Ephesians 2:14

“For He is our peace, who made both one, and brake down the middle wall of partition”

“For”: “ He is strongly emphatic. It is He, Christ Jesus, who shed His blood on the cross” (Stott p. 98). “In. two-fold sense--not only has He reconciled His people to God through His death but He has reconciled them to each other; in particular, He has reconciled those of Jewish birth to those of Gentile birth” (Bruce p. 295). “He”: He and no other. “Our”: Both Jews and Gentiles needed peace with God (Romans 3:23). “Peace”: Christ enables us to have peace with God and peace with each other, even peace with former enemies. “From the time when individuals were first distinguished by heritage or genealogy, racial and ethnic problems have plagued mankind. Trying to assess the sources of these problems is usually futile and attempting to fix blame for them is only to erect greater walls” (Caldwell p. 95). True peace is only possible when people become Christians, all other man-made foundations for peace are destined to fail or fall far short of real peace. “Divisiveness is. constant characteristic of every community without Christ” (Stott p. 96) (Titus 3:3). The common myth of the 60's was that "peace" happens when we remove all the rules and allow people to do anything they want to. What. naive idea. When people put self first "peace" is never the result (Galatians 5:19). “Who made both one”: Jesus made believing Jews and Gentiles into one people.

To the surprise of many Jews, God did not demand that Gentiles become Jews to be saved, and neither did God demand that Jews become Gentiles. Rather, God demanded that both groups become Christians. This is the thrust of the Great Commission preach the gospel to all because all need to change (Mark 16:15; Acts 17:30). Early Christians spoke of themselves as. "third race" or. "new race", no longer Jewish, and no longer Gentile (Bruce p. 296) (Galatians 3:28). “He has not brought Gentiles into. society of Jews, nor Jews into. society of Gentiles. He has made of the two. new body” (Erdman p. 59). “And brake down”: To destroy, loosen, or dissolve. “The middle wall of partition”: “The barrier of the dividing wall” (NASV). “The wall which parted us” (Con).

It seems clear from the next verse that the middle wall under consideration was the Law of Moses. The Law of Moses was. law for. nation (Deuteronomy 5:3). Many of the commands in the law are completely unworkable if one does not have the support of the civil authorities (Exodus 2:12; Exodus 2:15; Exodus 2:1 ff). The Law was designed to keep the nation of Israel from being assimilated into other cultures before the Messiah came. In addition, many of the surrounding cultures were flat out dangerous to the moral and spiritual life of any nation (Leviticus chapter 18). Always remember that the Law of Moses was good (Romans 7:12), that is served. very necessary purpose (Galatians 3:21). Unfortunately, the Jews often hid behind the Law, and used it to defend their own prejudices. God wanted the surrounding cultures to be impressed with the moral code that Israel lived by (Deuteronomy 4:6), and provisions for convicted Gentiles were made (Joshua 2:8). One cannot read the Old Testament without being impressed by the truth that Gentiles could believe in and serve God as well as any one of Jewish blood.