Eph 2:13 | KingComments | STEP | . Here a new section starts. Paul looks back. He did that also in . There it merely was about our personal past in order to demonstrate in the next verses which personal blessings we possess in Christ. From it is about our collective past and subsequently we see which blessings we together have in Christ. Both cases regard the time of our life on earth. That is a difference with chapter 1. There the issue is the counsels of God from before the foundation of the world, so out of time and apart from the earth. In the previous you’ve seen what God has personally worked in us, after our desperate situation has been presented. In you will see what God has done to us collectively, after our desperate situation also has been presented first. With ‘collectively’ I mean all believers from the Jews and the Gentiles together , for that is the point here. The unity created between Jew and Gentile is a wonder of God’s grace. Paul demonstrates how great this wonder is by making a comparison between what the Gentiles once were and what they now have become. Most of the readers of this letter, then and also now, consist of those who once belonged to the Gentiles. They are being stimulated to remember how desperate their situation was in the past, that they will be more aware of what their situation is now. To illustrate their once desperate situation, he compares it with that of Israel. It is important to bear in mind that in this comparison the issue is the former position in the flesh of both Gentile and Jew. Paul puts down seven aspects of the position of the Gentile. They are, as it were, sledgehammer blows. Every blow makes the Gentile sink deeper in his miserable situation. The first blow: they were “the Gentiles in the flesh”. The expression ‘in the flesh’ indicates that their whole life was controlled by satisfying their lusts. In Romans 7 it is put at follows: “For while we were in the flesh, the sinful passions, which were [aroused] by the Law, were at work in the members of our body to bear fruit for death” ( ). God had given His law to Israel that in obeying the law they should enjoy life in fellowship with God. The second blow: the Jew looked down on the Gentile with contempt and scolded them for “Uncircumcision” (cf. ). As noticed, it is about a comparison regarding their outward position. That’s why Israel is called here “the so-called “Circumcision””. It is only about the outward form, which is emphasized by the addition “[which is] performed in the flesh by human hands”. . The third blow: the Gentiles once were “separate from Christ”. Christ, that means the Messiah to Israel, was not promised to the Gentiles; He was promised to Israel alone. When He came on earth, He came for ‘the children’ of Israel, not for ‘the dogs’, the Gentiles (cf. ). The fourth blow: the Gentiles were not categorized under the civil rights of Israel. Therefore they lacked many privileges that were included in this commonwealth. You can think of all kinds of social and religious privileges, as well as the statutes and rights that God gave to His people. In this way their life was so much organized that they could live at the highest level, in health, peace and safety ( ). The fifth blow: as “strangers” the Gentiles had no part in “the covenants of promise”. God had made various covenants with Israel since Abraham ( ; ; ). They had one collective promise: the coming of the Messiah, Who would fulfill what God had promised in the covenants. The sixth blow: “no hope”. The situation becomes more and more hopeless. You might hope that after all that is said previously, a change would come for good. But there is no prospect of that either. There is no ground to expect something good of the future. Finally the seventh, the biggest blow: “without God in the world”. The Gentiles had all turned their backs on God ( ). That’s why “in generations gone by He permitted all the nations to go in their own ways” ( ). They were left totally to themselves, without any connection to God. From among all the nations God had chosen Israel. Through this nation He revealed Himself to all other nations. Now what is meant by this comparison? Before I explain that, I first want to tell you what is not meant. The comparison is in no way meant to prove that the Gentiles have now certainly become partakers of the blessings of Israel. A big misconception is the explanation that in these verses it should be said that the Gentile has been drawn near because he should have become Jew. That cannot be the right explanation, as also in the Old Testament there was the possibility to become a Jewish member, a so-called proselyte. Furthermore, God also had blessings in store for the Gentiles in the Old Testament. But we have to consider the following. In the first place the blessings mentioned in the Old Testament for the nations are not given to those nations themselves , but to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and later to Israel. In the second place we see that the nations can only receive blessings by the means of Israel. When in future Israel will be God’s people again, all nations will also join in this restoration. This will happen when the Lord Jesus has established the millennial kingdom of peace. . But what in fact is made clear to us in Ephesians 2? That there is blessing for the nations apart from Israel! , where we now are, explains that further. The Gentiles were in two aspects of view far off from God. First, by being apart from Israel – this you have just seen. But second, they were also far off from God from a spiritual point of view. However, also the Jews were from the spiritual point of view far off from God. Where both of them stood far off from God, both Jew and Gentile had to be brought near to God and that “by the blood of Christ”. The Gentile certainly doesn’t become a Jew and even fewer a Jew becomes a Gentile. Both are being brought in a totally new position and that is “in Christ Jesus”. It is not spoken anymore here of ‘Gentiles in the flesh’ and neither of ‘Israel in the flesh’. Together they are a new unity, of which is mentioned that they both have been made one ( ), and that they were created “into one new man” ( ) and that they were reconciled “both in one body” to God ( ). Jews and Gentiles are taken from their natural environment and are placed in a whole new unity: the church. To the Gentile as well as to the Jew, that is a great transformation. Formerly in a double point of view so far off; now, ‘through the blood of Christ’, so near to God, even been brought to His heart. “The blood of Christ” draws our attention to the offering of Christ. Through His blood we are reconciled with God. On that basis God has taken away every obstacle to allow us to come into His presence and to bless us with all spiritual blessing. About the value of Christ’s blood, we never run out of thoughts. Now read Ephesians 2:11-13 again. Reflection: How did the difference in position between Jew and Gentile disappear?

‏ Ephesians 2:13

The Gentiles

Eph 2:11. Here a new section starts. Paul looks back. He did that also in Eph 2:1. There it merely was about our personal past in order to demonstrate in the next verses which personal blessings we possess in Christ. From Eph 2:11 it is about our collective past and subsequently we see which blessings we together have in Christ. Both cases regard the time of our life on earth. That is a difference with chapter 1. There the issue is the counsels of God from before the foundation of the world, so out of time and apart from the earth.

In the previous Eph 2:1-10 you’ve seen what God has personally worked in us, after our desperate situation has been presented. In Eph 2:11-22 you will see what God has done to us collectively, after our desperate situation also has been presented first. With ‘collectively’ I mean all believers from the Jews and the Gentiles together, for that is the point here.

The unity created between Jew and Gentile is a wonder of God’s grace. Paul demonstrates how great this wonder is by making a comparison between what the Gentiles once were and what they now have become. Most of the readers of this letter, then and also now, consist of those who once belonged to the Gentiles. They are being stimulated to remember how desperate their situation was in the past, that they will be more aware of what their situation is now.

To illustrate their once desperate situation, he compares it with that of Israel. It is important to bear in mind that in this comparison the issue is the former position in the flesh of both Gentile and Jew. Paul puts down seven aspects of the position of the Gentile. They are, as it were, sledgehammer blows. Every blow makes the Gentile sink deeper in his miserable situation.

The first blow: they were “the Gentiles in the flesh”. The expression ‘in the flesh’ indicates that their whole life was controlled by satisfying their lusts. In Romans 7 it is put at follows: “For while we were in the flesh, the sinful passions, which were [aroused] by the Law, were at work in the members of our body to bear fruit for death” (Rom 7:5). God had given His law to Israel that in obeying the law they should enjoy life in fellowship with God.

The second blow: the Jew looked down on the Gentile with contempt and scolded them for “Uncircumcision” (cf. 1Sam 14:6 ; 1Sam 17:26 ; 36). As noticed, it is about a comparison regarding their outward position. That’s why Israel is called here “the so-called “Circumcision””. It is only about the outward form, which is emphasized by the addition “[which is] performed in the flesh by human hands”.

Eph 2:12. The third blow: the Gentiles once were “separate from Christ”. Christ, that means the Messiah to Israel, was not promised to the Gentiles; He was promised to Israel alone. When He came on earth, He came for ‘the children’ of Israel, not for ‘the dogs’, the Gentiles (cf. Mk 7:24-30).

The fourth blow: the Gentiles were not categorized under the civil rights of Israel. Therefore they lacked many privileges that were included in this commonwealth. You can think of all kinds of social and religious privileges, as well as the statutes and rights that God gave to His people. In this way their life was so much organized that they could live at the highest level, in health, peace and safety (Deu 4:8).

The fifth blow: as “strangers” the Gentiles had no part in “the covenants of promise”. God had made various covenants with Israel since Abraham (Gen 15:17-21; Lev 26:42; Psa 89:3-4). They had one collective promise: the coming of the Messiah, Who would fulfill what God had promised in the covenants.

The sixth blow: “no hope”. The situation becomes more and more hopeless. You might hope that after all that is said previously, a change would come for good. But there is no prospect of that either. There is no ground to expect something good of the future.

Finally the seventh, the biggest blow: “without God in the world”. The Gentiles had all turned their backs on God (Rom 1:20-21). That’s why “in generations gone by He permitted all the nations to go in their own ways” (Acts 14:16). They were left totally to themselves, without any connection to God. From among all the nations God had chosen Israel. Through this nation He revealed Himself to all other nations.

Now what is meant by this comparison? Before I explain that, I first want to tell you what is not meant. The comparison is in no way meant to prove that the Gentiles have now certainly become partakers of the blessings of Israel. A big misconception is the explanation that in these verses it should be said that the Gentile has been drawn near because he should have become Jew. That cannot be the right explanation, as also in the Old Testament there was the possibility to become a Jewish member, a so-called proselyte.

Furthermore, God also had blessings in store for the Gentiles in the Old Testament. But we have to consider the following. In the first place the blessings mentioned in the Old Testament for the nations are not given to those nations themselves, but to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and later to Israel. In the second place we see that the nations can only receive blessings by the means of Israel. When in future Israel will be God’s people again, all nations will also join in this restoration. This will happen when the Lord Jesus has established the millennial kingdom of peace.

Eph 2:13. But what in fact is made clear to us in Ephesians 2? That there is blessing for the nations apart from Israel! Eph 2:13, where we now are, explains that further. The Gentiles were in two aspects of view far off from God. First, by being apart from Israel – this you have just seen. But second, they were also far off from God from a spiritual point of view. However, also the Jews were from the spiritual point of view far off from God.

Where both of them stood far off from God, both Jew and Gentile had to be brought near to God and that “by the blood of Christ”. The Gentile certainly doesn’t become a Jew and even fewer a Jew becomes a Gentile. Both are being brought in a totally new position and that is “in Christ Jesus”. It is not spoken anymore here of ‘Gentiles in the flesh’ and neither of ‘Israel in the flesh’. Together they are a new unity, of which is mentioned that they both have been made one (Eph 2:14), and that they were created “into one new man” (Eph 2:15) and that they were reconciled “both in one body” to God (Eph 2:16).

Jews and Gentiles are taken from their natural environment and are placed in a whole new unity: the church. To the Gentile as well as to the Jew, that is a great transformation. Formerly in a double point of view so far off; now, ‘through the blood of Christ’, so near to God, even been brought to His heart.

“The blood of Christ” draws our attention to the offering of Christ. Through His blood we are reconciled with God. On that basis God has taken away every obstacle to allow us to come into His presence and to bless us with all spiritual blessing. About the value of Christ’s blood, we never run out of thoughts.

Now read Ephesians 2:11-13 again.

Reflection: How did the difference in position between Jew and Gentile disappear?