Question about Ephesians 2:14-16

[Tanakh Keeper]

Calling all Christians

I just saw the following biblical passage "14 For he is our peace; in his flesh he has made both groups into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us.15 He has abolished the law with its commandments and ordinances, that he might create in himself one new humanity in place of the two, thus making peace,16 and might reconcile both groups to God in one body through the cross, thus putting to death that hostility through it."

What is Paul saying here? What is his message? Who are the two groups that he is talking about? What law is being abolished?

Thank you in advance for your answers.

[RBerman]

Paul is talking about the end of the Mosaic Law's function of determining who is "in" (Jews) and "out" (Gentiles) with God. In the New Testament paradigm which Jesus came to establish, forgiveness of sins is not through participation in the Temple sacrificial system, but through faith in Jesus, who sacrificed himself. The verses before and after this section make it clear about the two groups being Jews and Gentiles, now united in Christ as God's people:

Ephesians 2:11-22

Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (which is done in the body by human hands) — remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.

Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.

Note that this does not mean that things forbidden under the Mosaic Law are necessarily OK now. As Paul argues elsewhere, the Law is based on eternal precepts which are written on the heart of those who predated Moses, or who just never heard of him.

[Phat8594]

What is Paul saying here? What is his message? Who are the two groups that he is talking about? What law is being abolished?

Firstly, I like to say that I pretty much second what RB wrote...

Paul's message is essentially that the Gentiles who have come to know Christ are now a part of God's people, Israel.


Now to understand a little more about Pauline theology in terms of God's people (Israel), and the inclusion of the Gentiles, I think a read through Romans might help.

For example, in Romans Paul says:

Romans 9:6b

For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel.

In other words, its not physical ancestry that makes someone part of the people of God; the people of God depend on the promises of God. Although those promises were once sought after through the law, the are now realized through Christ.

[Tanakh Keeper]

Paul is talking about the end of the Mosaic Law's function of determining who is "in" (Jews) and "out" (Gentiles) with God.

{snip}

Note that this does not mean that things forbidden under the Mosaic Law are necessarily OK now. As Paul argues elsewhere, the Law is based on eternal precepts which are written on the heart of those who predated Moses, or who just never heard of him.

Thank you RBerman. How is the inconsistency handled? As you say, the Law is eternal. What is the reasoning to change parts of it?

[Phat8594]

Thank you RBerman. How is the inconsistency handled? As you say, the Law is eternal. What is the reasoning to change parts of it

The Law in and of itself is not eternal. Rather it is based on eternal precepts. This is an important distinction.

In other words the heart behind the Law (or Spirit of the Law) still exists today (always has, and always will), but not all of the rules and regulations are eternal in their necessity to be followed.

So in the end, there is no inconsistency.

[RBerman]

Thank you RBerman. How is the inconsistency handled? As you say, the Law is eternal. What is the reasoning to change parts of it?

It's not a matter of inconsistency, but of overlapping concepts. Hopefully the following explanation is not too tedious.

"The Law" is used in two different senses in the New Testament. Sometimes it refers generally to the concept that God's holy character implies certain responsibilities for men. Do not murder, do not steal, do not worship false gods, etc. "The law" in that sense is a universal truth, predating the specific Law which God gave to Moses. This twofold sense of "law" is seen nicely here in Romans 5:

Romans 5:12-14

Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned — To be sure, sin was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not charged against anyone’s account where there is no law. Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who is a pattern of the one to come.

First, Paul affirms that sin is a universal experience since the days of Adam, even before "the law was given" (that is, to Moses). Then he notes that "sin is not charged against anyone's account where there is no law." That is, there was "law" even before the law was given to Moses; else there could not have been sin before Moses. This fits well with Paul's observation that even Gentiles who don't have Moses' law still have "the requirements of law" as a burden on their consciences, as a matter of nature:

Romans 2:12-16

All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law. For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God’s sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous. (Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law. They show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts sometimes accusing them and at other times even defending them.) This will take place on the day when God judges people’s secrets through Jesus Christ, as my gospel declares.

Everything in Moses' law deals with proper behavior toward either God and/or man, as seen in Jesus' comments here:

Matthew 22:34-40

Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”

Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ (Deuteronomy 6:5) This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ (Leviticus 19:18) All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

Moses' law contains many provisions which show us what "love God, love man" looked like in the specific culture to which they were directly given, such as the establishment of specific cities of refuge in Israel (Numbers 35). Much of the law of Moses concerned the rules for priests to offer various sacrifices on altars, either for gratitude or to propitiate for sin. The underlying issue of God's holiness, and man's need for forgiveness of sins, is one of the eternal truths. But the specific remedy of offering a living sacrifice has been eternally satisfied by Jesus, who offered himself as the sacrifice for sin, obviating the need for ongoing animal slaughter.

Hebrews 9:1-15

Now the first covenant had regulations for worship and also an earthly sanctuary. A tabernacle was set up. In its first room were the lampstand and the table with its consecrated bread; this was called the Holy Place. Behind the second curtain was a room called the Most Holy Place, which had the golden altar of incense and the gold-covered ark of the covenant. This ark contained the gold jar of manna, Aaron’s staff that had budded, and the stone tablets of the covenant. Above the ark were the cherubim of the Glory, overshadowing the atonement cover. But we cannot discuss these things in detail now.

When everything had been arranged like this, the priests entered regularly into the outer room to carry on their ministry. But only the high priest entered the inner room, and that only once a year, and never without blood, which he offered for himself and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance. The Holy Spirit was showing by this that the way into the Most Holy Place had not yet been disclosed as long as the first tabernacle was still functioning. This is an illustration for the present time, indicating that the gifts and sacrifices being offered were not able to clear the conscience of the worshiper. They are only a matter of food and drink and various ceremonial washings —external regulations applying until the time of the new order.

But when Christ came as high priest of the good things that are now already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not made with human hands, that is to say, is not a part of this creation. He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption. The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God! For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance —now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.

So the eternal law (the need for a sacrifice for man's sin) did not change. But it was satisfied in a different way before Jesus came. As a result, the Gentiles who did not participate in the Jewish sacrifices are now able to become a part of Israel through faith in Jesus.

[Tanakh Keeper]

That's a good explanation RBerman. It all fits nicely with what I know about your religion. Thanks!

[RBerman]

That's a good explanation RBerman. It all fits nicely with what I know about your religion. Thanks!

You are welcome! I commend the book of Hebrews to you; it was specifically written to explain to Jews how Jesus fit into their ancient faith. Jesus' relationships to Adam, Moses, the Davidic king, the priesthood, the sacrificial system, the Sabbath, the prophets, and more are explored therein.

[footwasher]

"Calling all Christians"

You rang? ;)

"I just saw the following biblical passage. What is Paul saying here? What is his message? Who are the two groups that he is talking about? What law is being abolished?

Thank you in advance for your answers. "

"14 For he is our peace; in his flesh he has made both groups into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us.15 He has abolished the law with its commandments and ordinances, that he might create in himself one new humanity in place of the two, thus making peace,16 and might reconcile both groups to God in one body through the cross, thus putting to death that hostility through it."

For He is the solution to the enmity between Jew and Gentile; through His teachings he has made both groups into one. He has abolished the 613 precepts God imposed on His Chosen people through the covenant at Sinai, which brought blessings only to Abraham's blood descendants, and replaced it with a single precept, belief in Christ resulting in greater blessings, to both Abraham's blood AND spiritual descendants.

[The Remonstrant]

Who are the two groups that he is talking about?

Jews and Gentiles. Though the NT does not deny the ethnic distinction between the two, it is made very clear that ethnic distinctions are entirely irrelevant as far as God's salvific will is concerned (e.g., Acts 10:34, 35; 44-48; 11:18; Romans 2:6-11; 10:11-13; Galatians 3:23-29; Colossians 3:11). There is no room for Gentile haughtiness (see Paul's discussion in Romans 11, with special reference to vv.17-24) or Jewish pride (2:17-29; 3:27-31). God calls both Jews and Gentiles genuinely and seriously -- apart from prejudice or ethnic distinction -- to repentance (change of mind), faith (trust) and baptism (union) with Christ. In this sense, God doesn't play favorites.

[footwasher]

What law is being abolished?

Is the law moral?

Or is the law analogous to the clauses in a contract?

Adam was assured of safety and comfort as long as he kept up his part of the deal.

The Children of Israel were encouraged not to reason why or question the rationale behind mitzvah while performing mitzvot.

As Hedrick once pointed out, it looks more and more like contractual obligation.

When one believes in Jesus, the obligations have been met.