rest and hope. The vast, yet transitory, order of the physical universe was for them without its Interpreter, an unsolved enigma.
The Gentiles had, indeed, gods many and lords many, and one God as a first Cause in philosophic theories, but no GOD loving men and Whom men could love.
13. The contrast of the present position of the Ephesians with their past desolation and hopelessness is given by a reference to a prophetic word (Is. 57:19) which spoke of Peace to those afar and to those near: this Peace had been given to all in Christ. But now in Christ Jesus ye that once were afar are made near in the blood of the Christ.
There appears to be a fulness of meaning in the choice of the two titles in Christ Jesus, in the blood of the Christ. The Gentiles were now united in Him Who was Son of man, Jesus, no less than Christ: their redemption was wrought by the offered life of Him Who was the hope of Israel, the Christ. The combination recals John 20:31, and shows how the fulness of the Gospel is expressed by that summary of the scope of the Evangelic narrative.
Compare Eph. 2:5, 6.
ejn C. jI.
]
in Christ Jesus
, united in Him by a fellowship of life, as members of His body.
ejgenhvqhte
] not
gegovnate
, or
ejstev
were made by one decisive act. The reference is primarily to the ideal redemption of the Gentiles once for all accomplished by Christ's victorious Passion.
From the first proclamation of the Gospel on the day of Pentecost it was recognised that the promise was for all those that were afar (Acts 2:39). ejn tw'/ ai{mati tou' cristou' ] Compare Heb. 10:19 eij" th;n ei[sodon tw'n aJgivwn ejn tw'/ ai{mati jIhsou' . The offered life was not only the means of reconciliation ( diav ), but the atmosphere, as it were, in which the reconciled soul lived. The blood of Christ is the blood of the New Covenant: Matt. 26:28.
14-18. Having used the language of Isaiah to describe the change in the position of the Gentiles, St Paul goes on to show how the prophet's central thought was fulfilled in Christ. For He is our Peace. He broke down the outward barriers which separated Jew and Gentile, uniting both and reconciling both in one body to GOD; and comingafter His victoryproclaimed Peace to all far and near, because it is through Him that both Jew and Gentile have their access to the Father, as alike children.
14. aujto;" gavr ...] For He is our Peace, He who made both one and broke down the middle wall of partition, having abolished the enmity , represented by that separation, in His flesh , even the law of commandments expressed in ordinances ... St Paul speaks first of the two organisations, systems ( ta; ajmfovtera ), under which Jews and Gentiles were gathered as hostile bodies, separated by a dividing fence, and then afterwards of the two bodies themselves ( tou;" duvo ªajnqrwvpou" ]) included in them. Christ broke down the barrier by which the two organisations were kept apart and made them one, abolishing the enmity which was shewn openly in the Law (comp. Rom. 5:13 f.), by His life of perfect obedience, the virtue of which He offered to Jew and Gentile alike. Thus all men were made capable of a living unity. aujto;" gavr ...] For He He Himself and no other (compare Matt. 1:21 aujto;" ga;r swvsei , and Eph. 2:10 note) is our peace both in our relations one to another, and in our relation to GOD. He is our peace, as He is the Way and the Truth and the Life. He does not bring it only, or shew it. So it is that St Paul speaks of the Gospel the Gospel of our Salvation (Eph. 1:13) as the Gospel of peace (Eph. 6:15).