The Epistle to the Ephesians
Lesson 6
When the Walls CameTumbling Down
Ephesians 2:11-18
Introduction
This lesson is exciting because it contains a remarkable historic event. It explains
how a wall that separated Jews from all the other nations of the world for centuries,
was crushed by the cross of Christ. This signaled the end of the Law for righteousness
and opened the way for Jews and Gentiles to come near to God by the blood of
Christ.
Importance of this Lesson
- It is important to realize that Christ, our Savior, was born in
a Jewish home and reared as a Jewish child.
He lived as a Jew and kept the Law. He did not come to destroy the Law but to
fulfill it (Matthew 5:17).
- In dying He bore the curse of the Law and redeemed
all, Jews and Gentiles,
from that curse
(Galatians 3:10-13).
- Born again Jews and Gentiles are now one in the Body of
Christ (Ephesians 2:16).
- The main thrust is to show how hopeless, uncircumcised,
alienated Gentiles could become “one new man” with divinely
chosen, proud, Gentile-hating Jews.
The Lesson
I. Ephesians 2:11 “Wherefore remember,
that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called
Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh
made by hands”
- “Wherefore” – Whenever
you encounter a “wherefore” or
a “therefore,” especially in the writings of the Apostle Paul,
always pause and reflect on what preceded the “wherefore.” For
example,
Ephesians 2:1-10 clearly states what we should remember and why we should
remember it.
- “Wherefore, remember” – If you are a Christian,
you should often recall and reflect upon what you once were (Deuteronomy
7:6-11).
Ephesians
2:1-10 speaks about your past life apart from Christ:
- You were “dead
in trespasses and sins.”
- In sin, you walked according
to the ways of the world.
- You obeyed Satan, “the prince of
the power of the air.”
- Your manner of life was like all the
other children of disobedience, living to fulfill the desires of
the flesh.
- You were, by nature, a child of wrath.
How eternally grateful
we all should be for the truth in Ephesians 2:4-5.
- “Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles
in the flesh” – “Gentiles” is
a term used in Scripture to indicate all people of all nations
who are not Jews. The phrase “in the flesh” does not
refer to their old adamic nature but to their nationality apart
from the nation
of Israel.
- “who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called Circumcision
by the flesh made by hands” – Circumcision indicated
that God’s
desire and purpose was to make Israel a distinct, separate, and
holy people. Deuteronomy 7:6 –“For thou art an
holy people unto the Lord thy God: the Lord thy God hath chosen
thee
to be a special
people unto
himself,
above all people that are upon the face of the earth.”
- In Genesis 12:1-3, God made an unconditional covenant with
Abraham marked by three “I wills.”
I WILL: (Learn these for exam)
- make of thee a great nation.
- bless thee and make thy
name great.
- bless them who bless thee and curse him that
curseth thee; and in thee shall all the families of the
earth be
blessed.
- shew thee a land.
- In Genesis 17:7-14:
- God assured Abraham that the covenant
He had made with him was an “everlasting
covenant.”
- All the land of Canaan was to be given to Abraham and
to his seed for an everlasting possession.
- Circumcision was instituted
as the sign of the Abrahamic covenant – Abraham
and every male child of his seed had to be circumcised.
- Several things
must be noted here. God’s desire and purpose
was to make Israel a distinct, separate and holy people. Deuteronomy
7:6 – “For
thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God: the Lord thy God hath
chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people
that are upon
the face of the earth.”
- Israel is called the “Circumcision” in
Ephesians 2:11. In derision they called the Gentiles the “Uncircumcision.” Israel
had special privileges (Romans 3:1-2; 9:4-5), and responsibilities
which led to pride in
themselves, and the disdain of all Gentiles. On the other hand, the
Gentiles, rejecting circumcision and jealous of Israel’s uniqueness,
fiercely hated the Jews. The wall separating Jew and Gentile had
to come down.
II. Ephesians 2:12 – “That
at that time ye 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”
- In
this verse, the Apostle continues to remind the Ephesian Gentiles of
their precious position and condition. He states 5 things:
- “you were without Christ” – Paul began this great
Epistle with the phrase, “to the faithful in Christ Jesus.” Everybody
in the world is either “in Christ” or “without Christ.” No
phrase could more accurately describe a person who is not saved. To
be without Christ is to live in spiritual darkness: lost, blind, hopeless,
and destitute of all the blessings of God’s great salvation.
- “being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel” – “Aliens” here
means “strangers.” To say they were “aliens from
the commonwealth of Israel” is to clarify that they were
not citizens of the Jewish State. They did not share in the special
relationship
Israel had with the true and living God, nor were they privileged
to have the
advantages listed in Romans 3:1-2 and 9:4-5. Read these verses.
- “strangers from the covenants of promise” – What
are the covenants of promise? There are eight covenants (binding
agreements) God made in the Scriptures:
• Edenic – Genesis 1:26
|
• Mosaic – Exodus 19:5
|
• Adamic – Genesis 3:15
|
• Palestinian – Deuteronomy 30:3
|
• Noahic – Genesis 9:16
|
• Davidic – 2 Samuel 7:16
|
• Abrahamic – Genesis 12:2
|
• New Covenant – Hebrews 8:8
|
Three of these covenants contain special promises to Israel.
- The Abrahamic (Genesis 12:1-4) – Israel
was to become a great nation,
fulfilled namely through Jacob and his family. The land of
Israel
was given
to them for
an everlasting possession (Genesis 13:14-17;
17:8).
- The Palestinian (Deuteronomy 30:3) – Assures
Israel that though they have been
scattered all over the world due to disobedience, they will
repent,
return, and
be
restored
in the land when Christ returns.
(Read Deuteronomy 28:63-65; 30:1; Romans 11:25-27).
- The Davidic (2 Samuel 7:16) – The
throne and kingdom of David would
be established forever. Gentiles of
course, were total strangers to
these special covenants and had no dealings with or understanding
of the
true and living
God.
- “having no hope” – Without hope man is
like a leaf shaken in the wind. When hope dies, nothing
remains but fear and uncertainty.
It is an absolute certainty that without God there is no
hope for the unbeliever. Hope without God does not exist. Israel
had
hope.
They had the hope of the coming Messiah, the hope of being established
in the land God had promised. The Gentiles could not help but
know and feel the difference. How precious it is for
us who believe the Gospel to have Christ within us “THE HOPE OF
GLORY,” (Colossians 1:27).
- “without God in the world” – Millions today
are going through life not believing in nor receiving the true
and living
God, the God of the Bible. The atheist, the doubter, the
religionist who rejects the God of the Bible – the neglecter,
and the spiritually indifferent – all know nothing experientially
of the living God. The Ephesians had no knowledge of God, no evidence
of His blessing, no
assurance of His salvation, and no hope of Heaven. Man
is without God, not because God has turned away from and repudiated
man—man
is a sinner and godless by choice. (Read Romans 1:21-24.)
III. EPHESIANS 2:13 – “BUT
NOW”
“
But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by
the blood of Christ.” (See
also 1 Corinthians 15:20; Romans 3:21.)
Here we find one of the great BUT NOWS of Scripture. This verse is
best understood by referring back to Ephesians 2:12, “That at that time
ye were without Christ.” The Gentiles were shut out “far
off.” They had no high priest, no mercy seat, no day of atonement,
no blood sacrifice, no hope, and no God. BUT NOW, a way to God had
been opened for the Gentiles. The shed blood of Christ had opened
the door
and provided a way.
IV. Ephesians 2:14-18 – THE VERY
HEART OF THIS LESSON
- Ephesians 2:14 – A
wall separated Jews and Gentiles and it had to come down. That wall
was
the Law given by God to Israel through Moses.
It was the middle wall of partition, separating Israel from all the
other nations in the world. It was “even the law of commandments
contained in ordinances” (Ephesians 2:15). Somebody or something
had to do away with righteousness through LAW, and provide a superior
way for the
Jew and Gentile to come to salvation. Before the Law could be abolished,
it had to be fully kept, which is precisely what Jesus did. In Matthew
5:17-18 Jesus said, “Not one jot or tittle of the Law would pass
away until all were fulfilled.” He said, “I am not come
to destroy the law but to fulfill it.” He brought down the wall
by living an absolutely sinless life and thus could become the perfect
sacrifice
for the sins of all people, Jew and Gentile.
• 1 Peter 2:22 – ”Who did no sin, neither
was guile found in His mouth.”
|
• 2 Corinthians 5:21 – For God hath made him, who knew
no sin, to be sin for us.
|
• Hebrews 4:15 – He “was in all points tempted,
like as we are, yet without sin.”
|
To bring down the wall,
the penalty and curse of the law had to be borne – and
Christ became that curse.
“For as many as are of the works of the law are under the
curse: for it is written, Cursed is everyone that continueth not
in all things which are
written in the book of the law to do them. But that no man is justified by
the law in
the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith. And the
law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them. Christ
hath
redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it
is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: That the blessing of
Abraham
might
come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise
of the Spirit through faith.” (Galatians 3:10-14).
The law and its curse were fulfilled in Christ. He became “the end
of the law for righteousness to everyone that believeth” (Romans 10:4).
Salvation for Jew and Gentile is now entirely “by grace and through
faith” (Ephesians
2:8-9; Romans 10:9-10).
- Ephesians 2:15 – “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:”
By His sacrifice in our place and on our behalf Christ has abolished “the
law of commandments” in order to make “in himself of twain
(Jew & Gentile)
one new man, so making peace.” That is peace with God and peace between
Jew and Gentile.
- Ephesians 2:16 – “And
that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross,
having slain the enmity thereby”
Christ died not only that Jew and Gentile might be at peace, but that
both might be reconciled to God, forming one body (the Church) by the
cross.
By the cross Christ tore down the wall and slew the enmity between Jew
and Gentile.
(We will study more about the church in our next lesson.)
- Ephesians 2:17 – “And
came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that
were nigh.”
He came and preached peace to Gentiles who were far off, and to the
Jews who were near.
- Ephesians 2:18 – “For
through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.”
Now through Christ, both Jews and Gentiles have access to God by one
Spirit unto the Father, (Hebrews 4:15-16). We close by pointing out
that in the
last sentence, you see the process of prayer.
Prayer is made to the Father, by the Holy Spirit, through Christ. Amen.
CONCLUSION
God has not cast away His people Israel. Please read the Davidic Covenant
in 2 Samuel 7:4-16. David’s throne, house, and kingdom were to be established
forever. As a nation, Israel is blind to the truth of who Christ was. That
blindness was “in part,” or temporary, until “the fullness
of the Gentiles be come in.” Israel will yet be saved when their Deliverer
and Messiah returns in glory and power (Romans 11:25-27).
|
