Ephesians 2:13-16
Christ Our Peace: Breaking Down the Dividing Wall of Hostility – Ephesians 2:13-16
Ephesians 2:13-16 (NIVUK)
But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility.
Commentary
When the Bible talks about peace, it is not simply talking about a sort of subjective feeling of peace, but actual peace. Actual reconciliation between alienated parties. Verse 14 says: For Christ is our peace. Who has made us one and who has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility. The foundation of peace needs to be real peace, and the early church was an amazing force for peace in the world. Age old conflicts between people and tribes were being overcome. It was the Ecclesia, the Gathering. It was a new people of God where people were citizens of God’s kingdom. And it broke down old divisions of race. It broke down divisions between rich and poor, slave and free male and female, Jew and Gentile. The old enmities between people were being broken down, and it did so through the gospel of Jesus Christ.