These Walls Must Come Down
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11 So, then, remember that at one time you were Gentiles in the flesh—called “the uncircumcised” by those called “the circumcised,” which is done in the flesh by human hands.
12 At that time you were without Christ, excluded from the citizenship of Israel, and foreigners to the covenants of promise, without hope and without God in the world.
13 But now in Christ Jesus, you who were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
14 For he is our peace, who made both groups one and tore down the dividing wall of hostility. In his flesh,
15 he made of no effect the law consisting of commands and expressed in regulations, so that he might create in himself one new man from the two, resulting in peace.
16 He did this so that he might reconcile both to God in one body through the cross by which he put the hostility to death.
17 He came and proclaimed the good news of peace to you who were far away 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 foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with the saints, and members of God’s household,
20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone.
21 In him the whole building, being put together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord.
22 In him you are also being built together for God’s dwelling in the Spirit.
Introduction: Wall and barriers
11 So, then, remember that at one time you were Gentiles in the flesh—called “the uncircumcised” by those called “the circumcised,” which is done in the flesh by human hands.
12 At that time you were without Christ, excluded from the citizenship of Israel, and foreigners to the covenants of promise, without hope and without God in the world.
As Paul is reminding the church at Ephesus of who they are he calls for them to look back in
remembrance of what life was like before. Being able to look at what our lives were like before has a
way of helping us to appreciate what life is like now and also it can help remind us of the hope that we
have.
To really grasp the heart of the text we must know that there is a great tension that the church would have felt when reading this letter from Paul. For one there had always been a great hostility between the Jews and the Gentiles.
The Jews were God’s covenant people so therefore they viewed God as their God only.
6 For you are a holy people belonging to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you to be his own possession out of all the peoples on the face of the earth.
7 “The Lord had his heart set on you and chose you, not because you were more numerous than all peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples.
8 But because the Lord loved you and kept the oath he swore to your ancestors, he brought you out with a strong hand and redeemed you from the place of slavery, from the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt.
“the oath to the ancestors”
3 Then Abram fell facedown and God spoke with him:
4 “As for me, here is my covenant with you: You will become the father of many nations.
5 Your name will no longer be Abram; your name will be Abraham, for I will make you the father of many nations.
6 I will make you extremely fruitful and will make nations and kings come from you.
7 I will confirm my covenant that is between me and you and your future offspring throughout their generations. It is a permanent covenant to be your God and the God of your offspring after you.
“circumcision as a sign”
10 This is my covenant between me and you and your offspring after you, which you are to keep: Every one of your males must be circumcised.
11 You must circumcise the flesh of your foreskin to serve as a sign of the covenant between me and you.
The Gentiles were anyone who was not Jewish. This hostility was bad and it lasted for years. In fact that is what a lot of the book of Acts is dealing with especially the Jerusalem Council in Acts 15.
Some Jewish believers believed that the only way a Gentile could be saved was to adopt Jewish culture (also in Galatians 2-Titus).
1 Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along also.
2 I went up according to a revelation and presented to them the gospel I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to those recognized as leaders. I wanted to be sure I was not running, and had not been running, in vain.
3 But not even Titus, who was with me, was compelled to be circumcised, even though he was a Greek.
4 This matter arose because some false brothers had infiltrated our ranks to spy on the freedom we have in Christ Jesus in order to enslave us.
5 But we did not give up and submit to these people for even a moment, so that the truth of the gospel would be preserved for you.
A huge problem with this is that it takes away from the sufficiency of Christ (Christ plus works).
Here’s the big idea: True community is centered around Christ alone.
1. Outward condition. They were Gentiles — “the Uncircumcision” (ver. 11).
11 So, then, remember that at one time you were Gentiles in the flesh—called “the uncircumcised” by those called “the circumcised,” which is done in the flesh by human hands.
2. Inward condition,
Ephesians 2:12 (CSB)
12 At that time you were without Christ, excluded from the citizenship of Israel, and foreigners to the covenants of promise, without hope and without God in the world.
denoted by five negatives:
(1) without Christ;
(2) without a country;
(3) without promises;
(4) without hope;
(5) without God (ver. 12).
Their current state
13 But now in Christ Jesus, you who were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
How?
14 For he is our peace, who made both groups one and tore down the dividing wall of hostility. In his flesh,
“dividing wall (of hostility-added for emphasis)”
Ephesians: An Introduction and Commentary b. The Reconciliation of Jews and Gentiles (2:11–22)
There was a barrier both literally and spiritually. In Jerusalem, between the temple proper and the Court of the Gentiles, there was a stone wall on which there was an inscription in Greek and Latin: ‘No one of another nation to enter within the fence and enclosure round the temple. And whoever is caught will have himself to blame that his death ensues
Ephesians: An Introduction and Commentary b. The Reconciliation of Jews and Gentiles (2:11–22)
It is strangely significant that Paul was finally arrested and condemned by the Jews in Jerusalem on the basis of a false accusation that he took an Ephesian, Trophimus, beyond this barrier (Acts 21:29–30)
It is Christ who is our peace. (Paul-Jew, Church-Gentile, Both-Enemies with God).
wall of hostility- This is a picture taken from the temple. The temple was surrounded by a series of courts. Each court had a high wall separating it from the preceding court. As one approached the temple, he entered first of all the outer Court of the Gentiles. This is where the buying and selling of animals and the exchanging of money for foreign worshippers took place (see note—• Mark 11:15).
Then there was the Court of the Women. A Jewish woman was limited to this court unless she had come to make a sacrifice. The next court was the Court of the Israelites. This is where the whole congregation gathered on the great feast days and where sacrifices were handed over to the priests. The Court of the Priests was next. This court was in the temple proper where the temple itself stood. This area was considered sacred and was accessible only to the services of the priests. Finally, within the very heart of the temple stood the Holy of Holies or the Most Holy Place where the very presence of God was to dwell. Only the High Priest could enter the Holy Place and he could enter only once a year—at the great Passover Feast
-Partition after partition separated people from the presence of God.
The picture is that of Jesus Christ breaking down all barriers and walls that separate man from God. All men can now approach God equally through the death of Jesus Christ. Men build all kinds of barriers and prejudices against other men.create in himself one new man-one body of people (THE VEIL TORE)
PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Place where we divide ourselves today.
16 He did this so that he might reconcile both to God in one body through the cross by which he put the hostility to death.
Revisit the big idea: The Gospel Binds Us (restores both relationships
17 He came and proclaimed the good news of peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near.
18 For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.
The wall is down and access to God is through Jesus.
A NEW PEOPLE
19 So, then, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with the saints, and members of God’s household,
20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone.
21 In him the whole building, being put together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord.
22 In him you are also being built together for God’s dwelling in the Spirit.