Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians
Part 8
In the first ten verses of chapter 2, Paul has been showing how God has dealt with sinners in general, now in verses 11-22, he turns to the relationship between Jews and Gentiles and their mutual relationship with God as the result of their acceptance of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. If Ephesians is the crown of Paul’s theological writing, verses 11-22 are the central jewel. This section is dominated by a structure of "then and now" scenarios that contrast the situation before receiving Christ and the situation subsequent.
Let’s look at the first three verses of this section:
Therefore remember that formerly you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called "Uncircumcision" by the so-called "Circumcision," which is performed in the flesh by human hands—remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. (Ephesians 2:11-13 NASB95)
Don’t forget that you Gentiles used to be outsiders by birth. You were called "the uncircumcised ones" by the Jews, who were proud of their circumcision, even though it affected only their bodies and not their hearts. In those days you were living apart from Christ. You were excluded from God’s people, Israel, and you did not know the promises God had made to them. You lived in this world without God and without hope. But now you belong to Christ Jesus. Though you once were far away from God, now you have been brought near to him because of the blood of Christ. (Ephesians 2:11-13 NLT)
…Gentiles in the flesh…
There are commentators who feel that this phrase is referring to their condition as "unsaved", which they were, but the context seems to be pointing out that from the call of Abraham, God has made a difference between Jews and Gentiles. The physical act of removing the foreskin of every Jewish male was the sign that they were included in the covenant between Abraham and El Shaddai and were separated from the other nations, but unfortunately, for most of them, as Paul points out, it only effected their bodies, not their hearts.
Let’s take a little side street here and consider this question: Is there a parallel here for us today? As I was preparing this lesson, nature called me to the "reading room" and I picked up The Mystery of Godliness (Ian Thomas) to pass the time. As I read the opening page this sentence caught my attention: "There are those who have insisted that to be valid, every spiritual transaction between the believer and his Lord must be matched by some outward physical act, and that apart from the accompanying act, no worth can be attached to the inward spiritual transaction." Are we, here at Hoffmantown, victims of some of our own traditions? Why do we have "altar calls"? What is the Biblical support for such a practice? My understanding of Hebrews 10:11-13 is that we don’t need an alter any longer (Every priest stands daily ministering and offering time after time the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins; but He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, sat down at the right hand of God, waiting from that time onward until His enemies be made a footstool for His feet.). It seems to me that the "altar" has been replaced by the Throne of Grace!
Now let’s get back on the main road…
As Paul describes the Gentile believers before their conversion, the word "without" seems to best describe them:
It is worth noting that the spiritual plight of the Gentiles was caused not by God but by their own willful sin. Paul said the Gentiles knew the true God but deliberately refused to honor Him: For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures. (Romans 1:18-23)
Religious history is not a record of man starting with many gods (idolatry) and gradually discovering the one true God. Rather, it is the sad story of man knowing the truth about God and deliberately turning away from Him! It is a story of devolution, not evolution! The first eleven chapters of Genesis give the story of the decline of the Gentiles; and from Genesis 12 on (the call of Abraham), it is the story of the Jews. God separated the Jews from the Gentiles that He might be able to save the Gentiles also.
God called the Jews, beginning with Abraham, that through them He might reveal Himself as the one true God. With the Jews He deposited His Word, and through the Jews He gave the world the Savior. Israel was to be a light to the Gentiles that they too might be saved. But sad to say, Israel became like the Gentiles, and the light burned but dimly. This fact is a warning to the church today. When the church is least like the world, it does the most for the world.
But now in Christ Jesus…
Here Paul contrasts "then and now"…where they were and where they are…the but now of verse 13 parallels the then God of verse 4…both speak of the gracious intervention of God on behalf of lost sinners!
By His death, Jesus broke down every barrier that separated Jews and Gentiles…by His death, Jesus tore down the wall that separated the Court of the Gentiles from the main courtyard of the Temple where a sign warned that any Gentile who came past the wall would suffer death. He tore down the physical wall, for in Christ all are made one (v. 15, and see Gal. 3:28–29). He tore down the spiritual wall and brought the "far off" Gentiles near (v. 13). He tore down the legal wall, for He fulfilled the Law in Himself and ended the reign of the Mosaic Law that separated Jews and Gentiles (vv. 14–15). Christ not only made peace between sinners and God (Rom. 5:1), but He also made peace between Jews and Gentiles.
The death of Christ does not transform Gentiles into Jews or Jews into Gentiles, but as we will see in the next few verses, He took sinful Jews and sinful Gentiles and through His cross, made a "new man"—the church.