Ephesians 2:11-22

Ephesians 2:11-12

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)— 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.

“Therefore”- because of

Paul now connects what he was previously discussing in the work of Christ to their inclusion into Christ. Those in Ephesus, certainly most were Gentiles, were not circumcised and there were most likely Jews or other Jewish Christians that separated and excluded them because of their uncircumcision. Paul acknowledges their exclusion, admitting they were not a part of Israel, the promise (to Abraham), or hope. They were not allowed to be a part of Israel because of their uncircumcision. For this reason, they were not a part of Jesus either. 

Ephesians 2:13

But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

Now that Paul has set up the past as them being excluded and not a part of Jesus, he now turns to the present situation. The death of Jesus, more accurately the blood, now has brought them near. They were far away from God and now are a part of Christ because of his shed blood. We see a parallel between circumcision and Jesus. The circumcision was done by humans, but Jesus’ death could not have been done by any human, only the one who is fully human and fully God. The blood of Jesus brought the Gentiles into Christ, the promise, and the hope. 

Ephesians 2:14-15a

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.

Paul describes Jesus accurately as being peace for those who believe. Gentiles and Jews were always at odds and this is due to the barrier that he explains as the law. The law was a barrier to Gentiles because they could not and were not allowed to follow it. Yet even Jews were not able to abide by the law itself. The law meant for peace and unity, caused hostility and separation. Jesus, because of his sacrifice, set this wall aside or destroyed it. The law no longer separated Jew and Gentile because the law was no longer valid in Jesus. The law could not provide peace so Jesus now provides peace by fulfilling it and bringing two sides together under Him. 

Ephesians 2:15b-16  

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. 

Continuing to describe the actions of Jesus in reference to Jews and Gentiles, Paul exemplifies the purpose of Jesus coming and his death. The purpose was to “create”- to make habitable or transform one new human. In other words, Jesus came to restore these two groups as humanity was supposed to be in the beginning, as one. If the law was the barrier, Jesus abolished or more accurately ceased the reign of the law and began the reign of grace so that they two groups could become one. He was able to do this because of his death on the cross. The death on the cross represented a bringing together or a reconciliation for both groups and the hatred and barrier that separated them was ended on the cross. 

Ephesians 2:17-18

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.

The message of Jesus brought peace to everyone, those who were a part of the faith and those who were not. The message was the same to both groups. Jews needed the message of peace to bring down the wall of hostility and Gentiles needed the message of peace to have the desire to come near. Both Jews and Gentiles can have salvation and be with the Father through Jesus Christ and the Spirit. 

Ephesians 2:19-20

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. 

Paul, now speaking to the Gentiles, appeals to their citizenship with the rest of God’s people. Gentiles can now be citizens of the kingdom of God and belong to his house. This “house” spiritually speaking had a foundation of the teachings of apostles and prophets which ultimately came from Christ himself. Jesus being the “chief cornerstone” is language from Psalm 118. Christ is the head of every house, every church, and certainly was exalted to the throne of grace.  

Ephesians 2:21-22

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.

This “building” refers to all believers as one body. The Greek word for “rises” is auxanō and it means “to grow or increase”. When all believers are joined together, as made possible by Jesus, we are fitted together and we grow becoming his temple for God. As Paul explains next, these believers in Rome are also being “built” so they can become a place for God to dwell through the Holy Spirit. There is a difference between the joining and building in this passage. Jesus brought two groups together and “joined” them through his death through one faith in Him. Now that the joining was made possible, individual communities of Jesus followers, like the one Paul is writing to in Rome, are being built up or constructed together so that God can dwell in and through them. The beautiful image of God with His people, the ideal habituation, would not have been possible without Jesus’ sacrifice, which is the main point Paul has been trying to make.