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Two weeks ago, we left off in the middle of a thought (vs 14). Jesus brought peace, but more than that, He isour peace. We have been brought near by Jesus’ blood, and Jesus has made Jews and Gentiles one, breaking down the wall of hostility by His atoning death on the cross, but there is more.
11 Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called “the uncircumcision” by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands— 12 remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility 15 by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, 16 and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. 17 And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. 19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. 22 In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.[1]
Ephesians 2:11-22 (emphasis added)
Let’s begin with the first part of verse 15: Jesus abolished the law of commandments. First, what law is Paul referring to? He is NOT talking about moral law. Paul was very clear. “Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law” (Romans 3:31). Jesus reiterated and summed up the moral law: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:37-39; see also Romans 13:8-10).
The phrase “expressed in ordinances” helps us understand what law. Paul is talking about the ceremonial law – all the offerings, sacrifices, laws of cleanliness, and feasts. The ceremonial law pointed to Christ who has perfectly fulfilled the law (Matthew 5:17-20), abolishing the necessity of ceremonial law by His own blood. The writer of Hebrews stated: “For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins… And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God… For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified” (Hebrews 10:4, 10-14).
Second, it was the ceremonial law that prevented Jews and Gentiles from eating and worshiping together. In Acts 10, we read about Peter’s vision of something like a sheet descending with all kinds of animals, reptiles, and birds on it. Peter heard God’s voice telling him to kill and eat what was in the sheet. Peter was shocked, replying that he had never eaten anything that was common or unclean (ceremonial law). God answered, “What God has made clean, do not call common” (vs 15). Peter’s vision was in preparation for him going to and eating with Cornelius, a Gentile centurion. God’s purpose of the vision was to illustrate that the ceremonial laws that had separated Jews from the unclean Gentiles was abolished in Christ.
This is the message Paul is teaching. The ceremonial law has been abolished in Christ’s atoning death that “he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace” (vs 15b). Paul uses the phrase “in himself” again. The only way Jew and Gentile can become one is by Christ alone. This “one new man” (kainos in the Greek) is completely different than anything previously in existence (Romans 10:12-13; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 6:15). We will see a fuller picture of this “one new man” in verses 18-22, but in summary, we are fellow citizens and members of the household of God (vs 19), and a dwelling place for God by the Spirit (vs 20-22). The “one new man” is the church comprised of believing Jews and Gentiles.
In making Jew and Gentile one, Jesus makes peace. Only by vertical peace with God is horizontal peace possible as Paul affirms: “and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility” (vs 16). Richard Coekin is helpful in understanding the word reconcile. “Paul’s original Greek word [apokatallaze] used here is specially intensified to mean we’re ‘super-reconciled’ to God, because he’s been ‘super-satisfied’ by the sacrifice of His Son.”[2]
Both Jew and Gentiles are reconciled to God through the cross. In his letter to the church in Rome, Paul explains: “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ… For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation” (Romans 5:1, 10-11).
John MacArthur ties into the truth that we were enemies of God: “Reconcile is a rich term (apokatallassō) which holds the idea of turning from hostility to friendship. The double use of prepositions as prefixes (apo, kata) emphasizes the totality of this reconciliation (cf. Col. 1:19–23).[3]
What a beautiful picture of grace – hostility to friendship. Jesus’ atoning death killed the hostility. This reflects the change between us and God when were justified, but it also reflects the hostility between Jew and Gentile that has now been transformed in Christ. Where there was once a dividing wall in fellowship and worship, now there is peace and friendship. As one in Christ, we can fellowship and worship together.
Reflection
1. In what ways do you erect dividing walls with other believers?
2. What is one specific way you can seek peace or unity with another person in your church family?
3. Is there someone from whom you need to seek forgiveness or reconcile?
[1] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Eph 2:11–22.
[2] Coekin, Richard. Ephesians For You. Charlotte, The Good Book Company, 2023.
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