Peace and Broken Walls of Division Ephesians 2:14

Paul the apostle shared with the Ephesian church members how as “Gentiles” they were “far off” before they knew Jesus as their Savior, but now are “made near by the blood of Christ”. In chapter two and verse fourteen of his letter, Paul continued his thoughts as he shared how Jesus “is our peace” and “has broken down the middle wall of partition” between the Jews and Gentiles. We read:

For he is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of partition between us;

The verse begins, “For he is our peace, who has made both one,...” Paul began with the word “For” which means “as, because, even, indeed, no doubt, seeing, then, therefore and yet” “he is our peace” which means “Jesus is our rest, quietness and tranquillity”, “who has made” or “produced, constructed, formed and fashioned” “both one” which refers to “united, combined and as one unit”. Jesus became the agent of “peace” between Jews and Gentiles as He became the focal point no matter whether one is a Jew or a Gentile.

The verse goes on to say, “...and has broken down the middle wall of partition between us;” Paul added, “and has broken down” or “loosed, set free, unbound and released” “the middle wall” which means “a partition wall” “of partition” or “hedge, fence, that which separates and prevents two from coming together” “between us” which refers to “the Jews and Gentiles”. Though it was not always physical and obvious, the wall that separated Jews and Gentiles was prevalent.

When we meditate upon these words of Paul, we see how Jesus broke down every barrier that separated the Jews from the Gentiles. The Salvation of Jesus is available to any and every person by simply receiving Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Our “peace” comes from Jesus Christ, and those who place their trust and faith in Him will be united together as the children of God.

Next time Paul shares how Jesus “abolished...the commandments contained in ordinances”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, and the new devotional “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.