Stuck on Ephesians

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coastie

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Hey I'd appreciate anyone's help with a rather obscure couple of verses in Ephesians.

14: For he is our peace, who has made us both one, and has broken down the dividing wall of hostility,
15: by abolishing in his flesh the law of commandments and ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace,
16: and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby bringing the hostility to an end.

In a previous verse he spoke of Israel, is Paul refering to the strife in Israel or am I totally off. I's hafta advise you to look at this in it's context because there is definately something I'm missing.

Thank You,

in Christ

Zach
 
I think the 2 that are made 1 is Jew and Gentile, made one body by Christ. The new testement brought faith into the picture and took works out. Now, all are guilty. And all are condemned. For all have come short of the grace of God. Now, all are able to enter into the grace of God.

I may be wrong. I have wrestled with this scripture too.
 
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NEW CLAY

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Ephesians 2

14. For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of division between us,

"who has made both one" Jew and Gentile

"and has broken down the middle wall of division between us," Through faith in Him, we, in Him are now neither Jew nor Greek but one body, the body of Christ.


15. having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace,

"having abolished in His flesh the enmity,"

Through the cross, His Death

"that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances,"

He has made one bridge for all to cross, both Jew and Gentile, with none of the conditions above, just faith in Him.

"so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace,"

He created one new man from the two(Jew and the Gentile) a Christian in Him, and we have peace because we are now brothers and sisters IN Christ.


16. and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity.

"and that He might reconcile them both" Jew and Gentile

"in one body through the cross" one body, His body, The Church.

"thereby putting to death the enmity." between Jew and Gentile, us and God.

:bow: Jesus!
 
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JohnR7

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Romans 11:24 For if you were cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and were grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these, who are natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?

The middle wall of seperation was in the Temple. There were three courts. The outer court or the court of the gentiles. The middle court, for the Hebrews, then the inner court of the Holy of Holys. Paul is talking about the division between the outer court and the middle court. Although in other scriptures he talks about how we all have access to enter into the Holy of Holys. Before Christ died only the High Priest could enter into the most Holy place and then only once a year.

When he talks about "the law of commandments contained in ordinances", he is refering to the ordinances that have to do with the priestly function in the temple. The sacrifice of animals and all of that. We have different "ordinances" now, such as communion, baptism and so forth.
 
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coastie

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John,

*scrbble scribble* I'm copying this stuff into my "inductive study Bible" as fast as I can. :) Ephesians ended up being quite a few pages of notes for such a short chapter.

Thank you for your time. It's always an honor to have so many people respond to a question like this.

God Bless,

Zach
 
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JohnR7

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The pastor in my church teaches that we are to read Ephesians and the sermon on the mount over and over again. Ephesians we are told, contains the whole plan of salvation, and the Sermon on the Mount has all the Jesus attitudes that we are to have when we have the mind of Christ. Thanks, JohnR7
 
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Dewjunkie

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Don't know if you've got it figured yet--I believe it's a reference to the unification of believing Jew and believing Gentile and the abolishing of the total religious isolation once experienced by the two. I believe it's also a reference to the New Covenant, saying that all men, regardless of race are able to come to God through Jesus. Just my thoughts.

We are studying Ephesians in our wednesday night Bible study, and it is an intense, amazing, thought provoking book.
 
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JohnR7

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>>Don't know if you've got it figured yet

Always happy for someone to jump in and add to our understanding of the Bible. Thanks, JohnR7

Isaiah 28:10 For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:
 
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