Paul’s gospel of grace, given to him by divine revelation, was for the masses. All of God’s creation, not only Israel, can enter into His Kingdom through Jesus Christ.
Matthew 10:5 These twelve Jesus sent out and commanded them, saying: “Do not go into the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter a city of the Samaritans. 6 But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
Acts 9:15-16 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel. 16 For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake.”
Jesus at His first coming was to fulfill the covenant promises to the Israelites. At their rejection, the fullness of salvation, came to all of humanity through the Gospel of Grace in Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 2:11-13 Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh—who are called Uncircumcision by what is called the Circumcision made in the flesh by hands—12 that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
Ephesians 2:14-18 For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, 15 having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, 16 and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity. 17 And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near. 18 For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father.
There is peace in Christ alone! In the finished work of the Cross we abide in Him and He in the Father. Grace by our faith alone, His gift, pleases God. Carla
Paul echoes Isaiah’s description of God’s Messiah as the “Prince of Peace” (see Isa 9:6). Isaiah prophesied that the Messiah would end hostility and establish an era of well-being. Christ produces this peace; He is the essence of it. He brings harmony and wholeness to people’s relationship with God and one another, a theme that fits with Paul’s purpose of unifying Jews and Gentiles. The external distinctions between Jews and Gentiles are no longer grounds for hostility and division (Ephesians 3:6). This is the core message of the letter.
The enmity refers to hostility between Jews and Gentiles. In His flesh here, Paul refers to Jesus’ physical body that was crucified. Christ’s body is the real source of hope and is meant as a contrast to “flesh” in verse 11. There, “flesh” serves as a symbol of Jewish inclusion in the covenant community (circumcision) and a means of identification as the Old Testament people of God.
Christ’s death on the cross fulfills the law of Moses (primarily seen in the books of Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy) and removes the necessity of the regulations that once divided Jews from Gentiles (Romans 10:4; Galatians 3:23–25).
Atonement refers to Jews and Gentiles (non-Jewish people) being united in Christ. This phrase is rooted in Paul’s “new creation” theology. Just as God created humanity in His image in Genesis 1–2, He has now re-created humanity in Christ. Elsewhere in his letters Paul calls believers “new creations” (2 Corinthians 5:17) and describes both circumcision and uncircumcision as worthless in light of being a “new creation” (Gal 6:15).
One New Humanity describes the restoration of a broken relationship. Christ’s death makes it possible for the hostility that often existed between Jews and Gentiles to be destroyed and for them to be restored together to God.
In one body refers to the Church, comprised of Jews and Gentiles. Paul’s use of the terminology near and far echoes the words of the prophet Isaiah. Isaiah 52:7 speaks of preaching good news of peace, and in Isaiah 57:19
Yahweh speaks peace to those near and far. Paul likely regarded Christ’s preaching to those near (Jews) and far (Gentiles) as a fulfillment of Isaiah’s hope of salvation—not just for Jews, but for all humanity (Isaiah 49:6; 56:6–8). Faithlife Study Bible
Paul painted vividly the bleak condition of pagans. They had no hope, for God had not reached out to them to establish a covenant relationship. However, the shed blood of Christ could bring the Gentiles back to their Creator.
The middle wall of separation between Jews and Gentiles was vividly portrayed by an actual partition in the temple area, with a sign warning that any Gentile going beyond the Court of the Gentiles would receive swift and sudden death.
Paul was not saying that God had rejected the righteous standards of the law. Rather, in Christ the righteous standards that people could never reach have been accomplished. He is our righteousness; in Him, believers fulfill the law (Matthews 5:17, 20; Romans 3:21, 22, 31). The Christian church, composed of both Jews and Gentiles, is described as one new man. In the earliest days of Christianity, the church was largely made up of Jews. But under the direction of God’s Spirit, the believers witnessed to Gentiles (Acts 10), who then outnumbered the Jewish members. The NKJV Study Bible
Colossians 1:20–22 and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled…
1 Corinthians 12:13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit.
Ephesians 4:4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling;
Galatians 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
Isaiah 57:19
“I create the fruit of the lips:
Peace, peace to him who is far off and to him who is near,
“Says the LORD,“
And I will heal him.”
…say Yes, to whatever connects us, as humans,
as children of God,
as people who need compassion and mercy for sustenance,
as people who cannot walk this journey alone.
And to say No, to whatever divides or demeans or belittles
or degrades or incites hate and exclusion.
And I must speak that Yes, and speak that No,
not only with my voice, but with my hands and my feet.
Lord, hear my prayer.
As Martin Luther King Jr. reminds us, “Never, never be afraid to do what's right, especially if the well-being of a person or animal is at stake. Society's punishments are small compared to the wounds we inflict on our soul when we look the other way.” Sabbath Moments
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