Ephesians 2:14-22
NO LONGER JEWS OR GENTILES
BUT TRANSFORMED INTO
PRECIOUS JEWELS
Ephesians 2:14 (KJV) For he is our peace, who hath made
both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;
Jesus is our shalom. We would translate shalom as peace. However, shalom is much more
than that: it means oneness, completeness, wholeness, nothing missing and
nothing broken. Jesus not only restores wholeness
to our individual broken lives, but brings together Jews and Gentiles who trust
in Him into a distinctly new category of people called the church.
The
Complete Jewish Study Bible:
2:14
“He…has broken down the m’chitzah which divided us.” This dividing wall in the
Temple posted the inscription; ‘No man of another nation to enter within the
fence and enclosure around the Temple. And whoever is caught will have himself
to blame that his death ensues!” (Josephus, Antiquities
of the Jews 15:11-5). The m’chitzah separated Gentiles from Jews and prevented
equal access to the sacrifices. Yet, just as the veil of the Temple was torn in
two when Messiah died (Matt. 27:52), so too both Jew and Gentile are united
with the Messiah and may enter into God’s presence together (Heb. 9:6-14;
10:19-22).
Jew or Gentile must both come to the Father
through faith in Jesus. That middle wall, the barrier that said one had access
and one did not is not obliterated by the cross of Christ. Jesus is the only
way to the Father for any person.
John 14:6 (KJV) Jesus saith unto him, I am
the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Ephesians 2:15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity,
even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of
twain one new man, so making peace; 16 And that he might reconcile
both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:
Webster’s
1828 American Dictionary of the English Language:
EN'MITY, noun
1. The quality of being an enemy;
the opposite of friendship; ill will; hatred; unfriendly dispositions;
malevolence. It expresses more than aversion and less than malice, and differs
from displeasure in denoting a fixed or rooted hatred, whereas displeasure is
more transient.
I
will put enmity between thee and the woman. Genesis 3:15.
The
carnal mind is enmity against God. Romans 8:7.
2. A state of opposition.
The
friendship of the world is enmity with God. James 4:4.
By the sacrifice of His life, Jesus destroyed
the divisions that kept the Gentiles apart from worshipping the one, true God,
the only one worthy of mankind’s worship. This was not
only the physical wall in the Temple but all it represented. Gentiles could not
be a part of the feasts, the sacrifices, the rituals of Judaism. They were
outsiders – those “far off.” By unifying His body, the church, Jesus brought peace between
the Jewish and Gentile believers, who were formerly enemies.
Ephesians 2:17 And came and preached peace to you which
were afar off, and to them that were nigh.
Isaiah 57:19 (KJV) I create the fruit of the
lips; Peace, peace to him that is far off, and to him that is near, saith the
Lord; and I will heal him.
The peace prophesied by Isaiah was that the
Jews, those near to God, and the Gentiles, those who were formerly far away
from the Lord, would be unified in one completely new family, the church. The coming together of the Jew and the Gentile, the healing of
centuries of enmity and strife, was made possible through the Son’s sacrifice
in obedience to the Father.
Matthew 26:42 (KJV) He went away again the
second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away
from me, except I drink it, thy will
be done.
Ephesians 2:18 For through him we both
have access by one Spirit unto the Father.
Paul was Jew who enjoyed Roman citizenship
because he was born in a Roman city. Since he had been a Pharisee, he truly
understood the adversarial relationship the Jews had with the Gentiles. He
wrote to the Ephesians (Gentiles) that through Jesus, they had the same access
to God the Father that He had as Jew.
Ephesians 2:19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and
foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God;
Once we are in Christ, our identity changes.
Paul was saying these people were no longer Jews or Gentiles, but instead were
saints, believers. The new category of Christian meant being members of God’s
forever family.
Galatians 3:28 (ESV) There is neither Jew nor
Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you
are all one in Christ Jesus.
The unity found in the family of faith is
like no other. All who have been chosen by God, who have received the free gift
of salvation purchased by Jesus, are completely equal members of God’s family.
Ephesians 2:20 And are built upon the foundation of the
apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; 21 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto
an holy temple in the Lord: 22 In whom ye also are
builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.
Jesus is the corner stone, the stone by which
all other stones are lined up. The prophets and the Apostles, the human authors
of much of scripture, help to form the foundation that holds up the building.
Jesus provides that firm foundation. The members of the church, those who have
trusted Jesus are living stones being perfectly placed together to build a
dwelling place for God even as each of us is indwelt by His Holy Spirit.
1 Peter 2:5 (ESV) you yourselves like living
stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to
offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
God does not use sub-par building materials.
Take a look at how He is building the New Jerusalem:
Revelation 21:18-21 (ESV) The wall was built
of jasper, while the city was pure gold, like clear glass. 19 The foundations
of the wall of the city were adorned with every kind of jewel. The first was
jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, 20 the fifth
onyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth
topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, the twelfth amethyst. 21
And the twelve gates were twelve pearls, each of the gates made of a single
pearl, and the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.
In my natural state, I was an ordinary old
rock, but Jesus has transformed me. God calls those
who trust in Him and obey Him “precious jewels.”
Malachi 3:17a (AMPC) And they shall be Mine,
says the Lord of hosts, in that day when I publicly recognize and openly
declare them to be My jewels (My special possession, My peculiar treasure).
I really like the song “Diamonds” by Hawk
Nelson. You can listen to it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yf1ARbpB0gA
Ponder This: Jew, Gentile, Man, Woman, Rich,
Poor, Black, White, Green or Purple, we become ONE family when we surrender our
lives to the Lordship of Jesus. Not only that, we are changed from lifeless,
ugly rocks into living, radiant, sparkling jewels by the transforming power of
the Holy Spirit living in us. PRAISE THE LORD for His grace and power to build
us together into His church, a place He desires to inhabit!
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