Peace to You Who Were Far Off and to Those Who are Near

Ephesians 2:14–18 NKJV

14 For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, 15 having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, 16 and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity. 17 And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near. 18 For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father.

There is a very distinct parallel in this chapter.

The description of life without Christ

Dead

Alienated

Then the powerful intervention of God

Ephesians 2:4–5 NKJV

4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),

Ephesians 2:13 NKJV

13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

As we have moved into the second half of the chapter we find that Paul is focusing primarily on the Gentile situation. Which is of course understandable since this is a letter to a predominately Gentile church.

We see the pronoun “you” in verse 11 “you Gentiles” verse 12 “you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, and in verse 13 you who were far off”. This we and you was also found in ch1 12 and 13 “we who were the first to hope in Christ” and “you also... believed in Him”

The terms near and far off were used in the old testament to describe Israel in contrast to the Gentiles. God was always thought of as near to Israel. This is pictured in the tabernacle which literally means dwelling so it was God’s dwelling among His people. The pagan god’s were not considered as being near to the people but the Great I Am dwells among his people. God had promised to be their God and to make them His people. Moses said of Israel

Deu 4:7

Deuteronomy 4:7 NKJV

7 “For what great nation is there that has God so near to it, as the Lord our God is to us, for whatever reason we may call upon Him?

And the Psalmist says

Psalm 148:14 NKJV

14 And He has exalted the horn of His people, The praise of all His saints— Of the children of Israel, A people near to Him. Praise the Lord!

By contrast the Gentiles were “far off” But God promised that there would be peace to both inn Isa 57:19 which is the passage that Paul has in mind here in

Ephesians 2:17 NKJV

17 And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near.

This was promised in

Isaiah 57:19 NKJV

19 “I create the fruit of the lips: Peace, peace to him who is far off and to him who is near,” Says the Lord, “And I will heal him.”

So God has promised to heal and to give peace to both those who are near and those who are far off. But there is another issue here that Paul tells us that Christ has dealt with and that is the enmity which means the hatred or the hostility.

Ephesians 2:14 NKJV

14 For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation,

This wall of separating seems to be alluding to the wall in the temple which stood between the court of the Gentiles and the court of Israel. Around the main part of the temple which was modelled after the tabernacle there was a wall and outside that wall was the court of the Gentiles. Israelites were allowed within the temple where the alter was and only the priest were allowed inside the holy place. Then there was the Holy of holies which was the dwelling place of God and only the High priest could enter once a year. But a there was a wall that separated the Gentiles from the main temple. They had signs all along the wall posted in three different languages. One of these signs was found in Istanbul with the inscription “No foreigners is allowed past this point on penalty of death”

This wall was not physically destroyed until 70ad. However, Christ broke it down spiritually when He died on the cross. The Bible also tells us that the vail between the holy place and the holy of holies was torn from to bottom the moment that Christ died on the Cross. Meaning that both Jews and Gentiles were given access to the dwelling place of God.

So there are three things that he says that Christ has done to bring peace to both those who are near and those who are far off and to give us access to the Father.

1. He has Abolished in His Flesh the Enmity

Ephesians 2:15 NKJV

15 having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace,

So this seems strange that Paul would say that the enmity which Christ destroyed is the law of commandments. Especially considering what Christ taught in

Matthew 5:17–18 NKJV

17 “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. 18 For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.

It the context of Matt 5 we see that Christ is speaking about the moral law.

You shall not murder

You shall not commit adultery etc.

So what is Paul talking about? In Paul’s letter to the Colossians (which is very similar to his letter to the Ephesians) we find a parallel passage where he specifically mentions the ceremonial laws of circumcision, festivals, sabbaths, and dietary regulations. These things Paul tells us were a shadow of Christ who is the substance. So as Christ said in Matt He came to fulfil that law.

This ceremonial laws are what Paul sees as causing a division between the Jews and the Gentiles and causing hostility between them.

He tells us that Christ has abolished these ordinances in His flesh.

The second thing that Christ has done to bring peace and reconciliation is

2. He Has Created In Himself One New Man

Ephesians 2:15 NKJV

15 having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace,

That is a new race, a united people, the people of God.

He says that He created in Himself one new man. So this united people are only united if they are in Christ. The fellowship that they share is centred on Christ.

As in..

1 John 1:5–7 NKJV

5 This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.

So He has made peace between the Jews and the Gentiles but there is still another enmity of hostility that must be dealt with. The hostility between man and God.

Romans 8:7–8 NKJV

7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. 8 So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

3. He Reconciled Them Both to God

Ephesians 2:16 NKJV

16 and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity.

Reconciliation is when to parties who are hostile towards each other are brought into a right relationship. The fact that we must be reconciled to God implies that we are enemies. Which is precisely how the Bible speaks of our relationship with God.

Romans 5:8–10 NKJV

8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. 10 For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.

So this is what Christ has accomplished through His death on the Cross.

He abolished the ceremonial law braking down the wall that separated the Jews and the Gentiles. He created in Himself a new humanity so that

Galatians 3:28–29 NKJV

28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

And thirdly He has reconciled us to God through the cross.

However, This does not mean that all mankind has been united in Christ and reconciled.

But it says.

Ephesians 2:17–18 NKJV

17 And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near. 18 For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father.

Romans 10:14–17 NKJV

14 How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? 15 And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!” 16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our report?” 17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

2 Corinthians 5:18–21 NKJV

18 Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, 19 that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. 20 Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. 21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.