In describing how the status of the Gentiles has changed because of the “blood of Christ,” Paul now describes what was accomplished in the death of Jesus. He brought about a “peace” between the Jews and the Gentiles because He “broke down the barrier of the dividing wall” (Ephesians 2:14-16).
Before the death of Jesus, the Jews were separated and hostile toward the Gentiles. The Jews did not want to have anything to do with the Gentiles, because they were not part of God’s nation, as mentioned in the preceding verses. Metaphorically, there was a fence between the two groups of people that kept them divided. There was “enmity” between the two groups and Jesus, through His death, broke down this fence or wall.
Paul describes this “enmity” as being the Mosaic Law, which he defines as the “commandments contained in ordinances.” This is a literary way of describing the biblical books of Exodus, Leviticus and Deuteronomy. A good portion of these books contains “legal descriptions” of the commands God had given to the children of Israel. Considered to be the law of the nation of Israel, these books contained information about how to live with each other and how to worship God.
By breaking down this wall, the focus is now upon what Jesus had spoken and commanded. It is “in Himself” that He has made both Jew and Gentile “into one new man, thus establishing peace.”
At the same time, Jesus has provided a way for the two groups to be reconciled to each other and therefore producing “one body to God through the cross.” It was the “cross” or the death of Jesus that “put to death [this] enmity.”
With this enmity removed, it can be said that Jesus “abolished” the Law of Moses. How did Jesus “abolish” this law? The death of Jesus made the Law of Moses to be no longer in effect. Its jurisdiction over the Jews, and by implication the Gentiles, ceased. Now it is the “Law of Christ” governing both groups. The Law of Moses is no longer a “dividing wall” between the Jews and the Gentiles. The “fence” has been broken down; there are no more boundaries between the Jews and the Gentiles.
People all over the world should be celebrating with joy and with gratitude because Jesus died on the cross. It gives everyone an opportunity to be in the “one body,” which Paul later defines as the church.
If everyone would become a member of this church, this body, there could be peace among all nationalities. By every member of this church practicing the law Jesus established, then everyone worldwide would be living God’s way.
Carlton G. McPeak (carlton_mc@msn.com) is an evangelist working in the Florida Gateway region.
Scriptural quotations from the NASB.