Perplexing

Ephesians 2:14-16

For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition [between us];

Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, [even] the law of commandments [contained] in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, [so] making peace;

And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:



Let's zoom in on verse 15

KJV - Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, [even] the law of commandments [contained] in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, [so] making peace;



NIV - by 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,



NLT scariest of all - By his death he ended the whole system of Jewish law that excluded the Gentiles. His purpose was to make peace between Jews and Gentiles by creating in himself one new person from the two groups.



I fail to see the peace in making the Jews not Jews but rather more like Gentiles. When gentiles were first becoming believers they were willing to let go of the negative conotation surrounding the word gentile and yet today we sing it from the roof tops how we are gentile.



It's wonderful that we can now embrace what was first given to the Jews and the mixed multitude present when the covenant was made with Abraham and at Mt. Sinai. I'd rather embrace Jewish festivities and mitzvot than gentile versions that we all know have been descended through the ages starting with nimrod.



Why would we want these verses to say let's do away with all things Jewish and let heathen customs substitute as worship unto our L-RD?



I. CAN'T. THINK. LIKE. THAT.



Oh that you were all nearby and could attend Intro to Jewish Roots class with me where we learn the following:

Introduction: The Ephesians were a mixed group of believers, Jews and non-Jews. This was established in Acts 19 and 20. In the first chapter, Paul begins by explaining that the Ephesians were chosen in the Presence of G-d. In the second section (1:15-2:10), Paul establishes that is was Yeshua’s work alone that brings about their salvation. They have good works (mitzvoth) to do, for which they were created. Now, Paul is explaining how they (the Jews and non-Jews) have been brought together and are made ONE (echad).

I. The Low position of the Gentile before the Messiah (vs. 2:11-12).

A. You—The Ephesians—were Goyim (Gentiles) in the flesh

B. You were called the Uncircumcision. This must be understood as a derogatory term,

not a neutral term. It seems appropriate to make a stratification of Jews and Gentiles

and Circumcised and Uncircumcised. Thus, there were Uncircumcised Jews and

Gentiles (Hellenists for example), and there were Circumcised Jews and Gentiles.

(Gentiles who were called “righteous Gentiles” (Ger Tzedek) and were proselytes.

C. Gentiles were alien to the customs of Israel (See Numbers 15:14-16), to the covenant

of promise, without hope and without G-d. Thus, it stands to reason that the believer

does NOT want to be a “Goyim” and has an ability to change that status.

Furthermore, “Goyim” and “Jew” are not only ethnic terms.

II. The Gentile is brought near, and made one (with the Jew) by the Messiah (vs. 2:13-18).

A. Yeshua is the peace (shalom), or completeness, that allows ethnic Jews and non-Jews

to become one.

B. “The hedge” and “the enmity” refer to the separations between the ethnic Jews and

non-Jews, not between G-d and man. Keep in mind the context.

C. It is the enmity (A DIRECT OBJECT) that is abolished (THE VERB), not the Law and

the Commandments. Notice the italicized words that are in many English versions.

Italicized words are words that are added to smooth out the text. In this case, the

italicized words not only smooth out the text, but they theologically interpret the text

differently than is in either Aramaic or Greek.

D. The flesh of the Messiah, as well as “the Law and the Commandments,” (i.e. The

Torah, i.e. the Word of G-d), that allow differing culture groups to become one in

Messiah. “The flesh of Messiah” refers to spiritual separations, while “the Torah”

refers to the physical and cultural separations that exist in modern life (Num. 15:16

and Eph. 2:12). Thus, all believers have one culture.

Romans 11:16-32

For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches.
And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert grafted in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree;
Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee.
Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in.
Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear:
For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee.
Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.
And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be grafted in: for God is able to graft them in again.
For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?
For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.
And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:
For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.
As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the father's sakes.
For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.
For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief:
Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy.
For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.

Matthew Henry sums it up well "The Gentiles, of free grace, had been grafted in to share advantages. They ought therefore to beware of self-confidence, and every kind of pride or ambition; lest, having only a dead faith, and an empty profession, they should turn from God, and forfeit their privileges."

EXAMPLE: Don't forget that Ruth is a gentile, she has shown great love for the Jewish People and became very much part of the community. In her love and humility she was rewarded to have a part to play in bringing the Messiah into the world. A gentile in the bottom of her heart would say: "thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God" (Ruth 1:16)

Question for thought: * Why is it that when we speak of the "Church" we are primarily thinking of the "Gentiles" Church, whereas Paul says that the Church is made up of "Jews and Gentiles"together?

Yes no more sacrificial laws and ceremonies for forgiveness thru the shedding of animal blood as that was only temporary yet the law has not been totally done away with. We all uphold the "10" commandments in Christian circles....do we not see these sum up the whole as does Jesus' saying The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these. ((Mark chapter 12))

I hear HIM repeating what Moses of old told us HE said:

Deuteronomy 6:4-9

4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:
5 And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
6 And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:
7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.
8 And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.
9 And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.

More Ephesians as taught to me http://torahoverflow.com/Ephesians.html