Eph 2:12-21 | Family | STEP | Aliens from the commonwealth of Israel ; not belonging, even outwardly, to the people who were in covenant with God, had his knowledge, and maintained his worship. Covenants of promise ; those made with Abraham and his seed. No hope ; no hope in God, to whom ye were strangers. Without God ; without the knowledge of God and an interest in his salvation.

Ephesians 2:12-21

Aliens from the commonwealth of Israel; not belonging, even outwardly, to the people who were in covenant with God, had his knowledge, and maintained his worship.

Covenants of promise; those made with Abraham and his seed.

No hope; no hope in God, to whom ye were strangers.

Without God; without the knowledge of God and an interest in his salvation. In Christ Jesus; by your union with him through faith.

Are made nigh; brought near to God's spiritual commonwealth and admitted into it.

By the blood of Christ; making atonement for your sins. Our peace; the author and ground of our peace--peace in the widest sense: first, between man and God, verses Eph 2:16-18; and then, as a consequence of this, between Jews and Gentiles, verses Eph 2:14,15.

Both one; Jews and Gentiles, one body.

The middle wall; the ceremonial law, which, till the death of Christ, separated Jews and Gentiles. Abolished in his flesh; by his death he abolished the ceremonial law, that cause of enmity and separation between Jews and Gentiles.

Contained in ordinances; thus he characterizes the Mosaic economy as a system of outward ordinances.

Of twain; of the two parties, Jews and Gentiles.

One new man; one new body, of which he should be the head. Both; both Jews and Gentiles.

In one body; in one spiritual body, namely, the Christian church.

By the cross; by his bloody death on the cross as an expiation for sin.

Having slain the enmity; by annulling the Jewish ceremonial law, which was the ground of the enmity between Jews and Gentiles.

Thereby; literally, in it; that is, by dying upon it. To you; you Gentiles, which were afar off; from God. See verse Eph 2:12.

To them that were nigh; to the Jews, who, in their outward relation, were nigh to God. To both he preached peace with God, and thus with one another. Peace with God, peace with conscience, and peace with one another, are the fruit of faith in Christ. By his Spirit he produces in those who believe on him a filial temper, gives them access to God as their Father, and leads them, as his children, from love to him to love one another. Are built; into a spiritual temple.

The foundation of the apostles and prophets; the foundation laid by them; in other words, the doctrine preached by them, the corner-stone of which is Jesus Christ. The fact, that in describing the foundation of the church, Paul, under the guidance of the Holy Ghost, says nothing of Peter, but teaches that it is built on Christ, as preached by apostles and prophets, is conclusive evidence that the belief of its being built on Peter, or any mere creature, is an error. In whom; not in Peter or Paul, but in Christ; in whom all true Christians believe, and on whom they rely for salvation.

Groweth; as a living temple made of living stones, 1Pe 2:5.