Abolished Enmity Ephesians 2:15

As we consider the words of Paul the apostle to the Ephesian church members, we notice the blessings God Almighty has extended through Jesus Christ to His Church. Paul told the Ephesians Jesus “is our peace, who has made both” the Jews and Gentiles as “one”, and He has “broken down the middle wall of partition between” them. In chapter two and verse fifteen of his letter Paul shared how Jesus “abolished in his flesh the enmity” that was between them as well. We read:

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;

The verse begins, “Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances;” Paul began with the words, “Having abolished” which means “rendered idle, unemployed, inactive and inoperative” “in his flesh” or “the soft substance of the living body, which covers the bones and is permeated with blood” “the enmity” which means “hostility, reason for opposition and hatred” “even the law” or “thing established, custom, precept, injunction and act of rule” “of commandments” which means “orders, commands, charges, precepts and injunctions” “contained in” or “within, by and among” “ordinances” which refers to “doctrines, decrees, rules and requirements of the law of Moses”. The “law of commandments” separated the Jews from the Gentiles because the Jews had the “law of Moses” and the Gentiles did not. This caused a separation between the two groups and yet, Jesus “abolished” this separation.

The verse goes on to say, “for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;” Paul continued, “for to make” or “create, form and shape” “in himself” which refers to “Jesus” “of twain” or “both or two” “one new man” which refers to “a recently made, fresh, unused, unworn, new kind, unprecedented, novel, uncommon and unheard of”, “so making peace” which means “producing and providing tranquility, exemption from the rage of havoc of war, security, safety, prosperity and felicity”. By dying on the cross, Jesus made “one” way by which both Jews and Gentiles might be saved. This brought Jews and Gentiles to a state of “tranquility”.

When we think through these words of Paul, we marvel at the wisdom and grace of God Almighty and His Son Jesus. They knew there was a faction and separation between those who were given “the law of commandments”, the Jews, and those who were not, the Gentiles. When Jesus died on the cross for everyone's sin, He fulfilled the “law of commandments” and thereby “rendered inactive” the means by which their separation was formed. Where there was once “enmity”, there is now “peace”.

Next time Paul shares how God “reconciled both”, Jews and Gentiles, “in one body by the cross”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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