We are not an
organization. We are an organism, which by necessity organizes itself. We are
not here for the sake of organization. We are here for the sake of the
organism, the body of Jesus. Folks, that means God could care less about how
many people we have in Sunday School if we are not living daily that internal
relationship with Him. Watch us in the conflicts of life. Watch how we raise
our children. Watch how we deal when things go wrong in our family. Listen,
I would rather have somebody who didn’t have a clue about how to organize
but who was filled with the Holy Spirit of God and exemplified the character
of Jesus in everything that he did.
That’s what Jesus did. He raised us out of this thing. He took away
"religionism" from the Jew, paganism from the Gentile and raised us up to a
brand new standard, a person who is a mystery to this world; a person filled
with the Spirit of God, a person who has a divine relationship who walks in
peace with God. As a result of that, he walks in peace with men. If you are not
living in that relationship of grace which effects peace, then you have a
contentious relationship with someone, and that contention is tied to that
which Jesus made obsolete on the cross.
If you’ve got contention in your heart towards anybody, the key is very clear.
Jesus has come to be the very essence of your peace with God. He is the
enabler of your peace with man. You can’t come to me. You had better go to
Him and get it right with Him [Ro 12:14,17-21]. Once you get it right with
Him, He will enable you to get it right with man. It never says man will get it
back right with you. Oh, he may spit in your face. Jesus died forgiving all
men, and some people still spit in His face. It is a cycle that goes full circle. But
we are to forgive one another and be at peace with one another. Why?
Because Jesus is the essence of our peace with God, the enabler of our peace
with man. (CHRIST, THE AUTHOR OF OUR PEACE, PT 1)
Ephesians 2:16 and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the
cross, by it having put to death the enmity. (NASB: Lockman)

20. Greek: kai apokatallaxe (3SAAS) tous amphoterous en eni somati to theo dia
tou staurou, apokteinas (AAPMSN) ten echthran en auto.
Amplified: And [He designed] to reconcile to God both [Jew and Gentile,
united] in a single body by means of His cross, thereby killing the mutual
enmity and bringing the feud to an end. (Amplified Bible - Lockman)
NET: and to reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by
which the hostility has been killed. (NET Bible)
NLT: Together as one body, Christ reconciled both groups to God by means
of his death, and our hostility toward each other was put to death. (NLT -
Tyndale House)
Phillips: For he reconciled both to God by the sacrifice of one body on the
cross, and by this act made utterly irrelevant the antagonism between them.
(Phillips: Touchstone)
Wuest: and in order that He might reconcile the both in one body to God
through the Cross, having put to death the enmity by it,
Young's Literal: and might reconcile both in one body to God through the
cross, having slain the enmity in it,
AND MIGHT RECONCILE THEM BOTH IN ONE BODY TO GOD: kai
apokatallaxe (3SAAS) tous amphoterous en eni somati to theo:
Romans 5:10; 2Corinthians 5:18, 19, 20, 21; Colossians 1:21, 22
Ephesians 2 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries
Ephesians 2:11-22 Our Biography In Brief - Steven Cole
Ephesians 2:16-22 The Unity of the Body, Part 3 - John MacArthur
RECONCILIATION
OF JEWS & GENTILES
Might reconcile (604) (apokatallasso from apó = from or state to be left behind
+ katallasso = reconcile <> from katá = an intensifier + allásso = change <>) is

21. an intensified reconciliation (stronger than katallasso) and pictures the total,
complete, and full restoration of the relationship of disturbed peace. One
might paraphrase it that Christ "might reconcile thoroughly them both."
The idea inherent in reconcile is to take enemies and change them to friends.
From…
Enemy
To
Amity!
Vincent remarks that "The verb contains a hint of restoration to a primal
unity."
Donald Barnhouse on the Greek idea of reconcile - The Greek word
translated “reconciled” comes from the world of the moneychanger. If you
give two dimes and a nickel in exchange for a quarter, or vice versa, you have
made an equal exchange. This was the original meaning of the word as used
by Aristotle and others. Later the word was used for the adjustment of a
difference in business dealings, and finally for a difference between two
personalities who had become estranged. The transition from the material to
the emotional and psychological was made, and the word was used as in
Shakespeare’s Richard III: “I desire to reconcile me to his friendly peace.”
(See the full message Romans 5:9-10 Reconciliation)
S Lewis Johnson illustrates reconciliation writing that…
When we think of an illustration in the New Testament, one of the
illustrations that comes to my mind is the parable of the forgiving father,
often called the parable of the prodigal son (See Luke 15:11-32). But the
important person in the parable is not the son, the important person is the
father. That’s the way we do, we tend to want to look at things so selfishly that
by the time we read one of the Lord’s parables we’ve turned it around and
made it something else. In the parable of the forgiving father, the father with
the two sons, one of whom is the prodigal and the other is the one who stayed
at home, in that parable, the climax of the parable is when the father sees the

22. son finally returning, and races down the road in order to fall upon his neck.
It’s Jesus Christ’s picture of God. And the picture of the return of the
prodigal, who forgives beforehand – who has already forgiven – is the picture
of the reconciliation of the Jew to God and the Gentile to God, and of both
together to the Lord God.
“That he might reconcile both to one God in one body.”
We often think of God as a God Who requires that we do certain things before
he will love us. But that is so foolish. The Bible does not present to us a God
before whom we must do certain things in order for Him to love us. The Bible
presents a God Who has loved us before, and has given the Son as the
redeeming sacrifice in order to save His people. Sometimes we sing Wesley’s
“Arise my Soul, Arise (if this up tempo version of Charles Wesley's 1742
hymn doesn't put a song in your heart, I don't know what will!).” It has a
stanza that goes,
“My God is reconciled, his pardoning voice I hear.” (play)
Occasionally, in order to stress the fact that it is not God Who needs
reconciliation but man who needs reconciliation – you’ll notice the text in
verse 16 says “and that he might reconcile both unto God,” – we changed the
first line of the hymn,
“To God I’m reconciled, his pardoning voice I hear.”
I think that’s much more harmonious with Scripture. (pdf)
The Greeks spoke of people in opposition to each other being “reconciled” or
being made friends again. When people change from being at enmity with
each other to being at peace, they are said to be reconciled. The root verb
katallasso meant to legally reconcile two disputing parties in court and in the
New Testament is used of a believer’s reconciliation with God through Jesus
Christ.
See Reconciliation - From Enmity to Amity for numerous illustrations and
stories regarding the powerful truth of reconciliation, not only between God
and men, but between men and men.

23. Reconciliation takes someone who is hostile towards someone else, and
changes that into a friendly relationship. This word means to change
thoroughly. The double use of prepositions as prefixes (apo, kata) emphasizes
the totality of the reconciliation.
There are only 2 other uses of apokatallasso in the NT, Colossians 1:20 and
1:22…
Colossians 1:18 (see notes) He is also head of the body, the church; and He is
the beginning, the first-born from the dead; so that He Himself might come to
have first place in everything. 19 For it was the Father's good pleasure for all
the fulness to dwell in Him, 20 and through Him to reconcile all things to
Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I
say, whether things on earth or things in heaven. 21 And although you were
formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds, 22 yet He has
now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you
before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach-- 23 if indeed you
continue in the faith firmly established and steadfast, and not moved away
from the hope of the gospel that you have heard, which was proclaimed in all
creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, was made a minister.
It is important to emphasize that God never needed to be reconciled to man
because He never hated us. God so loved the world that He sent His only
begotten Son. Sinful man however was separated from and hostile toward
God and needed to be reconciled to Him. The work of Christ on the cross
provided a righteous basis by which hateful sinners could be brought into His
presence as friends! Amazing love!
And Can It Be?
And can it be that I should gain —
An interest in the Savior’s blood? —
Died He for me, who caused His pain— —
For me, who Him to death pursued?
Amazing love! How can it be, —

24. That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me? —
Amazing love! How can it be, —
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?
(Charles Wesley - play hymn - beautiful chorale version)
Vincent also comments that "The compounded preposition apo gives the force
of back, hinting at restoration to a primal unity… (Writing on the root word
katallasso Vincent says) “The verb (katallasso) means primarily to exchange,
and hence to change the relation of hostile parties into a relation of peace; to
reconcile. It is used of both mutual and one-sided enmity. In the former case,
the context must show on which side is the active enmity. In the Christian
sense, the change in the relation of God and man effected through Christ. This
involves (1) a movement of God toward man with a view to break down man’s
hostility, to commend God’s love and holiness to him, and to convince him of
the enormity and the consequence of sin. It is God who initiates this
movement in the person and work of Jesus Christ. See Ro 5:6, 8; 2Cor 5:18,
19 Eph 1:6 1Jn 4:19). Hence the passive form of the verb here: we were made
subjects of God’s reconciling act. (2) a corresponding movement on man’s
part toward God; yielding to the appeal of Christ’s self-sacrificing love, laying
aside his enmity, renouncing his sin, and turning to God in faith and
obedience. (3) a consequent change of character in man: the covering,
forgiving, cleansing of his sin; a thorough revolution in all his dispositions and
principles. (4) a corresponding change of relation on God’s part, that being
removed which alone rendered Him hostile to man, so that God can now
receive him into fellowship and let loose upon him all His fatherly love and
grace (1Jn1:3, v7). Thus there is complete reconciliation.” (Word Studies)
Apokatallasso pictures the bringing together of friends who have been
estranged. Through Christ, man's enmity toward God is changed to one of
friendship, and the enmity of Jew and Gentile for each other also is changed
from hostility to friendship.
Wuest has an interesting thought writing that "The verb, apokatallasso,
because of its prefixed preposition apo which gives it the force of back, hints

25. at a restoration to a primal unity, that unity being the unity of the human race
before God brought in the Jew as a separate and distinct nation, not
numbered amongst the other nations. That is, Jew and Gentile in Christ Jesus,
restored to a primal unity where there was neither Jew nor Gentile, are now
reconciled to God… The “enmity” of Ephesians 2:15 is defined in its context
as that between Jew and Gentile, for the purpose of God was to reconcile these
two. The “enmity” of Ephesians 2:16 is that between the sinner and God, for
His purpose was to reconcile both Jew and Gentile in one body to Himself.
Barnes writes that "This was another of the effects of the work of redemption,
and indeed the main effect. It was not merely to make them harmonious, but
it was that both, who had been alienated from God, should be reconciled to
him. This was a different effect from that of producing peace between
themselves, though in some sense the one grew out of the other. They who are
reconciled to God will be at peace with each other. They will feel that they are
of the same family, and are all brethren. (Albert Barnes. Barnes NT
Commentary)
Both (297) (amphoteros from ámpho = both, the two) refers to each of two.
One (1520) (heis) means united as one in contrast to divided. So not only does
the Cross of Christ effect reconciliation between Jew and Gentile but also of
both of these groups of believers to God.
KJV Bible Commentary notes that "Previously there had been a state of
alienation, estrangement, and enmity, but there has been a change of relations
both Godward and manward. Christ has harmonized both the factional and
the fractional divisions of mankind. (KJV Bible Commentary: Nelson)
Body (4983) (soma) refers to the organized whole made up of the parts. In this
case it refers to the church, Christ's bride and spiritual body, composed of
believing Jews and Gentiles.
Ephesians gives more attention to and makes loftier statements about the
church than any other letter, despite the fact that the specific Greek word for
church (ekklesia) occurs only three times outside the husband-wife analogy in
Ephesians 5.

26. A T Robertson rightly observes that in this section of Ephesians "Paul piles up
metaphors (see note) to express his idea of the Kingdom of God with Christ as
King (the church, the body, the commonwealth of Israel, oneness, one new
man in Christ, fellow-citizens, the family of God, the temple of God)." (Word
Pictures)
THROUGH THE CROSS: dia tou staurou:
Ep 2:15; Romans 6:6; 8:3,7; Galatians 2:20; Colossians 2:14; 1Peter 4:1,2
Ephesians 2 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries
Ephesians 2:11-22 Our Biography In Brief - Steven Cole
Ephesians 2:16-22 The Unity of the Body, Part 3 - John MacArthur
Through (1223) (dia) speaks of the instrument (in this case the Cross) through
which a result was effected or brought to pass. It is through the working of the
cross in the lives of individuals that God transforms them from being enemies
to friends. The response that we have to that is the response of gratitude.
When I Survey the Wondrous Cross
by Isaac Watts
(play this powerful vocal version by Kathryn Scott)
When I survey the wondrous cross
On which the Prince of glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss,
And pour contempt on all my pride.

Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast,
Save in the death of Christ my God!
All the vain things that charm me most,

27. I sacrifice them to His blood.

See from His head, His hands, His feet,
Sorrow and love flow mingled down!
Did e’er such love and sorrow meet,
Or thorns compose so rich a crown?

His dying crimson, like a robe,
Spreads o’er His body on the tree;
Then I am dead to all the globe,
And all the globe is dead to me.

Were the whole realm of nature mine,
That were a present far too small;
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my soul, my life, my all.
Cross (4716) (stauros) is and upright pointed stake often intersected by a
crossbeam. Before the manner of Jesus’ death caused the cross to symbolize
the very heart of the Christian faith, the Greek word for cross referred
primarily to a pointed stake used in rows to form the walls of a defensive
stockade. It also was originally an upright stake to which the corpse of an
executed criminal was bound for public display or on which the living body of
a condemned person was affixed to await death. Such stakes came to be
eventually fitted with crossbeams as instruments of humiliation, torture, and
execution for persons convicted as enemies of the state (foreign soldiers, rebels
and spies, for example) or of civil criminals (such as robbers). Thus the Cross

28. came to refer to an instrument of capital punishment and as such was one of
the most dreadful and agonizing means of torture known.
The Cross was viewed a shameful, dishonorable mode of death among men.
This mode of punishment was known to the Persians (Ezra 6:11; Esther 7:10)
and the Carthaginians. However, it was most common among the Romans
where it was used for punishing slaves and criminals. Crucifixion was
introduced among the Jews by the Romans. It was not abolished until the time
of Constantine who did so out of regard for Christianity. Persons sentenced to
be crucified were first scourged and then made to bear their own crossbar
(not the whole cross) to the place of execution where an upright stake was
already in place. A label or title was usually placed on the chest of or over the
criminal. When the victim was affixed to the cross, he was stripped and
mocked. His arms were affixed to the crossbar with ropes or nails, and the
crossbar was then raised and attached to the upright stake. A small wooden
block attached to the stake beneath the buttocks supported the weight of the
suspended body, which was bound to the stake with ropes. Often the feet were
also affixed to the stake with ropes or nails. Because deterrence was a primary
objective, the cross was always erected in a public place. Death came slowly,
often only after several days, and resulted from the cumulative impact of
thirst, hunger, exhaustion, exposure, and the traumatic effects of the
scourging. After death the body was usually left hanging on the cross to decay
and become food for scavengers. Because of the extreme pain, the protracted
suffering and the deep ignominy of this manner of execution, it was viewed by
the Romans as the supreme penalty, the ‘most wretched of deaths’ wrote
Josephus, and was generally reserved for the lowest classes and the most
heinous crimes. As you might imagine in the first century AD crucifixion
served as one of the strongest of deterrents against rebellion, insurrection or
political agitation in the Roman provinces.
Paul explains that that on the Cross "God was in Christ reconciling
(katallasso) the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them,
and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation." (2 Cor 5:19)
BY IT HAVING PUT TO DEATH THE ENMITY: apokteinas (AAPMSN)
ten echthran en auto:

29. Ephesians 2 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries
Ephesians 2:11-22 Our Biography In Brief - Steven Cole
Ephesians 2:16-22 The Unity of the Body, Part 3 - John MacArthur
Having put to death (615) (apokteino from apó = intensifies meaning + kteíno
= slay) means to kill outright or to put to death in any manner. To kill
someone results in a state of separation. The aorist tense speaks of an
effective, completed action in the past. Through Christ's Crucifixion, God
killed the enmity, utterly putting an end to this hostility that separated men
from each other and from God.
Apokteino - 74x in 70v - kill(33), killed(29), killing(1), kills(5), put… to
death(2), put to death(4).
Matt 10:28; 14:5; 16:21; 17:23; 21:35, 38f; 22:6; 23:34, 37; 24:9; 26:4; Mark
3:4; 6:19; 8:31; 9:31; 10:34; 12:5, 7f; 14:1; Luke 9:22; 11:47ff; 12:4f; 13:4, 31,
34; 18:33; 20:14f; John 5:18; 7:1, 19f, 25; 8:22, 37, 40; 11:53; 12:10; 16:2;
18:31; Acts 3:15; 7:52; 21:31; 23:12, 14; 27:42; Rom 7:11; 11:3; 2 Cor 3:6;
Eph 2:16; 1 Thess 2:15; Rev 2:13, 23; 6:8, 11; 9:5, 15, 18, 20; 11:5, 7, 13;
13:10, 15; 19:21
Enmity (2189) (echthra from echthros = enemy, hostile) means hostility, a
reason for opposition, enmity, hatred. Enmity suggests positive hatred which
may be open or concealed whereas hostility suggests an enmity showing itself
in attacks or aggression.
As Johnson explains…
Now when he says he has slain the enmity he means that the Lord Jesus has
taken upon Himself the judgment that the broken law required, that He has
paid to the full for the people of God. And that’s why the people of God go
free: their penalty has been paid. Therefore, heaven can exact no further
penalty, and we must remember that. Everything was procured for us by the
work of the Lord Jesus Christ – forgiveness of sins, reconciliation to God,
propitiation for sins – all secured by the cross. (pdf)

30. Our Daily Bread - Just a Glimpse…
Travelers who drive across the flat landscape of Groom, Texas, are surprised
by an unexpected sight. Looming up against the sky is a cross 190 feet high.
That giant symbol of the Christian faith was erected by Steve Thomas in the
prayerful hope that the thoughts of anyone who sees it might be turned to
Jesus. When his handiwork was finished and dedicated, he said, "We want
some converts out of this."
All Christians are grateful when a nonbeliever's attention is drawn to Jesus
Christ and the cross. The awareness may be fleeting, but who can predict
what even a split-second reaction may mean to an immortal soul? Suddenly a
sinful person may begin to wonder why Jesus died on the cross. This may
prompt him to seek answers from the Bible or from Christians he may know.
What about us as Christians? As we hurry along through life's often dreary
landscape, are we grateful for any reminder of our Father's love that sent His
Son to die? Through the cross, Jesus has reconciled us to God and given us
His peace (Ephesians 2:14,16). Take some time today to reflect on the meaning
of the cross, and let it flood your heart with praise to the Savior. —Vernon C
Grounds (Our Daily Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI.
Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved)
Once from the realms of infinite glory,
Down to the depths of our ruin and loss,
Jesus came, seeking—O Love's sweet story—
Came to the manger, the shame, and the cross. —Strickland

To know the meaning of the cross, you must know the One who died there


Ephesians 2:11-15: CHRIST, THE AUTHOR OF OUR PEACE —PART 1

31. by Dr. Wayne Barber
Return to TOP of page
The title of this study is Christ, the Author of Our Peace. In our last study we
tried to understand where the Gentile nations came from. They were called
foreigners in the Old Testament. They were strangers. That word appears in
Isaiah. Then through the New Testament we find the word "Gentile." In verse
11, Paul writes,
"Therefore remember that formerly you, the Gentiles in the flesh."
The word "Gentiles" is the word ethnos. It’s the word we get the word
"ethnic" from. We get the idea of different languages, different cultures, and
different peoples.
Of course, we know where that came from. The Gentile nations with all of
their languages came in Genesis 11. The world had repopulated after the
flood, and men had become very proud, due to the depravity of man. Sin had
entered through Adam. They got worse and worse. God, before the
foundation of the world, had already foreordained our salvation. He had
already planned. He knew what was going to take place. The Lamb was ready
even before the world was created. Man’s sin did not catch God by surprise.
However, God scattered the people in Genesis 11.
Now you know why many of the liberal schools in our country want to get rid
of Genesis 1-11. If you knock out Genesis 1-11, you don’t have anything on
which to base the rest of scripture. Genesis 1-11 is the very basis for all of
scripture.
In Genesis 11, God scattered them and confused their languages. The whole
world was made up of pagan Gentile people. There was no such thing as a
Jew. There was no such thing as Israel. In Genesis 12 God began to reveal
what He was up to. Out of the Gentile nations, particularly Ur [Babylon], He
reached right down in the Middle East, and pulled a man out by the name of
Abram, whose name he changed to Abraham. In Genesis 17 we read that

32. 1...when Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to Abram and
said to him, "I am God Almighty; Walk before Me, and be blameless. 2 "And
I will establish My covenant between Me and you, and I will multiply you
exceedingly." 3 And Abram fell on his face, and God talked with him, saying,
4 "As for Me, behold, My covenant is with you, and you shall be the father of
a multitude of nations. 5 "No longer shall your name be called Abram, but
your name shall be Abraham; for I will make you the father of a multitude of
nations. 6 "And I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make nations
of you, and kings shall come forth from you. 7 "And I will establish My
covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you throughout
their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your
descendants after you. 8 "And I will give to you and to your descendants after
you, the land of your sojournings, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting
possession; and I will be their God."
"Abraham, I want a covenant with you. Through you, I’m going to bring a
nation, and through that nation will come a seed."
Galatians 3:16 completes that thought and tells us that the seed is Jesus
Christ.
"Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say,
"And to seeds," as referring to many, but rather to one, "And to your seed,"
that is, Christ."
It will be through that seed that all the nations of this world, including Israel,
will be blessed.
Well, the covenant was passed on to Isaac (Ge 26:3)
"Sojourn in this land and I will be with you and bless you, for to you and to
your descendants I will give all these lands, and I will establish the oath which
I swore to your father Abraham.
It was passed on to Jacob (Ge28:13-15; 35:11-12);
28:13 And behold, the LORD stood above it and said, "I am the LORD, the
God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie,

33. I will give it to you and to your descendants. 14 "Your descendants shall also
be like the dust of the earth, and you shall spread out to the west and to the
east and to the north and to the south; and in you and in your descendants
shall all the families of the earth be blessed. 15 "And behold, I am with you,
and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I
will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you."
Ge 35:11 God also said to him, "I am God Almighty; Be fruitful and multiply;
A nation and a company of nations shall come from you, And kings shall come
forth from you. 12 "And the land which I gave to Abraham and Isaac, I will
give it to you, And I will give the land to your descendants after you."

Jacob’s name was changed to Israel, and Israel had twelve sons. Those twelve
sons became the twelve tribes of the nation of Israel. Through that nation
would come the seed. Jesus Christ would be born of a virgin, Mary, who is a
descendant of David of the tribe of Judah. Obviously, the prophecy would be
fulfilled. Jesus would come. Eph1:7 tells us that He would shed His blood to
redeem us from the slave block of sin. God had that plan before the
foundation of the world. Paul’s point in chapter 2 is to let the Gentile believers
know that they are a part of everything that God had promised. The focus had
been on Israel for all these centuries, but he wanted them to know they were a
part of the promise that was first given to Abraham. The Jew and the Gentile
are now one in Christ Jesus.
Paul points to the great gulf between the Gentiles and the Jews in verse 12.
Three things help you to realize the seriousness of the situation. First of all he
says in verse 12,
"remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from
the commonwealth of Israel,"
You see, the Gentile world was made up of this nation and that nation, which
had nothing in common with one another. Babylon and Greece and all the
different powers that rose up represented the Gentiles. They didn’t have
anything in common with one another except their own sin. Nothing bonded

34. them into a commonwealth like Israel. You see, they were excluded from any
Christ, any Messiah, any Deliverer. They had no hope in front of them. The
theologians of their day told them that every 3,000 years the world would
repopulate itself, and the cycle would start all over again. They lived for
nothing. There was nothing out there. There was no hope whatsoever for the
Gentile world. They were living separate from Christ.
However, Israel had the Messiah to look forward to. That bonded them into a
commonwealth. The word here for "commonwealth" is politeia. We get the
word "politics" from it. It’s the word for "citizen". It refers here to the
behavior of a community of people who have a common purpose. Their
common purpose was they believed a Deliverer would one day come, the
Messiah, the seed through which all nations would be blessed. That bonded
them together into a commonwealth. While many Jews might depart from
that, and did, they still had a remnant, (Click here for in depth study of
remnant) and that remnant continued to be bonded together with that
glorious hope of a Christ who would one day come. The Gentiles had no such
promise. They were excluded from any such purpose.
The second statement he makes there in verse 12 is,
"and strangers to the covenants of promise."
These covenants were the anchor that pointed to the faithfulness of a God to
deliver what He promised. The Gentiles had no anchor. They were sailors on a
captain less boat on uncharted seas.
The third thing he said in verse 12 is,
"having no hope and without God in the world."
The Gentiles had no "one" god [i.e., they were "polytheists"]. The Jews did.
They believed in Jehovah God Who would send His Son a Deliverer. The
Gentiles had none of this. They were idolatrous, pagan people. That’s why
God had excluded the Jews from associating with the Gentile world for so
many years. As a result, the Gentile world opposed the true God, accepted
false gods and were dominated by Satan as Eph 2:1-3 tell us so clearly. To say

35. it another way, the Gentile nations were outcasts from both human and divine
fellowship. The only thing they had in common was their sin.
Well, in verse 13, Paul has some good news for those Gentiles in Ephesus,
which he wanted them to understand. He says,
"But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought
near by the blood of Christ. "
Paul wants them to know that in Christ Jesus they have been brought near.
That is a beautiful, beautiful truth. It is almost as if Paul, a converted Jew
himself, is looking at the church, sees converted Gentiles and realizes that in
Christ there is no north, no south, no east, no west, no racial barriers, no
cultural or social barriers. He sees the church in oneness as the church ought
to be seen. He sees the church through the Lord Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 2:14 says,
"For He Himself is our peace"
That sets the stage for this study, Christ, the Author of our Peace. One of the
basic definitions of the word for "peace" is when two things cohere together.
"Oneness" and the word "peace" are very synonymous. When Jesus prayed
for oneness in John 17, that’s the flip side of what peace is all about. It’s when
nothing is in between that can conflict or irritate, first of all with God, and
secondly with man. Peace (Click here for in depth word study of peace) is that
oneness that we can have with God and that oneness we can have with one
another.
If you are looking for peace, you won’t find it in America. If you are looking
for peace and absence of conflict, you won’t find it in this world. You will find
it in the Lord Jesus Christ. That’s who we are supposed to honor every day.
Let’s talk about it for a minute.
First of all Christ Himself is the essence of our peace with God. Before we
start talking about the peace between the Jew and Gentile, we’ve got to talk
about the peace that man has with God. You cannot begin to have

36. relationships that are peaceful until first of all, your relationship with God is
one of peace.
Ephesians 2:14 says,
"For He Himself is our peace"
Turn back to Isaiah 9:6.
"For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government
will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor,
Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace."
Now we need to understand that. "Prince" means not only giver, but the one
who maintains it. He gives the peace, and He maintains the peace. The first
place that we find that peace needed is not with Jew and Gentile. It is with
man and God. That peace was disrupted when Adam sinned. Man was
separated from God, and was placed at enmity with God.
That is why Eph 2:1-3 is so important. Man was dead in his trespasses and in
his sins. There needed to be a reconciliation. However, the wages of sin is
death (Ro6:23). There was no man who was worthy who could pay the price
because there were "none righteous, no, not one." (Ro3:10) The Lord Jesus,
Who is the essence of God’s grace, came to this earth and died on the cross to
forgive us of our sin. When a man comes to understand that, he sees himself as
a sinner, bows down, and receives Jesus into his life as Lord and Savior.
Immediately peace is effected with the Father. Peace is never going to be there
until Jesus is in an individual’s life. Until a man has received God’s grace, he
will never know His peace. Look in Eph 1:2:
"Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. "
You see the first thing that must be received is God’s grace. God’s grace is
what God does to a man, in a man, for a man and through a man that a man
can’t do himself. God came down. Man could not ascend. He tried that in
Genesis 11. That’s where the nations came from. God came down as He told
Nicodemus in John 3. He came down to die for our sin. The greatest picture of

37. grace in all of Scripture is Jesus coming to die for our sin and shedding His
blood to redeem us off the slave block of bondage to sin.
When man receives God’s grace, then and only then can he be at peace with
the God that he has been estranged from since Adam’s sin.
So before you ever talk about peace with man, you’ve got to realize Jesus is
the essence of our peace with God. So often we do it the reverse. So often there
is a problem between two of us, and we try to major on our relationship to
make our relationship with God better. No, you major on your relationship
with God, and that makes your relationship with others what it ought to be.
Jesus is the essence of God’s peace, the essence of our peace with God.
That’s the first point I want to make. Paul is really not dealing with that at
this point. He has already dealt with it in chapter 1 and all the way down
through where we are. But when he says in verse 14, "For He Himself is our
peace " I just want to make sure you understand that it is with God first, long
before it’s with man.
The second thing I want you to see is He is the enabler of our peace with man.
You see, Christ establishes our peace with God. Once we have Christ in us, He
enables us to be at peace with man. What did Christ do that enabled peace
between the Jew and the Gentile? There was quite a gulf between them as we
have already read in verse 12. These Gentiles were called dogs. They had
nothing to do with the promises. They knew nothing about Christ. They knew
nothing of a true God. The focus had been on Israel from the book of Genesis
all the way through Acts 9. Now, what did Jesus do then to bring the two
groups together? Even in the Law they had been excluded from one another.
How did Jesus become the enabler of our peace with man? There are two
things that Jesus did to enable our peace man to man, Jew to Gentile if you
please. There was quite a gulf between them. If you can’t see a picture in this
of other relationships daily in our life, then you are missing what Paul is
bringing out. His concern is the Jew and the Gentile, but the application flows
into all relationships.

38. First of all, Christ removed the barriers to our peace. He removed the
barriers in verses 14 and 15. That’s what we want to concentrate on. Let’s
read it.
"For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke
down the barrier of the dividing wall "
Now this is important to understand.
What was the dividing wall?
Well, it refers to a wall that was ordered by God’s law in the Temple. The
Gentiles could not go beyond that wall. They could go inside the Temple to a
place called the Outer Court or the Court of the Gentiles, but they couldn’t go
beyond it. Actually, the wall was three walls thick if you want to be technical
about it. It wasn’t just that wall that faced the Court of the Gentiles. There
was another wall on the other side which housed the Court of Women, and
still another wall which was the Inner Court. So before you could actually get
into the place of worship, there were three walls that shut the Gentiles out. On
the wall there was an inscription that read, "Any foreigner, any stranger, any
Gentile that enters beyond this wall is under the penalty of death." They knew
they had been shut out from the worship experience of Israel. Israel
approached God through the Temple, and the Gentiles were shut away from
ever being able to approach God or to relate to Him on any basis whatsoever.
As a matter of fact, there is a sad testimony to the hardness of the Jews after
Jesus came. Here is Paul, preaching that the wall has been torn down. But the
Jews, those religious Jews who had rejected Jesus and shut Him out of their
lives, continued to hold to the belief that the wall was still there. Look back in
Acts 21:27-29, and we will see that. Ephesus, where he is writing this letter to,
is in Asia. Probably some Jews from Ephesus, the very people he is writing
this letter to, are mentioned here in Acts 21:27-29...
"When the seven days were almost over, the Jews from Asia, upon seeing him
in the temple, began to stir up all the crowd and laid hands on him, crying out,
"Men of Israel, come to our aid ! This is the man who preaches to all men
everywhere against our people and the Law and this place; [Paul never did

39. that. Paul simply opened up other people to it, and they thought they were
preaching against them] and besides he has even brought Greeks into the
temple and has defiled this holy place."
They accused him of taking a man by the name of Trophimus into the Temple.
Look at verse 29.
"For they had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with him,
and they supposed that Paul had brought him into the temple."
They accused him. They didn’t even know this for a fact, but they knew they
could get a case with the listening ears of those religious Jews who had
rejected Christ. They told them he had taken this Gentile behind the wall of
partition, the dividing wall, the barrier of the dividing wall,. You see, many of
the Jews, not all of them, but many of the Jews were just as evil in God’s sight
as the pagan Gentiles. They had made a horrible mistake.
You see, they had a privileged nearness to God because of God’s choice of
them. God had chosen Israel and because He had, the people born into that
nation had certain rights and privileges. It may not have been because they
sought after God, but because God had chosen them. They knew nothing of a
personal relationship with God, based on their choice of God. Do you see the
difference? As a result of this, that which was meant to exclude the Gentiles
for a time became the basis of hatred and discrimination of the Jew to the
Gentile. What they said was, "We have a wall. You see there. God loves us
better than He loves you. You can’t come in. We are better than you." So the
Gentile became as dogs to them. To mention the Gentiles as being a part of the
promise God had made to Abraham made the hair stand up and bristle on the
Jew’s neck. The Jew would say, "No way! These are inferior people! We are
racially, culturally and socially better people than they are. They couldn’t be a
part of God’s loving plan."
But when Christ came, He tore down the wall of partition. With their
observances and with their practices, they thought these external things made
them more favorable in God’s eyes. That has never been true, for God so
loved the world. He promised Abraham, "I don’t just love Jews, I love the
world. I am going to raise up a nation through which the Seed will come in

40. that all nations, both Israel and other nations, may have the same
opportunity."
How did Jesus break down the barrier of the dividing wall? Well, it tells you
in verse 15:
"by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments
contained in ordinances,"
Now I am going to try to simplify something that is not that simple. Let me
just simplify it by saying this: the dividing wall in that temple was ordered by
God. Why? Because He wanted Israel to be pure, to stay away from these
pagan idolatrous people who didn’t believe in God. They should never be
allowed to come into that which is holy and sacred and specifically designed
for His people at that time. So the dividing wall was ordered by God, along
with the observances that were in the Law. The Jews had to ob-serve the
Sabbaths. They had to observe the eating of certain foods. They had to
observe the commands not to touch certain things. All of these things were
commanded. It was the way in which they related to God.
But remember, they had taken this and made it a symbol of racial and
national pride. "You see, we do these things, we are more spiritual and
loveable to God than others are." The Law was good and holy [Ro 7:12].
Don’t ever think it was wrong. Galatians says it was a tutor, a baby sitter [Gal
3:24]...
"Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, that we may be
justified by faith."

"Tutor" is another description for the law. The laws were simply given to
hold the people within bounds until the Seed came. After the Seed came,
Hebrews says, the new began (Heb8:8ff). When the New Covenant began, the
old was made obsolete and useless. It is important to understand that when He
came He didn’t destroy it. He abolished it. The word "abolished" is katargeo.
That is the word that means to make useless, to render ineffective. He gave
them a brand new way. Jesus abolished the Law.

41. He said it was an enmity. The word "enmity" [ecthra] here in this context
means the cause of enmity. What was the cause of enmity between the Jew
and the Gentile? It was their Laws and their observances, which they thought
made them more spiritual than anybody else and had become their source of
pride. Jesus put an end to the cause of the hatred that existed between the
Jews and the Gentiles. How did He do it? It says, "by abolishing in His flesh
the enmity"
There are two things that are brought into that. First of all, by living a sinless
life, He fulfilled the Law, which no man could do. Once He fulfilled it, He was
qualified to take it from there [Ro 8:3-4]...
3 For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did:
sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin,
He condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the requirement of the Law
might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according
to the Spirit.

He is God who gave the Law. Not only that, when He took sin upon Himself,
He satisfied the curse of the Law. He became a curse for us.
"CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO HANGS ON A TREE " [Gal 3:13]"
The Scripture says. The curse of the Law was satisfied, therefore, rendering
the Law ineffective when a person comes to Jesus Christ [Ro7:1-6]. The
person who rejects Jesus is guilty of all points of the Law. If a person comes to
Christ, the Law has no effect whatsoever in his life to ever condemn him
again. In Christ we find the fulfillment of that Law [Ro 8:3-4]. We find what
we are looking for, that is the oneness that we need with God. You could say it
this way. In effect, what Jesus did when He came; when He lived the sinless
life and went to the cross; when He made the Law obsolete and rendered it
ineffective, what He did was, He took all their customs, all the dividing walls,
all the observances, everything and wrapped them up in one big bunch, and
He threw it away. He got rid of religion forever. He ended man’s external

42. religion forever and replaced it with an internal relationship with the Father
through Himself.
When He established peace, the Jew could not say, "Ah, but we honor the
Sabbath." Jesus says, "What Sabbath?" "Oh, we have a dividing wall." Jesus
would say, "What dividing wall?" The Gentiles on one hand ended paganism
when they came to Christ, and the Jews had to end "religionism" when they
came to Christ. You see, sin is sin. All of the external things they were doing
that separated them from the Gentiles made them feel that pride that God put
to death on the cross. He has brought in something now that is absolutely
brand new. He removed the barriers to our peace.
But do you know what people have done? They don’t want to relate to Jesus
and have peace with Him. Therefore, they come up with the exact same thing
the Jews did. If you want to know what you are like in the flesh and what I am
like in the flesh, study Israel. They are a picture of the vine of flesh in the Old
Testament. They had to have everything external. They had no internal
relationship with God. God said, "I have come in and made a new order. I
didn’t raise the Gentiles up to the level of the Jews. I didn’t lower the Jews to
the level of the Gentiles. I raised them both up into a brand new man, brand
new to this world. The world doesn’t have a clue about us."
If you will think about it, some of the biggest problems we will ever face as a
church are organizational problems. They will be external things that have
nothing to do with the Word of God. I am going to tell you something, folks.
May God deliver us from ever having the shackles of what this world does to
govern what people think the church of Jesus Christ is. We are not an
organization. We are an organism, which by necessity organizes itself. We are
not here for the sake of organization. We are here for the sake of the
organism, the body of Jesus. Folks, that means God could care less about how
many people we have in Sunday School if we are not living daily that internal
relationship with Him. Watch us in the conflicts of life. Watch how we raise
our children. Watch how we deal when things go wrong in our family. Listen,
I would rather any day of the week have somebody who didn’t have a clue
about how to organize something and have somebody who was filled with the

43. Holy Spirit of God and exemplified the character of Jesus in everything that
he did.
That’s what Jesus did. He raised us out of this thing. He took away
"religionism" from the Jew, paganism from the Gentile and raised us up to a
brand new standard, a person who is a mystery to this world; a person filled
with the Spirit of God, a person who has a divine relationship who walks in
peace with God. As a result of that, he walks in peace with men. If you are not
living in that relationship of grace which effects peace, then you’ve got a
contention with somebody, and that contention is tied to that which Jesus
made obsolete on the cross.
Folks, I want to tell you, if you’ve got contention in your heart towards
anybody, the key is very clear. Jesus has come to be the very essence of your
peace with God. He is the enabler of your peace with man. You can’t come to
me. You had better go to Him and get it right with Him [Ro 12:14,17-21].
Once you get it right with Him, He will enable you to get it right with man. It
never says man will get it back right with you. Oh, he may spit in your face.
Jesus died forgiving all men, and some people still spit in His face. It is a cycle
that goes full circle. But we are to forgive one another and be at peace with
one another. Why? Because Jesus is the essence of our peace with God, the
enabler of our peace with man.
Ephesians 2:15-18:
CHRIST, THE AUTHOR OF OUR PEACE—PART II
by Dr. Wayne Barber
Return to TOP of page
Turn with me to Ephesians 2. We are looking at Jesus Christ, the Author of
Our Peace in verses 15-18. In our last study we began to see how Christ is the
Author of Our Peace. He is the means of peace between the Jew and Gentile,
man with man, but especially between man and God. Paul is writing to
Gentile believers and for centuries, the Jew and the Gentile had been
estranged from one another, partly by design. God had shut them out from
worshipping in the Temple. They had no covenants, they had no promises.

44. God had formed His own nation called Israel, and through Israel would come
the Seed through which all nations, including these Gentiles, would be blessed.
When the time was right, He found the apostle Paul, gave him the commission
to take the Word to the Gentiles, and the word began to come out so that now
all of the world has the opportunity to come to know Christ Jesus. God so
loved the world, not just the Jews.
Well, the apostle Paul, a converted Jew, wants these converted Gentiles over
in Ephesus to understand that the animosity between the Jew and Gentile no
longer exists when they come to Christ. As a matter of fact, he says in verse
14, "For He Himself is our peace" In our last study we saw, first of all, that
He is the essence of our peace with God and with man. Secondly we saw how
He is the enabler of our peace. You see, when I received the Lord Jesus into
my heart, there is someone now living in me that has given me peace with the
Father, and enables me to be at peace with my fellow man.
Now what did Jesus do in order to bring peace between the Jew and the
Gentile? He says in verse 14, "For He Himself is our peace, who made both
groups into one." How did He accomplish that? First of all, He removed the
barriers of our peace. He "broke down the barrier of the dividing wall."
There was a wall that had an inscription on it inside of the Temple, by the
Court of the Gentiles, that said a Gentile could not go beyond that wall. The
inscription said if they did go beyond that wall, it was under penalty of death
that was ordered by God’s Law. God wanted to keep idolatry out of there. He
wanted to keep His people pure in their worship of Him.
Well, that had become a source of pride to the Jew. What was good and for an
eternal purpose had been misunderstood and used as a source of pride by the
Jews. It caused them to look down on those Gentiles. They began to say, "God
loves us more than He loves those Gentiles. Why, He allows us inside the wall,
they can go no further." Well, God broke down that barrier. That’s what the
Lord Jesus did to remove the barriers to our peace, the peace especially here
between the Jews and Gentiles.
How did He do that? When He came He

45. "broke down the barrier of the dividing wall, by abolishing in His flesh the
enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances."
The word ""abolished" [katargeo] there means "to render useless, to render
ineffective."
The moral law and the ceremonial law
The Law was divided into the moral law and the ceremonial law. He didn’t
abolish the moral law. That has always been here and is fulfilled when we
obey the Lord Jesus Christ. The moral law says that we love God with all of
our heart and our mind and our strength, and we are to love one another.
That is always there and is morally built in. He did not make that obsolete. He
did not make that ineffective. What He did do was to render ineffective the
ceremonial law. It says here, the "commandments contained in ordinances".
In other words, what He did was put religion to death. No longer could the
Jew say, "Oh, I sacrifice. I go to the Temple. I worship on the Sabbath. I do
this. I do that. God loves me more than He loves you." Oh, no. He took all the
external stuff and threw it out. He says, "Now there is only one way to God,
and that’s through Me. You can’t work your way up the ladder."
This is what Paul was talking about in Php 3:1-10. He says in essence...
"I used to be a Pharisee, zealous for the law, and righteous as far as men were
concerned. Now I realize, however, that what was gain to me, I count as loss. I
only want to be found being obedient to the Lord Jesus Christ. I want to know
Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings.
What used to be a system, a religion to me, is gone out of my life. Now I have a
relation-ship, and I want to walk in surrender to the One I am now related to
by faith."
That’s what He replaced for the Jew and for the Gentile. There is no more
dividing wall. There are no more ordinances which we must do so God will
think better of us. There is no way to approach Him now except by faith and
through the Lord Jesus Christ, both for Jew and for Gentile. Therefore, He
abolished, He broke down the wall by abolishing the ceremonial law. No
longer can a Jew be proud. No longer can a Gentile be proud. Now they all

46. have to bow at the cross together. The ground is level at the cross. They come
in equally. The two have been made one in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Well, how did He abolish the law? His sinless life fulfilled its demands, and
therefore, satisfied the claims of the law [Ro 8:3-4]. Also His sacrificial death
on the cross to take our sin upon Himself satisfied the curse of the law
[Gal3:13]. He fulfilled it, moved it aside and said, "The law was there as your
school master [Gal3:24]. I have come to replace it, extend it and make its
moral qualities real in your life. Now you must come to the Father, not
through a Temple, not through a Tabernacle, not through an earthly priest,
but through Me [Jn14:6]. I’ve torn all this other stuff down. Gentiles, you are
welcome. Jews, you are welcome. There is only one way now a man can come
to the Father." Once we come to Him by faith in Christ Jesus, He makes the
two groups that were once divided by external religion, into one new person.
He removed the barriers to our peace.
Secondly, He enables our peace by the fact that He remade us into a body of
peace, not just a peaceful body, but a body of peace. Now remember what the
word "peace" means. It means when two things cohere and nothing is in
between them to cause conflict or irritation. Because of what Christ did, He
has now come into our life and made us one with the Father. If I possess
Christ in my life, I am at peace with the Father. But if you possess Christ in
your life, I am supposed to be one with you. He has made us, Jew, Gentile, or
whoever comes by faith in Christ, a brand new body, a body of peace. You see,
the removal of barriers does not guarantee peace. So Christ took another step.
He did something in us that caused us to be the body of His peace. In other
words, all of us are one with God. All of us are enabled to be one with one
another.
Jesus didn’t just remove the barriers
He remade believers.
Now there are two things involved here in verses 15 and 16. First of all, it’s on
an individual basis, and secondly, it’s on a corporate basis. It begins with His
remaking us as individuals. Now, what did He do to enable our peace? Look

47. in 2 Cor 5:17. It is an individual thing first, whether Jew or whether Gentile.
Look at what he says here:
"Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed
away; behold, new things have come"
Now everything that used to be is gone. We have been remade as a brand new
creature. Now go back to our text in Ephesians 2:15, and we will see it again
as he says it here. He says,
"by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments
contained in ordinances, that in Himself He might make the two into one new
man, thus establishing peace."
He did not take the Jew and make the Jew a Gentile. He did not take the
Gentile and make the Gentile a Jew. He took the Jew who believed and the
Gentile who believed, and raised them both up to a brand new standard and
made them Christian. That’s what Christianity is all about. It’s a brand new
race of people on this earth. Whereas Israel was separated unto Him in the
Old Testament, now we have the absolute ultimate of that as He makes us His
brand new creation. The world has never understood people like you and me.
The word for "new" there is kainos. It means absolutely, totally, qualitatively
brand new, never before seen. Nobody has a clue until they finally look at
someone and realize he is inhabited by the Lord Jesus Himself, a brand new
creation.
The Jews cannot look at us and say, "Hey, I am a believer, but you need to be
circumcised." They did that in the book of Acts, and Paul had to reprimand
them. He started calling them legalizers, people who would come in and try to
add law to grace. Oh no, the Jew does not have anything over us as Gentiles,
but the Gentile, on the other hand, cannot point their finger at them. We have
all been made one new body in the Lord Jesus Christ. You see, a Christian is
just different. That’s what God did to solve the problem. He tore down the
dividing wall. He made the ordinances of the law, the ceremonial law,
obsolete, and He said, "Now, there is only one way to approach Me. You don’t
come through a Temple. You come through Me. I am your High Priest
[Heb2:17,3:1], and when you come through Me," Jesus said, "then you can

48. have access to the Father. When you get to the Father, you are going to be a
brand new creation. I’m going to transform you. You are now a believer."
Jesus abolished that law, that ceremonial law that made people proud. He put
religion to death. External religion has no place in the Christian’s life. He gave
us a brand new internal birth that makes us one. Two have become one. The
Jew and the Gentile have been made one in Jesus Christ.
You know, sometimes people say Colossians is the commentary on Ephesians,
and Ephesians is the commentary on Colossians. Paul wrote Ephesians,
Philippians, Colossians and Philemon from the very same prison, so it is very
appropriate to think that as the burden hit him for the Ephesians, that burden
hit him also for those Colossians.
Let’s go over to Colossians 3 and see what kind of new people we are in Christ
Jesus. Look at Colossians 3:4. I want you to see that Jesus does not just simply
give us life, Jesus is our life. Do we understand? We are not energized by what
we do for Him, we are energized by His being in us and by our surrender to
Him. It says in verse 4,
"When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with
Him in glory"
Now jump to verse 9:
"Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil
practices."
Suppose I took my coat off and laid it aside. Now, I’d have to have another
coat to put on. I have to take something off if I am going to put something else
on. Paul says, "When you come to Christ, it is like taking off an old garment
or lifestyle. You are not only who you were, but what you did. You put on a
brand new garment. It is now who you are. You do what you do because you
are what you are." Now he says, "You put on that new garment. This is the
garment, the new man, which you have put on. This is the new man that we
have now become in Christ Jesus, both Jew and Gentile."
Look at what he says in Col 3:10:

49. "and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge
according to the image of the One who created him."
This new self involves Jesus being in me; Jesus being in you; Jesus being in a
converted Jew; Jesus being in a converted Gentile. Now, since He is inside of
us, He is going to perfect in us a brand new character that is going to come out
of us.
The way you know a Christian is not how well he plays church. The way you
know a Christian is by how well he lets Jesus be Jesus in his life. The true
miracle is His life-changing, transforming power within an individual’s life.
Now he says, "Put on the new garment." Ephesians [Eph 4:24] says that very
clearly.
"put on the new self."
Here [Col 3:10] he says, "You have already put Him on." Ephesians says,
"Now put Him on." In other words, every day potentially He is there. As I
bow at the cross, as I decrease and put on Christ, then Christ perfects His
character in and through my life. That is why we sing the song all the time,
Jesus, be Jesus in me.
No longer me but Thee
That’s the new race He has created, not a religious bunch of people, but
people surrendered to a Lord who has entered inside of them and raised them
up to a brand new standard.
Well, in Col 3:12-15 of Colossians 3 we find out what that new garment looks
like:
"And so, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on"
This is the new garment that we have, a lifestyle. Please understand what I am
saying. You don’t judge a Christian by how well he performs in church. You
judge a Christian by how well he allows Jesus to be Jesus in his life. We may
not do so well in the organization called the church, but friend, the church is

50. not the organization. The church is the body of Christ, allowing Jesus’ life to
be vibrant in and through it.
What’s it all like? First of all, he says to "put on a heart of compassion,." Now
this word for compassion is a very tremendous word. It is the word that refers
to compassion that you show and feel for somebody when they are suffering.
You see, one of the first keys here is all of these things are relational.
Everything has to do with our relationships with one another. If I put on that
new garment, having made peace with God through Christ Jesus, then now
something is different in me towards you. If you are suffering, my heart goes
out to you. I am gifted certain ways, and out of my gift I will serve you. Out of
your gift, you will serve someone. That heart of compassion is the first piece of
that garment, the first thread.
Secondly, he says there is "kindness." [chrestotes] The word "kindness" goes
far beyond kind deeds. It has to do with a heart that has been so touched by
God that it has been tenderized. It has become so tender that people are
literally drawn to you, never repulsed away from you. Do you know any
Christians you don’t like to be around? They either don’t know Jesus or they
are refusing to wear that new garment. As a result of that, they are not at
peace with you, and they are not at peace with God, in the sense that they are
not walking in that peace day by day. They are not maintaining that peace in
their life. When you find a person surrendered to Him, you are going to find
an attitude in them that is going to draw people to them, not push people away
from them.
Thirdly, there is "humility." The word for humility here is tapeinophrosune.
It means a mindset of humility. All of a sudden you don’t think of yourself as
highly as you used to think. Those proud Jews crawl off that proud pedestal,
and they come down. Those proud idolatrous Gentiles crawl off that pedestal,
and they get down. When you get at the cross, you have got to get down. You
begin to realize that you are nothing apart from Him, and you never put
yourself in front of anybody else.
Next is "gentleness." The word "gentleness" could be translated meekness.
The word is a picture here of a wild horse that has been tamed. It’s power

51. under control. Used in relationships, it means you have the right to burn your
brother because he wronged you, but you refuse to use that power because
you love your brother. You have been tamed by the precious love of Jesus
Christ in your life.
Paul uses the word "patience." It means longsuffering [makrothumia]. It
means you don’t ever give up on people. This is that new garment. This is
what we are. We are not known by how many Sabbaths we recognize. We are
not known by how many church services we attend. We are known by how we
treat our brother. We are known in our relationships one with another. If
Christ is our peace, the enabler of our peace, then we are going to learn to be
long-suffering. It is God in us. That’s what God is to us. That’s what He is in
us to other people.
"Bearing with one another" means you hold one another up. I like that. You
hold one another up whatever you are going through. You may not know the
answer, but you just get in there and get up under that person and help hold
him up. When you get tired, he holds you up for a while. You just hold one
another up. Whatever a person is going through, you have that burden to hold
them up.
Col3:13 goes on to say,
"forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the
Lord forgave you, so also should you."
Now folks, this is part of the new garment. He gives us the charge to forgive. It
is part of the character. "If anyone has a complaint" actually has the idea that
somebody owes you and they can’t repay you. Forgive them. How do you do
it? Well, the character involved here is, as He forgave us, we forgive one
another. That’s it, right there. This is the new garment.
God says, "I’ve taken a Jew over here, and I’ve taken a Gentile over here. I
didn’t make the Jew a Gentile, and I didn’t make the Gentile a Jew. I took
both of them when they received Me and raised them up and made them
believers, filled with the Spirit of God, capable of allowing my character to be
produced through their life. Don’t measure them by how many they have in

52. church. Measure them by the character of Jesus that is seen in their life.
Folks, if you are not putting on that garment, you had better reexamine
whether you have it to put on. Secondly, find out what in your life has
disturbed that peaceful relationship with God and that peaceful relationship
with others.
Now look at Col3:14 to see the glue that holds all these threads together. He
says,
"Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity"
Now I like the way it is translated: the perfect glue or the perfect bond of
unity. You know, you don’t have one or two of these things. If you have one,
you are going to have to have them all because they are all part of the same
entity.
The garment is made up of many threads. You can’t say, "Well, I’ve got two
out of nine. Hopefully I’ll get the other seven." No, sir. If you’ve got one,
you’ve got them all. That’s the garment, and the thing that holds it all
together is that bond of love. Folks, everything we do is out of a heart of love,
loving one another unconditionally, no strings attached, loving one another.
That’s what we are now. That’s what the saved Jew is. That’s what the saved
Gentile is. We are not known because of how big the church is or where it is
located. You are known by whether or not you have a relationship with one
another that loves one another, that has a heart of compassion, and all these
things that we have mentioned.
PEACE IS LIKE AN INTERNAL "REFEREE"
Look at Col3:15:
"And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were
called in one body; and be thankful."
Now what did He do? He remade us individually into a body of peace. That
peace becomes a referee. Referees are there to blow the whistle when
something is amiss. I had a referee one night grab me by the jersey in a college
ball game and drag me to the scorer’s table. He was so upset with me and told

53. me not to do that again. That’s the way referees are. That’s what they are
there for.
What Paul is saying here is, "Do you know whether or not you have the
garment? Do you know whether or not you are a believer?" It does not
depend on how well you do church, but by whether or not the peace of God is
in your heart and you’re at peace with God and with man. It’s a referee.
When it’s not there, the whistle will blow; the Holy Spirit will let you know
something is amiss in your life and in my life. Folks, we are measured by
whether or not this garment is on in our life.
16 and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it
having put to death the enmity. 17 AND HE CAME AND PREACHED
PEACE TO YOU WHO WERE FAR AWAY, AND PEACE TO THOSE
WHO WERE NEAR; 18 for through Him we both have our access in one
Spirit to the Father.
As we go back to our text in Eph 2:16, he says,
"and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross"
Here it tends to look at all believers, Jew and Gentile, and how we are all
brought into one body. There are no more barriers, no more races of people.
Christ has removed it all. He has made us all one in Him. We have been made
a holy nation. Israel was set apart unto God. God didn’t do with Israel what
He does with you and me. When He makes us and transforms us, we now are
that holy nation that He has made, bonded together with a common purpose,
bonded together with a common goal in life.
Look at 1 Pet 2:9. It says this very clearly.
"But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY
NATION, A PEOPLE FOR God's OWN POSSESSION, so that you may
proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His
marvelous light;"
You know the term that we use when we say the pledge of allegiance to the
flag, "One nation under God." You know we really can’t say that about

54. America. The only people that applies to are believers. We are a holy nation,
one nation under God, from every different cultures and all different races
and languages. We have all been made one in Jesus Christ. Our citizenship is
in heaven as Php 3:20 says
"For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a
Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ"

Peter says, "While we are on this earth, we are "aliens and strangers." So
whenever we get together, we ought to just rejoice.
Do you realize what goes on when you meet to worship is not possible any
other time. When you get Christians together we can rejoice together. That is
how we get fed and encourage one another and equip one another. That is not
the place where we destroy peaceful relationships that God has freely given.
Folks, that happens in church. It happens in my church, but it never happens
unless you have a contentious person who is not walking in the peace of God,
who is not filled up with the peace of God and wearing the garment of that
peace with his brother. We have the same Lord. He produces in us the same
character. We have the same purpose. We have the same destiny. We are all
one body. We are a holy nation, bound together by His work in us. This causes
the Jew and the Gentile to be uniquely bonded together. Paul says, "He has
made Jew and Gentile one in Jesus Christ." We are brand new creations. Not
one single thing before is distinctive to us. What’s distinctive now is the
character of Jesus lived out of our lives.
Well, one more time, how do you get it? Verse 16 says, that He
"might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having
put to death the enmity."
All men are born in enmity with God. Jesus went to the cross so that enmity
could be put away and we could be reconciled and have peace with God once
again.
Verses 17-18 say,

55. "AND HE CAME AND PREACHED PEACE TO YOU WHO WERE FAR
AWAY, AND PEACE TO THOSE WHO WERE NEAR; 18 for through Him
we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father."
The word "access" can mean entrance or doorway. What he is saying is...
"If the Spirit of God has done a work in your heart and in my heart, then we
both have free access to the Father. That’s where peace begins." From that
point on, it’s a matter of our choice to let it permeate our lives, putting on the
new garment
Ephesians to me is just a wonderful book. He is laying the ground work for all
the commands he is going to give in chapters 4-6. We are not to be known by
how well we do church. We are to be known by how well we display Christ.
There is a huge difference.


CHRIST, THE AUTHOR OF OUR PEACE —PART II
by Dr. Wayne Barber
Return to TOP of page
Turn with me to Ephesians 2. We are looking at Jesus Christ, the Author of
Our Peace in verses 15-18. In our last study we began to see how Christ is the
Author of Our Peace. He is the means of peace between the Jew and Gentile,
man with man, but especially between man and God. Paul is writing to
Gentile believers and for centuries, the Jew and the Gentile had been
estranged from one another, partly by design. God had shut them out from
worshipping in the Temple. They had no covenants, they had no promises.
God had formed His own nation called Israel, and through Israel would come
the Seed through which all nations, including these Gentiles, would be blessed.
When the time was right, He found the apostle Paul, gave him the commission
to take the Word to the Gentiles, and the word began to come out so that now
all of the world has the opportunity to come to know Christ Jesus. God so
loved the world, not just the Jews.

56. Well, the apostle Paul, a converted Jew, wants these converted Gentiles over
in Ephesus to understand that the animosity between the Jew and Gentile no
longer exists when they come to Christ. As a matter of fact, he says in verse
14, "For He Himself is our peace" In our last study we saw, first of all, that
He is the essence of our peace with God and with man. Secondly we saw how
He is the enabler of our peace. You see, when I received the Lord Jesus into
my heart, there is someone now living in me that has given me peace with the
Father, and enables me to be at peace with my fellow man.
Now what did Jesus do in order to bring peace between the Jew and the
Gentile? He says in verse 14, "For He Himself is our peace, who made both
groups into one." How did He accomplish that? First of all, He removed the
barriers of our peace. He "broke down the barrier of the dividing wall."
There was a wall that had an inscription on it inside of the Temple, by the
Court of the Gentiles, that said a Gentile could not go beyond that wall. The
inscription said if they did go beyond that wall, it was under penalty of death
that was ordered by God’s Law. God wanted to keep idolatry out of there. He
wanted to keep His people pure in their worship of Him.
Well, that had become a source of pride to the Jew. What was good and for an
eternal purpose had been misunderstood and used as a source of pride by the
Jews. It caused them to look down on those Gentiles. They began to say, "God
loves us more than He loves those Gentiles. Why, He allows us inside the wall,
they can go no further." Well, God broke down that barrier. That’s what the
Lord Jesus did to remove the barriers to our peace, the peace especially here
between the Jews and Gentiles.
How did He do that? When He came He
"broke down the barrier of the dividing wall, by abolishing in His flesh the
enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances."
The word ""abolished" [katargeo] there means "to render useless, to render
ineffective."
The moral law and the ceremonial law

57. The Law was divided into the moral law and the ceremonial law. He didn’t
abolish the moral law. That has always been here and is fulfilled when we
obey the Lord Jesus Christ. The moral law says that we love God with all of
our heart and our mind and our strength, and we are to love one another.
That is always there and is morally built in. He did not make that obsolete. He
did not make that ineffective. What He did do was to render ineffective the
ceremonial law. It says here, the "commandments contained in ordinances".
In other words, what He did was put religion to death. No longer could the
Jew say, "Oh, I sacrifice. I go to the Temple. I worship on the Sabbath. I do
this. I do that. God loves me more than He loves you." Oh, no. He took all the
external stuff and threw it out. He says, "Now there is only one way to God,
and that’s through Me. You can’t work your way up the ladder."
This is what Paul was talking about in Php 3:1-10. He says in essence...
"I used to be a Pharisee, zealous for the law, and righteous as far as men were
concerned. Now I realize, however, that what was gain to me, I count as loss. I
only want to be found being obedient to the Lord Jesus Christ. I want to know
Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings.
What used to be a system, a religion to me, is gone out of my life. Now I have a
relation-ship, and I want to walk in surrender to the One I am now related to
by faith."
That’s what He replaced for the Jew and for the Gentile. There is no more
dividing wall. There are no more ordinances which we must do so God will
think better of us. There is no way to approach Him now except by faith and
through the Lord Jesus Christ, both for Jew and for Gentile. Therefore, He
abolished, He broke down the wall by abolishing the ceremonial law. No
longer can a Jew be proud. No longer can a Gentile be proud. Now they all
have to bow at the cross together. The ground is level at the cross. They come
in equally. The two have been made one in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Well, how did He abolish the law? His sinless life fulfilled its demands, and
therefore, satisfied the claims of the law [Ro 8:3-4]. Also His sacrificial death
on the cross to take our sin upon Himself satisfied the curse of the law
[Gal3:13]. He fulfilled it, moved it aside and said, "The law was there as your

58. school master [Gal3:24]. I have come to replace it, extend it and make its
moral qualities real in your life. Now you must come to the Father, not
through a Temple, not through a Tabernacle, not through an earthly priest,
but through Me [Jn14:6]. I’ve torn all this other stuff down. Gentiles, you are
welcome. Jews, you are welcome. There is only one way now a man can come
to the Father." Once we come to Him by faith in Christ Jesus, He makes the
two groups that were once divided by external religion, into one new person.
He removed the barriers to our peace.
Secondly, He enables our peace by the fact that He remade us into a body of
peace, not just a peaceful body, but a body of peace. Now remember what the
word "peace" means. It means when two things cohere and nothing is in
between them to cause conflict or irritation. Because of what Christ did, He
has now come into our life and made us one with the Father. If I possess
Christ in my life, I am at peace with the Father. But if you possess Christ in
your life, I am supposed to be one with you. He has made us, Jew, Gentile, or
whoever comes by faith in Christ, a brand new body, a body of peace. You see,
the removal of barriers does not guarantee peace. So Christ took another step.
He did something in us that caused us to be the body of His peace. In other
words, all of us are one with God. All of us are enabled to be one with one
another.
Jesus didn’t just remove the barriers
He remade believers.
Now there are two things involved here in verses 15 and 16. First of all, it’s on
an individual basis, and secondly, it’s on a corporate basis. It begins with His
remaking us as individuals. Now, what did He do to enable our peace? Look
in 2 Cor 5:17. It is an individual thing first, whether Jew or whether Gentile.
Look at what he says here:
"Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed
away; behold, new things have come"

59. Now everything that used to be is gone. We have been remade as a brand new
creature. Now go back to our text in Ephesians 2:15, and we will see it again
as he says it here. He says,
"by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments
contained in ordinances, that in Himself He might make the two into one new
man, thus establishing peace."
He did not take the Jew and make the Jew a Gentile. He did not take the
Gentile and make the Gentile a Jew. He took the Jew who believed and the
Gentile who believed, and raised them both up to a brand new standard and
made them Christian. That’s what Christianity is all about. It’s a brand new
race of people on this earth. Whereas Israel was separated unto Him in the
Old Testament, now we have the absolute ultimate of that as He makes us His
brand new creation. The world has never understood people like you and me.
The word for "new" there is kainos. It means absolutely, totally, qualitatively
brand new, never before seen. Nobody has a clue until they finally look at
someone and realize he is inhabited by the Lord Jesus Himself, a brand new
creation.
The Jews cannot look at us and say, "Hey, I am a believer, but you need to be
circumcised." They did that in the book of Acts, and Paul had to reprimand
them. He started calling them legalizers, people who would come in and try to
add law to grace. Oh no, the Jew does not have anything over us as Gentiles,
but the Gentile, on the other hand, cannot point their finger at them. We have
all been made one new body in the Lord Jesus Christ. You see, a Christian is
just different. That’s what God did to solve the problem. He tore down the
dividing wall. He made the ordinances of the law, the ceremonial law,
obsolete, and He said, "Now, there is only one way to approach Me. You don’t
come through a Temple. You come through Me. I am your High Priest
[Heb2:17,3:1], and when you come through Me," Jesus said, "then you can
have access to the Father. When you get to the Father, you are going to be a
brand new creation. I’m going to transform you. You are now a believer."
Jesus abolished that law, that ceremonial law that made people proud. He put
religion to death. External religion has no place in the Christian’s life. He gave

60. us a brand new internal birth that makes us one. Two have become one. The
Jew and the Gentile have been made one in Jesus Christ.
You know, sometimes people say Colossians is the commentary on Ephesians,
and Ephesians is the commentary on Colossians. Paul wrote Ephesians,
Philippians, Colossians and Philemon from the very same prison, so it is very
appropriate to think that as the burden hit him for the Ephesians, that burden
hit him also for those Colossians.
Let’s go over to Colossians 3 and see what kind of new people we are in Christ
Jesus. Look at Colossians 3:4. I want you to see that Jesus does not just simply
give us life, Jesus is our life. Do we understand? We are not energized by what
we do for Him, we are energized by His being in us and by our surrender to
Him. It says in verse 4,
"When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with
Him in glory"
Now jump to verse 9:
"Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil
practices."
Suppose I took my coat off and laid it aside. Now, I’d have to have another
coat to put on. I have to take something off if I am going to put something else
on. Paul says, "When you come to Christ, it is like taking off an old garment
or lifestyle. You are not only who you were, but what you did. You put on a
brand new garment. It is now who you are. You do what you do because you
are what you are." Now he says, "You put on that new garment. This is the
garment, the new man, which you have put on. This is the new man that we
have now become in Christ Jesus, both Jew and Gentile."
Look at what he says in Col 3:10:
"and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge
according to the image of the One who created him."
This new self involves Jesus being in me; Jesus being in you; Jesus being in a
converted Jew; Jesus being in a converted Gentile. Now, since He is inside of

61. us, He is going to perfect in us a brand new character that is going to come out
of us.
The way you know a Christian is not how well he plays church. The way you
know a Christian is by how well he lets Jesus be Jesus in his life. The true
miracle is His life-changing, transforming power within an individual’s life.
Now he says, "Put on the new garment." Ephesians [Eph 4:24] says that very
clearly.
"put on the new self."
Here [Col 3:10] he says, "You have already put Him on." Ephesians says,
"Now put Him on." In other words, every day potentially He is there. As I
bow at the cross, as I decrease and put on Christ, then Christ perfects His
character in and through my life. That is why we sing the song all the time,
Jesus, be Jesus in me.
No longer me but Thee
That’s the new race He has created, not a religious bunch of people, but
people surrendered to a Lord who has entered inside of them and raised them
up to a brand new standard.
Well, in Col 3:12-15 of Colossians 3 we find out what that new garment looks
like:
"And so, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on"
This is the new garment that we have, a lifestyle. Please understand what I am
saying. You don’t judge a Christian by how well he performs in church. You
judge a Christian by how well he allows Jesus to be Jesus in his life. We may
not do so well in the organization called the church, but friend, the church is
not the organization. The church is the body of Christ, allowing Jesus’ life to
be vibrant in and through it.
What’s it all like? First of all, he says to "put on a heart of compassion,." Now
this word for compassion is a very tremendous word. It is the word that refers
to compassion that you show and feel for somebody when they are suffering.

62. You see, one of the first keys here is all of these things are relational.
Everything has to do with our relationships with one another. If I put on that
new garment, having made peace with God through Christ Jesus, then now
something is different in me towards you. If you are suffering, my heart goes
out to you. I am gifted certain ways, and out of my gift I will serve you. Out of
your gift, you will serve someone. That heart of compassion is the first piece of
that garment, the first thread.
Secondly, he says there is "kindness." [chrestotes] The word "kindness" goes
far beyond kind deeds. It has to do with a heart that has been so touched by
God that it has been tenderized. It has become so tender that people are
literally drawn to you, never repulsed away from you. Do you know any
Christians you don’t like to be around? They either don’t know Jesus or they
are refusing to wear that new garment. As a result of that, they are not at
peace with you, and they are not at peace with God, in the sense that they are
not walking in that peace day by day. They are not maintaining that peace in
their life. When you find a person surrendered to Him, you are going to find
an attitude in them that is going to draw people to them, not push people away
from them.
Thirdly, there is "humility." The word for humility here is tapeinophrosune.
It means a mindset of humility. All of a sudden you don’t think of yourself as
highly as you used to think. Those proud Jews crawl off that proud pedestal,
and they come down. Those proud idolatrous Gentiles crawl off that pedestal,
and they get down. When you get at the cross, you have got to get down. You
begin to realize that you are nothing apart from Him, and you never put
yourself in front of anybody else.
Next is "gentleness." The word "gentleness" could be translated meekness.
The word is a picture here of a wild horse that has been tamed. It’s power
under control. Used in relationships, it means you have the right to burn your
brother because he wronged you, but you refuse to use that power because
you love your brother. You have been tamed by the precious love of Jesus
Christ in your life.

63. Paul uses the word "patience." It means longsuffering [makrothumia]. It
means you don’t ever give up on people. This is that new garment. This is
what we are. We are not known by how many Sabbaths we recognize. We are
not known by how many church services we attend. We are known by how we
treat our brother. We are known in our relationships one with another. If
Christ is our peace, the enabler of our peace, then we are going to learn to be
long-suffering. It is God in us. That’s what God is to us. That’s what He is in
us to other people.
"Bearing with one another" means you hold one another up. I like that. You
hold one another up whatever you are going through. You may not know the
answer, but you just get in there and get up under that person and help hold
him up. When you get tired, he holds you up for a while. You just hold one
another up. Whatever a person is going through, you have that burden to hold
them up.
Col3:13 goes on to say,
"forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the
Lord forgave you, so also should you."
Now folks, this is part of the new garment. He gives us the charge to forgive. It
is part of the character. "If anyone has a complaint" actually has the idea that
somebody owes you and they can’t repay you. Forgive them. How do you do
it? Well, the character involved here is, as He forgave us, we forgive one
another. That’s it, right there. This is the new garment.
God says, "I’ve taken a Jew over here, and I’ve taken a Gentile over here. I
didn’t make the Jew a Gentile, and I didn’t make the Gentile a Jew. I took
both of them when they received Me and raised them up and made them
believers, filled with the Spirit of God, capable of allowing my character to be
produced through their life. Don’t measure them by how many they have in
church. Measure them by the character of Jesus that is seen in their life.
Folks, if you are not putting on that garment, you had better reexamine
whether you have it to put on. Secondly, find out what in your life has
disturbed that peaceful relationship with God and that peaceful relationship
with others.

64. Now look at Col3:14 to see the glue that holds all these threads together. He
says,
"Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity"
Now I like the way it is translated: the perfect glue or the perfect bond of
unity. You know, you don’t have one or two of these things. If you have one,
you are going to have to have them all because they are all part of the same
entity.
The garment is made up of many threads. You can’t say, "Well, I’ve got two
out of nine. Hopefully I’ll get the other seven." No, sir. If you’ve got one,
you’ve got them all. That’s the garment, and the thing that holds it all
together is that bond of love. Folks, everything we do is out of a heart of love,
loving one another unconditionally, no strings attached, loving one another.
That’s what we are now. That’s what the saved Jew is. That’s what the saved
Gentile is. We are not known because of how big the church is or where it is
located. You are known by whether or not you have a relationship with one
another that loves one another, that has a heart of compassion, and all these
things that we have mentioned.
PEACE IS LIKE AN INTERNAL "REFEREE"
Look at Col3:15:
"And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were
called in one body; and be thankful."
Now what did He do? He remade us individually into a body of peace. That
peace becomes a referee. Referees are there to blow the whistle when
something is amiss. I had a referee one night grab me by the jersey in a college
ball game and drag me to the scorer’s table. He was so upset with me and told
me not to do that again. That’s the way referees are. That’s what they are
there for.
What Paul is saying here is, "Do you know whether or not you have the
garment? Do you know whether or not you are a believer?" It does not
depend on how well you do church, but by whether or not the peace of God is

65. in your heart and you’re at peace with God and with man. It’s a referee.
When it’s not there, the whistle will blow; the Holy Spirit will let you know
something is amiss in your life and in my life. Folks, we are measured by
whether or not this garment is on in our life.
16 and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it
having put to death the enmity. 17 AND HE CAME AND PREACHED
PEACE TO YOU WHO WERE FAR AWA Y, AND PEACE TO THOSE
WHO WERE NEAR; 18 for through Him we both have our access in one
Spirit to the Father.
As we go back to our text in Eph 2:16, he says,
"and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross"
Here it tends to look at all believers, Jew and Gentile, and how we are all
brought into one body. There are no more barriers, no more races of people.
Christ has removed it all. He has made us all one in Him. We have been made
a holy nation. Israel was set apart unto God. God didn’t do with Israel what
He does with you and me. When He makes us and transforms us, we now are
that holy nation that He has made, bonded together with a common purpose,
bonded together with a common goal in life.
Look at 1 Pet 2:9. It says this very clearly.
"But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY
NATION, A PEOPLE FOR God's OWN POSSESSION, so that you may
proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His
marvelous light;"
You know the term that we use when we say the pledge of allegiance to the
flag, "One nation under God." You know we really can’t say that about
America. The only people that applies to are believers. We are a holy nation,
one nation under God, from every different cultures and all different races
and languages. We have all been made one in Jesus Christ. Our citizenship is
in heaven as Php 3:20 says

66. "For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a
Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ"

Peter says, "While we are on this earth, we are "aliens and strangers." So
whenever we get together, we ought to just rejoice.
Do you realize what goes on when you meet to worship is not possible any
other time. When you get Christians together we can rejoice together. That is
how we get fed and encourage one another and equip one another. That is not
the place where we destroy peaceful relationships that God has freely given.
Folks, that happens in church. It happens in my church, but it never happens
unless you have a contentious person who is not walking in the peace of God,
who is not filled up with the peace of God and wearing the garment of that
peace with his brother. We have the same Lord. He produces in us the same
character. We have the same purpose. We have the same destiny. We are all
one body. We are a holy nation, bound together by His work in us. This causes
the Jew and the Gentile to be uniquely bonded together. Paul says, "He has
made Jew and Gentile one in Jesus Christ." We are brand new creations. Not
one single thing before is distinctive to us. What’s distinctive now is the
character of Jesus lived out of our lives.
Well, one more time, how do you get it? Verse 16 says, that He
"might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having
put to death the enmity."
All men are born in enmity with God. Jesus went to the cross so that enmity
could be put away and we could be reconciled and have peace with God once
again.
Verses 17-18 say,
"AND HE CAME AND PREACHED PEACE TO YOU WHO WERE FAR
AWAY, AND PEACE TO THOSE WHO WERE NEAR; 18 for through Him
we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father."
The word "access" can mean entrance or doorway. What he is saying is...

67. "If the Spirit of God has done a work in your heart and in my heart, then we
both have free access to the Father. That’s where peace begins." From that
point on, it’s a matter of our choice to let it permeate our lives, putting on the
new garment
Ephesians to me is just a wonderful book. He is laying the ground work for all
the commands he is going to give in chapters 4-6. We are not to be known by
how well we do church. We are to be known by how well we display Christ.
There is a huge difference.


WIL POUNDS

Ephesians 2:11-22 the Family of God

How good is your forgetter? Do you tend to forget the things you should
remember and remember many things you wish you could forget?
In Ephesians 2:11 the apostle Paul begins a new paragraph asking us to
"remember" something very important. What is it that is so important that
he repeats the word twice in two verses?
There are important things he wants us to call to mind in verses 1-10 before
he proceeds in applying these great truths to the church. "Therefore
remember" takes us back to the immediate context in the first half of chapter
two. In fact, he may even want to take us back to the beginning of the letter.
"Remember" that God has "blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the
heavenly realms in Christ" (Ephesians 1:3 NET). "Remember" God "chose us
in Christ before the foundation of the world that we be holy and unblemished
on his sight" (v. 4 NET). "Remember" he predestined "us to adoption as sons
through Jesus Christ, according to the pleasure of his will" (v. 5 NET).
"Remember," "we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our

68. trespasses, according to the riches of his grace" (v. 7 NET). "Remember" God
has "revealed to us the secret of his will" (v. 9 NET) that was hidden down
through the ages but now revealed in Christ. "Remember" you heard the
gospel message and have been saved by grace. "Remember" you have been
"marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit who is the down payment
of our inheritance until the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise
of his glory" (vv. 13-14 NET). "Remember" the power of the resurrection of
Christ is now working in your life (vv. 19-20). "Remember," "you were dead
in your transgressions and sins" and have been made "alive together with
Christ—by grace you are saved!" (2:1, 5 NET) "Remember" you are now
seated "with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus" (v. 6 NET).
"Remember" "by grace you are saved through faith" and you are "his
workmanship, having been created in Christ Jesus for good works that God
prepared beforehand so we may do them" (vv. 8, 10 NET).
In Ephesians 2:1-10 the contrast is like night and day. "Remember," "you
were dead in transgressions and sins" (v. 1). This is the way you formerly
lived under the power of Satan as "sons of disobedience" (v. 2). You were so
evil that you "were by nature the children of wrath." Yes, that is true, the
apostle says. Yes but God loved us "being rich in mercy" (v. 4), and saved us
by His grace! (v. 5) He has "made us alive together with Christ" "and raised
us up with him, and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus"
(v. 6). We are his trophies of grace that will be on display throughout eternity
(v. 7). You are God’s new creation in Christ Jesus that he has created for good
works (v.10). Please remember where you are coming from, and to whom you
belong. You are a child of God. Always remember whose family you belong to.
In Ephesians 2:11-22 the apostle Paul builds on these great truths and
expands the idea he stated in 1:22-23 regarding the Body of Christ. "And God
put all things under Christ’s feet, and he gave him to the church as head over
all things. Now the church is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all"
(Ephesians 1:22-23 NET).
Paul now returns to this theme and develops it further.

69. The apostle emphasizes the change that has taken place in the relationship of
the Gentiles before and after they came to Christ.
YOU WERE OUTSIDERS (2:11-12)
This is what your life was like before you came to Christ. Take a few moments
and reflect upon your life before you put your trust in Christ as your personal
Savior. What characterized your life style? How did you think, act and
behave?
"Therefore remember that formerly you, the Gentiles in the flesh – who are
called ‘uncircumcision’ by the so-called ‘circumcision’ that is performed on
the body by human hands – that you were at that time without the Messiah,
alienated from the citizenship of Israel and strangers to the covenants of
promise, having no hope and without God in the world" (Ephesians 2:11-12
NET).
Paul uses abstract words "circumcision" and "uncircumcision" to describe
two groups of people. The Jewish people are the "circumcision," and the non-
Jewish or Gentiles are the "uncircumcision." He brings out clearly in
Galatians 5:6 that it really makes no difference at all because what maters is
faith working through love. The physical cutting of the flesh was no true
indication that the individual had a right relationship with God. It is the
circumcision of the heart that makes a person right with God (Romans 2:25-
29). What really maters is a new nature (Gal. 6:15).
You were "separate from Christ" (vv. 11-12).
Paul in addressing the Gentiles or non-Jews says you were "separate from
Christ."
The non-Jews were outside the covenant of Israel (vv. 11-12). They were
godless, Christless and hopeless. They had no chance of being saved. Salvation
was a part of the covenant of God with Israel, and non-Jews were excluded. It
is a heartbreaking picture of man outside of God.
Because of their fallen state they were not united to Christ by saving faith.
That was just as true of the Jewish people. But the non-Jewish religions were

70. totally pagan with no chance of hearing about the promise of the Messiah.
They had no expectation of the coming Savior.
Moreover, by the time of the apostle Paul the Jews had an immense contempt
for all non-Jews. They said the Gentiles were created by God to be fuel for the
fires of hell; that God loved only Israel of all the nations of the world. It was
not lawful to render help to a Gentile woman in childbirth, for that would
bring another Gentile into the world. If a Jew married a Gentile, the funeral
of that Jew was carried out. It was a world of hate. Racial and religious hate.
They were spiritually dead. They were like a person visiting from a foreign
country who does not understand a word of the native language. They had no
idea of the promises of God, of His love, grace, mercy or eternal life.
They were outside of Christ (vv. 12a-13).
Paul writes, "you were at that time without the Messiah." The Gentiles had no
hope of a Messiah or of salvation. They had never heard of the great
prophesies in the Old Testament of the coming of the Messiah. They did not
understand the purpose of the Jewish sacrifices and the hope of the Lamb of
God who would take away the sins of the world. The Gentiles before the
coming of Jesus Christ were hopeless, "having no hope and without God in
the world" (v. 12 NET). They had no hope in the promises in Genesis 3:15;
Numbers 21:9; Deuteronomy 18:15, 18; 2 Samuel 7:12-16; Isaiah 7:14; 9:1ff;
52:13-53:12, Psalm 22, and those great passages in Zechariah. That is heart
breaking. But it is still the tragic picture of billions of people in this world who
have no hope and are without Christ. Without Christ there is nothing and all
is lost. The best that can be said is "No Exit." It is pure pessimisms. There is
no hope beyond the grave apart from the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
"You who used to be far away" (v. 13 NET). Remember you were dead in
trespasses and sins (v. 1). You were objects of God’s wrath (v. 3).
They were without hope. What a personal tragedy when there is "no hope and
without God in the world" (v. 12). They were practical atheists and agnostics.

71. Are you a Gentile without Christ and therefore without hope? That is the
spiritual situation of every individual who has never put their trust in Jesus
Christ.
NOW YOU ARE INSIDERS (vv. 13-14)
"But now in Christ Jesus you who used to be far away have been brought
near by the blood of Christ" (v. 13 NET).
What a change. You were spiritually dead and now you are alive. You were
far away and now you have been brought near.
Who is it that brings about this change? It is Christ Jesus. The historical
person, Jesus of Nazareth who died on the cross and three days later rose
from the dad is the "anointed of the LORD." He is the true legitimate
Messiah, and there can be no other.
Gentiles who were far away now have a vital union with the anointed of God.
They are now "in Christ Jesus." They are now in the inner circle. Those who
were once "far away" have been "brought near" by means of the "blood of
Christ." The atoning sacrifice of the death of Jesus has removed all barriers
to God.
In his letter to the church at Colossea Paul writes, "And you were at one time
strangers and enemies in your minds as expressed through your evil deeds,
but now he has reconciled you by his physical body through death to present
you holy, without blemish, and blameless before him" (Colossians 1:21-22
NET). The change takes place in the man, not God. It is the sinner who is
turned to God.
The atoning death of Jesus Christ brings us near to God. In the past the
Gentiles were separate from Christ, cut off from His blessings and salvation,
but now in Christ they have a vital union with Him.
All who believed on Christ Jesus "have come near in the blood of Christ." The
apostle Paul has just demonstrated this is something man cannot do because
of his sins. God did it for us in Christ death on the cross.
Nearness of Christ

72. These Gentile members of the church at Ephesus were "without Christ," and
"now in Christ Jesus you . . . " Formerly, they were dead in trespasses and
sins. They walked according to this world, under the prince of the power of
the air. Now they were alive, quickened, raised, and seated with Christ in the
heavenly places. Now they were near unto God. Formerly they were "without
Christ." Now they were "in Christ Jesus." Formerly they were "far away,"
now they have been "brought near" to God in Christ.
Christ's position is one of nearness to God, and he makes us near to God. He
gives us our place in the citizenship of God. We are now members of His
kingdom, and His family.
"For in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God through faith" (Galatians 3:26
NET). What a change in our standing with God!
This nearness to God for the believer is thus secure in Christ. It comes by
relationship when we are joined to Christ through faith so that we are
quickened, resurrected, and exalted with him. In Christ we have the same
relationship of nearness to God which he enjoys. What a blessing and
encouragement it is when in the midst of our discouragements and our
reticence because of failures or sins we are able to look away to this glorious
fact that our position to God through the Lord Jesus Christ never changes.
Christ dwelling in us brings about this nearness. This mystical indwelling of
Christ is the secret of the Christian life of victory, of fellowship with God, and
of the sense of nearness of God. Christ brings God to us and brings us to God.
Nearness results in spiritual blessings. He who is near to God has access to his
resources of blessing and help. Remember that the God and Savior of our
Lord Jesus Christ has "blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly
places in Christ Jesus." If, therefore, you would experience this nearness,
draw near to God, that He may draw near to you, and in your experience you
will know what being near to him means. It is an intimate personal experience
with God himself.
Wall of separation
In the innermost part of the Temple was the Holy of Holies or Most Holy
Place where symbolically the LORD God dwelt among His people. Only on

73. one day of the year, the Day of Atonement, could the High Priest enter that
room within the veil. Outside the veil was the Holy Place where the priest
entered daily. The veil symbolized separation from God.
The apostle Paul has in mind the wall of separation that surrounded the inner
courtyards in Herod’s Temple in Jerusalem. The inner temple was separated
by the Court of the Priests, where the priestly tribe of Levi entered to serve
and offer sacrifices. Next was the Court of Israel where only Jewish males
could enter, and beyond it the Court of Women where any Jewish person
could enter. This was as far as any woman could go into the temple.
Josephus tells us five steps below the entrance into the Court of the Women
was a five-foot stone barrier that enclosed the temple area and below that 14
more steps that descended to the Gentile Court. Paul is referring to a
stonewall around the Court of the Gentiles with inscriptions stating that non-
Jews could enter only upon the punishment of death.
Archaeologists actually discovered one of those tablets. It reads: "Let no one
of any other nation come within the fence and barrier around the Holy Place.
Whosoever will be taken doing so will himself be responsible for the fact that
his death will ensue." The Jewish leaders were serious about this requirement.
Trespassers would be killed.
The ancient world was full of barriers.
But look what Christ did for us. He removed this hostile barrier. In the body
of Christ there is neither Greek nor Jews, circumcised or uncircumcised (Col.
3:11). There is no longer any distinction spiritually. You are either "in
Christ" or outside of Christ. You are either saved or lost. You cannot be both.
Christ our peace (v. 14)
"For he is our peace, the one who made both groups into one and who
destroyed the middle wall of partition, the hostility, when he nullified in his
flesh the law of commandments in decrees. He did this to create in himself one
new man out of two, thus making peace, and to reconcile them both in one
body to God through the cross, by which the hostility has been killed"
(Ephesians 2:14-16 NET).

74. The apostle Paul teaches us the railings or fence erected for separation has
been torn down by the cross of Jesus. It is a completed action in the past. It
has been "destroyed." Reconciliation has been accomplished (vv. 15-16). God
and the sinner are at conflict because of sin. In salvation the believing sinner is
brought into a state in which he is in submission and obedient to God.
In any Christless society there can be nothing but middle walls of partition
and hostility. Watch the evening news on TV and you will have all the
evidence you need. Walls build hate.
Christ destroyed the wall. How? Christ has made the two into "one new
man," thus establishing peace. It is new in quality because it did not exist
before. Jesus did not make Gentiles into Jews, or Jews into Gentiles. He
produced a new kind of person. This new corporate entity is united in Christ.
It is his body.
We have peace with God through the blood of Jesus. We have been justified
by faith. "Therefore, since we have been declared righteous by faith, we have
peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ" (Romans 5:1 NET). God has
acquitted us because of what Christ did for us on the cross.
Sin separates man from God because God is holy. We are at enmity with God.
Sin causes discrimination. The death of Jesus Christ removed the barrier
between man and God. God has reconciled sinful man to Himself by means of
the death of Christ (2 Cor. 5:18-21). The way is now open for man to
approach God through faith in Christ.
Christ removed the barrier, the dividing wall between man and God. The
door of salvation is wide open for all to enter by faith in Jesus Christ.
BROTHERS IN THE FAMILY OF GOD (vv. 15 -22)
God has created a new body.
We are reconciled into one body.
We have been reconciled into one body to God through the cross (v. 16).
Christ died "to reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by
which the hostility has been killed" (NET).

75. The word "reconcile" means to bring together friends who have been
estranged. It has the idea of reconciling completely, to change from one
condition to another, so as to remove all hostility. There is no hindrance to
unity and peace.
The basis for this reconciliation is the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
In a parallel passage Paul wrote: "and through him to reconcile all things to
himself by making peace through the blood of his cross – through him,
whether things on earth or things in heaven. And you were at one time
strangers and enemies in your minds as expressed through your evil deeds,
but now he has reconciled you by his physical body through death to present
you holy, without blemish, and blameless before him" (Colossians 1:20-22
NET).
God has effected a change from a hostile to a friendly relationship. It is a
bringing together again, a reuniting, and a reconnecting of the relationship.
Christ through His atoning death has completely removed the enmity, and as
a result complete harmony follows. The reconciliation is so complete that
where there was formerly hostility there is now perfect fellowship. This is
something that God has done in Christ Jesus. He took the initiative to
accomplish reconciliation. It was God’s initiative.
Sin and depravity alienated us from a holy God. Our sins have separated us
from God. When Adam fell, we all fell down, and as a result were born in a
state of separation. God in Christ reached down from heaven and made
reconciliation. The Father sent His Son to the cross and died to make peace.
Jesus bore the full punishment of our sins in His death to accomplish a full
restoration with God.
Christ "came and preached peace to you who were far off, and peace to those
who were near" (v. 17 NET). When did Christ come and preach? It was the
day when his apostle and missionaries arrived bearing the good news of Jesus
Christ (cf. Acts 18:9-21, 24; 19:1).
We now have access to the Father (v. 18). Paul says it is "through him we both
have our access in one Spirit to the Father." In Romans 5:2 the apostle writes

76. we have this "access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice
in the hope of God’s glory" (NET). Jesus Christ is the "mediator of a new
covenant," who has "sprinkled blood" to cut a new covenant with God. He is
our peace.
Once again the Trinity is implied here. The word "access" is used for
introducing a person into the presence of the king. The idea is for someone to
lead or bring another person into the presence of another of a higher rank.
We have someone who takes us by the hand and leads us into the presence of
the LORD God. We have someone we can break in upon, take our troubles
to, our problems, our difficulties, our loneliness, and our sorrows. Because of
Christ’s faithfulness we have bold and confident access into God’s presence.
The Holy Spirit takes us into his presence.
We are reconciled to one another.
We are no longer strangers, outsiders, and aliens. Christianity transcends all
the local cultural differences; it produces men who are friends with each other
because they are friends with God. It produces men who are one because they
meet in the presence of God to whom they all have access. We all come on the
same level of acceptance—sinners saved by free grace.
You are fellow-citizens. "So then you are no longer foreigners and noncitizens,
but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of God’s household"
(Ephesians 2:19 NET). Gentiles are no longer foreigners, but full members of
the family of God. No longer to be regarded with suspicion and dislike, but a
full member of the community of God. "But our citizenship is in heaven – and
we also await a savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform
these humble bodies of ours into the likeness of his glorious body by means of
that power by which he is able to subject all things to himself" (Philippians
3:20-21 NET). What will that body of glory be like? Here we are told we will
be like him! (cf. 1 John 3:2)
Have you ever been around someone who tries to create division, suspicion, or
turns people against each other? There are some people who are never happy
unless they are creating chaos for others. Christians on the other hand are
peacemakers. They have a ministry of reconciliation (2 Cor. 5:18-20).

77. You are of God’s household. "So then you are no longer foreigners and
noncitizens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of God’s
household, because you have been built on the foundation of the apostles and
prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone. In him the whole
building, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom
you also are being built together into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit"
(Ephesians 2:19-22 NET).
It is through Jesus that we are made full members of the family of God. We
are at home with him because of the work of Christ. You do not have to feel
shut out, and lonely in the dark. There is a "we" feeling, a sense of
belongingness that comes through being a part of the family of God.
SOME ABIDING PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS
1. When Jesus Christ comes into your life there is a dividing line, a change
that takes place and you can look back upon your life before and after that
event. This is what my life was like before I put my trust in Jesus Christ. This
is the time and place when I trusted in Him and this is what my life has been
like since. You cannot argue with a change person. What are changes Christ
has brought about in your life?
2. When we fall in love with Jesus Christ we come to love each other. There
can be peace only in and through Jesus Christ. Reconciliation with God
involves and necessitates reconciliation with man.
3. When Jesus died on the cross he brought an end to legalism as a means of
salvation and sanctification. He removed the fences when He abolished
religion founded on rules and regulations. Jesus tore down the walls. Why in
the world do we put up fences to keep people out of our lives, and our church?
4. When God saves us by grace it is always through faith in Jesus Christ.
There is no other way but faith in Him. "And there is salvation in no one else,
for there is no other name under heaven given among people by which we
must be saved" (Acts 4:12 NET). Jesus said, "I am the way, and the truth, and
the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6 NET).

78. 5. When Jesus Christ comes into your life He produces an altogether different
kind of person. Jesus does not make all the Jews into Gentiles. Nor does He
make Gentiles into Jews. He makes all men of all nations into Christians.
Unity lies in oneness in Christ.
6. It is tragic when the church is more exclusive than God.


ROB SALVATO

Ephesians 2:11-22
A Body & A Building

INTRO: Have you ever noticed how many fitness magazines there are in
publication? Shape; New body; muscles; body building; runner; jogging;
men's health; men's fitness - go on & on

A.)This time of the year they are giving their remedies on how to get into
shape. interesting titles/101 ways - to live smarter; look younger;

B) The best 20 min workouts – I loved this one {a Healthy Person's guide to
pizza }

C) Looking at a mag rack at your local super market reveals we are
a culture obsessed with image
1.) You see it in commercials & ads - that suggest you can have a

79. new body! You can Build a new you

D) People spend a lot of time; hard work & even money to achieve that
status!
1) People can do a lot to make themselves feel and look better physically -
but can't make a new you! Real You in who are on inside
2) can't do anything in our strength to change ourselves spiritually - no
routine - no program / Only God can make a new man!


We saw in our last study a few wks ago – how we were dead in sin! MESS /
V. 4 - BUT GOD !!!! Made us alive! Saved by Grace
A.) Then in v.10 – Paul revealed to us a wonderful truth - we are God’s
workmanship - work of art- HIS MASTERPIECE !!!!

B.) People look at us - say - you a work of art? We can say You Should have
seen us before! God has done a work - / doing a work

C.) As we move into v.11 - Paul moves from individual analogy to the
collective analogy - Christ has made a Whole New Body of believers v.11-12
Prior to Christ's death and resurrection there were 2 groups of people: Jews
and Gentiles
A.)The Jews were God's chosen people; promise to Abraham build a great
nation/ From nation come Messiah - Savior of world

80. B.) Given mark of circumcision - signified separated unto God
1.) They were given special covenants - agreements Between God &them.
They were given the Law

C.) Why did God choose and bless Israel? Deut 7:6 .. "For you are a holy
people to the LORD your God; the LORD your God has chosen you to be a
people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples on the face of the
earth. "The LORD did not set His love on you nor choose you because you
were more in number than any other people, for you were the least of all
peoples;

D.) Not because They were big and mighty but small barren and weak &
because He loved Them{ He would do a great work thru a weak vessel
1) It would be a testimony of God's grace and faithfulness and power!

So on one hand you had Jews - God's chosen people - on other hand Gentiles -
everyone else
A.)In v.11,12 - Gentiles are described as being without Christ;
w/out citizenship; without covenant; without hope!

B)Historians testify that a big cloud of hopelessness covered the ancient world
1) Philosophies were empty; traditions were disappearing; religions were
powerless to help men face either life OR death – Hopeless!!!

C) Paul identifies the real reason in v.12 They were w/out God!

81. Separated by sin

D.) Same is true today: For man who doesn't know God!
1) Here tonight – Don’t know Christ – That is You!!!
So Collectively that was our Place/ But then in V.13 We are given a Blessed
interruption: V.13 - parallels v.4 - But God! READ V.13-18
A.) Jesus brings hope! He made peace: He broke down the wall – First
between Man & God –

B) V. 15 He broke down the enmity – that is the law of commandments –
1) That is what Separated Jew & Gentile unlike from God was our Inability to
Keep the commandments

C) He met those requirements perfectly – then Died for our failures
Col 2:13-15
He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses,14
having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which
was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the
cross.15 Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public
spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.

D) Picture of Disarmed – public spectacle
1) v.18 Now in Christ – Both Groups would have Access to the Father !!!

82. So First God fixed the enmity that was between man and Himself and then he
fixed the separation between Jews & Gentiles
A) Gentiles and Jews didn't like each other: God set apart the Jews
to be a help and blessing to Gentiles

B) Original plan in promise to Abraham - Jews would be channel of
revelation of His goodness to other nations

C.) Jews instead of seeking to help Gentiles - disdained them -looked down
on them ( watch church doesn't do same)
1.) Rabbis taught - Gentiles good one thing: "Fuel fires of hell"

D.)In Herod's temple there was a wall that separated the court of Gentiles
from rest of temple!
E) Archeologists - plaque inscription: "No foreigner may enter within the
barricade which surrounds the sanctuary and enclosure. Anyone caught doing
so will be punished by death!"


So there was this heavy hatred between the two classes they avoided each
other and wouldn't help each other!
A.) If a Gentile was dying or giving birth – a Jew wouldn't help because -
Gentile was unclean!

83. B.) But now Paul says v.14 Jesus is our peace -He has broken down wall/ No
Race / No color differences /
1) From the two groups the Lord was going to make ONE NEW MAN !!!


Now Paul uses this analogy in His writings a lot idea of seeing the church as
Christ's body
A.) "One body, many members and functions in Romans.
Diff gifts in Eph 4 / 1 Cor 12 ; 14

B) All the members are equally important & necessary all have a function!
1.) human body - eyes; toes; feet; hands – All important – have a
function

C) The same is true of the Body of Christ – Many members – not all alike
different functions – but all equally important !!!

D) A human body is complete at Birth – that Child has everything it needs to
function as a healthy normal –productive human being
1) All that is needed is for growth & maturity to take place !!!

E) THE SAME IS TRUE SPIRITUALLY - You have all you need available
in Christ – Just need to grow & mature !!!!

84. Now Paul closes out this section with another analogy of our oneness – not just
a Body – but we are a Building Rd v. 19-22
In Matt 16 Jesus asked "Who do men say that I am?"
A) Several different opinions: John B, Elijah; Jeremiah; one of prophets
1.) Who do you say? "You are Christ, the son ... God"

B.) V. 17,18"Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not
revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. "And I also say to you
that you are Peter, (Petros Little stone )and on this rock ( Petra Huge Rock)
I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.

C) The Foundation of the Church is based upon the teachings of the Prophets
and the Apostles ABOUT CHRIST
1) The prophets pointed ahead to that rock -

Is 28:16 Therefore thus says the Lord God: "Behold, I lay in Zion a stone
for a foundation, a tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation;
whoever believes will not .......Shame

D.) I like Deut 32:31 - Their rock is to like our rock!
1) Two kids comparing / Pulls out shinny stone / other a Pts to a Mt.

E.) Rocks of this world can look shiny and new - fancy, but no
comparison to our Rock!

85. The prophets looked ahead - the Apostles looked back!
A) PAUL 1 Cor 10:3-5 all ate the same spiritual food,4 and all drank the same
spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and
that Rock was Christ.
NKJV

B) PETER : 1 Peter 2:6-8 "Behold, I lay in Zion A chief cornerstone, elect,
precious, And he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame."
7 Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are
disobedient, "The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief
cornerstone," 8 and "A stone of stumbling - And a rock of offense." They
stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed.
Notice: Jesus is referred to as the Cornerstone
A.)This was the most important stone in the building. From the
cornerstone the whole building WAS joined together
1) If YOU removed it would all fall apart!

B.) Catch the significance of this: Jesus is not only the foundation, the
rock upon which the church is built
1.) House is only as good as it's foundation!

C.) But He is also the chief cornerstone - he holds us all together!

D.) Important because if we remove Christ from being the focus of our lives;
our church - it crumbles

86. E) If we begin to get caught up in programs and principles instead of
a person - we our lives / church - doomed to failure
1) If we focus on each other – TROUBLE – FLAWS imperfections

F) Our goal is to point to Jesus! Stand on Jesus! Worship and exalt Jesus!
share the gospel of Jesus .. crucified

In Matthew 7:24-27 - Jesus told the story of two men built houses
A) one man - (foolish man) built on sand. - Jesus says whoever hears my
words - doesn't follow - men on sand!

B) The person Hears the truth - but ignores - follows philosophies of the
world! Live for self

C) Jesus said - that foundation is sand! Storms come and waves crash - that
house falters!

D) But The wise man builds on the rock - hears word and follow. Rock is
Christ - storms still come - stands - why?
1.) built on the Rock! YOUR LIFE TONIGHT

As we prepare our hearts to approach the Communion table
A) Lets remember – as we do that we are RE AFFIRMING OUR
ONENESS

87. B) Realizing we are one here at the CROSS – ONE NEW MAN
1) One Body - One in the sense of being equal – NO ONE BETTER
than anyone else – Sinners who needed a Savior

But as we come to the table lets also Exalt our ROCK
A) Our Rock is not like their Rock

B) Our Rock is Precious to us –

C) IN Christ our Rock that our Stability is Found


But as we come to the table tonight – also a time to Consider :
A) Is Christ Precious to me – or is he a Rock of offense – a stumbling block
that I keep stumbling over ?

B) What is my life built upon tonight
1) Sand – Ignoring God’s word – or Rock – because I have embraced God’s
word


THE TABERNACLE OF THE MOST HIGH NO 267

88. A SERMON DELIVERED ON SABBATH MORNING, AUGUST 14, 1859,
BY THE REV. C. H. SPURGEON, AT THE MUSIC HALL, ROYAL
SURREY GARDENS.

“In whom you also are builded together for an habitation of God through the
Spirit.” Ephesians 2:22.

UNDER the old Mosaic dispensation, God had a visible dwelling place among
men. The bright shekinah was seen between the wings of the cherubim which
overshadowed the mercy seat, and in the tabernacle, while Israel journeyed in
the wilderness, and in the temple afterwards, when they were established in
their own land, there was a visible manifestation of the presence of
JEHOVAH in the place which was dedicated to His service. Now, everything
under the Mosaic dispensation was but a type, a picture, a symbol of
something higher and nobler. That form of worship was, as it were, a series of
shadow pictures, of which the Gospel is the substance. It is a sad fact,
however, that there is so much Judaism in all our hearts, that we frequently
go back to the old beggarly elements of the law, instead of going forward and
seeing in them a type of something spiritual and heavenly, to which we ought
to aspire. It is disgraceful to the present century to hear some men talk as
they do. They had better at once espouse the Jewish creed. I mean it is
disgraceful to hear some men speak as they do with regard to religious
edifices. I remember to have heard a sermon once upon this text, “If any man
defile the temple of God, him will God destroy.” And the first part of the
sermon was occupied with a childish anathema against all who should dare to
perform any unhallowed act in the churchyard, or who should lean the pole of
a tent during the fair of the coming week against any part of that edifice,
which, it seemed to me, was the god of the man who occupied the pulpit. Is
there such a thing as a holy place anywhere? Is there any spot wherein God
now particularly dwells? I know not. Listen to the words of Jesus, “Believe
me, the hour comes, when you shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at

89. Jerusalem, worship the Father. But the hour comes, and now is, when the true
worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father
seeks such to worship Him.” Remember, again, the saying of the apostle at
Athens, “God who made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is
Lord of heaven and earth, dwells not in temples made with hands.” When
men talk of holy places they seem to be ignorant of the use of language. Can
holiness dwell in bricks and mortar? Can there be such a thing as a sanctified
steeple? Can it possibly happen that there can be such a thing in the world as
a moral window or a godly doorpost? I am lost in amazement, utterly lost,
when I think how addled men’s brains must be when they impute moral
virtues to bricks and mortar, and stones and stained glass. Pray tell how deep
does this consecration go and how high? Is every crow that flies over the
edifice at that time in solemn air? Certainly it is as rational to believe that, as
to conceive that every worm that is eating the body of an Episcopalian is a
consecrated worm, and therefore there must necessarily be a brick wall, or a
wide gravel path to protect the bodies of the sanctified from any unhallowed
worms that might creep across from the Dissenters’ side of the cemetery. I
say again, such child’s play, such Popery, such Judaism, is a disgrace to the
century. And yet, notwithstanding, we all find ourselves at divers times and
seasons indulging in it. That at which you have just now smiled is but pushing
the matter a little further, an error into which we may very readily descend. It
is but an extravaganza of an error into which we, all of us, are likely to fall.
We have a
The Tabernacle of the Most High Sermon #267
Volume 5
2
2
reverence for our plain chapels. We feel a kind of comfort when we are sitting
down in the place which somehow or other we have got to think must be holy.
Now let, us if we can, and perhaps it takes a great sturdiness and
independence of mind to do it—let us drive away once and forever all idea of
holiness being connected with anything but with a conscious active agent. Let

90. us get rid once and forever of all superstitions with regard to place. Depend
upon it, one place is as much consecrated as another and wherever we meet
with true hearts reverently to worship God, that place becomes, for the time
being, God’s house. Though it is regarded with the most religious awe, that
place which has no devout heart within it, is no house of God. It may be a
house of superstition, but a house of God it cannot be. “But still,” says one,
“God has an habitation. Does not your text say so?” Yes, and of that house of
God, I am about to speak this morning. There is such a thing as a house of
God. But that is not an inanimate structure, it is a living and a spiritual
temple. “In whom,” that is, Christ, “you also are builded together for an
habitation of God through the Spirit.” The house of God is built with the
living stones of converted men and women, and the church of God, which
Christ has purchased with His blood—this is the divine edifice and the
structure wherein God dwells even to this day. I would, however, make one
remark with regard to places in which we worship. I do think, albeit that
there can be no sanctity of superstition connected with them, there is at the
same time, a kind of sacredness of association. In any place where God has
blessed my soul, I feel that it is none other than the house of God and the very
gate of heaven. It is not because the stones are hallowed, but because there I
have met with God, and the recollections that I have of the place consecrate it
to me That place where Jacob laid him down to sleep, what was it but his
sleeping chamber for the time being, but his sleeping chamber was none other
than the house of God. You have rooms in your houses, I hope, and closets
there more sacred in truth than any gorgeous cathedral that ever lifted its
spire to heaven. Where we meet with God, there is a sacredness, not in the
place, but in the associations connected with it. Where we hold fellowship
with God and where God makes bare His arm, though it is in a barn or a
hedgerow, or on a moor, or on a mountain side, there is God’s house to us,
and the place is consecrated at once. But yet not so consecrated as that we
may regard it with superstitious awe, but only consecrated by our own
recollections of blessed hours which we have spent there in hallowed
fellowship with God. Leaving that out of the question, I come to introduce you
to the house which God has builded for His habitation. We shall regard the
church this morning thus—first, as a building. Secondly, as a habitation. And
thirdly, as what she is soon to become, namely—a glorious temple. I. First,

91. then, we shall regard the church as A BUILDING. And here, let us pause to
ask the question, first of all, what is a church—what is the church of God?
One sect claims the title for itself of the church, while other denominations
hotly contend for it. It belongs to none of us. The church of God consists not of
any one particular denomination of men. The church of God consists of those
whose names are written in the book of God’s eternal choice. The men who
were purchased by Christ upon the tree, the men who are called of God by
His Holy Spirit, and who, being quickened by that same Spirit, partake of the
life of Christ and become members of His body, of His flesh, and of His bones.
These are to be found in every denomination among all sorts of Christians.
Some stray ones where we little dreamed of them, here and there a member of
the church of God hidden in the midst of the darkness of accursed Rome. Now
and then, as if by chance, a member of the church of Christ connected with no
sect whatever, far away from all connection with his brethren, having scarcely
heard of their existence, yet still knowing Christ, because the life of Christ is
in him. Now this church of Christ, the people of God throughout the world, by
whatever name they may be known, are in my text compared to a building in
which God dwells.
Sermon #267 The Tabernacle of the Most High
Volume 5
3
3
I must now indulge in a little allegory with regard to this building. The church
is not a heap of stones shot together, she is a building. Of old her architect
devised her. I think I see Him, as I look back into old eternity, making the first
outline of His church. “Here,” said He in His eternal wisdom, “shall be the
cornerstone and there shall be the pinnacle.” I see Him ordaining her length,
and her breadth, appointing her gates, and her doors with matchless skill,
devising every part of her, and leaving no single portion of the structure
unmapped. I see Him, that mighty architect, also choosing to Himself every
stone of the building, ordaining its size and its shape, settling upon His mighty
plan the position each stone shall occupy, whether it shall glitter in front, or

92. be hidden in the back, or buried in the very center of the wall. I see Him
marking not merely the bare outline, but all the fillings up. All being
ordained, decreed, and settled in the eternal covenant, which was the divine
plan of the mighty architect upon which the church is to be built. Looking on,
I see the architect choosing a cornerstone. He looks to heaven and there are
the angels, those glittering stones. He looks at each one of them from Gabriel
down, but said He, “None of you will suffice. I must have a cornerstone that
will support all the weight of the building, for on that stone every other one
must lean. Gabriel, you will not suffice! Raphael, you must lay by. I cannot
build with you.” Yet it was necessary that a stone should be found and one
too that should be taken out of the same quarry as the rest. Where was He to
be discovered? Was there a man who would suffice to be the cornerstone of
this mighty building? Ah no! Neither apostles, prophets, nor teachers would.
Put them altogether and they would be as a foundation of quicksand, and the
house would totter to its fall. Mark how the divine mind solved the difficulty,
“God shall become man, very man, and so He shall be of the same substance
as the other stones of the temple, yet shall He be God and therefore strong
enough to bear all the weight of this mighty structure, the top whereof shall
reach to heaven.” I see that foundation stone laid. Is there singing at the
laying of it? No. There is weeping. The angels gathered round at the laying of
this first stone. Sad look you men and wonder, the angels weep. The harps of
heaven are clothed in sackcloth and no song is heard. They sang together and
shouted for joy when the world was made, why don’t they shout now? Look
here and see the reason. That stone is imbedded in blood, that cornerstone
must lie nowhere else but in His own gore. The vermilion cement drawn from
His own sacred veins must imbed it. And there He lies, the first stone of the
divine edifice. Oh, begin your songs afresh, you angels, it is over now. The
foundation stone is laid. The terrible ceremony is complete and now, whence
shall we gather the stones to build this temple? The first is laid, where are the
rest? Shall we go and dig into the sides of Lebanon? Shall we find these
precious stones in the marble quarries of kings? No. Where are you flying,
you laborers of God? Where are you going? Where are the quarries? And
they reply, “We go to dig in the quarries of Sodom and Gomorrah, in the
depths of sinful Jerusalem, and in the midst of erring Samaria.” I see them
clear away the rubbish. I mark them as they dig deep into the earth and at last

93. they come to these stones. But how rough, how hard, how unhewn. Yes, but
these are the stones ordained of old in the decree and these must be the stones,
and none other. There must be a change effected. These must be brought in
and shaped and cut and polished, and put into their places. I see the workmen
at their labor. The great saw of the law cuts through the stone and then comes
the polishing chisel of the Gospel. I see the stones lying in their places and the
church is rising. The ministers, like wise master-builders, are there running
along the wall, putting each spiritual stone in its place. Each stone is leaning
on that massive cornerstone and every stone depending on the blood, and
finding its security and its strength in Jesus Christ, the cornerstone, elect and
precious. Do you see the building rise as each one of God’s chosen is brought
in, called by grace and quickened? Do you mark the living stones as in sacred
love and holy brotherhood they are knit together? Have you ever entered the
building and seen how these stones lean one upon another, bearing each
others’ burden and so fulfilling the law of Christ?
The Tabernacle of the Most High Sermon #267
Volume 5
4
4
Do you mark how the church loves Christ and how the members love each
other? How first the church is joined to the cornerstone and then each stone
bound to the next, and the next to the next, till the whole building becomes
one? Lo! the structure rises and it is complete and at last it is built. And now,
open your eyes wide and see what a glorious building this is—the church of
God. Men talk of the splendor of their architecture—this is architecture
indeed, neither after Grecian nor Gothic models, but after the model of the
sanctuary which Moses saw in the holy mountain. Do you see it? Was there
ever a structure so comely as this instinct with life in every part? Upon one
stone shall be seven eyes and each stone full of eyes and full of hearts. Was
ever a thought so massive as this—a building built of souls—a structure made
of hearts? There is no house like a heart for one to repose in. There a man
may find peace in his fellow-man. But here is the house where God delights to

94. dwell—built of living hearts, all beating with holy love— built of redeemed
souls, chosen of the Father, bought with the blood of Christ. The top of it is in
heaven. Part of them are above the clouds. Many of the living stones are now
in the pinnacle of paradise. We are here below, the building rises, the sacred
masonry is heaving, and as the cornerstone rises, so all of us must rise until at
last the entire structure from its foundation to its pinnacle shall be heaved up
to heaven and there shall it stand forever—the New Jerusalem—the temple of
the majesty of God. With regard to this building I have just a remark or two
to make before I come to the next point. Whenever architects devise a
building, they make mistakes in forming the plan. The most careful will omit
something. The most clever find in some things he has been mistaken. But
mark the church of God. It is builded according to rule, and compass, and
square, and it shall be found at last that there has not been one mistake. You,
perhaps, my dear brother, are a little stone in the temple and you are apt to
think you ought to have been a great one. There is no mistake about that. You
have but one talent. That is enough for you, if you had two, you would spoil
the building. You are placed perhaps in a position of obscurity and you are
saying, “Oh that I were prominent in the church!” If you were prominent you
might be in a wrong place, and but one stone out of its place in architecture so
delicate as that of God would mar the whole. You are where you ought to be,
stay there. Depend on it, there is no mistake. When at last we shall go round
about her, mark her walls and tell her bulwarks, we shall each of us be
compelled to say, “How glorious is this Zion!” When our eyes shall have been
enlightened and our hearts instructed, each part of the building will command
our admiration. The topstone is not the foundation, nor does the foundation
stand at the top. Every stone is of the right shape, the whole material is as it
should be, and the structure is adapted for the great end, the glory of God, the
temple of the Most High. Infinite wisdom then may be remarked in this
building of God. Another thing may be noticed, namely, her impregnable
strength. This habitation of God, this house which is not made with hands, but
is of God’s building, has often been attacked, but it has never been taken.
What multitudes of enemies have battered against her old ramparts! But they
have battered in vain. “The kings of the earth stood up and the rulers took
counsel together,” but what happened? They came against her, every one of
them with mighty men, each man with his sword drawn, but what became of

95. them? The Almighty scattered kings in Hermon like snow in Salmon. As the
snow is driven from the mountainside before the stormy blast, even so did
You drive them away, O God, and they melted before the breath of Your
nostrils.

“Then should our souls in Zion dwell, Nor fear the rage of Rome or hell.”

The church is not in danger and she never can be. Let her enemies come on,
she can resist. Her passive majesty, her silent rocky strength, bids them
defiance now. Let them come on and break themselves in pieces, let them dash
themselves against her, and learn the ready road to their own destruction. She
is
Sermon #267 The Tabernacle of the Most High
Volume 5
5
5
safe and she must be safe even unto the end. Thus much then we can say of the
structure. It is built by infinite wisdom and it is impregnably secure. And we
may add, it is glorious for beauty. There was never a structure like this. One
might feast his eyes upon it from dawn to eve, and then begin again. Jesus
Himself takes delight in it. So pleased is God in the architecture of His church,
that He has rejoiced with His church as He never did with the world. When
God made the world, He heaved the mountains and digged the seas, and
covered its valleys with grass. He made all the fowls of the air and all the
beasts of the field. Yea, and He made man in His own image and when the
angels saw it, they sang together and they shouted for joy. God did not sing.
There was no sufficient theme of song for Him that was, “Holy, holy, holy.”
He might say it was very good. There was a goodness of fitness about it, but
not moral goodness of holiness. But when God built His church, He did sing,
and that is the most extraordinary passage, I sometimes think, in the whole

96. Word of God, where He is represented as singing, “Your redeemer in the
midst of you is mighty, he will save, he will rest in His love, he will rejoice over
you with singing” (Zep 3:17). Think, my brethren, of God Himself looking at
His church and so fair and beautiful is the structure that He sings over His
work, and as each stone is put in its place, divinity itself sings. Was ever song
like that? Oh, come, let us sing. Let us exalt the name of God together, praise
Him who praises His church— who has made her to be His peculiar dwelling
place. Thus, then, have we in the first place regarded the church as a
building. II. But the true glory of the church of God consists in the fact that
she is not only a building, but that she is A HABITATION. There may be
great beauty in an uninhabited structure, but there is always a melancholy
thought connected with it. In riding through our country, we often come upon
a dismantled tower or castle. It is beautiful, but it is not a thing of joy. There
is a sorrowful reflection connected with it. Who loves to see desolate palaces?
Who desires that the land should cast out her sons and that her houses should
fail of tenants? But there is joy in a house lit up and furnished, where there is
the sound of men. Beloved, the church of God has this for her peculiar glory,
that she is a tenanted house, that she is an habitation of God through the
Spirit. How many churches there are that are houses, yet not habitations! I
might picture to you a professed church of God. It is built according to square
and compass, but its model has been formed in some ancient creed and not in
the Word of God. It is precise in its discipline according to its own standard
and accurate in its observances according to its own model. You enter that
church, the ceremony is imposing, the whole service perhaps attracts you for a
while. But you go out of that place conscious that you have not met with the
life of God there—that it is a house, but a house without a tenant. It may be
professedly a church, but it is not a church possessing the indwelling of the
Holy One. It is an empty house that must soon be dilapidated and fall. I fear
that this is true of many of our churches Established and Dissenting, as well as
Romanist. There are too many churches that are nothing but a mass of dull,
dead formality. There is no life of God there. You might go to worship with
such a people, day after day, and your heart would never beat more quickly,
your blood would never leap in its veins, your soul would never be refreshed,
for it is an empty house. Fair may be the architecture of the structure, but
empty is its storehouse, there is no table spread, there is no rejoicing, no

97. killing of the fatted calf, no dancing, no singing for joy. Beloved, let us take
heed, lest our churches become the same, lest we be combinations of men
without spiritual life and consequently houses uninhabited, because God is not
there. But a true church, that is visited by the Spirit of God, where
conversion, instruction, devotion, and the like, are carried on by the Spirit’s
own living influences—such a church has God for its inhabitant. And now, we
will just turn over this sweet thought. A church built of living souls is God’s
own house. What is meant by this? I reply, a house is a place where a man
solaces and comforts himself. Abroad we do battle with the world, there we
strain every nerve and sinew that we may stem a sea of troubles, and may not
be carried away by the stream. Abroad, among men, we meet those of strange
The Tabernacle of the Most High Sermon #267
Volume 5
6
6
language to us, who often cut us to the heart and wound us to the quick. We
feel that there we must be upon our guard. We could often say, “My soul is
among lions. I lie even among those who are set on fire by hell.” Going
abroad in the world we find but little rest, but the day’s work done, we go
home, and there we solace ourselves. Our weary bodies are refreshed. We
throw away the armor that we have been wearing and we fight no more. We
see no longer the strange face, but loving eyes beam upon us. We hear no
language now which is discordant in our ears. Love speaks and we reply. Our
home is the place of our solace, our comfort, and our rest. Now, God calls the
church His habitation—His home. See Him abroad. He is hurling the
thunderbolt and lifting up His voice upon the waters. Listen to Him. His voice
breaks the cedars of Lebanon and makes the hinds to calve. See Him when He
makes war, riding the chariot of His might, He drives the rebellious angels
over the battlements of heaven down to the depth of hell. Behold Him as He
lifts Himself in the majesty of His strength! Who is this that is glorious? It is
God, most high and terrible. But see, He lays aside His glittering sword. His
spear He bears no longer. He comes back to His home. His children are about

98. Him. He takes His solace and His rest. Yes, think not I venture too far— He
shall rest in His lover and He does do it. He rests in His church. He is no
longer a consuming fire, a terror, and a flame. Now, is He love and kindness
and sweetness, ready to hear the prattle of His children’s prayers and the
disjointed notes of His children’s songs. Oh how beautiful is the picture of the
church as God’s house, the place in which He takes His solace! “For the
LORD has chosen Zion, He has desired it for his habitation. This is My rest
forever: here will I dwell; for I have desired it.” Furthermore, a man’s home
is the place where he shows his inner self. You meet a man at the market, he
deals sharply with you, he knows with whom he has to deal and he acts with
you as a man of the world. You see him again at home, talking with his
children and you say, “What a different man! I could not have believed it was
the same being.” Mark, again, the professor in his chair. He is instructing
students in science. Mark his sternness as he speaks upon profound themes.
Would you believe that that same man will in the evening have his little one
upon his knee and will tell it childish tales and repeat the ballads of the
nursery? And yet, it is even so. See the king as he rides through the street in
his pomp. Thousands gather round him, acclamation rends the sky. With
what majestic port he bears himself! He is all king, every inch a monarch, as
he towers in the midst of the multitude. Have you seen the king at home? He is
then just like other men. His little ones are about him. He is on the floor with
them in their games. Is this the king? Yes, it is even he. But why did he not do
this in his palace? in the streets? Oh, no, that was not his home. It is in his
home that a man unbends himself. Even so with regard to our glorious God.
It is in His church that He manifests Himself as He does not unto the world.
The mere worldling turns his telescope to the sky and he sees the pomp of God
in the stars and he says, “O God, how infinite are You.” Devoutly he looks
across the sea and beholds it lashed with tempest and he says, “Behold the
might and majesty of the Deity!” The anatomist dissects an insect and
discovers in every part of it divine wisdom and he says, “How wise is God!”
Yes. But it is only the believer who as he kneels in his chamber can say, “My
Father made all these,” and then can say, “Our Father which art in heaven,
hallowed be Thy name.” There are sweet revelations which God makes in His
church, which He never makes anywhere else. It is there He takes the children
to His bosom. It is there He opens His heart and lets His people know the

99. fountains of His great soul and the might of His infinite affection. And is it not
a sweet thing to think of God at home with His family, happy in the house of
His church? But yet, furthermore, another thought strikes me now. A man’s
home is the center of all he does. Yonder is a large farm. Well, there are
outhouses and hay ricks and barns and the like, but just in the middle of these
there is the house, the center of all husbandry. No matter how much wheat
there may be, it is to the house the produce goes. It is for the maintenance of
the household that the husband carries on
Sermon #267 The Tabernacle of the Most High
Volume 5
7
7
his husbandry. You may hear the cattle lowing yonder, you may mark the
sheep upon the hills, but the fleece comes home, and the full udders must yield
the milk for the children of the house, for the house is the center of all. Every
river of industry comes down towards the sweet soft inland lake of home.
Now, God’s church is God’s center. He is abroad in the world, He is busy here
and there and everywhere, but to what does all His business tend? To His
church. Why does God clothe the hills with plenty? For the feeding of His
people. Why is providence revolving? Why those wars and tempests, and then
again this stillness and calm? It is for His church. Not an angel divides the
ether who has not a mission for the church. It may be indirectly, but
nevertheless truly so there is not an archangel that fulfils the behests of the
Most High but really carries the church upon his broad wings and bears up
her children lest they dash their feet against a stone. The storehouses of God
are for His church. The depths beneath of hidden treasure, of God’s
unutterable riches—all these are for His people. There is nothing which He
has from His blazing crown to the darkness that is beneath His throne, that is
not for His redeemed. All things must minister and work together for good for
the chosen church of God which is His house—His daily habitation. I think, if
you will turn that over and over again, when you are away, you will see there
is much in the beautiful fact that as the house is the center, so is the church

100. the center of everything with God. One other thought and I will have done.
We have heard much talk of late about the French invasion. I shall begin to be
alarmed about it when I see it, but certainly not till then. However, there is
one thing we may say pretty safely. We are, many of us, peaceable men and
would not like to wield the sword. The first sight of blood would sicken us, we
are peaceful beings, we are not for fighting and war. But let the most peaceful
man imagine that the invader has landed on our shore, that our houses are in
danger, and our homes about to be sacked by the foe, our conscientiousness I
fear would give way. Notwithstanding all we might say about the wrongness
of war, I question whether there be a man among us who would not take such
weapon as he could find next to hand to repel the enemy. With this for our
war cry, “Our hearths and our homes,” we would rush upon the invader, be
he who he may or what he may. There is no might so tremendous that it could
paralyze our arm, until we were frozen in death we would fight for our home.
There would be no command so stern that it could quiet us. We should break
through every band and bond, and the weakest of us would be a giant, and
our women would become heroines in the day of difficulty. Every hand would
find its weapon to hurl at the invader. We love our homes and we must and
will defend them. Ay, and now lift up your thoughts—the church is God’s
home, will He not defend it? Will He suffer His own house to be sacked and
stormed? Shall the hearth of divinity be stained with the blood of His
children? Shall it be that the church is overthrown and her battlements
stormed, her peaceful habitations given up to fire and sword? No, never not
while God has a heart of love and while He calls His people His own house and
His habitation. Come, let us rejoice in this our security. Let earth be all in
arms abroad, we dwell in perfect peace, for our Father is in the house and He
is God Almighty. Let them come on against us, we need not fear. His arm shall
fell them, the breath of His nostrils shall blast them, a word shall destroy
them, they shall melt away like the fat of rams, as fat of lambs shall they be
consumed, into smoke shall they consume away. All these thoughts seem to me
naturally to arise from the fact that the church is God’s habitation. III. I was
about to show you in the third place, that the church is, by-and-by, to be
GOD’S GLORIOUS TEMPLE. It does not yet appear what she shall be. I
have, however, already mentioned this precious fact. The church is rising
today and she shall continue to rise until the mountain of the Lord’s house

101. shall be established upon the top of the mountains. And then, when all nations
shall call her blessed and Him blessed, too—when they shall all say, “Come
and let us go up to the house of our God that we may worship him,” then shall
the church’s glory begin. When this earth shall pass away, when all the
monuments of empires shall be dissolved and run down in the common lava of
the last burning, then
The Tabernacle of the Most High Sermon #267
Volume 5
8
8
shall the church be caught up in the clouds and afterwards be exalted to
heaven itself, to become a temple such as eye has not seen. And now, brethren
and sisters, in conclusion I make these remarks. If the church of God is God’s
house, what should you and I do? Why we should earnestly seek to be a part
of that temple, always to retain the great inhabitant. Let us not grieve His
Spirit lest He leave His church for a while, above all, let us not be hypocrites
lest He never comes into our hearts at all. And if the church is God’s temple
and God’s house, let us not defile it. If you defile yourself, you defile the
church, for your sin, if you be a church member, is the church’s sin. The
defilement of one stone in the building virtually mars its perfection. Take care
that you are holy even as He is holy. Let not your heart become a house for
Belial. Think not that God and the devil can dwell in the same habitation.
Give yourself wholly to God. Seek for more of His Spirit, that as a living stone
you may be wholly consecrated. And never be content unless you feel in
yourself the perpetual presence of the divine inhabitant who dwells in His
church. May God now bless every living stone of the temple. And as for you
that as yet are not hewn out of the quarries of sin, I pray that divine grace
may meet with you, that you may be renewed and converted, and at last be
partakers of the inheritance of the saints of light.

102. Taken from The C. H. Spurgeon Collection, Version 1.0, Ages Software. Only
necessary changes have been made, such as correcting spelling errors, some
punctuation usage, capitalization of deity pronouns, and minimal updating of
a few archaic words. The content is unabridged. Additional Bible-based
resources are available at www.spurgeongems.org.





BIBLEHUB RESOURCES

Pulpit Commentary Homiletics
Christ Our Peace
Ephesians 2:14-16
T. Croskery
He is so by effecting two reconciliations, and thus obliterating two deep and
long-standing alienations. He "hath made both one" Jew and Gentile - and
"he hath reconciled both unto God in one body by the cross." Christ is our
Peace, not simply as our Peacemaker, but as our Peace objectively considered
and with regard to our relation to God; for the apostle represents our
nearness to God as grounded in Christ as our Peace. He is therefore our
Peace, as he is called our Righteousness and our Redemption (1 Corinthians
1:30), and while thus he is our Peace toward God, he is the ground of peace in
every other relation, and especially between man and man. Thus he abides
our continual Peace, for he did not make peace and end his relation toward

103. us, but is the Source of our abiding reconciliation with God as well as of the
continuous enjoyment of peace. Thus the Old Testament prophecies which
connect peace with the Messiah find their just fulfillment (Isaiah 9:5, 6; Isaiah
57:2, 7). Peace was the legacy which he left to his disciples (John 14:27). It is
"the peace to which we are called in one body" (Colossians 3:15). It is that
which "keeps our hearts and minds through Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:7).
Consider -
I. HOW HE HAS MADE PEACE BETWEEN JEW AND GENTILE.
1. He did so by leveling in the dust the middle wall of partition that separated
them widely for ages, in a word, by abolishing the narrow particularism of
Judaism. The wall in question was the ceremonial law - "the law of
commandments contained in ordinances" - given to Israel as a separate people
and of positive appointment. The moral law was no part of the partition wail,
and contains in itself nothing either to excite enmity or to establish separation
between man and man. The death of Christ did not abolish it; it was the law of
ceremonies only that was abolished in the cross, for when he died, it
disappeared like a shadow when the substance was come. The moral law, as
embodied in the Decalogue, was older than the Mosaic institute, and therefore
survived its fall. The partition wall that kept Jew and Gentile apart was
(1) an ancient barrier of separation. It lasted sixteen hundred or two thousand
years, according as we date its origin from Abraham or Moses. A Puritan
Father says, "The foundation of the wall of separation was laid in Abraham's
time when circumcision was first given, for that began the quarrel; reared up
higher by Moses' rites; further lengthened and stretched out in all times of the
prophets, throughout all ages, till Christ, who came to abolish it and break it
down."
(2) It was a high barrier. It kept the Jew effectively apart for more than a
millennium and a half, that he might be trained for the universalist
dispensation that was to be established in the fullness of times.
(3) It engendered a deep hostility on both sides. It was this "enmity that made
the barrier so serious an element of separation. The Jew regarded the Gentile
with a proud and supercilious superiority, and the Gentile regarded the Jew

104. as an enemy of the human race. Literature is full of the evidences of this
continuous hostility. The Gentiles were called in contempt the uncircumcised"
and "sinners of the Gentiles." Juvenal, Tacitus, Martial, Horace, repay the
debt in the language of bitter and contemptuous sarcasm.
2. Consider the grand instrument of reconciliation between Jew and Get, the.
"In his flesh." The language refers expressly to the condition of penal curse-
bearing to which the atoning Savior spontaneously subjected himself. As the
apostle once represents sin as being condemned in Christ's flesh (Romans
8:3), so here our Lord is regarded as having in his flesh taken upon him the
sins of his people, as the great cause of enmity and disunion, and having
exhausted at once the sin of man and the wrath of God on the cross, he thus at
once abolished the law of ceremonies and annihilated the enmity which found
its occasion in it. The cross is still the instrument of reconciling man to man.
The world has made many efforts to unite men on a basis of liberty, equality,
fraternity - often trying to bring about a union even by the most terrible
bloodshed; but no principle has yet been discovered to unite man to man save
the gospel of Christ, with its doctrine of atonement through the blood of the
cross.
3. Consider the ultimate result of the death of Christ. "To make of twain one
new man, so making peace." Those previously sundered were by the cross
lifted into a higher unity, and placed upon a platform of equal privilege that
obliterated all the old causes of division. The reconciling power of the cross
ran through all the relations of men and all the relations of life. The person of
Christ crucified became henceforth the great Center of unity.
II. HOW CHRIST IS OUR PEACE IN EFFECTING RECONCILIATION
BETWEEN GOD AND MAN. "Tha t he might reconcile both unto God in one
body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby." Nothing can be more
explicit than the declaration that Christ's mission was intended to reconcile
God and man, who were previously alienated by sin. It is often contended
that, as God is essentially a God of love, it becomes us to think only of
reconciliation on man's Side. There are, in fact, two reconciliations, the one
based on the other - a reconciliation of God to man, and a reconciliation of
man to God. The apostle says elsewhere that "God has reconciled us to

105. himself by Jesus Christ" (2 Corinthians 5:18), and that it pleased "the Father,
having made peace through the blood of the cross, to reconcile all things unto
himself" (Colossians 1:20). The scheme of salvation, whether we take account
of the incarnation or the atonement, emanated from the Divine good pleasure
as the supreme source of all blessings. It is always important to emphasize the
fact that the atonement is the effect, not the cause, of God's love. The peace
here spoken of is peace on a basis of law and justice; for the offering up of
Christ so magnified the Law and exhausted all its demands, that, on the
ground of that propitiation, God could be at once just and the Justifier of the
ungodly. This is according to another passage: "God hath sent forth his Son to
be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness"
(Romans 3:25). If this be so, it is an error to hold that the only purpose of
Christ's death was the manifestation of Divine love. It was, in fact, a
manifestation of Divine justice as well as of Divine love; and if it was not a
manifestation of Divine justice, that is, if there was no righteousness making
that death necessary, it is difficult to see how there could be a manifestation of
love in his dying. It follows also that it is an error to depreciate the importance
of Christ's death, and to lay the main emphasis of his mission upon the virtues
of his life. The Bible knows nothing of a gospel without a cross, or of a gospel
which makes the cross a mere affecting incident at the close of a sublime
career; it rather exhibits the cross as the grand procuring cause of life and
redemption to man. If you take away the cross, you dry up the stream of
blessing which has flowed down through all Christian ages, you put an end to
the abiding peace of God's people, and you paralyze the right arm of the
ministry. Therefore we are justified in regarding the reconciliation between
God and. man as resting on Christ's work, and this work as charged with
reconciling power, not as it moved the human heart or led to a new conduct in
man, but as it introduced a new relation in which men were placed before
God. - T.C.

106. Biblical Illustrator
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.
Ephesians 2:15
Christ abolishing the enmity
A. Barry, D. D.
In this difficult passage it will be well first to examine the particular
expressions.
1. The word rendered "to abolish" is the word often used by St. Paul for "to
supersede by something better than itself" — translated "to make void," in
Romans 3:31; to "bring to nought," in 1 Corinthians 1:28, and (in the passive)
"to fail, to vanish away," to be done away," in 1 Corinthians 13:8-10. Now, of
the relation of Christ to the Law, St. Paul says, in Romans 3:31, "Do we make
void the Law? God forbid! Yea, we establish the Law." The Law, therefore, is
abolished as a law "in ordinances" — that is, "in the letter" — and is
established in the spirit.
2. "The law of commandments in ordinances." The word here rendered
"ordinance" (dogma) properly means "a decree." It is used only in this sense
in the New Testament (see Luke 2:1; Acts 16:4; Acts 17:7; Hebrews 11:23);

107. and it signifies expressly a law imposed and accepted, not for its intrinsic
righteousness, but on authority; or, as Butler expresses it (Anal., Part 2, chap.
1), not a "moral," but "a positive law." In Colossians 2:14 (the parallel
passage) the word is connected with a "handwriting," that is, a legal "bond";
and the Colossians are reproved for subjecting themselves to "ordinances,
which are but a shadow of things to come"; while "the body," the true
substance, "is Christ" (see verses 16, 17, 20, 21).
3. Hence the whole expression describes explicitly what St. Paul always
implies in his proper and distinctive use of the word "law." It signifies the will
of God, as expressed in formal commandments, and enforced by penalties on
disobedience. The general idea, therefore, of the passage is simply that which
is so often brought out in the earlier Epistles (see Romans 3:21-31; Romans
7:1-4; Romans 8:1-4; Galatians 2:15-21, et al.), but which (as the Colossian
Epistle more plainly shows) now needed to be enforced under a somewhat
different form — viz., that Christ, "the end of the law," had superseded it by
the free covenant of the Spirit; and that He has done this for us "in His flesh,"
especially by His death and resurrection.
4. But in what sense is thin Law called "the enmity," which (see ver. 16) was
"slain" on the cross? Probably in the double sense, which runs through the
passage: first, as "an enmity," a cause of separation and hostility, between the
Gentiles and those Jews whom they called "the enemies of the human race";
next, as "an enmity," a cause of alienation and condemnation, between man
and God — "the commandment which was ordained to life, being found to be
unto death" through the rebellion and sin of man. The former sense seems to
be the leading sense here, where the idea is of "making both one"; the latter in
the next verse, which speaks of "reconciling both to God," all the partitions
are broken down, that all alike may have "access to the Father." Compare
Colossians 1:21, "You, who were enemies in your mind, He hath reconciled";
and Hebrews 10:19, "Having confidence to enter into the holy place by the
blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, which He hath consecrated to us,
through the veil, that is to say His flesh."
(A. Barry, D. D.)

108. Abolition of the ceremonial, but not of the moral, law
James Fergusson.
1. As God's people, in covenant with Him, ought to be highly incensed against
and averse from any voluntary entire fellowship with those who neglect and
contemn the ordinances of worship prescribed by God in His Word; so those
who are without the Church, yea, and all unregenerate men, do look upon the
ordinances of God's worship as base, ridiculous, and contemptible, and carry
a kind of hatred and disdain to all such as make conscience of them: for so the
ancient worship, prescribed in the ceremonial law, was the occasion of hatred
and enmity betwixt the Gentile, who contemned it, and the Jew, who made
conscience of it. And, therefore, is here called the "enmity"; "having
abolished the enmity."
2. As the moral law, contained in the Ten Commandments, was no part of that
mid-wall of partition between Jew and Gentile, seeing some of the drafts and
lineaments of that law are upon the hearts of all by nature (Romans 2:15); so
there was no necessity to abrogate this law at Christ's death, in order to the
uniting of Jew and Gentile, neither was it at all abolished; for the law
abolished was the law, not simply, but "the law of commandments," and these
not all, but such commandments as were "contained in ordinances," to wit,
the ceremonial law; "even the law of commandments contained in
ordinances," saith he.
3. As God only hath power and liberty to prescribe what manner of worship
He will be served by, so He did once give a most observable evidence of this
His power and liberty, by changing that external way of worship which was
prescribed by Himself, under the Old Testament, unto another under the
New; although the internals of His worship, to wit, the graces of faith, love,
hope, joy in God, do remain the same in both (Matthew 22:37, 39); for He
"did abolish the law of commandments contained in ordinances," even all the
ancient worship consisting in rites and ceremonies, sensibly and fleshly
observations, which God did then prescribe, not as simply delighted in them,
but as accommodating Himself to the childish condition of the Church in

109. those times; and hath now appointed a more spiritual way of worship, as more
suitable to the grown age of the Church (John 4:21, 23).
4. It was Christ's sufferings and death which put an end to the law of
ceremonies, and made the binding power thereof to cease; for seeing His
sufferings were the body and substance of all those shadows, they neither did
nor could evanish until Christ had suffered, but then they did; it being
impossible that a shadow, and the body, whereof it is a shadow, can consist in
one and the same place; "Having abolished in His flesh the law of
commandments contained in ordinances."
(James Fergusson.)

One new man in Christ
A. Barry, D. D.
In this clause and the following verse the two senses, hitherto united, are now
distinguished from each other. Here we have the former sense simply. In the
new man "there is neither Jew nor Gentile," but "Christ is all and in all"
Colossians 3:12). This phrase, "the new man" (on which see Ephesians 4:24;
Colossians 2:10), is peculiar to these Epistles; corresponding, however, to the
"new creature" of 2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 6:15; and the "newness of
life" and "spirit" of Romans 6:4; Romans 7:6. Christ Himself is the "second
man, the Lord from Heaven" (1 Corinthians 15:47). "As we have borne the
image of the first man, of the earth, earthy," and so "in Adam die," we now
"bear the image of the heavenly," and not only "shall be made alive," but
already "have our life hid with Christ in God" (Colossians 3:3). He is at once
"the seed of the woman" and the "seed of Abraham"; in Him, therefore, Jew
and Gentile meet in a common humanity. Just in proportion to spirituality or
newness of life is the sense of unity, which makes all brethren. Hence the new
creation "makes peace" — here probably peace between Jew and Gentile,
rather than peace with God, which belongs to the next verse.
(A. Barry, D. D.)

110. Union in the Church
James Fergusson.
1. Union in the Church of Christ is a thing which ought to be prized by us
highly, and sought after earnestly; and so much, as there is nothing in our
power which we ought not to bestow upon it, and dispense with for the
acquiring and maintaining of it; for so much was it prized by Christ, that He
gave His own life to procure it, and did beat down all His own ordinances
which stood in the way of it; "He even abolished in His flesh the law of
commandments contained in ordinances, for to make of twain one new man."
2. There are no divisions more hardly curable, than those which are about the
religion and worship of God, in so far as they engage not only the credit, but
also the consciences of the divided parties; hence one party, so engaged, doth
pursue what they maintain, as that wherein God's honour and their own
salvation are most nearly concerned, and doth look upon the other party as an
adversary, in so far at least, to both of those; for the apostle, speaking of
Christ's uniting the Jew and Gentile in one Church and religion, maketh use
of a word which showeth this was a task of no small difficulty, even such, that
no less than creating power was required to it, while He saith, "for to make in
Himself (the word signifieth 'to create in Himself') of twain one new man."
3. So strict and near is that conjunction and union which is especially among
true believers in the Church, that all of them, how far soever dispersed
through the world, do yet make up but one man and one body; as being all,
whatever be their other differences, most strictly united, as members under
one head, Christ (1 Corinthians 12:27), and animated, as to the inward man,
by the same Spirit of God residing and acting in them (Romans 8:9); for the
apostle showeth that all of them, whether Jew or Gentile, were made, not only
one people, one nation, one family, but one new man; "For to make of twain
one new man."
4. As the essential unity of the invisible Church, without which the Church
could not be a Church, doth of necessity depend upon and flow from that

111. union which every particular member hath with Christ, as head, seeing the
grace of love (whereby they are knit one to another (Colossians 3:14) doth
flow from faith (Galatians 5:6), whereby they are united to Him (Ephesians
3:17), so the more our union with Christ is improved unto the keeping of
constant communion and fellowship with Him, the more will be attained unto
of harmonious walking among ourselves, suitable unto that essential union
which is in the Church of Christ; for the apostle maketh the conjunction of
Jews and Gentiles in one Church to depend upon Christ's uniting of them to
Himself; "For to make in Himself of twain one new man," saith He.
5. The peace which ought to be, and which Christ calleth for in His Church, is
not a simple cessation from open strife, which may take place even when there
remaineth a root of bitterness in people's spirit (Psalm 55:21); but it is such an
harmonious walking together in all things as floweth from the nearest
conjunction of hearts, and the total removal of all former bitterness of spirits;
for the peace which Christ did make betwixt Jew and Gentile did follow upon
His abolishing the enmity, and making them one man; "so making peace,"
saith he.
(James Fergusson.)

The use of the law
The wife of a drunkard once found her husband in a filthy condition, with
torn clothes, matted hair, bruised face, asleep in the kitchen, having come
home from a drunken revel. She sent for a photographer, and had a portrait
of him taken in all his wretched appearance, and placed it on the mantel
beside another portrait taken at the time of his marriage, which showed him
handsome and well dressed, as he had been in other days. When he became
sober he saw the two pictures, and awakened to a consciousness of his
condition, from which he arose to a better life. Now, the office of the law is not
to save men, but to show them their true state as compared with the Divine
standard. It is like a glass, in which one sooth "what manner of man he is."

112. COMMENTARIES

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers
(15) The connection in the original is doubtful. The words the “enmity in His
flesh” may be in apposition to the “wall of partition” in the previous verse; or,
as in our version, to “the law of commandments.” The general sense, however,
is but little affected in either case.
Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments
contained in ordinances.—In this difficult passage it will be well first to
examine the particular expressions. (1) The word rendered “to abolish” is the
word often used by St. Paul for “to supersede by something better than
itself”—translated “to make void,” in Romans 3:31; to “bring to nought,” in
1Corinthians 1:28, and (in the passive) “to fail,” “to vanish away,” “to be done
away,” in 1Corinthians 13:8-10. Now, of the relation of Christ to the Law, St.
Paul says, in Romans 3:31, “Do we make void the Law? God forbid! Yea, we
establish the Law.” The Law, therefore, is abolished as a law “in
ordinances”—that is, “in the letter”—and is established in the spirit. (2) “The
law of commandments in ordinances.” The word here rendered “ordinance”
(dogma) properly means “a decree.” It is used only in this sense in the New
Testament (see Luke 2:1; Acts 16:4; Acts 17:7; Hebrews 11:23); and it
signifies expressly a law imposed and accepted, not for its intrinsic
righteousness, but on authority; or, as Butler expresses it (Anal., Part ii.,
Ephesians 1), not a “moral,” but “a positive law.” In Colossians 2:14 (the
parallel passage) the word is connected with a “handwriting” that is a legal
“bond”; and the Colossians are reproved for subjecting themselves to
“ordinances, which are but a shadow of things to come”; while “the body,” the
true substance, “is Christ.” (See Ephesians 2:16-17; Ephesians 2:20-21.) (3)
Hence the whole expression describes explicitly what St. Paul always implies
in his proper and distinctive use of the word “law.” It signifies the will of God,
as expressed in formal commandments, and enforced by penalties on
disobedience. The general idea, therefore, of the passage is simply that which

113. is so often brought out in the earlier Epistles (see Romans 3:21-31; Romans
7:1-4; Romans 8:1-4; Galatians 2:15-21, et al.), but which (as the Colossian
Epistle more plainly shows) now needed to be enforced under a somewhat
different form—viz., that Christ, “the end of the law,” has superseded it by
the free covenant of the Spirit; and that He has done this for us “in His flesh,”
especially by His death and resurrection. (4) But in what sense is this Law
called “the enmity,” which (see Ephesians 2:16) was “slain” on the Cross?
Probably in the double sense, which runs through the passage: first, as “an
enmity,” a cause of separation and hostility, between the Gentiles and those
Jews whom they called “the enemies of the human race”; next, as “an enmity”
a cause of alienation and condemnation, between man and God—“the
commandment which was ordained to life, being found to be unto death”
through the rebellion and sin of man. The former sense seems to be the
leading sense here, where the idea is of “making both one”; the latter in the
next verse, which speaks of “reconciling both to God,” all the partitions are
broken down, that all alike may have “access to the Father.” Comp.
Colossians 1:21, “You, who were enemies in your mind, He hath reconciled;”
and Hebrews 10:19, “Having confidence to enter into the holy place by the
blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, which He hath consecrated to us,
through the veil, that is to say His flesh.”
For to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace.—In this
clause and the following verse the two senses, hitherto united, are now
distinguished from each other. Here we have the former sense simply. In the
new man “there is neither Jew nor Gentile,” but “Christ is all and in all”
(Colossians 3:12). This phrase, “the new man” (on which see Ephesians 4:24,
Colossians 3:10), is peculiar to these Epistles; corresponding, however, to the
“new creature” of 2Corinthians 5:17, Galatians 6:15; and the “newness of
life” and “spirit” of Romans 6:4; Romans 7:6. Christ Himself is the “second
man, the Lord from Heaven” (1Corinthians 15:47). “As we have borne the
image of the first man, of the earth, earthy,” and so “in Adam die,” we now
“bear the image of the heavenly,” and not only “shall be made alive,” but
already “have our life hid with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:3). He is at once
“the seed of the woman” and the “seed of Abraham”; in Him, therefore, Jew
and Gentile meet in a common humanity. Just in proportion to spirituality or

114. newness of life is the sense of unity, which makes all brethren. Hence the new
creation “makes peace”—here probably peace between Jew and Gentile,
rather than peace with God, which belongs to the next verse.

Benson Commentary
Ephesians 2:15-18. Having abolished in his flesh — By the sufferings and
death endured therein; the cause of enmity between the Jews and Gentiles,
even the law of ceremonial commandments, contained in ordinances —
Consisting in many institutions and appointments concerning the outward
worship of God; such as those of circumcision, sacrifices, clean and unclean
meats, washings, and holy days; which, being founded in the mere pleasure of
God, might be abolished when he saw fit. These ordinances Jesus abolished,
that he might make in himself — That is, by uniting them to himself as their
head; of twain — Of Jews and Gentiles, who were at such a distance before;
one new man — One mystical body, one church, renewed by the Holy Ghost,
and uniting in one new way of gospel worship: so making peace — Between
the two kinds of people, and even laying a foundation for the most sincere
mutual love and friendship: And, or moreover, to complete this blessed work
of making peace, that he might reconcile both, as thus united in one body, and
animated by one spirit, not merely to one another, but unto God, by his death
on the cross — By which he expiated the guilt of sin, and rendered God
reconcileable, and ready to pardon the penitent that should believe in Jesus;
and by which he procured for mankind, whether Jews or Gentiles, the Holy
Spirit to work repentance and faith in them, and destroy that carnal mind,
which is enmity against God, (Romans 8:7,) and all those sinful passions
which are connected therewith, and which render men odious in his sight, and
hostile to one another. And came — After his resurrection; and preached
peace — By his authorized ambassadors, (to whom he had committed the
important trust of treating with sinners in his name and stead, 2 Corinthians
5:19-20,) to you Gentiles, which were afar off — At the utmost distance from
God; and to them that were nigh — To the Jews, who were comparatively
nigh, being his visible church. For through him — Through his mediation, his
sacrifice and intercession; we both — Believing Jews and Gentiles; have

115. access — Have liberty of approach; by one Spirit — Inspiring us with faith,
hope, and love, and rendering us sincere, spiritual, fervent, and constant, in
our prayers, praises, and all acts of worship and service: unto the Father —
That is, unto God as a Father reconciled in Christ, and beholding us with
paternal eyes of love, complacency, and delight.
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary
2:14-18 Jesus Christ made peace by the sacrifice of himself; in every sense
Christ was their Peace, the author, centre, and substance of their being at
peace with God, and of their union with the Jewish believers in one church.
Through the person, sacrifice, and mediation of Christ, sinners are allowed to
draw near to God as a Father, and are brought with acceptance into his
presence, with their worship and services, under the teaching of the Holy
Spirit, as one with the Father and the Son. Christ purchased leave for us to
come to God; and the Spirit gives a heart to come, and strength to come, and
then grace to serve God acceptably.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
Having abolished - Having brought to naught, or put an end to it -
καταργήσας katargēsas.
In his flesh - By the sacrifice of his body on the cross. It was not by instruction
merely; it was not by communicating the knowledge of God; it was not as a
teacher; it was not by the mere exertion of power; it was by his flesh - his
human nature - and this can mean only that he did it by his sacrifice of
himself. It is such language as is appropriate to the doctrine of the atonement -
not indeed teaching it directly - but still such as one would use who believed
that doctrine, and such as no other one would employ. Who would now say of
a moral teacher that he accomplished an important result by "his flesh?"
Who would say of a man that was instrumental in reconciling his contending
neighbors, that he did it "by his flesh?" Who would say of Dr. Priestley that
he established Unitarianism "in his flesh?" No man would have ever used this
language who did not believe that Jesus died as a sacrifice for sin.

116. The enmity - Between the Jew and the Gentile. Tyndale renders this, "the
cause of hatred, that is to say, the law of commandments contained in the law
written." This is expressive of the true sense. The idea is, that the ceremonial
law of the Jews, on which they so much prided themselves, was the cause of
the hostility existing between them. That made them different people, and laid
the foundation for the alienation which existed between them. They had
different laws; different institutions; a different religion. The Jews looked
upon themselves as the favorites of heaven, and as in possession of the
knowledge of the only way of salvation; the Gentiles regarded their laws with
contempt, and looked upon the unique institutions with scorn. When Christ
came and abolished by his death their special ceremonial laws, of course the
cause of this alienation ceased.
Even the law of commandments - The law of positive commandments. This
does not refer to the "moral" law, which was not the cause of the alienation,
and which was not abolished by the death of Christ, but to the laws
commanding sacrifices, festivals, fasts, etc., which constituted the uniqueness
of the Jewish system. These were the occasion of the enmity between the Jews
and the Gentiles, and these were abolished by the great sacrifice which the
Redeemer made; and of course when that was made, the purpose for which
these laws were instituted was accomplished, and they ceased to be of value
and to be binding.
Contained in ordinances - In the Mosaic commandments. The word
"ordinance" means, decree, edict, law; Luke 2:1; Acts 16:4; Acts 17:7;
Colossians 2:14.
For to make in himself - By virtue of his death, or under him as the head.
Of twain one new man - Of the two - Jews and Gentiles - one new spiritual
person; that they might be united. The idea is, that as two persons who had
been at enmity, might become reconciled and be one in aim and pursuit, so it
was in the effect of the work of Christ on the Jews and Gentiles. When they
were converted they would be united and harmonious.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

117. 15. Rather, make "enmity" an apposition to "the middle wall of partition";
"Hath broken down the middle wall of partition (not merely as English
Version, 'between us,' but also between all men and God), to wit, the enmity
(Ro 8:7) by His flesh" (compare Eph 2:16; Ro 8:3).
the law of commandments contained in—Greek, "the law of the
commandments (consisting) in ordinances." This law was "the partition" or
"fence," which embodied the expression of the "enmity" (the "wrath" of God
against our sin, and our enmity to Him, Eph 2:3) (Ro 4:15; 5:20; 7:10, 11;
8:7). Christ has in, or by, His crucified flesh, abolished it, so far as its
condemning and enmity-creating power is concerned (Col 2:14), substituting
for it the law of love, which is the everlasting spirit of the law, and which flows
from the realization in the soul of His love in His death for us. Translate what
follows, "that He might make the two (Jews and Gentiles) into one new man."
Not that He might merely reconcile the two to each other, but incorporate the
two, reconciled in Him to God, into one new man; the old man to which both
belonged, the enemy of God, having been slain in His flesh on the cross.
Observe, too, ONE new man; we are all in God's sight but one in Christ, as we
are but one in Adam [Alford].
making peace—primarily between all and God, secondarily between Jews and
Gentiles; He being "our peace." This "peace-making" precedes its publication
(Eph 2:17).
Matthew Poole's Commentary
Having abolished; abrogated, taken away the power of binding men.

In his flesh; not the flesh of sacrificed beasts but his own flesh: before he
mentioned his blood, and now his flesh, to imply the whole sacrifice of Christ,
comprehending his flesh as well as blood. The ceremonies had their
accomplishment in Christ, and so their abolishment by him.

118. The enmity; by a metonymy he so calls the ceremonies, which were the cause
and the sign of enmity between Jew and Gentile: the Jews hated the Gentiles
as uncircumcised, and the Gentiles despised the Jews for being circumcised.

Even the law of commandments contained in ordinances: either, by

the law of commandments, the apostle means the law of ceremonial rites, and
by the word which we render

ordinances, he means doctrine, and then (the word contained not being in the
Greek) the sense is, that Christ, by his doctrine or commandments, abolished
those ceremonial rites: the word commandments seems thus to be used, Deu
16:12 1 Kings 2:3 Ezekiel 18:21. Or else (which yet comes to the same) the
word rendered ordinances signifies such ordinances as depended upon the
sole will of the lawgiver; and is, Colossians 2:14, taken for ceremonial ones,
and so is to be taken here. This the apostle seems to add, to show what part of
the law was abrogated by Christ, viz. nothing of the moral law, but only the
ceremonial.

For to make, or create, or form, in opposition to abolish.

In himself; by union with himself, as the Head, in which the several members
agree.

Of twain; two bodies, or two people, Jews and Gentiles.

119. One new man; i.e. new body, or new (viz. Christian) people. As the body of a
commonwealth is one civil person, so the body of the church is in a like sense
one person.

So making peace, between Jew and Gentile, having taken away those
ceremonial laws, which were the cause of the difference between them.
Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible
Having abolished in his flesh the enmity,.... The ceremonial law, as appears by
what follows,
even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; which consisted of
many precepts, and carnal ordinances; and is so called because it was an
indication of God's hatred of sin, by requiring sacrifice for it; and because it
was an occasion of stirring up the enmity of the natural man, it being a
burden and a weariness to the flesh, by reason of its many and troublesome
rites; and because it was the cause of enmity between Jew and Gentile: the
Jews say (g), that Sinai, the mount on which the law was given, signifies
"hatred"; and that it is so called because from it descended "hatred" or
"enmity" to the nations of the world: now this Christ abolished, "in his flesh",
or by it; not by his incarnation, but by the sacrifice of his flesh, or human
nature, and that as in union with his divine nature; but not until he had
fulfilled it in himself, which was one end of his coming into the world; and
then he abolished it, so as that it ought not to be, and so as that it is not, and of
no use and service; and that because it was faulty and deficient, weak and
unprofitable, as well as intolerable; and because there was a change in the
priesthood; and because it was contrary to a spirit of liberty, the great
blessing of the Gospel; and that there might be a reconciliation and a coalition
between Jew and Gentile, as follows:
for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; which explains
what is meant before by making both one; and expresses the strictness of the
union between Jew and Gentile, they became as one man; and points at the
manner in which they became so strictly united; and that is by being made

120. new men, or new creatures, by having a work of grace upon their souls, and so
baptized into one body, and made to drink of one and the same Spirit; the
foundation of which union is in himself; for Jew and Gentile, male and female,
bond and free, are all one in Christ Jesus; he is the cornerstone in which they
all meet, and the head to which the whole body is joined.
(g) T. Bab. Sabbat, fol. 89. 1. Shemot Rabba, sect. 2. fol. 92. 4.
Geneva Study Bible
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;
EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)
Meyer's NT Commentary
Ephesians 2:15. Τὴν ἔχθραν] This, still included in dependence upon λύσας, is
now the μεσότοιχον broken down by Christ: (namely) the enmity. It is, after
the example of Theodoret (comp. τινές in Chrysostom), understood by the
majority (including Luther, Calvin, Bucer, Clarius, Grotius, Calovius, Morus,
Rosenmüller, Flatt, Meier, Holzhausen, Baumgarten-Crusius, de Wette) of the
Mosaic law as the cause of the enmity between Jew and Gentile, in which case
the moral law is by some included, by others excluded. But, in accordance
with Ephesians 2:14, the reader is led to nothing else than the opposite of
εἰρήνη, i.e. to the abstract enmity; and in the sequel, indeed, the abolition of
the law is very definitely distinguished from the destruction of the enmity (as
means from end). Hence the only mode of taking it, in harmony with the word
itself and with the context, is: the enmity which existed between Jews and
Gentiles, comp. Ephesians 2:16. So Erasmus, Vatablus, Estius, Cornelius a
Lapide, Bengel, and others, including Rückert and Bleek; while Hofmann
turns the notion of ἔχθρα into the mere ἀπαλλοτρίωσις of Ephesians 2:12, and,
referring it to the estrangement on the part of the Gentiles towards the
theocracy hated by them, removes the distinctive mark of reciprocalness
demanded by the context. Quite erroneously, Chrysostom, Theophylact,
Oecumenius, and lately Harless, hold that the enmity of the Jews and Gentiles

121. towards God is meant. In accordance with the context, Ephesians 2:14, the
μεσότοιχον can, in fact, only be one separating the Jews and Gentiles from
each other, and not something which separates both from God; and how
mistaken is such a view also on account of what follows! for the Mosaic law
might be conceived of as producing enmity towards God so far doubtless as
the Jews are concerned (1 Corinthians 15:56; Romans 5:20; Romans 7:13;
Galatians 3:19), but never as respects the Gentiles, who stood aloof from all
relation to the Mosaic law (Romans 2:12).

ἐν τῇ σαρκὶ αὐτοῦ] does not belong (as Lachmann also punctuates it) to τὴν
ἔχθραν, so that “the national hatred in His people” would be meant
(Chrysostom, Bugenhagen, Schulthess, Engelwelt, p. 193); nor yet to λύσας
(Oecumenius, Beza, Calvin, Grotius, Rückert, and others), because in that
case this mention of the death of Jesus would be irrelevantly dissevered from
the modal definition τὸν νόμον καταργήσας, to which, in the nature of the
case, it belongs as an essential element; but it stands with an emphasis suitable
to the context (comp. αὐτὸς γάρ, Ephesians 2:14) at the head of the
specification that now follows, in what way Christ has effected what was said
in Ephesians 2:14 by αὐτὸς γάρ ἐστιν … ἔχθραν: so that He by His flesh has
done away with the law, namely, when He allowed His flesh to be crucified
(Colossians 1:21 f.), dissolved thereby the tie with the law that brought men
under curse (see on Galatians 3:13), and thus opened up the justification
through faith (Romans 3:21 ff.), whereby the institute of the law was emptied
of its binding power (comp. Romans 10:4 ff; Romans 7:1 ff.; Colossians 2:14).
The moral commands also of the law had thereby, while not ceasing to be
valid, ceased to be held as constituent elements of the law-institute as such
justifying in the way of compliance with it; and its fulfilment, and that in
augmented power, now proceeds from the new vital principle of faith
(Romans 8:4), on which account Christ, although He is the end of the law
(Romans 10:4; comp. 2 Corinthians 3:11), could nevertheless say that He had
come to fulfil the law (Matthew 5:17), and Paul could assert: νόμον ἱστῶμεν,
Romans 3:31. Hofmann imports into the ἐν τῇ σαρκὶ αὐτοῦ the thought: in
and with the doing away of His life in the flesh, in respect of which He was an
Israelite, Christ has rendered the appertaining to His community independent

122. of the religious-legal status of an Israelite. As though the atoning death of
Christ, in the usual dogmatic sense of the apostle, had not been most distinctly
indicated already before by the ἐν τῷ αἵματι τοῦ Χριστοῦ, Ephesians 2:13, as
afterwards by the ἀποκαταλλάξῃ κ.τ.λ., Ephesians 2:16, and by the
προσαγωγή, Ephesians 2:18! This meaning is not here, any more than at
Colossians 1:21 f., to be exegetically modified or explained away.

τῶν ἐντολῶν ἐν δόγμασι] to be taken together, yet not in such a way that ἐν
stands for σύν (Flatt) or καί (Koppe, Rosenmüller), but as: the law of the
commandments consisting in injunctions, whereby the dictatorial character of
the legal institute (as a whole, not merely partially, as Schenkel imports) is
exhibited. The genitive τῶν ἐντολῶν denotes the contents of the law, and ἐν
δόγμασι the essential form in which the ἐντολαί are given. The connecting link
of the article (τῶν) before ἐν δόγμασι was not requisite, since we may correctly
say: ἐντέλλεσθαί τι ἐν δόγματι or ἐντολὴν διδόναι ἐν δόγματι, and therefore
ἐντολὴ ἐν δόγματι may be conjoined so as to form one conception.[151] Comp.
on Ephesians 3:13; Romans 6:4; Galatians 4:14; Galatians 3:26. This view of
the connection is adopted, after the precedent of many older expositors, by
Rückert, Matthies, Meier, Winer, pp. 123, 197 [E. T. 169, 257], Bisping,
Schenkel, Bleek.[152] Comp. also Buttmann, neut. Cr. p. 80 [E. T. 92]. If one
should, with the Syriac, Arabic, Vulgate, Pelagius, Chrysostom and his
successors, Theodore of Mopsuestia, Grotius, Estius, Bengel, Holzhausen, and
others, including Fritzsche, Diss. in 2 Corinthians 2. p. 168 f., refer ἐν δόγμ. to
ΚΑΤΑΡΓΉΣΑς, there would result—even apart from the fact that with our
mode of connecting ἘΝ Τῇ ΣΑΡΚῚ ΑὐΤΟῦ, this construction is not even
possible—the wholly untrue and un-Pauline thought that Christ has through
injunctions abolished the law. No doubt some have imputed to ἐν δόγμασι the
sense praecepta stabiliendo (Fritzsche), in doing which they had in view the
evangelical doctrine of faith and the gratia universalis (see Chrysostom,
Theodore of Mopsuestia, Theodoret, Theophylact, Estius, Bengel, and others).
But even thus the sense remains untrue and un-Pauline, seeing that the doing
away of the law has taken place not at all in a doctrinal way, but by the fact of
the death of Christ (Romans 7:1 f.; Galatians 3:13; Colossians 2:14). And
what a change would be made in the meaning of the word δόγμα, which in the

123. N.T. signifies throughout nothing else than injunction (Colossians 2:4; Luke
2:1; Acts 17:7; Acts 16:4; comp. Plat. Legg. i. p. 644 D; Xen. Anab. iii. 3. 5, vi.
6. 8; Dem. 774. 19; Herodian, i. 7. 6; 4Ma 4:23 f.)! The distinction ought not to
have been overlooked between ἐντολή and ΔΌΓΜΑ, which latter puts the
meaning of the former into the more definite form of the enjoining decree. A
peculiar view is taken by Harless (followed by Olshausen) likewise connecting
ἐν δόγμ. with ΚΑΤΑΡΓΉΣΑς, and holding that ἘΝ denotes the “side on
which that efficacy of the death of Christ exerts itself;” Christ did not render
the law ineffectual in any such capacity as ΣΚΙᾺΝ ΤῶΝ ΜΕΛΛΌΝΤΩΝ, or as
ΠΑΙΔΑΓΩΓῸΝ ΕἸς ΧΡΙΣΤΌΝ, but on the side of the δόγματα (“in reference
to the commanding form of its precepts,” Olshausen). Incorrectly, because
ΔΌΓΜΑΣΙ must of necessity have had the article, and because it is nowhere
taught that the law is done away only in a single respect. The Mosaic legal
institute as such, and not merely from a certain side, has in Christ its end
(Romans 10:4); the σκιὰ τῶν μελλόντων in the law has only a transient typical
destination (see on Colossians 2:17), and the work of the ΠΑΙΔΑΓΩΓΌς is at
an end with the attainment of maturity on the part of his pupils (Galatians
3:24 f.). Incorrect also is the view of Hofmann, p. 377, who, likewise taking
ἘΝ ΔΌΓΜΑΣΙ as modal definition to ΚΑΤΑΡΓΉΣΑς, and for the expression
with ἘΝ comparing 1 Corinthians 2:7, finds the meaning: by the very fact
that Christ has put an end to precepts generally, He has invalidated the O. T.
law of commandments. The statement that Christ has put an end to δόγματα
generally, i.e. to commanding precepts in general, is at variance with the
whole N.T., which contains numberless definite commands, and, in particular,
with the teaching of Paul, who even places Christianity as a whole under the
point of view, Romans 3:27; Romans 9:31, Galatians 6:2
Expositor's Greek Testament
Ephesians 2:15. τὴν ἔχθραν: to wit the enmity. Many (Luth., Calv., De Wette,
etc.) take this to be a figure for the Mosaic Law. But the ἔχθρα is in antithesis
to the εἰρήνη of Ephesians 2:14, and the specification of the Law comes in
later. It is better, therefore, to take the ἔχθρα here in the abstract sense of
hostile, separating feeling. But is it the enmity of Jew and Gentile to God
(Chrys., Harl., etc.) or the enmity between Jew and Gentile? The statement of
the μεσότοιχον as a mid-wall between τὰ ἀμφότερα decides for the latter. The

124. argument in favour of this view is stronger still when the former view is
connected with the idea that the ἔχθρα is the Mosaic Law. For the Mosaic Law
could not be said to have been the cause of hostile feeling on the part of
Gentiles to God.—ἐν τῇ σαρκί αὐτοῦ: in His flesh. The term σάρξ is taken by
some (Stier, etc.) in a sense wide enough to cover Christ’s incarnation and His
entire incarnate life. But, apart from other difficulties, this is inconsistent with
the definite mention of His blood and His cross. The term refers, therefore, to
His death, and means His crucified flesh (cf. Colossians 1:22). The great
difficulty here, however, is the connection. Some attach the phrase
immediately to τὴν ἔχθραν (Chrys., etc.), “the enmity which was in His flesh,”
as if the idea were “the hatred in the human race generally” or “the national
hatred,” the hatred in the Jewish people. But this would require τήν before ἐν
σαρκί, and furnishes at best a forced meaning. Most commentators connect it
with καταργήσας, supposing it to be put emphatically first. So it is taken, e.g.,
by Meyer, who makes ἐν σαρκί begin the new clause. The RV takes the same
view, but brings the ἔχθραν under the regimen of the καταργήσας—“having
abolished in His flesh the enmity, even the law”. There is much to say in
support of this, especially in view of the Pauline statements in Romans 3:21;
Romans 10:14; Galatians 3:13; Colossians 2:14, etc. On the other hand there
is an awkwardness in bringing in the predication before the verb, and the
parallelism is broken (cf. Alf.). It is best, therefore, to attach the ἐν σαρκὶ
αὐτοῦ to the λύσας (Calv., Rück., Alf., etc.). The form of the sentence is better
kept in this way. The appropriateness of the use of λύσας is then seen; for the
verb λύειν (= subvert, dissolve), is equally applicable to the μεσότοιχον and to
the ἔχθραν, the phrase λύειν ἔχθραν being common in ordinary Greek. On the
other hand καταργεῖν is much less applicable to ἔχθραν. So the sense is—“who
in His crucified flesh (i.e., by His death on the cross) broke down the middle-
wall of the partition, to wit the enmity” (i.e., the hostile feeling between Jew
and Gentile).—τὸν νόμον τῶν ἐντολῶν ἐν δόγμασιν καταργήσας: having
abolished (or, in that He abolished) the law of commandments (expressed) in
ordinances. Further statement of the way in which Christ by His death on the
cross removed the separation and the hostile feeling between Jew and Gentile
viz., by abrogating the dividing Law itself. The Law is now introduced, and
the term ὁ νόμος is to be taken in its full sense, not the ceremonial law only,
but the Mosaic Law as a whole, according to the stated use of the phrase. This

125. Law is abolished in the sense of being rendered inoperative (as καταργεῖν
means), and it is defined as the Law τῶν ἐντολῶν ἐν δόγμασιν. What is the
point of the definition? The article, which is in place with the ἐντολῶν, is
omitted before the δόγμασιν, as the latter makes one idea with the former and
further is under the regimen of a prep. (cf. Win.-Moult., pp. 139, 149, 151,
158). The Law is one of “commandments-in-decrees”. What is in view is its
character as mandatory, and consisting in a multitude of prescriptions or
statutes. It enjoined, and it expressed its injunctions in so many decrees, but it
did not enable. The Law was made up of ἐντολαί and these ἐντολαί expressed
themselves and operated in the form of δόγματα, ordinances. The word δόγμα
in the NT never means anything else than statute, decree, ordinance (cf. Luke
2:1; Acts 16:4; Acts 17:7; Colossians 2:14; in Hebrews 11:23 it is a variant for
διάταγμα). Hence it cannot have any such sense here as doctrines, evangelical
teaching (Theod.), evangelical precepts (Fritz.), the faith (Chrys.). Some
taking the ἐν as the instrumental ἐν make it = “having abolished the law by
injunctions” (Syr., Vulg., Arab., Grot., Beng., etc.). But the NT uniformly
speaks of the abrogation of the condemning law as being effected by Christ’s
death, never by His teaching, or by evangelical precepts. Another turn is given
to the sentence by taking ἐν in the sense of “in respect of,” “on the side of”
(Harl.), as if the idea were that the abrogation of the Law was limited to its
mandatory side,—to the orders contained in it. But this would require τοῖς
before the δόγμασιν; nor is it the way of the NT to speak of the Mosaic Law as
done away by Christ only on one side.—ἵνα τοὺς δύο κτίσῃ ἐν ἑαυτῷ εἰς ἕνα
καινὸν ἄνθρωπον: that He might create in Himself the two into one new man.
Statement of the object of the καταργεῖν. The masc. δύο is introduced now,
instead of the ἀμφότερα, with a view to the ἄνθρωπον. One man was to be
made out of the two men. The κτίσῃ is better rendered create with the RV
than make with the AV. A new creation is in view. For ἐν ἑαυτῷ of the TR
(with [160] [161] [162] [163], etc.) αὐτῷ is to be preferred as the reading of
[164] [165] [166] [167], etc. (LTTrRV); WH gives αὑτῷ. In either case the
sense is “in Himself”; not “by it” (Grot.) as if the reference were to Christ’s
doctrine, nor “through Himself” as if it were διʼ αὐτοῦ. The new creation and
the new union have their ground and principle in Christ. What was
contemplated, too, was not simply the making of one man (ἕνα ἄνθρωπον)
where formerly there were two, but the making of one new (καινὸν) man. The

126. result was not that, though the separation between them was removed, the
Jew still remained Jew and the Gentile still Gentile. It was something new, the
old distinctions between Jew and Gentile being lost in a third order of
“man”—the Christian man.—ποιῶν εἰρήνην: making peace. The εἰρήνη is
still peace between the estranged Jew and Gentile, and the ποιῶν (pres., not
aor.) belongs to the object expressed by the ἵνα. In carrying out that purpose
He was to make peace the one with the other.

[160] Codex Claromontanus (sæc. vi.), a Græco-Latin MS. at Paris, edited by
Tischendorf in 1852.

[161] Codex Mosquensis (sæc. ix.), edited by Matthæi in 1782.

[162] Codex Angelicus (sæc. ix.), at Rome, collated by Tischendorf and others.

[163] Codex Sinaiticus (sæc. iv.), now at St. Petersburg, published in facsimile
type by its discoverer, Tischendorf, in 1862.

[164] Codex Sinaiticus (sæc. iv.), now at St. Petersburg, published in facsimile
type by its discoverer, Tischendorf, in 1862.

[165] Codex Vaticanus (sæc. iv.), published in photographic facsimile in 1889
under the care of the Abbate Cozza-Luzi.

[166] Codex Alexandrinus (sæc. v.), at the British Museum, published in
photographic facsimile by Sir E. M. Thompson (1879).

127. [167] Codex Augiensis (sæc. ix.), a Græco-Latin MS., at Trinity College,
Cambridge, edited by Scrivener in 1859. Its Greek text is almost identical with
that of G, and it is therefore not cited save where it differs from that MS. Its
Latin version, f, presents the Vulgate text with some modifications.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
15. having abolished, &c.] Lit., The enmity, in His flesh, the law of the
commandments in decrees, annulling. In this difficult verse our best guide is
the Ep. to the Romans, esp. Romans 7:1-6, Romans 8:2-3, passages very
possibly in mind when this was written. See also the closely parallel passage,
Colossians 1:21-22. With these in view we may interpret this to teach that the
Lord, by His death (Colossians 1:22), “in the likeness of the flesh of sin”
(Romans 8:3), broke (“annulled”) for all believers their condemning relations
with the Law (in the highest sense of the word Law), as a preceptive code,
prescribing but not enabling,—a code imposing absolute decrees as the
absolute condition of acceptance; and thereby, ipso facto, brought to an end
the Mosaic ordinances with their exclusions, which existed mainly to prefigure
this Work, and to enforce the fact of its necessity, and incidentally to “fence
in” the race through whom the Messiah, as the Worker, was to come.

The passage thus teaches that Christ has “annulled” the old antipathy
between Jew and Gentile, by what He did in dying. But it cannot teach this
without teaching also the deep underlying truth that He did it by effecting
relations of acceptance and peace between Man and God; not putting aside
the Preceptive Law as a thing obsolete, but so “going behind it” in his
Atonement as to put believing man in a different relation to it, and so, and
only so, removing the external hedges of privilege and exclusion. Comparing
Colossians 1:21-22, it is plain that this greater reconciliation lies, in the
Apostle’s thought, behind the lesser, though the lesser is more immediately in
point.

128. “The commandments in decrees” are, doubtless, in part, the “touch not, taste
not,” of ceremonial restrictions; but not these only. They are the whole system
of positive edict, moral as well as ceremonial, taken apart from enabling
motive, and viewed as the conditions of peace with God.

“The enmity, even the law &c.,” may be fairly paraphrased, “the enmity,
expressed and emphasized (under the circumstances of the Fall) by the Law,
by its existence and claims as preceptive Law.”

for to make] In order to create. “It is a new creation,” 2 Corinthians 5:17;
where the reference is to the regenerate individual, as here to the community
of the regenerate.

in himself] Perhaps, in Him. But the reference is in either case to Christ, the
subject of the whole context. Cp. Colossians 1:16, where “In Him were
created” is used of the First Creation. In both Creations, Old and New, Christ
is the Cause and Bond of being. The New Man, like the Universe, exists and
consists by vital union with Him.

one new man] The phrase “new man” occurs only here and Ephesians 4:24,
where see note. Here the great organism of the saints, Jew and Gentile, is
viewed as, so to speak, one Person; a view closely akin to that of the “One
Body” of Christ; 1 Corinthians 12, &c. “We are all in God’s sight but one in
Christ, as we are all one in Adam” (Alford).

The Old Race is solidaire with its Head, Adam, by solidarity of Nature in itself
and of standing towards God. So the New Race is solidaire with its Head,
Christ, in Whom, and at once, it both receives the standing of justified
acceptance for His Merits, and derives “Divine Nature” by His Spirit. And

129. solidarity with the Head seals the mutual solidarity of the members. As the
Old Race is not only men, but Man, so the New Race is not only new men, but
New Man.

so making peace] Here, as just above, the immediate thought is of the
reconciliation of Jew and Gentile in Christ, but behind it lies the thought of
that greater reconciliation which is expressed fully Ephesians 2:18; “access
through Christ, for both, in one Spirit unto the Father;” and just below.
Bengel's Gnomen
Ephesians 2:15. Τὴν ἔχθραν, enmity) The Jews held the Gentiles in
abomination; the Gentiles treated the Jews with scorn on account of
circumcision, the Sabbath, etc.—ἐν τῇ σαρκὶ αὐτοῦ, in His flesh) So, in one
body, Ephesians 2:16, [i.e. by His suffering and death.—V. g.]—τὸν νόμον τῶν
ἐντολῶν) the law of commandments, viz. ceremonial.—ἐν δόγμασι, in
ordinances, in decrees) belonging to the Gospel, by which mercy was set forth
to all, Colossians 2:14, note. [See the same words with the very same meaning,
Acts 16:4; Acts 15:28.—V. g.]—καταργήσας, having abolished) Each ἐν [ἐν
δόγμασιν and ἐν τῇ σαρκὶ] is construed, as we have already intimated, with
this participle. Christ abolished, by His flesh, the enmity; [He abolished] the
law of commandments by spreading over the whole world the ordinances of
the Gospel. But if the expression, in ordinances, belonged to ἐντολῶν, of
commandments, the expression, in His flesh, would not have been placed
before, but after it. It is written, as it were, in the style of a lapidary [stilo
lapidari].[32]

[32] The arrangement being such that the alternate pieces of stone match.—
ED.

Τὴν ἔχθραν, the enmity,

130. ἐν τῇ σαρκὶ αὐτοῦ, in his flesh;

τὸν νόμον τῶν ἐντολῶν, the law of commandments,

ἐν δόγμασιν, in ordinances,

καταργήσας, having abolished.

—τοὺς δύο, the two) He elegantly omits men; for formerly they had scarcely
maintained the name of men. The two, who were Jew and Greek.—καινὸν,
new) by taking away the oldness of the letter.—ποιῶν, making) The participle
making depends on the verb, might create (κτίσῃ); and having slain depends
on might reconcile: each of them has the power of explaining, which is derived
from what immediately precedes.—εἰρήνην, peace) This peace-making
precedes its publication, Ephesians 2:17.
Pulpit Commentary
Verse 15. - (To wit, the enmity.) It is a moot point whether τὴν ἔχθραν is to be
taken as governed by λύσας in ver. 14, or by καταργήσας in the end of this
verse. Both A.V. and R.V. adopt the latter; but the former is more textual and
natural. Another question is - What enmity? Some say between Jews and
Gentiles; others, between both and God. The latter seems right; where "the
enmity" is so emphatically referred to, it must be the great or fundamental
enmity, and the whole tenor of the passage is to the effect that in the removal
of the enmity of the sinner to God, the abolition of the enmity between Jew
and Gentile was provided for. In his flesh. These words are not to be
connected with the enmity, for then they would require τὴν before them, but
with λύσας (ver. 14) or καταργήσας (ver. 15). In his flesh, crucified, broken,
for our sins, Christ virtually broke down the enmity (comp. Colossians 1:22).
Having abolished the law of commandments in ordinances. Some think that

131. "in ordinances" (ἐν δόγμασι, doctrines) denotes the means by which the Law
was abolished - by means of doctrines, i.e. the doctrines of Christianity. But
New Testament δόγμα is not equal to "doctrine." "In ordinances" limits the
law of commandments. The law abolished or superseded by Christ was the
law of positive requirements embodied in things decreed, evidently the
ceremonial law of the Jews; certainly not the moral law (see Romans 3:31). By
removing this, Jesus removed that which had become the occasion of bitter
feelings between Jew and Gentile; the Jew looking down proudly on the
Gentile, and the Gentile despising what he deemed the fantastic rites of the
Jews. That he might create the two in himself into one new man. The idea of a
corporate body comes here into view. Christ's object was not merely to restore
individuals, but to rear a Church, composed of many units incorporated into
one body. This idea is prominent in the rest of the Epistle. Hence the strong
word κτισῃ, create; not only is every believer a new creation, but the
corporate organization into which they are built is also a creation. The two
are made "one new man;" the Gentile is not turned into a Jew, nor the Jew
into a Gentile, but both into one new man, thus removing all grounds of
jealousy. This transformation is "in himself;" in vital union to Christ they are
formed into one body. No Church connection of man with man is the true
connection, unless it is founded on a mutual connection with Christ. So
making peace; that is, between Jew and Gentile. The peacemaking with God,
as we have seen, is referred to in the first words of the verse; this at the end is
the subordinate peacemaking, the result of the other.
Vincent's Word Studies
Having abolished in His flesh the enmity (τὴν ἔχθραν ἐν τῇ σαρκὶ αὐτοῦ
καταργήσας)
The enmity immediately follows the middle wall of partition, and should be
rendered in apposition with and as defining it, and as dependent on brake
down, not on abolished: the middle wall which was the enmity. It is used
abstractly, as peace in Ephesians 2:14. The enmity was the result and working
of the law regarded as a separative system; as it separated Jew from Gentile,
and both from God. See Romans 3:20; Romans 4:15; Romans 5:20; Romans

132. 7:7-11. For abolished, see on cumbereth, Luke 13:7, and make without effect,
see on Romans 3:3.
The law of commandments contained in ordinances (τὸν νόμον τῶν ἐντολῶν ἐν
δόγμασιν)
The law, etc., depends in construction on having abolished, and is not in
apposition with the enmity, as A.V. The middle wall of partition, the enmity,
was dissolved by the abolition of the law of commandments. Construe in His
flesh with having abolished. Law is general, and its contents are defined by
commandments, special injunctions, which injunctions in turn were
formulated in definite decrees. Render the entire passage: brake down the
middle-wall of partition, even the enmity, by abolishing in His flesh the law of
commandments contained in ordinances.
For to make (ἵνα κτίσῃ)
Rev., that He might create. See on created, Ephesians 2:10. The work was to
be a new creation on a new foundation.
In Himself
As the medium of reconciliation.
Of the twain one new man (τοὺς δύο εἰς ἕνα καινὸν ἄνθρωπον).
The Greek is livelier: make the two into one new man. Καινὸν new,
emphasizes the new quality; not newness in point of time. See on Matthew
26:29.