Ephesians 2:14-18 (12/20/08)

Ephesians 2:14-18 (English Standard Version)

14For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility 15by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, 16and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. 17And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. 18For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.

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Alienation first began when Eve ate of the forbidden fruit

Paul was well aware of the alienation of the Gentiles from the Jewish temple at Jerusalem

Jewish temple at Jerusalem

Built by Herod the Great

Replaced the temple dating back to Nehemiah

Overlaid w/ gold; was the glory of the city; sat on the temple mount (raised platform)

Surrounded w/ courts:

Court of Priests (Innermost) – only members of Levi tribe

Court of Israel – only male Jews

Court of Women – any Jew, farthest a Jewish woman could go

All the above courts were on the same level

Court of Gentiles – From the Court of Women, descend 5 steps to an area w/ a 5 foot wall that went around the entire temple, another level space, descend 14 more steps

“No foreigner was permitted to enter the Jewish enclosures upon penalty of death” (Boice 83).

Paul visited the temple shortly before this letter to deliver offerings of the Gentile church to the Jewish Christians of that city, he was accused of bringing a Gentile, Trophimus into the temple enclosure. Caused an angry mob to which tried to kill Paul

Acts 21:27-36

“In all the ancient world, no wall was so impassable as the wall between Jew and Gentile” (Boice 84).

http://fantasymaps.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/herods_temple.jpg

v. 14 – He himself = Jesus

made the two = Jew and Gentile

The temple courts were designed to discriminate among people, but the greatest barrier was between God and the people.

The Holy Place (any regularly assigned Levi priests could go) and the Holy of Holies (only the high priest could enter, and that only once a year after first making a sacrifice for himself and his family)

Great viel – 6 inches thick sealing off the inner temple

In this area was the Arc of the Covenant, in which on the cover, between the cherubim, God dwelt (symbolically)

The idea behind the temple was to show not just the alienation of the people from one another, but their alienation from God

The cause of this alienation is sin

We are now at enmity with God b/c of our sin and also at enmity with ourselves, one another, and all the world

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Matt. 27:51

Matthew is preeminently a Jewish Gospel so the Jewish readers knew what this curtain splitting meant.

The curtain wasn’t just ripped, it was torn in two, from top to bottom – graphic!

What does this mean?

Christ’s death removes the sin barrier b/w God and men. Reconciliation has come. With faith in Christ’s work, anyone can approach God

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Reconciliation

Has 5 meanings:

1. Change from a hostile to a friendly relationship

2. Bringing together again, a reuniting, a re-connecting. Not merely a friendship after an estrangement or doing away with estrangement. Not being on speaking terms again.

3. Completeness of the action. Not a compromise that patches up the issue momentarily. Produces complete amity and concord where there was formerly hostility

4. Not two quarlling partners coming together, but one of the parties takes all the action. Greek word kata – one side bringing the other into this postion of complete amity and accord

5. Restoration of something that was there before.

Where we were once estranged and alienated, we are now in fellowship.

Where we were born into a state of enmity against God, were utterly hopeless, and could not nor did not want to make reconciliation…God made reconciliation through his Son bearing the full punishment.

Now that our fellowship with God is restored, our fellowship to other people is also restored if they too are in Christ.

With the great barrier down, there is no need for lesser barriers.

We are all members of one body and peace has been restored b/w all members in the body

We cannot break fellowship with any believer. The unity you have with them is greater than any bond you have with an unbeliever

It is our duty to live in harmony with all the brothers and sisters in Christ.

The world should see our membership in this one spiritual family. Our witness should reflect this.