Ephesians 2:13,14To: Ephesians Main MenuTo: Grace Notes Home Page Ephesians 2:13 But now, you who were sometimes afar off, are made nigh by the blood of Christ. -------------------- "But now you who formerly were far off" This is a reference to Gentiles who are now saved by Grace. It is speaking of a time in the past when Gentiles had been on the wrong side of the Barrier between God and man, but now because of the Father's provision of a Savior, the barrier has been removed. Topic: BARRIER: RECONCILIATION, PROPITIATION -------------------- "have been brought near" - aorist passive indicative of ginomai (ginomai), "to be brought near." It means to be somewhere you have not been before. The passive voice of the verb indicates that God is the one who brings a person near to Himself. "Far off" and "near" are in contrast. The new believer has seen the Barrier removed, so he is now able to approach God without fear. -------------------- "by the blood of Christ": a representative analogy set up in the Old Testament. Topic: BLOOD OF CHRIST Jesus Christ removed the barrier between man and God; and he broke down the wall separating Jews and Gentiles. It was the blood of Christ that was the ransom price for redemption, Eph. 1:7. The Jews were monotheistic, moral, and had a worship centered in legalism. The Gentiles were polytheistic, immoral, and had a worship centered in immorality. Both were brought into union with Christ at salvation. There is now no distinction. Ephesians 2:14 For he is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of partition between us. -------------------- "for he himself is our peace" - this is peace in the sense of reconciliation; the removal of the barrier reconciles man to God. "He keeps on being our peace." It is the individual to whom God gives peace, not a group. God has no intention to bring about happiness or peace by changing people's social status or organizational affiliation through salvation. The Lord's plan is to give every believer happiness, joy, peace, all the fruits of the Spirit and blessing of Christian living, in the present situation. The Peace of God is a relaxed mental attitude which does not depend on people or circumstances to maintain it. Topic: PEACE "who made both groups into one and has broken down the barrier of the dividing wall." The temple of the Jews had an outer court for Gentiles and an inner court for Jews. A Gentile could be killed for going any further inside than he was supposed to. But now there is no basis for discrimination; every believer is "in Christ." While no human beings are born equal in any sense of the word, all Christians are "born again" and equal in the sense of spiritual birth. The Christian Jew has no right to say "keep out" to the Christian Gentile. A paraphrase of Ephesians 2:8-15 "No one can pride himself upon earning the love of God. The fact is that what we are we owe to the hand of God upon us. For we are his workmanshipo, created in Christ Jesus to do those good deed which God has planned for us to do. "Do not lose sight of the fact that you were born "gentiles", known as "the uncircumcised" by those who were circumcised. You were without Christ; you were utter strangers to God's chosen community, Israel; and you had no knowledge of, or right to, the promised agreements. You had nothing to look forward to and no God to whom you could turn. "But now, through the blood of Christ, you who were once outside the Pale are with us inside the circle of God's love in Christ Jesus. For Christ is our living peace. He has made a unity of the conflicting elements of Jew and Gentile by breaking down the barrier which lay between us. By his sacrifice he removed the hostility of the Law, with all its commandments and rules, and made in Himself out of the two, Jew and Gentile, one new man, thus producing peace." ---------- Summarizing the passage: Ephesians 2:13, "But now in Christ Jesus you who were at one time far off are made near by the blood of Christ." Ephesians 2:14, "For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall." End of Lesson 13 Warren Doud [ Grace Notes ] 1705 Aggie Lane, Austin, Texas 78757 Phone: 512-458-8923 E-Mail: wdoud@bga.com |
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