Ephesians 3:8-13

⁸ To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, ⁹ and to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ; ¹⁰ to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, ¹¹ according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord, ¹² in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him. ¹³ Therefore I ask that you do not lose heart at my tribulations for you, which is your glory.

Commentary

Vs. 8 "To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ," 

Now the Apostle Paul as a servant of Christ and steward of the mysteries of God (see 1 Cor 4:1), having declared the mighty gifting and working of God's Power by His Spirit through him as Christ's bond servant minister (vs.7), now humbly acknowledges that this critical ministry service and responsibility that has been entrusted to him was not based upon whom he was, or what he had done, or even what he had accomplished. Rather Paul in describing himself here as the least of all the saints (because of what he had done in persecuting the church before he came to Christ, see 1 Cor 15:9), has absolutely no sense of entitlement about himself; which itself is often a prerequisite for being chosen by God for His leadership service, and even remaining in His leadership service (consider 1 Sam 9:21, 15:17-23). And so Paul fully understands that this grace that God gave him to preach the unsearchable riches of Christ among us Gentiles, but is for all the saints both Gentiles and Jews (see Col 1:26-27) was not given to him because he had "earned it" or "deserved it". Rather God who knows each individuals heart saw in him the potential for doing a whole lot of good in him and through him which others did not, or would not see (1 Tim 1:12; 1 Samuel 16:7). And so it is God choose the Apostle Paul, who again saw himself as the least of all the saints, to preach among us Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, which is Christ in you the hope of glory (see Colossians 1:27). For it is in Christ that we have wisdom and knowledge and righteousness and redemption and sanctification and even power from God (Acts 1:8; 1 Cor. 1:30; Col 2:3), as well as full and equal access to God through Christ (Eph. 2:18). And so it is that God first choose, then enabled by His Holy Spirit our brother and friend the Apostle Paul, to bring forth the unsearchable riches of Christ to every believing Gentile in every generation. Riches which we cannot fully comprehend down here, but we will all know and fully experience up there in heaven (1 Cor 2:9). And so for now we enjoy and celebrate the riches of Christ which God has given us in this new life and liberty and freedom that the Lord Jesus Christ purchased by His own blood for us all. For He has not only saved us from the wrath to come (Rom 5:9; 1 Thess. 1:10), but it is Jesus our Lord and Savior who now indwells everyone of us who believe in Him. For has made our persons His temple and home (1 Cor 3:16). And so it is that Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior has liberated us to be and enjoy all we can be in this new life that He has given us. For the riches of Christ means that we have not only been redeemed from all our sins and transgressions, but through Christ we have been qualified to be partakers of the inheritance with the saints in the light (Col 1:12). And so it is we have not only been delivered from the sin, Satan, and death and their having dominion over us (Rom 6:14; 1 Cor 15:55; Col 1:13), but we have been transferred into the Kingdom of the Son of God's love (Col 1:13-14). And so we shine forth light because just as Christ saved us from the same so He is changing us by the ongoing sanctification by His Holy Spirit by which we are being transformed from one glory to another (2 Cor 3:18). And so the Lord Jesus Christ Himself not only is transforming us but He also maintains our unbroken fellowship and relationship with God Himself through His ever watchful intercession for ourselves (2 John 2:1; Heb 4:14-16; Heb. 7:25). And so no matter what our circumstances or lot in this life, we all have, and we can all enjoy the unbroken fellowship of the Lord Jesus Christ in our persons, hearts, and lives; (who again first bought us back from sin and death by His own death on the Cross, then having cleansed us of all our sins and transgressions by His shed blood, Jesus having Risen from the dead, ascended back to God the Father in heaven who then sent His Holy Spirit to bring us to life, and unite us all with Christ, so that nothing would ever separate us from the love of God again, Rom 8:28-39). And so it is by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ we have not only remission of all our sins and everlasting life, but we have ongoing and unrestricted access into God's grace by which we now stand (Rom 5:1-2). Therefore the riches of Christ abound to us down here, through our restored fellowship with God, and thus we have His life, His grace, His peace, His love, His hope and His calling, all which He fills us all with and which He gives us all through Christ along with all of the fruits of His Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23) so that He not only enriches our lives down here (way beyond anything we could have ever done or imagined for ourselves), but He is also enabling us and upholding us by His Power while Christ is preparing for us an everlasting home with Himself up there in heaven. And so it is we have the unsearchable riches of Christ abounding to us through God's grace down here, (and that is absolutely self evident to anyone who believes and receives the Lord Jesus Christ for themselves), while yet we still have all the riches of Christ through His own inheritance with God awaiting for us all up there, which again we will all share in with the saints in the light, and which will be unbroken and uninterrupted by time or circumstance as we enjoy them all forever with Christ in heaven (1 Cor 2:9), and so the unsearchable riches of Christ that we now have and enjoy here are only a foretaste of the everlasting riches and joy that we will have there forever. 

Vs. 9 "and to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ;" 

The Apostle Paul not only preached the unsearchable riches of Christ; but God also gave Paul grace so that Paul could make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery; that is all who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ not only become partakers of God's Promises given us In Christ, but we also become One Redeemed people In Christ. And so it is no matter what our cultures, no matter what our heritage, no matter what our backgrounds, and no matter what our present state, we who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ are now a people called out and separated for God's Name (Acts 15:14; 1 Peter 2:9-10). Which as the Apostle Paul says here, "from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ." And so it is from the beginning when God created all things through Jesus Christ, He had already determined to create for Himself His own special people who would belong to Himself through His Son the Lord Jesus Christ, yet this mystery was not revealed to us until the church age. And so what took place in the garden of Eden, and what took place at the tower of Babel, and what is taking place today in our world, does not, and will not change that. For God who created all things though Jesus Christ is working out His eternal plans and desires for us all who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. 

Vs. 10 "to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places," 

The fellowship of the mystery, like the unsearchable wisdom of God has it's origins in the manifold (multifaceted) wisdom of God, which God Himself has chosen to be made known through the church to all angelic beings. For these observed creation, they observed Satan's rebellion, they observed humanities fall from life and peace with God and into death, degradation and separation from God beginning in the garden. And so it is through the church, of which the Lord Jesus Christ is the Head of the Body; God is making known His manifold wisdom to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places" in restoring all who believe in Jesus Christ to Himself, and then conforming us to Himself through His Scriptural Word given to us all there, by which He is also preparing us for an eternity with Himself as Christ's bride. And so it is that the church is the means by which God's manifold wisdom is being made known to them. For it is there in Christ's Body that God's redeemed people are united under Him, and ascribe to the Lord all praise, glory, power, and honor, through us who were once alienated and enemies of God yet we have now been reconciled to God through the Life, Death, Resurrection from the dead, and ascension back to heaven of God's only begotten Son the Lord Jesus Christ who having vanquished sin, Satan and death forever, now Reigns waiting till all His enemies are made His footstool (Psalm 110:1; Heb. 1:13; 10:12-13). 

Vs. 11 "according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord," 

Satan's Rebellion, the fall of humanity, the ongoing degradation and fallout from sin and all of its destructive effects on us all, and all of creation, God knew that all things would take place long before they ever took place. For none of those things have anything to do with God, those things are all born out of Satan and humanities rebellion against God. Therefore God's eternal purpose to glorify and honor His Son, and give Him a Kingdom that would have no end, and redeem a people for Himself out of all that rebellion and degradation God determined to do in eternity, and has now accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior. 

Vs. 12 "in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him."

Therefore because of what God has done for us all who believe in His Son the Lord Jesus In Christ we can now approach God with all boldness and access with confidence through faith in His Son (see Heb 4:14-16). 

Vs. 13 "Therefore I ask that you do not lose heart at my tribulations for you, which is your glory."

In concluding his encouraging the saints, the Apostle Paul wants all the saints (that is every believer who knew of his affairs) not to be discouraged by what they saw the Apostle Paul enduring for them. Because Paul himself understood that God had appointed such things for him (Acts 9:15-16; 20:23-24), and that through his enduring such things, the Lord was going to build his church, and establish His people in the faith (Philippians 1:21-26). And so we have much of the N.T. given us through the patient endurance of the Apostle Paul who faithfully followed Christ and who is now reaping an eternity of joy and fellowship with Christ and God and all of God's redeemed people because when God called him he said, yes Lord here I am send me, how about you and me? 

Scripture Quotations

The New King James Version. (1982). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

Additional Resources Consulted
MacDonald, W. (1995). Believer’s Bible Commentary: Old and New Testaments. (A. Farstad, Ed.) (p. 1928). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

Ephesians 3:1–7

¹ For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles—² if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which was given to me for you, ³ how that by revelation He made known to me the mystery (as I have briefly written already, ⁴ by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ), ⁵ which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets: ⁶ that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel, ⁷ of which I became a minister according to the gift of the grace of God given to me by the effective working of His power.

Commentary

Vs. 1 "For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles—"

"For this reason" is referring to what the Apostle Paul previously stated about the reconciling of Jews and Gentiles to God and each other through Christ into one Body of believers (Eph 2:11-22). Now that the Apostle Paul calls himself "the prisoner of Christ Jesus for us Gentiles" was not for crimes or wrongdoing, rather the Apostle Paul was frequently and unjustly incarcerated for his faith in and confession of Jesus Christ as Lord. Therefore Paul as an Apostle to us Gentiles very often endured such things in the service of our faith. Now this should not surprise anyone because our Lord and Savior was both arrested and then sentenced to crucifixion death by the same authorities, whom Paul describes elsewhere as the rulers of this age (see 1 Cor. 2:6-9). And so whenever and wherever the Gospel is faithfully preached and followed, there is always the potential for our coming under the wrath and unjust treatment/punishment by those of this world (consider John 15:18-25). That said, the Apostle Paul never rebelled against any ruling authorities (whether these were Jews or Gentiles), nor did he ever encourage anyone to do anything other than to submit themselves to them, (and to pray for them, 1 Tim 2:1-7), just as all the Apostles had done (Rom 13:1; Titus 3:1; 1 Peter 2:13-17; 3:13-17). For our trust is in God, whose Sovereignty and Power is over and above all rulers and authorities (Prov 21:1; Acts 3:18; 4:23-31, vs. 28 etc.). And so though God does not always sanction or approve of every thing done by them, yet He very often works out His Will for us all through them. Therefore the Apostle Paul could joyfully see his imprisonment; not that being imprisoned is joyful; in light of his faith in and obedience towards the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ through which God was God fulfilling His Word to him, by bringing him into such circumstances so that Paul could be His witness of the Lord Jesus Christ's Life, Death, Resurrection to all Jews, Gentiles and ruling authorities everywhere (consider Acts 9:15-16; 20:17-24, vs. 22-24; 22:1-21; 23:11 etc.). And so Paul's declaration here is that he is Christ Jesus' prisoner for us Gentiles who believe and will believe in the Lord Jesus Christ (2 Tim 2:8-13). 

Vs. 2 "if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which was given to me for you," 

The Apostle Paul by way of a question reminds us his readers of the dispensation (stewardship NKJ margin) of the grace of God which was given to him by God for us all, specifically for us Gentiles. For it was God who chose the Apostle Paul not only to be Christ's witness, but also to be His apostle to us Gentiles for the dispensation of the grace of God through the Lord Jesus Christ's Gospel. 

Vs. 3-4 "how that by revelation He made known to me the mystery (as I have briefly written already, ⁴ by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ), 

Now this mystery of Christ God entrusted to the Apostle Paul by way of revelation, that is God by His Holy Spirit revealed to Paul His plans to unite believing Jews and Gentiles as One In Christ (see vs. 6). And so by stating as much the Apostle Paul is preparing us to receive this glorious revelation for ourselves as well. 

Vs. 5 "which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets:"

Previously this mystery of Christ was not made known to the sons of men, that is in the O.T. Scriptures though God foretells of Christ, and the reconciling of the Gentiles to God through Him, it wasn't until the church age, that God revealed by His Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets His plans to make believing Gentiles equal and full heirs with every and all believing Jews.  

Vs. 6 "that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel," 

In Christ then all believing Gentiles are fellow and equal heirs with believing Jews. And so not only is the middle wall of separation that created such hostility and alienation between the two groups been done away with; but in Christ's Body there are no "second class" citizens. That is the Jews who once held an exclusive place in their relationship with God, thus no longer do. For it is through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ that every believing Gentile is now a fellow heir of the same body (that is Christ's Body of believers) and partakers of God's promise (of remission of sins and everlasting life) through the Gospel to one and to all who repent and believe in Him (Mark 1:15). 

Vs. 7 "of which I became a minister according to the gift of the grace of God given to me by the effective working of His power."

Therefore the Apostle Paul according to the gift of the grace of God became a minister not of the Old Covenant, that gave the Jews an exclusive place and privileges with God, but of the New Covenant, that every believing Jew and Gentile is now under (see 2 Cor 3:1:18, vs. 5-6, 9-11 etc.). And so the Apostle Paul became Christ's minister by Christ both equipping and enabling Him by His Spirit for this service of His Good News through His Gospel for one and for all who again repent and believe in Him through it. For this mystery only remains a mystery until one turns from seeking salvation through Moses and the law and rather in faith turns to the Lord Jesus Christ through His Gospel (2 Cor 3:14). Therefore seek God and His Righteousness through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ so that you might have remission of all your sins and everlasting life by faith in Him. For truly the grace of God is available to you, but you have to avail yourself of it by repenting and believing in the Gospel. Now to repent means to have a change of mind about yourself, and quite likely even God Himself. And so repentance means acknowledging our own lost and sinful state, and thus our own alienation from God, it means then we must see ourselves in the light of His Holiness and Righteousness and Goodness and Truth and confess to Him that we have in no way upheld or can we live according to it, and thus we can in no way save ourselves by obedience to Moses and law, or anything else that we try to do (Rom 4:4-5). Repentance then disarms us of every and all pretense about ourselves and brings us to place of seeing our need for Christ Jesus who became for us from God His Holiness and Righteousness and Justice and Truth so that He could save us from the just wrath and judgment of God against all our sins and transgressions the moment we believe in Him (John 3:16). Therefore if you see your need for salvation from sin and death, and do believe, then by all means receive the Lord Jesus Christ here and now and confess Him as Lord so that you will have remission of all your sins and everlasting life (Rom 10:9-10, 13). Now this you can do this by praying a simple prayer of faith, you can use your own words, or you can pray the prayer given here. Whatever expresses your heart and desire to be reconciled to God through Christ's Crucifixion death and resurrection from dead for you that pray, and the God of peace will come to you and dwell in you the moment you receive His Son (Rev. 3:20). Therefore pray something like this: Dear Lord Jesus I know that I am a sinner and I can in no way save myself or even change myself. And I believe you came and You alone lived a Holy and Righteous life, then you suffered by the Will of God Crucifixion death to atone for all my sins so that you could not only impute Your Righteousness to me and to everyone who believes in You, but you did so, so that you can now freely justify us all who believe in You. Therefore I believe in You Lord Jesus Christ and I'm trusting You alone to both save me and give me new and everlasting life, therefore I now invite You into my heart and life to be my Lord and Savior, in Your Name Lord Jesus, amen. 

Scripture Quotations

The New King James Version. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982.

Ephesians 2:19-22

¹⁹ Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, ²⁰ having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, ²¹ in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, ²² in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

Commentary

Vs. 19 "Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,"

If any believing Gentile as any doubts about their equal and full status with every and all believing Jews, the Apostle Paul now lays that to rest. Saying of us all who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ that we are all, "fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God." The work then of Christ on the cross is so complete and finial and compelling in the eyes of God that even the very worst of sinners (or the worst enemies of God) can now have full and equal citizenship with all of the saints of God by repentance towards God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ's Person. Now this title, "the saints" basically means, "the holy ones," that is everyone whom God Himself has sanctified by Himself for Himself through His Son the Lord Jesus Christ (see 1 Cor 1:2). Every believer then regardless of culture or background is a fellow citizen with all the saints, who down through the ages have put their trust in God. No one then who believes in the Lord Jesus Christ is a strangers or foreigner to God (a stigma often attached to Gentiles under the Old Covenant), but are now fully known too and by God, and thus we are all "fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God." There is then no hierarchy of believers in the eyes of God, with Jews first, Gentiles second, and varying degrees of sinners next (see Luke 15:11-32 to understand). For In Christ all are made into a new creation (2 Cor 5:17), and thus all are fully and equally apart of the household of God, and thus all fully and equally share in all of it's privileges and responsibilities. 

Vs. 20 "having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone,"

And so this household of God, as the Apostle Paul describes us all, has a foundation, just like every house or building has a foundation. Now our foundation is not Moses and the Law, (as was the case with the nation of Israel), rather it is the apostles and prophets with Jesus Christ Himself being the Chief Cornerstone (1 Cor 3:11). For it is the Lord Jesus Christ Himself whose Person and Work which was foretold in the Old Testament Scriptures, and has been brought to fruition and life and manifested and declared to us all in the New, who is the Chief Cornerstone upon which every piece in God's building is now being built upon (see Isaiah 28:16; Rom. 9:33; 1 Peter 2:4-10, vs. 7-8, also see Psalm 118:22; Matthew 21:33-46, vs. 42-44). And so Christ came first to establish the building, (the household of God, the church, through the Gospel), then came His Apostles and prophets equipped by His Spirit to minister His Word to us His saints (this begins in the Book of Acts). And so as each and every believing individual enters into God's household or church through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ's Person they become a pivotal member or part in all that God is building for all eternity. 

Vs. 21 "in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord,"

With the foundation laid, God our Father, the Master Craftsman just as any builder does first selects and then places each one of us in His building, just as He pleases. And so the whole building being fitted together by the skillful hands of God grows into a holy temple in the Lord. Thus this building of which we who believe in Christ are all an intrical and necessary part of (see 1 Cor 12:12-31, vs. 18-26), is first and foremost a holy temple in the Lord (see 1 Cor 3:16-17). Thus we as individual believers or a collectively body of believers we must always be, pursue, and stand for those morals and values that Word of God says are holy, and make for holiness. For the Lord is holy, so then must His people be. Therefore our first and only loyalty rests not with the societies and cultures values that we dwell in, rather with Jesus Christ the Lord and His will clearly revealed for us all through His Word (see 1 Cor 6:14-7:1). For societies and cultures and their morals and values are never rooted in God and His Will, but rather are only rooted in what pleases themselves, and thus they always change (and not necessarily for the better), but the Word of the Lord endures forever.
Second this building which God Himself is building is not a static structure, rather it is growing, growing because God Himself is always adding new people who believe In the Lord Jesus Christ to it; that is God by His Holy Spirit baptizes each and every believer into Christ making them apart of His Body of believers, and thus apart of His building, which again He is building. As well it is growing because the believers within it are themselves growing more and more into Christ likeness as the Word of God sanctifies us (as we follow it) and the Spirit of God transforms us (as we are led by Him). And so again this building that God is building (like our own faith and lives) is not a static structure that reaches completion or "perfection" in this age or life (see Phil 3:12-16), but we are all growing by the grace and Will of God, for the glory of God into one building, and we will all continue to grow until God finishes the work, when Christ returns for us all.

Vs. 22 "in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit."

And so we who believe are all being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit. For God does not dwell in temples and churches and such made by human hands (Acts 7:48-50), but He does dwell in His redeemed people whom He is building together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit. And so the emphasis here is on our being built together as One redeemed people In Christ for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit. Now you can experience the life of Christ and the outworking of the Spirit of God as an individual believer and follower of the Lord Jesus Christ. For God's Spirit indwells you the moment you believe in Christ (Eph. 1:13-14), and He doesn't stop indwelling you when your not in fellowship with other brethren (2 Cor 1:21-22). However where brethren are divided there is not the same effective power and outworking and perceivable Presence of God's Holy Spirit as there is when we are united and working together as One (consider Eph 4:30-31). For In Christ we are all being built up and together as a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ (1 Peter 2:5). And that is something that you simply cannot fully do or experience apart from having regular and ongoing fellowship with your brethren. Therefore as much as depends upon you seek and worship and serve God in healthy Christian fellowship, so that you may experience the fullness of life and riches of Christ and His ministry by His Spirit too and through His redeemed people the church, of which every believing Jew and Gentiles fully belongs.

Scripture Quotation 
The New King James Version. (1982). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

Ephesians 2:14-18

¹⁴ 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.

Commentary

Vs. 14  "For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation"

The Lord Jesus Christ is our peace with God. For He alone has fulfilled every righteous requirement of the Law, and He has become for us all God's Atoning Sacrifice for all our sins and transgressions. And so it is that by faith in Christ, and Christ alone, we have peace with God (Acts 4:12; Rom 5:1). Now the Lord Jesus Christ did'nt just pave the way for our reconciliation too God. But more to the Apostle Paul's second point, through Christ God has broken down the middle wall of separation that once separated Jews and Gentiles. Now this middle wall of separation is not a literal wall or barrier per-say, rather this is a metaphor for all that the Law did in separating Jews from Gentiles.

Vs. 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"

The Lord Jesus Christ by His own Crucifixion death not only fulfilled every righteous required of the Law for our redemption from sin and death, having paid the penalty for all our sins and transgressions, but He has also abolished in His flesh the enmity, "that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances." That is every ordinance found in the Law that the Jews hold and observe that makes them a distinct people, Christ has abolished as incumbent upon anyone who believes in Him. And so it is the Lord Jesus Christ has done away with the Old Covenant itself as a governing entity for the Body of Christ (Heb 8:13). There is then no Sabbath observance for the Body of Christ, just as there is no circumcision requirement, nor are their food restrictions or requirements for any of us who believe in Him to observe (see Rom 14; Gal 5:1-5). Now believers who are of a Jewish background may continue to observe those things (as was the case in the early church while the Temple was still erected and sacrifices there were still being made), but in no way then (or now) are they to bring those things into the Body of Christ as required of themselves, or anyone else (Acts 21:18-25). Only during the Millennial Reign of Christ when God deals with Israel as a Nation again are there specific ordinances that are to be observed (Zechariah 14:16-19). For again it is the Lord Jesus Christ Himself who has abolished through His flesh the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so that He could create in Himself (not Moses and the Law) one new man from the two, thus making peace. Observance of the Law then by any of us who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ is simply not a part of the equation when it comes to either our eternal salvation (which is by grace) or our discipleship which is in Christ (Rom 3:19-28, 4:4-5; 6:14, 7:4-6; Eph. 2:8-9 etc.). Which is why the Book of Hebrews was given us by God's Spirit, so that Jewish believers who were still clinging to the Old Covenant (consider Luke 5:39) might be made to see that In Christ all that was the Old Covenant, or even the Levitical priesthood, has found its fulfillment In Christ and thus has been superseded by the more excellent and eternal Ministry of Christ Himself, which is ministered to us through His Apostles and prophets in the New Testament.

For again it is the Lord Jesus Christ Himself who has abolished through His flesh the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so that He could create in Himself (and no one else) one new man (i.e. body of believers) who believe in Him. Thus not Moses and the law which governed the Jews (see Acts 15), or Marry and Jesus (the Catholic Apostasy), and all their doctrines and commandments of men that governs them, but Jesus Christ the Lord, who is the Head of the Body, the church, being made up of believing Gentiles and Jews in every generation who trust in God by faith in His person alone (Acts 4:12). For it is the Gospel of grace that the church of Christ declares. 

Vs. 16 "and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity."

Now the Lord Jesus Christ didn't just abolish the enmity between Jews and Gentiles (vs. 15), by His own death on the Cross, (by which everyone who believes in Him has an equal and full standing with God) but He has put the enmity to death (vs. 16). Now this He did so He could reconcile both believing Jews and Gentiles to God in one body through His own death on the cross. Anyone then who would want to turn the church, (i.e. Christ's body, the one body of believers that is made up of every believing Jew and Gentile, who now stand united and equal in the sight of God through Christ alone (see Gal 3:26-29) into an extension of the nation of Israel, or back under the law, would only be running headstrong against the Lord (Rom 6:14; 7:1-5). For the Law of commandments contained in ordinances that once created such hostility and alienation between Jews and Gentiles has been by the Will of God put away (Heb. 8:13). For it is our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ alone who has reconciled both believing Jews and Gentiles, through the Cross, back to God, in one body. Thus not a Jewish church, and a Gentile church, but one church, Christ's church. And so no local assembly of believers should ever consider or conduct itself as being an assembly just for "Jews" or an assembly just for "Gentiles", for in Christ these distinctions are done away with forever (1 Peter 2:4-10).  

Vs. 17-18  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.

Having put to death the enmity, through His own Crucifixion death; and thus having fulfilled all that God required through the Law for our justification; the Lord Jesus thus having paved the way for our reconciliation with God by grace through faith in His Person, after His Resurrection from the dead, came and preached peace to those who were far off (i.e. the Gentiles), and those who were near (the Jews). For the Lord Jesus Christ having conquered sin and death, by His own Crucifixion death and Resurrection has satisfied the justice of God for us all, and so He came and preached peace to us all. For it is God's Righteousness clearly seen and manifested in the Life, Death, Resurrection and Ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ by which one and all can now have a just and justified standing in the sight of God, by putting their faith in His Person (Rom 3:19-26). There is then no more alienation from God for anyone (whether Gentiles or Jew) who repents and believes in the Gospel! From the worst of sinners, to the most ardent and zealous religious person, who ultimately had to face their own sinfulness and fleshly weaknesses exposed through the Law, the Lord Jesus Christ has come and preached peace to everyone of us through Himself, since we have all failed to please God (Rom 3:23). Understand then peace with God begins and ends with your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ's Person, and not what you have done, or not done (Eph. 2:8-9). And so it is since the Lord Jesus Christ came and preached peace with God to all Gentiles and all Jews by faith in His Person, through His Word, given us all through His Spirit. The Jews then have nothing on the Gentiles, since In Christ we both have an equal and unrestricted access by one Spirit to the Father (vs. 18). Now this access to God the Father again comes to us all through Jesus Christ the Lord by His Holy Spirit, who not only fully indwells each one of us, but He also helps us all in our own weaknesses, not only making our prayers effective when we seek God by faith, but He also makes prayers for us on our behalf during the same when we don't know what to pray (Rom 8:26-27). And so there is no hierarchy of believers in the sight of God,  because through Christ we who believe in Him all have equal access by one Spirit (that is God's Holy Spirit) to the Father. No one then who believes in the Lord Jesus Christ need go too, or through another person to come to God. For we all have equal access by one Spirit to God our Father. Therefore let us all seek God and His face while we can (Isaiah 55:6-7).

Scripture Quotations

The New King James Version. (1982). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

Ephesians 2:11-13

¹¹ 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.

Preamble

Having addressed how we, both believing Jews and Gentiles, have come into salvation, as well as for what purpose God has saved us, and brought us into a living relationship with Himself (vs. 1-10). The Apostle Paul now turns his focus to every believing Gentile, reminding us that it is only through Christ that we have now become equal participants of God's New Covenant and promises and thus full citizens in God's holy nation. Now Paul's doing so is to remind every believing Gentile that our salvation has a long history behind it, and a lot of that history stems out of God's dealings with Israel under the Old Covenant, which has now found it's fulfillment In Christ who has now opened the door of salvation to us all who believe in Him through the Gospel. And so Jews should not think that Gentiles need to live as Jews, nor should Gentiles think that God has cast off His covenant people for their current unbelief in this era that is Scripturally referred to as the times of the Gentiles (see Rom 11). And so in Christ all attitudes of "superiority" or "inferiority" by both believing Jews and Gentiles are to be put away (consider Gal. 3:26-29), for God has made us all one new people and nation In Christ, not returned us to Moses and the Law (2 Peter 2:4-10, vs. 9-10). 

Commentary

Vs. 11-12 ¹¹ 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. 

The Apostle Paul in referring to us Gentiles here as "Gentiles in the flesh", is not only making a distinction of what we once were before we were born again by the Holy Spirit, but in using these types of Jewish connotations is reminding us that before we came to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ we were once simply thought of by the Jews as "the Uncircumcision". That is because of the Uncircumcision of our flesh we were just considered by them an alienated people from God, who in their eyes had basically no interest in us. Now as the Gospel proves and the Scriptures clearly foretold they were wrong, something the early church came to understand as they preached the Gospel and it was God Himself who opened the door of salvation to all repentant and believing Gentiles (see Acts 10-11:18). And so the Apostle Paul use of these terms here is not a "deprecation" of our persons because we were once "Gentiles in the flesh". Indeed the Apostle Paul was called by God to be an Apostle to the Gentiles (Rom 11:13; Acts 9:15; 22:17-21; Gal 1:13-24; Eph. 3:8), for with Israel's largely rejecting the Word of life spoken to them, it was to the Gentiles that God commanded His salvation go out to the ends of the earth (Acts 13:44-48). And so we know that the Apostle Paul's love, life, passion and ministry was bound up in ministering the Gospel to the Gentiles (2 Cor 12:15). 

Now as we also know the Apostle Paul did not count circumcision as anything, since being In Christ means we who believe (whether Jew or Gentile) have a Circumcision which is to be completely distinguished from the "Circumcision of flesh", and that is the Circumcision of ones heart that God Himself performs by His Spirit within us when we repent and believe in His Son the Lord Jesus Christ through the Gospel (Rom 2:28-29). Therefore the Apostle Paul's use of this expression "the Uncircumcision" is his using a term that he clearly neither likes, nor endorses, (see Titus 1:10-11), but is only one that the Jews generally used as an indictment of all Gentiles, because of the Uncircumcision of our flesh. For Jews basically saw people in two classes, those Circumcised, and those Uncircumcised. Therefore these words being capitalized in the NKJ exemplifies the strong emphasis that Jews placed (and still place) on the Circumcision of the flesh made by human hands. Again to be distinguished from what God does to every believers heart, (see Deut 30:6 where God promises to circumcise the Jews hearts is given), because for them this is the defining act of whether or not one is in a covenant relationship with God. And so Paul is reminding us believing Gentiles by way of mentioning these things, circumcision made by hands, alienation from the common wealth of Israel, strangers from the covenants of the promise etc. (vs. 12), that before we came to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ we were completely estranged from God, from His covenants of promise, and from His nation. Now in stating these things about us Gentiles, it's not that the Jews are any less in need of salvation from God through Christ. It's just that we believing Gentiles did not have any promises of redemption spoken to us outside of those promises spoken by God through His prophets to the nation of Israel. And so we should not now think that God's salvation through Christ begins or ends with us. And so by mentioning these things in this way, the Apostle Paul does not want us Gentile believers to think too much of ourselves, since the Israelites through whom God's covenants and promises and salvation first came to us, largely go not reconciled to God because of their own unbelief. For though we are now redeemed by Christ's blood, sealed and sanctified by God's Spirit, and thus we are now not only fully reconciled to God, but we are now also full partakers of all of God's promises and covenant, for we are now counted by God Himself because our faith in His Son as His own redeemed covenant people (1 Peter 2:9-10); which again is not based on the circumcision of one's flesh, but only on ones faith in the Lord Jesus Christ (see Rom 4:9-12; Gal 3:5-9). And so it is when we were without Christ, we were "...aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and we were strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world." We were then at that time completely separated from God, and all that God had done and promised down through History through His chosen people. And so before we came to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ we had no hope. 

Vs. 13 "But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ" 

Therefore we who were once far off from God, have now been brought near to Him by the blood of Christ. (And not by circumcision of the flesh made by human hands). For it is the Lord Jesus Christ's Crucifixion death and His atoning blood for all our sins and transgressions which makes us all, both Jews and Gentiles, acceptable and redeemable to God. And so it is we who were once not a people, (coming from incredibly diverse and differing backgrounds and ethnicities), yet now are the people of God (1 Peter 2:9-10). A people which consists of all believing Jews and Gentiles, and thus a people who are united by One, are baptized into One, and under One, and that One is Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior.

Now if you have not yet received the Lord Jesus Christ for yourself, by all means do so now, all which happens the moment you repent and believe in the Gospel. Now to repent means to have a change of mind about yourself, your sins, and quite possibility even God Himself. It is then to see yourself in the light of God's love and mercies for you (John 3:16), that God Himself through the Life, Death, Resurrection from the dead, and Ascension back to heaven of His Son Jesus has done for you what you could never do for yourself, so that if you confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead you shall be saved, "for whoever calls upon the Name of the Lord shall be saved" (Rom. 10:9-10, 13). And so now is the time for your redemption from sin and death and eternal salvation the moment you believe and confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. Therefore if you believe, please receive the Lord Jesus Christ into your own heart and life by inviting Him in (Rev 3:20) and confessing to God that He is Lord, and then follow Him as your Lord and Savior. For apart from Him no finds life, or redemption, or satisfaction for themselves, but in Him all have new and abundant and everlasting life with and through Christ, therefore receive the Lord Jesus Christ today (John 1:12). 

Scripture Quotations

The New King James Version. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982.