Who hath made both one

"Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us" -Ephesians 2:11-14

[i]For he is our peace, who hath made both one...[/i]

Was just now consulting some refrences in order to check what I had read in another article and I came across this passage. This comment from Robertson's Word Pictures really stood out to me and I wanted to share it with you all, in regards to the word translated [i]one[/i]:

[b]One[/b] (hen) is neuter singular (oneness, unity, identity) as in Gal_3:28. Race and national distinctions vanish in Christ. If all men were really in Christ, war would disappear.

Race and national distinctions vanish in Christ. If all men were really in Christ, war would disappear.

This spiritual concept of oneness also applies to social structure (neither slave nor free), and to gender (neither male nor female). Gal. 3:22 Yet attempts to diminish the later, ie, gender distinction, is actually counter-biblical. Likewise other distinctions cannot always be fully eradicated.

I mean this: We don't tell a male that he is no longer a male when he gets saved. Can we, on the other hand, tell a Jew that he is no longer a Jew when he gets saved, or an American that he is no longer an American?

In what way do distinctions disappear?

Diane

Hi everyone.

Diane,

"In what way do distinctions disappear?'

It seems to me they disappear in regards to the dispensation and mediation of all Christ's Kingdom and authority and power to, and through, the individual believer and amongst or between them as a whole. Put another way: having been grafted into the Vine, each branch may partake equally of its noursihment no matter what source they were cut out of to begin with. I would say so, at least in regards to the distinctions of race and nationality that were mentioned before.

At the same time I think, temporally, these distinctions may in some ways remain:

[i] And as they bound him with thongs, Paul said unto the centurion that stood by, Is it lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Roman, and uncondemned?[/i] -Acts 22:25

Chris

having been grafted into the Vine, each branch may partake equally of its noursihment no matter what source they were cut out of to begin with

...This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel..." Eph. 3:6

Chris, of course this beautiful truth can only be understood through spiritual enlightenment. I am wondering about the implications in our day. Does this passage apply only to the barrier between ancient Israel and and the rest of the world, or are there broader implications?

“… he has… destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility…” Eph. 2:14

What is that dividing wall? What is it NOT?

Does this Ephesians passage address the issue of those who crave a contrived kind of oneness/unity? (After all, no one wants to experience friction and division.) I think that many are zealous to tear down the wrong walls - what THEY see as the dividing walls.

Diane

Hi Diane, regarding the wall I don't know really.

Maybe some others can come along and help us in what you are asking about.

Kind regards,

Chris

Diane said:

“… he has… destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility…” Eph. 2:14
What is that dividing wall? What is it NOT?

Sister Diane,
Do you think it could be fear? Fear seperates and causes mistrust, does it not naturally become a wall.
In 1 John 4:18 John writes:

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.

When we become one in Christ, fear ( the wall )
is removed. Fear seperates, so if we still have fear then we are not made perfect in Christ.
Fear causes discrimination, race, gender, and
cultural. Fear causes hostility, thus war.
Fear causes one to be selfish and we all know where that leads.
In Christ perfect love, all of these fears are vanquished, thus the wall disappears.
Just a thought.
In His Love

pastorfrin

Do you think it could be fear? Fear seperates and causes mistrust, does it not naturally become a wall.

Pastorfrin, This could make sense, certainly. Yet the reference ChrisJD draws from does not seem to imply that.

14For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 15by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, 16 and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. 17He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. 18For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit. Ephesians 2:

It would seem that the dividing wall of hostility refers to the ceremonial law (with its commandments and regulations).

I am curious to know why Paul wrote this to the Ephesians, who surely would not have known much about OT law. Was it because they were being excluded from the Jewish religious practises? (creating a dividing wall?) How would that produce hostility? Or is it about the law putting us at war with God?

for he himself is our peace...."

Diane

Diane,

I've had the lingering recollection of hearing or reading that somehow Paul may have been referring to a wall that was between the inner court of the temple and the court of the gentiles? I don't know where I may have read this but somehow I remember the connection.

What do you think?

Chris

Chris,

Maybe this will help.

"Wall of Partition
Greek: mesotoichon (GSN-3320), partition wall. Here it means that Christ broke down the wall that separated Jews and Gentiles. A wall of stone about 6 feet high separated the court of the Gentiles from that of the Jews in the temple. To cross it meant death to any Gentile. Jews always endeavored to live by themselves among the Gentiles. They either wanted a river or a wall between them and their Gentile neighbors. Wherever they went, their own laws, rites, and customs made a separation between them and the Gentiles. This latter fact is what is referred to as the "middle wall of partition" between Jews and Gentiles. Christ abolished the law of Moses with all of its commandments, ordinances, and rituals, and provided a new covenant entirely for both Jews and Gentiles, making them one and on the same level in all things. To emphasize this, the literal veil of the temple was rent from top to bottom, indicating that the way into the holiest had been made for all men, that the old law was at an end and a new covenant ratified."
(Dakes)

pastorfrin

Pastorfrin and Jeannette, good insights here :-)

I'll wait to see if Diane has anything to add.

Here’s my thoughts so far: The temple presented terrible barriers (as pointed out) by its very design – intended no doubt by God, the designer. It was a visual reminder of the barriers between God and sinful mankind. God’s perfect and holy law created an awful wall. Because of defilement caused by sin man simply cannot ever qualify to enter the “inner courts’. In that way the law pits all of us against God, and God against us. We (as a fallen race) are hostile towards each other. As sinful humans, we are aliens of God’s kingdom. And when humans are in opposition with God, they are also at enmity with each other – creating all kinds of barriers, fighting, competition, inequality...

I also think of denominational divisions, again artificial, man-made, not of God.

Christ abolished that hostile barrier by making one New Man – ie one new humanity reconciled with God. That’s why Christ IS our peace: He made peace with God on our behalf.

Diane