Ephesians 2.16b-Jesus Christ Put to Death the Hostility Between Jewish and Gentile Christians and God
Wenstrom Bible Ministries
Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom
Thursday January 25, 2024
Ephesians Series: Ephesians 2:16b-Jesus Christ Put to Death the Hostility Between Jewish and Gentile Christians and God
Lesson # 118
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). 16 In other words, in order that He would reconcile both groups into one body to God (the Father) through His cross. Consequently, He put to death the hostility (between the two and the two with God) by means of faith in Himself at justification and union and identification with Himself through the baptism of the Spirit at justification. (Lecturer’s translation)
Ephesians 2:16 is composed of the following:
(1) epexegetical hina (ἵνα) purpose clause: kai apokatallaxē tous amphoterous en heni sōmati tō theō dia tou staurou (καὶ ἀποκαταλλάξῃ τοὺς ἀμφοτέρους ἐν ἑνὶ σώματι τῷ θεῷ διὰ τοῦ σταυροῦ), “In other words, in order that He would reconcile both groups into one body to God (the Father) through His cross.”
(2) Result participle clause: apokteinas tēn echthran en autō (ἀποκτείνας τὴν ἔχθραν ἐν αὐτῷ), Consequently, He put to death the hostility (between the two and the two with God) by means of faith in Himself at justification and union and identification with Himself through the baptism of the Spirit at justification.”
The epexegetical hina (ἵνα) purpose clause explains the previous assertions which are found in the contents of Ephesians 2:14-15 and specifically, it explains the previous hina (ἵνα) purpose clause in Ephesians 2:15.
The participial result clause presents the result of Jesus Christ reconciling both Jewish and Gentile Christian communities to God through the former’s finished work on the cross.
Thus, this would express the idea that Jesus Christ reconciled both communities to each other and to God through His finished work on the cross “with result that” the hostility caused by the Mosaic Law was put to death by means of His Son Jesus Christ’s substitutionary spiritual and physical deaths on the cross.
As was the case in Ephesians 2:14, the noun echthra (ἔχθρα), “the hostility (between the two groups and the two with God)” here in Ephesians 2:16 is used to describe the Mosaic Law and pertains to a state of enmity with someone.
Here it speaks of the state of enmity or hostility which existed between the Jews and Gentiles in relation to God.
The articular construction of this abstract noun distinguishes the hostility that existed between the Gentiles and Jews and God from the hostility that exists between the Jewish and Gentile races with each other.
The verb apoktennō (ἀποκτέννω), “Consequently, He put to death” speaks of Jesus Christ killing the hostility between these communities caused by the Mosaic Law in the sense of causing this hostility to cease between the two with His suffering undeservedly the wrath of God on the cross as a substitute for both groups.
As was the case in Ephesians 2:15, the referent of the dative third person masculine singular form of the intensive personal pronoun autos (αὐτός) here in Ephesians 2:16 is again the Lord Jesus Christ emphasizing identity and is the demonstrative force intensified.
This word contains the figure of metonymy which means that Jesus Christ is put for faith in Him at justification as well as union and identification with Him through the baptism of the Spirit at justification.
Also, as was the case in Ephesians 2:15, the dative third person masculine singular form of the intensive personal pronoun autos (αὐτός) here in Ephesians 2:16 is the object of the preposition en (ἐν), which functions again as a marker of means.
This would indicate the means by which Jesus Christ put to death the hostility that existed between the Jewish and Gentile Christians in relation to God.
Therefore, this prepositional phrase en autō (ἐν αὐτῷ) indicates that Jesus Christ put to death the hostility that existed between these two communities in relation to God, which was caused by the Mosaic Law, “by means of their faith in Him at justification as well as their union and identification with Him through the baptism of the Spirit at justification.”
In other words, these two groups appropriated the elimination of this hostility between themselves and God, which was caused by the Mosaic Law, “by means of their faith in Him at justification as well as their union and identification with Him through the baptism of the Spirit at justification.”
This interpretation is indicated by the fact that these two groups appropriated this reconciliation with God by means of their faith in Him at justification as well as their union and identification with Him through the baptism of the Spirit at justification.
This interpretation of this prepositional phrase en autō (ἐν αὐτῷ) is supported by the immediate context because this same prepositional phrase appears in Ephesians 2:15 with the same referent and meaning.
Also, this prepositional phrase, which modifies the result participle clause apokteinas tēn echthran (ἀποκτείνας τὴν ἔχθραν), “Consequently, He put to death this hostility (between the two and the two with God)” is epexegetical because it is explaining the previous assertions which are found in the contents of Ephesians 2:14-15.
Specifically, it explains the previous hina (ἵνα) purpose clause in Ephesians 2:15.
In Ephesians 2:15, this prepositional phrase en autō (ἐν αὐτῷ) presents the means by which Jesus Christ caused both Jewish and Gentile Christians to be created into one new humanity.
However, in Ephesians 2:16, it expresses the means by which the Lord put to death the hostility between these two groups in relation to God.
In both instances, it was by means of their faith in Jesus Christ resulting in the Father declaring them justified as well as their union and identification with Jesus Christ through the baptism of the Spirit at their justification that they were created into one new humanity and that the hostility between them and God was eliminated.
Furthermore, this interpretation is supported by the fact that this prepositional phrase en autō (ἐν αὐτῷ) has appeared four times already in the Ephesian epistle and in each instance, Jesus Christ is the referent.
Three times the referent is the church age believer’s faith in Jesus Christ at justification and their union and identification with Him through the baptism of the Spirit, which took place at their justification (cf. Eph. 1:4, 9; 2:15).
One time, the referent is Jesus Christ’s sovereign authority during the millennium (cf. Eph. 1:10).
Lastly, the referent of the masculine singular form of the intensive personal pronoun autos (αὐτός) in Ephesians 2:18 and 20 is Jesus Christ.
Now, most expositors believe the referent of the intensive personal pronoun autos (αὐτός) is the noun stauros (σταυρός), “cross” because they agree in gender (masculine) and number (singular) and are in close proximity to each other in the text.
However, although, the finished work of Christ, which is signified by the noun stauros (σταυρός), “cross,” accomplished this reconciliation between Jewish and Gentile Christians and both of these groups in relation to God, this double reconciliation can only be appropriated and thus experienced by both groups by means of faith in Jesus Christ at justification.
In other words, they could never experience this double reconciliation until the Father declared them justified through faith in His one and only Son, Jesus Christ.
Simultaneously, they are placed in union with Jesus Christ and identified with Him in His crucifixion, death, burial, resurrection and session at the Father’s right hand.
Therefore, I believe that this prepositional phrase en autō (ἐν αὐτῷ) here in Ephesians 2:16 expresses the means by which Jesus Christ put to death the hostility that existed between both Jewish and Gentile Christians in relation to God.
Both groups appropriated this double reconciliation by means of their faith in Him at justification, which resulted in them being placed in union with Jesus Christ and identified with Him through the baptism of the Spirit.