Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called “the uncircumcision” by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands – remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by 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, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. (Ephesians 2:11-18)
Having a history as the people of God, the first Jewish believers often had difficulty welcoming Gentiles into the covenant. Acts 11:1-3 speaks of the concern of the Jerusalem believers over Peter entering the house of Cornelius. In Acts 15:22-29 we read of the Council of Jerusalem as it considers Gentile converts. And, in Galatians 2:11-14 Paul opposes Peter, because he had fallen back from Gentiles.
After establishing that the Ephesians had been brought from death to life, Paul shows just how glorious their present state is, by comparison with their life before Christ. Prior to Christ’s atoning work, the Gentiles were worse off than unbelieving Jews. At least the Jews had circumcision, the outward sign and seal of the covenant. The Gentiles had nothing to show their connection to God. However, Paul does make the point that the circumcision he is speaking of was that done merely in the flesh. It was external, where God called for the circumcision of the heart (Deuteronomy 10:16; 30:6; Jeremiah 4:4).
Although chosen before the foundation of the world, they were not experiencing the “oneness with Christ,” which is one of Paul’s major themes in this letter. They did not know the hope and joy expressed in Romans 8:35-39. God’s promise is that He will be a God to His people, and they will be His people. They will be friends of God. This promise can be traces throughout Scripture from Abraham (Genesis 17:7) to the final glorification of God’s people (Revelation 21:3). Before their conversion, the Gentiles in Ephesus were strangers to this promise. They were not friends of God. Before Christ, they had no hope. Our only hope is based upon the promises of God’s covenant. Strangers to the covenant can have no hope.
All of the things which formerly characterized the Gentiles have now been eliminated. The gap between them and God has been closed. They have also been brought into the people of God.
When God called Israel as His people, He gave them certain commandments which separated them from the nations. His intention was for Israel to witness to the world as they obeyed His commands, thus bringing the nations into His covenant. Instead, Israel saw their election as a privilege to be guarded. Rather than seeking to bring the nations in, they sought to keep them completely separate and looked down on them as dogs. Christ’s death abolished these commands (Peter’s vision in Acts 10) and brought the two groups together in Him.
With the breaking down of the wall of division and the abolishing of those dividing commandments, the two have been made one. There is no longer Jew and Gentile in the kingdom of God (Galatians 3:28; Colossians 3:11). Christians are, in effect, a new humanity. This is in total opposition to what is known as Replacement Theology. God did not set aside the Jews in favor of the Gentiles. He brought the Gentiles into His people, thus enlarging His people. There is only one God, and one people of God.
In the old administration of the covenant, God’s presence was over the ark in the Holy of Holies. The high priest could enter this area once a year, but further access was forbidden. During the rest of the year the people were able to get near to God, but not to enter His presence. At the time, there was a system of courts in the temple, with nearness to God’s presence increasing as one neared the Holy of Holies. Furthest away was the Court of the Gentiles. Next came the Court of Women. Nearest of all was the area where Jewish men worshiped. With Christ, these barriers were all destroyed, and all have access to God’s presence.
