|
This is the part 3 of my blog commentary series on the book of Ephesians. In this post, we look at Ephesians 2:11-21 verse by verse. Ephesians 2:11 NIV 11 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)-- The churches that Paul sent this letter to seem have been mainly comprised of Gentiles i.e. non Jewish people. Jews referred to the Gentiles condescendingly as ‘the uncircumcised’, and called themselves ‘the circumcised’. However, Paul points out that in and of itself circumcision is something that is done ‘by human hands’. In other words, in and of itself, it has no spiritual value, and is inferior to the true circumcision of the heart, which only God can perform, and through which our stubborn rebellion against God is dealt with. Paul continues... Ephesians 2:12–13 NIV 12 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. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. Paul mentions various blessings that the Jews enjoyed that we Gentiles were excluded from. But through the blood of Jesus we have now been included in them. We now have Christ, we have God, we have hope, we have citizenship in the true Israel, and we are now included in the covenants of the promise. But what does Paul mean by the covenants of the promise? There are four covenants that are mentioned in both the Old and New Testaments. They are as follows: 1. God's covenant with Abraham 2. The old covenant 3. God's covenant with David 4. The new covenant Let’s start with God’s covenant with Abraham. God promised to bless Abraham and to make him a great nation. He also promised that in him, all peoples would be blessed (Genesis 12:1-3). God also made a covenant with Abraham in which he promised him a land (Genesis 15:18). God promised to be the God of Abraham's offspring and also promised him that kings would be amongst his descendants (Genesis 17:6-7). Long after Abraham died, when his descendants - the Israelites - had left Egypt and had come to Mount Sinai, God made a covenant with them, which we today call the old covenant. It consisted of 613 laws (I haven’t counted them myself!). The deal was that if they kept those commandments, they would be blessed and would be allowed to stay in the land promised to Abraham. However, if they didn't keep the commandments, they would be cursed and evicted from the land. You can read about this covenant in Exodus chapter 20 all the through to the end of the book of Deuteronomy. Later on, after Israel had been in the land for some time, God gave Israel their first king, namely Saul. After Saul died, David, a man after God’s own heart, became king. God made a covenant with David and promised him an everlasting dynasty. In other words, the royal throne would always be occupied by someone who was a descendant of David. This is the Davidic covenant, which you can read about it in 2 Samuel chapter 7. Unfortunately, Israel was not obedient to God's laws, and so as predicted, they were evicted from their land and taken into captivity. This brings us onto the new covenant. All was not lost - God promised through the prophet Jeremiah, that he would bring Israel back to their land and make a new covenant with them. In this new covenant, God would forgive Israel for their sins, and instead of writing his laws on tablets of stone, he would write them in his people's hearts (Jeremiah 31:31–34). In other words, his people would be given a new nature. God Himself would work in them to will and to do according to his good pleasure. This covenant is called the new covenant, because it replaces the old covenant that God made with Israel at Mount Sinai when they came out of Egypt. Let’s go back to our passage... Ephesians 2:12–13 NIV 12 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. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. Paul said that we Gentiles were previously excluded from the covenants of the promise, but now through the blood of Jesus we have been included in them. But how? The answer is Jesus! In his letter to the Galatians, Paul taught that Jesus is the offspring of Abraham to to whom the promises were made (Galatians 3:16). He also taught that those who belong to Jesus, are therefore also counted as Abraham's offspring (Galatians 3:29). Because of this, Paul goes on to call the Church 'the Israel of God' (Galatians 6:16). This is why we are no longer excluded from citizenship in Israel - the true spiritual Israel is comprised of Jews and Gentiles who believe in Jesus. This is also why we Gentiles are included in the new covenant, which Jeremiah said God would make with the people of Israel (Jeremiah 31:31–34). Because we are in Christ, we are now the Israel of God and recipients of the forgiveness promised in that new covenant (see Matthew 26:28). Also, Jesus is the promised descendant of David, who forever sits. ruling on David’s throne. The angel said to Mary that God would give Jesus 'the throne of his father David' (Luke 1:32 NIV). Some years ago I went to Ghana. Before I left to fly back home, I did the online check-in at the hotel so I could choose my seat. But when I got to the airport, the lady at the desk told me that they had to change my seat. She then said that they have upgraded me to business class (British Airways has been in my good books ever since!). That is what has happened to Jesus' seat. The throne of David is no longer on earth - its been upgraded to heaven! Not only has David's throne been upgraded; the land promised to Abraham and his offspring has been upgraded too! The author of Hebrews wrote that believers 'have come to... the heavenly Jerusalem' (Hebrews 12:22). Speaking of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and possibly also Sarah, the writer of Hebrews said, 'they were longing for a better country - a heavenly one' (Hebrews 11:16 NIV). God has upgraded Abraham’s promised land to the heavenly city of Jerusalem which he has prepared for us to enjoy forever. Back to our passage, Paul continues... Ephesians 2:14–16 NIV 14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 15 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, 16 and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. The law of Moses was a dividing wall between Jews and Gentiles. Jews considered the Gentiles unclean. After all, they didn’t follow the law of Moses with its requirements such as circumcision for the men, its various laws about what food you could and could not eat, and the various sacred holidays. However, in the new covenant these requirements have been taken away. The blood of Jesus, which has thoroughly cleansed us of our sins, has made these requirements necessary. As such, Jesus’ death has removed the law as a barrier between Jew and Gentile. All who believe in Jesus, whether Jew or Gentile, are one group. Paul describes this one group as one new humanity and as one body. In the Church, there is only one race, and that race is called Christ. The Church all over the world is one new humanity. Paul continues in the next verse... Ephesians 2:17 NIV 17 He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. Here, Paul alludes to Isaiah 57:19 where God promises peace and restoration to the Jews in distant exile (i.e. those who are far away) as well as those who were close at hand (i.e. those who are near). However, Paul now borrows the term ‘far away’ to refer not to the Jews in distant exile, but to the Gentiles who have now come to faith in Christ. This is yet another example of how Paul sees the Gentile believers as part of the new Israel. Paul says that Jesus has come and preached peace to both to those were near (that is the Jews) and those who were far away (that is the Gentiles). Jesus preached peace to the Jews when He was on earth. Jesus preached peace to the Gentiles by sending His apostles to the nations. Paul continues in the next verse... Ephesians 2:18 NIV 18 For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit. Jews and Gentiles both have access to God through Jesus, and by the same Holy Spirit. It is impossible for anyone to have a relationship with God without the Holy Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit who enables us to pray effectively and to actually experience God in our lives. When you pray, do so with complete dependence on the Holy Spirit. Without Him, it is all just ritual. Paul continues in the next verse... Ephesians 2:19–20 NIV 19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. As we have seen we are now citizens of the new Israel. However, we are also members of God’s household. In other words, we are God’s family. But not only are we part of God’s household, we are also God’s house. In other words, we are a building, and these verse 20 says that we have been 'built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ himself as the chief cornerstone'. The apostles and prophets are said to be the foundation of the Church. The first part of a building to be laid is the foundation, and it is only laid once. So, the apostles and prophets that Paul is speaking of here, were those foundational leaders at the early stage of the Church. No preacher today has that status or authority, because none of us today are the foundation of the Church. The foundation was laid a long time ago, and you only lay the foundation once. The cornerstone, which is the first stone to be laid, is Jesus Himself. So the Church ultimately begins with Jesus, and then those apostles and prophets are, if you like, an extension of that foundation. Paul continues... Ephesians 2:21–22 NIV 21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit. We have seen that in Christ there a new Israel, comprised of all Jews and Gentiles who believe in Jesus. We have seen that there is a new King, Jesus - the descendant of David, who forever sits on David’s throne, ruling over the new Israel. We have seen that there is a new covenant which God has made with us through Jesus’ blood. But now we see that there is also a new temple. A place in which God lives by His Spirit. We are the holy temple of God. If you were a billionaire, and you could live anywhere you wanted, I wonder what type of house you would choose to live in. It is an incredible thought, that the Almighty God, who can do anything he wishes, chooses to make us his house. Let us never forget the level of access we have to God. He is always immediately available to us. We are his house. And whenever we gather together, let us always remember that God is in our midst. Let us come with faith and thanksgiving and let us always be ready to encounter God! Summary
Comments are closed.
|
Stuart PatticoPastor of Joy Community Church, Milton Keynes. Archives
August 2023
Categories |
RSS Feed