Rom 8:17, Eph 2:13-18 | Barnes | STEP | Verse 17. And if children . If adopted into his family. Then heirs . That is, he will treat us as sons. An heir is one who succeeds to an estate. The meaning here is, that if we sustain the relation of sons to God that we shall be treated as such, and admitted to share his favours. An adopted son comes in for a part of the inheritance, . Heirs of God . This expression means, that we shall be partakers of that inheritance which God confers on his people. That inheritance is his favour here, and eternal life hereafter. This is an honour infinitely higher than to be heir to the most princely earthly inheritance; or than to be the adopted son of the most magnificent earthly monarch. And joint-heirs with Christ . Christ is by eminence THE Son of God . As such, he is heir to the full honours and glory of heaven. Christians are united to him; they are his friends; and they are thus represented as destined to partake with him of his glory. They are the sons of God in a different sense from what he is; he by his nature and high relation, they by adoption; but still the idea of sonship exists in both; and hence both will partake in the glories of the eternal inheritance. Comp. . The connexion between Christ and Christians is often referred to in the New Testament. The fact that they are united here is often alleged as a reason why they will be in glory. , "Because I live, ye shall live also." , "For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him; if we suffer, we shall also reign with him." , "To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne," etc. . If so be . If this condition exist. We shall not be treated as co-heirs with him, unless we here give evidence that we are united to him. That we suffer with him . Greek, "If we suffer together, that we may also be glorified together." If we suffer in his cause; bear afflictions as he did; are persecuted and tried for the same thing; and thus show that we are united to him. It does not mean that we suffer to the same extent that he did, but we may imitate him in the kind of our sufferings, and in the spirit with which they are borne; and thus show that we are united to him. That we may be also glorified together . If united in the same kind of sufferings, there is propriety in being united in destiny beyond the scenes of all suffering, the kingdom of blessedness and love.

Romans 8:17

Verse 17. And if children. If adopted into his family.

Then heirs. That is, he will treat us as sons. An heir is one who succeeds to an estate. The meaning here is, that if we sustain the relation of sons to God that we shall be treated as such, and admitted to share his favours. An adopted son comes in for a part of the inheritance, Nu 27.

Heirs of God. This expression means, that we shall be partakers of that inheritance which God confers on his people. That inheritance is his favour here, and eternal life hereafter. This is an honour infinitely higher than to be heir to the most princely earthly inheritance; or than to be the adopted son of the most magnificent earthly monarch.

And joint-heirs with Christ. Christ is by eminence THE Son of God. As such, he is heir to the full honours and glory of heaven. Christians are united to him; they are his friends; and they are thus represented as destined to partake with him of his glory. They are the sons of God in a different sense from what he is; he by his nature and high relation, they by adoption; but still the idea of sonship exists in both; and hence both will partake in the glories of the eternal inheritance. Comp. Php 2: 8, 9, Heb 2: 9,10. The connexion between Christ and Christians is often referred to in the New Testament. The fact that they are united here is often alleged as a reason why they will be in glory. Jn 14:19, "Because I live, ye shall live also." 2Ti 2:11,12, "For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him; if we suffer, we shall also reign with him." Rev 3:21, "To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne," etc. Jn 17:22-24.

If so be. If this condition exist. We shall not be treated as co-heirs with him, unless we here give evidence that we are united to him.

That we suffer with him. Greek, "If we suffer together, that we may also be glorified together." If we suffer in his cause; bear afflictions as he did; are persecuted and tried for the same thing; and thus show that we are united to him. It does not mean that we suffer to the same extent that he did, but we may imitate him in the kind of our sufferings, and in the spirit with which they are borne; and thus show that we are united to him.

That we may be also glorified together. If united in the same kind of sufferings, there is propriety in being united in destiny beyond the scenes of all suffering, the kingdom of blessedness and love.

Ephesians 2:13-18

Verse 13. But now in Christ Jesus. By the coming and atonement of the Lord Jesus, and by the gospel which he preached.

Ye who sometimes were far off. Who were formerly--ποτε. Tindal translates it, a whyle agoo. The phrase far off --μακραν--means that they were formerly far off from God and his people. The expression is derived from the custom of speaking among the Hebrews. God was supposed to reside in the temple. It was a privilege to be near the temple. Those who were remote from Jerusalem and the temple were regarded as far off from God, and hence as peculiarly irreligious and wicked. Isa 57:19.

Are made nigh. Are admitted to the favour of God, and permitted to approach him as his worshippers.

By the blood of Christ. The Jews came near to the mercy-seat on which the symbol of the Divine presence rested, Rom 3:25, by the blood that was offered in sacrifice; that is, the high priest approached that mercy-seat with blood, and sprinkled it before God. Now we are permitted to approach him with the blood of the atonement. The shedding of that blood has prepared the way by which Gentiles as well as Jews may approach God, and it is by that offering that we are led to seek God.

(*) "sometimes" "formerly" (a) "blood of Christ" Heb 9:12 Verse 14. For he is our peace. There is evident allusion here to Isa 57:19. Isa 57:19. The peace here referred to is that by which a union in worship and in feeling has been produced between the Jews and the Gentiles. Formerly they were alienated and separate. They had different objects of worship; different religious rites; different views and feelings. The Jews regarded the Gentiles with hatred, and the Gentiles the Jews with scorn. Now, says the apostle, they are at peace. They worship the same God. They have the same Saviour. They depend on the same atonement. They have the same hope. They look forward to the same heaven. They belong to the same redeemed family. Reconciliation has not only taken place with God, but with each other. The best way to produce peace between alienated minds is to bring them to the same Saviour. That will do more to silence contentions, and to heal alienations, than any or all other means. Bring men around the same cross; fill them with love to the same Redeemer, and give them the same hope of heaven, and you put a period to alienation and strife. The love of Christ is so absorbing, and the dependence in his blood so entire, that they will lay aside these alienations, and cease their contentions. The work of the atonement is thus designed not only to produce peace with God, but peace between alienated and contending minds. The feeling that we are redeemed by the same blood, and that we have the same Saviour, will unite the rich and the poor, the bond and the free, the high and the low, in the ties of brotherhood, and make them feel that they are one. This great work of the atonement is thus designed to produce peace in alienated minds everywhere, and to diffuse abroad the feeling of universal brotherhood.

Who hath made both one. Both Gentiles and Jews. He has united them in one society.

Having broken down the middle wall. There is an allusion here undoubtedly to the wall of partition in the temple, by which the court of the Gentiles was separated from that of the Jews. Mt 21:12. The idea here is, that that was now broken down, and that the Gentiles had the same access to the temple as the Jews. The sense is, that in virtue of the sacrifice of the Redeemer they were admitted to the same privileges and hopes.

(b) "is our peace" Mic 5:5 (c) "one" Jn 10:16, Gall 3:28 Verse 15. Having abolished. Having brought to naught or put an end to it--καταργησας.

In his flesh. By the sacrifice of his body on the cross. It was not by instruction merely; it was not by communicating the knowledge of God; it was not as a teacher; it was not by the mere exertion of power; it was by his flesh--his human nature--and this can mean only that he did it by his sacrifice of himself. It is such language as is appropriate to the doctrine of the atonement--not indeed teaching it directly--but still such as one would use who believed that doctrine, and such as no other one would employ. Who would now say of a moral teacher that he accomplished an important result by his flesh? Who would say of a man that was instrumental in reconciling his contending neighbors, that he did it by his flesh? Who would say of Dr. Priestly that he established Unitarianism in his flesh? No man would have ever used this language who did not believe that Jesus died as a sacrifice for sin.

The enmity. Between the Jew and the Gentile. Tindal renders this, "the cause of hatred, that is to say, the law of commandments contained in the law written." This is expressive of the true sense. The idea is, that the ceremonial law of the Jews, on which they so much prided themselves, was the cause of the hostility existing between them. That made them different people, and laid the foundation for the alienation which existed between them. They had different laws; different institutions; a different, religion. The Jews looked upon themselves as the favourites of Heaven, and as in possession of the knowledge of the only way of salvation; the Gentiles regarded their laws with contempt, and looked upon the peculiar institutions with scorn. When Christ came, and abolished by his death their peculiar ceremonial laws, of course the cause of this alienation ceased.

Even the law of commandments. The law of positive commandments. This does not refer to the moral law, which was not the cause of the alienation, and which was not abolished by the death of Christ, but to the laws commanding sacrifices, festivals, fasts, etc., which constituted the peculiarity of the Jewish system. These were the occasion of the enmity between the Jews and the Gentiles, and these were abolished by the great sacrifice which the Redeemer made; and of course when that was made, the purpose for which these laws were instituted was accomplished, and they ceased to be of value and to be binding. Contained in ordinances. In the Mosaic commandments. The word ordinance means decree, edict, law, Lk 2:1, Acts 16:4, 17:7, Col 2:14.

For to make in himself. By virtue of his death, or under him as the head.

Of twain one new man. Of the two--Jews and Gentiles--one new spiritual person; that they might be united. The idea is, that as two persons who had been at enmity might become reconciled, and become one in aim and pursuit, so it was in the effect of the work of Christ on the Jews and Gentiles. When they were converted they would be united and harmonious.

(d) "in his flesh" Col 2:14 (+) "contained" "consisting" (++) "twain" "the two into" Verse 16. And that he might reconcile both unto God. This was another of the effects of the work of redemption, and indeed the main effect. It was not merely to make them harmonious, but it was that both, who had been alienated from God, should be reconciled to him. This was a different effect from that of producing peace between themselves, though in some sense the one grew out of the other. They who are reconciled to God will be at peace with each other. They will feel that they are of the same family, and are all brethren. On the subject of reconciliation, 2Cor 5:18.

In one body. One spiritual personage--the church. Eph 1:23.

By the cross. By the atonement which he made on the cross. See Col 1:20. Comp. Rom 3:2,5. It is by the atonement only that men ever become reconciled to God.

Having slain the enmity. Not only the enmity between Jews and Gentiles, but the enmity between the sinner and God. He has by that death removed all the obstacles to reconciliation on the part of God and on the part of man. It is made efficacious in removing the enmity of the sinner against God, and producing peace.

Thereby. Marg., "in himself". The meaning is, in his cross, or by means of his cross.

(e) "both unto God" Col 1:20-22 (1) "enmity thereby" "in himself" Verse 17. And came and preached peace. That is, the system of religion which he proclaimed was adapted to produce peace with God. This he preached personally to those who "were nigh," that is, the Jews; to those who were "afar off"--the Gentiles--he preached it by his apostles. He was the Author of the system which proclaimed salvation to both. The word peace here refers to reconciliation with God.

To you which were afar off, etc. Eph 2:13.

(*) "preached" "proclaimed" (a) "which were afar off" Acts 2:39 Verse 18. For through him. That is, he has secured this result that we have access to God. This he did by his death--reconciling us to God; by the doctrines which he taught--acquainting us with God; and by his intercession in heaven--by which our "prayers gain acceptance" with him.

We both have access. Both Jews and Gentiles.

Rom 5:2. We are permitted to approach God through him, or in his name. The Greek word here--προσαγωγη--relates, properly, to the introduction to, or audience which we are permitted to have with a prince or other person of high rank. This must be effected through an officer of court to whom the duty is entrusted. Rosenmuller, Alt. und neu. Morgenland, in loc.

By one Spirit. By the aid of the same Spirit--the Holy Ghost. 1Cor 12:4.

Unto the Father. We are permitted to come and address God as our Father. Rom 8:15,16.

(b) "through him" Jn 14:6, 1Pet 3:18