Ephesians 2.15c-Jesus Christ's Creative Activity Established Between Jewish and Gentile Christians
Wenstrom Bible Ministries
Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom
Saturday January 20, 2024
Ephesians Series: Ephesians 2:15-Jesus Christ’s Creative Activity Established Peace Between Jewish and Gentile Christians
Lesson # 116
Ephesians 2:11 Therefore, each and every one of you as a corporate unit must continue to make it your habit of remembering that formerly each of you who belong to the Gentile race with respect to the human body, specifically, those who receive the designation “uncircumcision” by the those who receive the designation “circumcision” with respect to the human body performed by human hands, 12 each one of you used to be characterized as without a relationship with Christ. Each one of you used to be alienated from the nation of Israel’s citizenship. Specifically, each of you used to be strangers to the most important promise, which is the product of the covenants. Each of you used to not possess a confident expectation of blessing. Consequently, each one of you used to be without a relationship with God in the sphere of the cosmic world system. 13 However, because of your faith in and your union and identification with Christ Jesus each and every one of you as a corporate who formerly were far away have now been brought near by means of the blood belonging to this same Christ. 14 For He Himself personifies our peace. Namely, by causing both groups to be one. Specifically, by destroying the wall, which served as the barrier, that is, that which caused hostility (between the two). 15 In other words, by nullifying by means of His human nature the law composed of the commandments consisting of a written code of laws in order that He might cause the two to be created into one new humanity by means of faith in Himself at justification and union and identification with Himself through the baptism of the Spirit at justification. Thus, He caused peace to be established (between the two and God). (Lecturer’s translation)
Like Ephesians 2:14, Ephesians 2:15 contains three assertions:
(1) en tē sarki autou ton nomon tōn entolōn en dogmasin katargēsas (ἐν τῇ σαρκὶ αὐτοῦ τὸν νόμον τῶν ἐντολῶν ἐν δόγμασιν καταργήσας), “In other words, by nullifying by means of His human nature the law composed of the commandments consisting of a written code of laws.”
(2) hina tous dyo ktisē en autō eis hena kainon anthrōpon (ἵνα τοὺς δύο κτίσῃ ἐν αὐτῷ εἰς ἕνα ⸁καινὸν ἄνθρωπον), “in order that He might cause the two to be created into one new humanity by means of faith in Himself at justification and union and identification with Himself through the baptism of the Spirit at justification.”
(3) poiōn eirēnēn (ποιῶν εἰρήνην), “Thus, He caused peace to be established (between the two and God).”
Now, the first of these three assertions is in the form of a participial clause, which presents the specific means by which Jesus Christ personifies the peace that now exists between Jewish and Gentile Christian communities and God and these two groups amongst themselves.
It states that Jesus Christ personifies this peace by nullifying by means of His human nature the law composed of the commandments consisting of a written code of laws.
The second assertion presents the purpose of Jesus Christ doing this and states that He did so in order that He might cause these two groups to be created into one new humanity by means of faith in Himself at justification and union and identification with Himself through the baptism of the Spirit at their justification.
The third and final assertion is in the form of a participial clause as well, which presents the result of Jesus Christ causing these two groups to be created into one new humanity by means of faith in Himself at justification and union and identification with Himself through the baptism of the Spirit at justification.
It states that He caused peace to exist between the two and God and peace between these two groups in relation to each other.
Now, as we noted, the third and final assertion that appears in Ephesians 2:15, like the first assertion in this verse, is in the form of a participial clause.
It presents the result of Jesus Christ causing these two groups to be created into one new humanity by means of faith in Himself at justification and union and identification with Himself through the baptism of the Spirit at justification.
It states that He caused peace to be established between the two and between these two and God.
The articular nominative feminine singular form of the noun eirēnē (εἰρήνη), “peace” not only speaks of the peace between Gentile and Jewish Christians but also by way of implication, it pertains to the peace that exists between both groups and God.
This is indicated by the fact that Gentile Christians could never be reconciled to Jewish Christians until both groups are first reconciled to God through faith in His one and only Son, Jesus Christ.
This is also indicated by the contents of Ephesians 2:16, which inserts that Jesus Christ reconcile both groups into one new humanity to God through His substitutionary sacrifice on the cross.
The articular nominative masculine singular aorist active participle conjugation of the verb poieō (ποιέω) pertains to causing something to come into being or come into existence since the word refers to the actual achievement of a final result.
The referent of the masculine singular form of this verb is of course, the Lord Jesus Christ.
The noun eirēnē (εἰρήνη) functions as the accusative direct object of this verb.
Therefore, this indicates that peace that now exists between God and the Jewish and Gentile Christians and between the Jewish and Gentile Christian communities in relation to each other receives the action of being caused to be brought into existence by the creative activity of Jesus Christ.
Now, the participle conjugation of this verb poieō (ποιέω) functions as a nominative of simple apposition.
This means it is identifying the result of Jesus Christ causing both Gentile and Jewish Christian communities to be created into one new humanity by means of their faith in Him at justification and their union and identification with Him through the baptism of the Spirit at their justification.
It also functions as a participle of result, which indicates that the former identifies “the result of” Jesus Christ causing both Jewish and Gentile Christians to be created into the state of being one new humanity.
The present tense of the verb poieō (ποιέω) is a perfective present which is used to emphasize that the results of a past action are still continuing.
In context, the past action is Jesus Christ creating one new humanity out of both Jewish and Gentile Christian communities by means of the faith of these Christians at their justification as well as by means of their union and identification with Himself through the baptism of the Spirit at their justification.
The results of this past action at their justification that are still continuing into the present is the peace that now exists between these communities with each other and with God.
Therefore, the perfect present tense of this verb emphasizes the results of this past action, which took place at the moment these Jewish and Gentile Christians were declared justified by the Father as a result of their faith in His one and only Son, Jesus Christ.
The present tense of this verb is contemporaneous in time to the action of its main verb, which we noted is the third person singular aorist active subjunctive conjugation of the verb ktizo (κτίζω).
The present participle conjugation of the verb poieō (ποιέω) is subsequent in time in a sense to the time of the main verb ktizo (κτίζω).
Therefore, this indicates that this peace was established between the Jewish and Gentile Christian communities with each other and with God is subsequent to or the direct result of their justification and union and identification with Jesus Christ.
The active voice of this verb is a causative active voice, which is significant because it indicates that Jesus Christ is the ultimate cause of peace existing between Jewish and Gentile Christians and God but not directly involved in causing peace to exist between these groups and God.
A comparison of Scripture with Scripture indicates that the Lord Jesus Christ caused both Jewish and Gentile Christians to exist in the state of experiencing peace with each other and God as a result of the Father declaring them justified through faith in His one and only Son, Jesus Christ.
Simultaneously, at their justification, He caused both Jewish and Gentile Christians to experience peace with each other and God as a result of being placed in union with Himself and identified with Himself.