Ephesians 2:15 Komentář

This chapter contains an account, I. Of the miserable condition of these Ephesians by nature (Eph 2:1-3) and again (Eph 2:11, Eph 2:12). II. Of the glorious change that was wrought in them by converting grace (Eph 2:4-10) and again (Eph 2:13). III. Of the great and mighty privileges that both converted Jews and Gentiles receive from Christ (Eph 2:14-22). The apostle endeavours to affect them with a due sense of the wonderful change which divine grace had wrought in them; and this is very applicable to that great change which the same grace works in all those who are brought into a state of grace. So that we have here a lively picture both of the misery of unregenerate men and of the happy condition of converted souls, enough to awaken and alarm those who are yet in their sins and to put them upon hastening out of that state, and to comfort and delight those whom God hath quickened, with a consideration of the mighty privileges with which they are invested.

INTRODUCTION TO EPHESIANS 2 The design of the apostle in this chapter, is to magnify the riches of divine grace, in the effectual calling and salvation of sinners, by Christ Jesus; in order to which, he describes the sad estate they are in by nature, and before conversion, even God's elect among the Jews, and especially among the Gentiles; and then observes how peace is made for and between them both, by Christ the peacemaker; and the various privileges and blessings which both enjoy, in consequence of it: he begins with the Ephesians, and expresses the former state they were in by a death, which is ascribed to trespasses and sins, Eph 2:1, and represents their walk and conversation to have been according to the world, and after Satan; who is described by his dominion over other devils that dwell in the air, and by his influence upon disobedient men, Eph 2:2, and that it might not be thought that the case of these Gentile Ephesians was worse than others, the apostle observes of himself, and other saints among the Jews, that their conversation before conversion was among the men of the world, and so according to the course of it, as the Gentiles; and that it was a very carnal conversation they had spent, in fulfilling the desires and lusts of the flesh; and that they were as deserving of, and as liable to the wrath of God in themselves, as other persons, Eph 2:3, to which former state he opposes their present one; they were not now dead in sin, but were quickened; which is ascribed to God as the efficient cause, and to his rich mercy and great love as the moving cause; and to Christ as the meritorious and procuring cause, by whose grace they were saved, and in whom they were not only quickened, but raised, and made to sit together in heavenly places; and the final cause and end of all this was, to show forth the abundant grace and kindness of God, through Christ, Eph 2:4. The doctrine of salvation by grace, the apostle takes up again from Eph 2:5, and to the moving cause of salvation, the grace of God, he adds the means, or instrument by which it is received and enjoyed, which is faith; and that is denied to be owing to the power of men, but is said to be a gift of God Eph 2:8, and the end in view, in putting salvation upon the foot of grace and not works, is to prevent boasting in the creature, Eph 2:9, and that works cannot be the causes of salvation, either efficient, moving, or procuring, is evident; since though they are to be performed as being agreeable to the purposing, as well as commanding will of God, yet they are effects, both of the work of grace upon the soul in time, called a creation, and of the decrees of God from eternity, Eph 2:10, when the apostle goes on to put the Ephesians in mind of their former state in unregeneracy, with the same view as before, to magnify the grace of God, but in a different manner; not as common to them with the Jews, but as peculiar to them as Gentiles; as that they were had in contempt by the Jews, and were in a state of alienation, not only from them, but from God and Christ, and the enjoyment of various privileges, Eph 2:11, wherefore the grace of God was the more conspicuous in their present state of nearness both to God and his people, brought about by the blood of Christ, Eph 2:13, who, as the peacemaker, not only made peace by the blood of his cross between God and them, but between them and the true Israel of God among the Jews; which was done, partly by abolishing the ceremonial law, which occasioned enmity, and kept up a division among them, Eph 2:14, and partly by sending, and preaching the Gospel of peace to them both, Eph 2:17, and by opening a way of access for them both unto the Father through himself, under the direction and influence of the Spirit, Eph 2:18, from all which it appeared, that they were not in a state of distance and alienation as before, but all belonged to the same city and family, and were built on the same foundation, and were united together in the same corner stone, Jesus Christ, Eph 2:19, and as the apostle compares Christ to a foundation, and a corner stone, so the church of Christ, consisting of Jews and Gentiles, to a temple; which being fitly put together, becomes, an Holy One in the lord, and a suitable habitation for God through the Spirit, Eph 2:21.

Having abolished in his flesh the enmity,.... The ceremonial law, as appears by what follows, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; which consisted of many precepts, and carnal ordinances; and is so called because it was an indication of God's hatred of sin, by requiring sacrifice for it; and because it was an occasion of stirring up the enmity of the natural man, it being a burden and a weariness to the flesh, by reason of its many and troublesome rites; and because it was the cause of enmity between Jew and Gentile: the Jews say (g), that Sinai, the mount on which the law was given, signifies "hatred"; and that it is so called because from it descended "hatred" or "enmity" to the nations of the world: now this Christ abolished, "in his flesh", or by it; not by his incarnation, but by the sacrifice of his flesh, or human nature, and that as in union with his divine nature; but not until he had fulfilled it in himself, which was one end of his coming into the world; and then he abolished it, so as that it ought not to be, and so as that it is not, and of no use and service; and that because it was faulty and deficient, weak and unprofitable, as well as intolerable; and because there was a change in the priesthood; and because it was contrary to a spirit of liberty, the great blessing of the Gospel; and that there might be a reconciliation and a coalition between Jew and Gentile, as follows: for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; which explains what is meant before by making both one; and expresses the strictness of the union between Jew and Gentile, they became as one man; and points at the manner in which they became so strictly united; and that is by being made new men, or new creatures, by having a work of grace upon their souls, and so baptized into one body, and made to drink of one and the same Spirit; the foundation of which union is in himself; for Jew and Gentile, male and female, bond and free, are all one in Christ Jesus; he is the cornerstone in which they all meet, and the head to which the whole body is joined. (g) T. Bab. Sabbat, fol. 89. 1. Shemot Rabba, sect. 2. fol. 92. 4.

Now, by means of communion with Himself, the Lord has reconciled man to God the Father, in reconciling us to Himself by the body of His own flesh, and redeeming us by His own blood, as the apostle says to the Ephesians, "In whom we have redemption through His blood, the remission of sins;" and again to the same he says, "Ye who formerly were far off have been brought near in the blood of Christ;" and again, "Abolishing in His flesh the enmities, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances." And in every Epistle the apostle plainly testifies, that through the flesh of our Lord, and through His blood, we have been saved.

He was born in a singular way from a virgin by the Spirit of God. He was born to reconcile both Gentile and Jew to God, both of whom had offended God. He reconciled them into one body through the cross. The enmity was in this way slain. This reconciliation took place in his flesh through his body as he suffered on the cross.

What is near, and what was far off now that "the middle wall has been broken down" of their "enmity," (are made one) "in His flesh." But Marcion erased the pronoun His, that he might make the enmity refer to flesh, as if (the apostle spoke) of a carnal enmity, instead of the enmity which was a rival to Christ.

"For to create in Himself of twain," for He who had made is also the same who creates (just as we have found it stated above: "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus"), "one new man, making peace" (really new, and really man-no phantom-but new, and newly born of a virgin by the Spirit of God), "that He might reconcile both unto God" (even the God whom both races had offended-both Jew and Gentile), "in one body," says he, "having in it slain the enmity by the cross.

What is meant by "Having abolished by ordinances?" For he makes a wide distinction between "commandments" and "ordinances." He either then means "faith," calling that an "ordinance," (for by faith alone He saved us,) or he means "precept," such as Christ gave, when He said, "But I say unto you, that ye are not to be angry at all." That is to say, "If thou shalt believe that God raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." And again, "The word is nigh thee, in thy mouth, and in thine heart. Say not, Who shall ascend into heaven, or who shall descend into the abyss?" or, who hath "brought Him again from the dead?" Instead of a certain manner of life, He brought in faith. For that He might not save us to no purpose, He both Himself underwent the penalty, and also required of men the faith that is by doctrines. "That he might create in Himself of the twain, one new man." Observe thou, that it is not that the Gentile is become a Jew, but that both the one and the other are entered into another condition. It was not with a view of merely making this last other than he was, but rather, in order to create the two anew. And well does he on all occasions employ the word "create," and does not say "change," in order to point out the power of what was done, and that even though the creation be invisible, yet it is no less a creation than that is, and that we ought not henceforward start away from this, as from natural things. "That He might in Himself of the twain." That is, by Himself. He gave not this charge to another, but Himself, by Himself, melted both the one and the other, and produced a glorious one, and one greater than the first creation; and that one, first, was Himself. For this is the meaning of "in Himself." He Himself first gave the type and example. Laying hold on the one hand of the Jew, and on the other of the Gentile, and Himself being in the midst, He blended them together, made all the estrangement which existed between them to disappear, and fashioned them anew from above by fire and by water; no longer with water and earth, but with water and fire. He became a Jew by circumcision, He became accursed, He became a Gentile without the law, and was over both Gentiles and Jews. "One new man," saith he, "so making peace." Peace for them both towards God, and towards each other. For so long as they continued still Jews and Gentiles, they could not have been reconciled. And had they not been delivered each from his own peculiar condition, they would not have arrived at another and a higher one. For the Jew is then united to the Gentile when he becomes a believer. It is like persons being in a house, with two chambers below, and one large and grand one above: they would not be able to see each other, till they had got above. "Making peace," more especially towards God; for this the context shows.

"And brake down," he proceeds, "the middle wall of partition." What the middle wall of partition is, he interprets by saying, "the enmity having abolished in His flesh, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances." Some indeed affirm that he means the wall of the Jews against the Greeks, because it did not allow the Jews to hold intercourse with the Greeks. To me, however, this does not seem to be the meaning, but rather that he calls "the enmity in the flesh," a middle wall, in that it is a common barrier, cutting us off alike from God. As the Prophet says, "Your iniquities separate between you and Me;" for that enmity which He had both against Jews and Gentiles was, as it were, a middle wall. And this, whilst the law existed, was not only not abolished, but rather was strengthened; "for the law," saith the Apostle, "worketh wrath." Just in the same way then as when he says in that passage, "the law worketh wrath," he does not ascribe the whole of this effect to the law itself, but it is to be understood, that it is because we have transgressed it; so also in this place he calls it a middle wall, because through being disobeyed it wrought enmity. The law was a hedge, but this it was made for the sake of security, and for this reason was called "a hedge," to the intent that it might form an inclosure. For listen again to the Prophet, where he says, "I made a trench about it." And again, "Thou hast broken down her fences, so that all they which pass by the way do pluck her." Here therefore it means security and so again, "I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be trodden down." And again, "He gave them the law for a defence." And again, "The Lord executeth righteous acts and made known His ways unto Israel." It became, however, a middle wall, no longer establishing them in security, but cutting them off from God. Such then is the middle wall of partition formed out of the hedge. And to explain what this is, he subjoins, "the enmity in His flesh having abolished, the law of commandments." How so? In that He was slain and dissolved the enmity therein. And not in this way only but also by keeping it. But what then, if we are released from the former transgression, and yet are again compelled to keep it? Then were the case the same over again, whereas He hath destroyed the very law itself. For he says, "Having abolished the law of commandments contained in ordinances." Oh! amazing loving-kindness! He gave us a law that we should keep it, and when we kept it not, and ought to have been punished, He even abrogated the law itself. As if a man, who, having committed a child to a schoolmaster, if he should turn out disobedient, should set him at liberty even from the schoolmaster, and take him away. How great loving-kindness were this!

The law that he abolished was that which had been given to the Jews concerning circumcision and new moons and food and sacrifices and the sabbath. He ordered it to cease because it was a burden. In this way he made peace.

Their souls have thus been reconciled to the eternal and the spiritual, to all things above. The Savior, through the Spirit, indeed the Holy Spirit, descended into souls. He thereby joined what had been separated, spiritual things and souls, so as to make the souls themselves spiritual. He has established them in himself, as he says, “in a new person.” What is this new person? The spiritual person, as distinguished from the old person, who was soul struggling against flesh.

Christ dispelled the enmity between us and God. He gave his own flesh as a ransom for us. Once this was done, he put an end to the things that separated you and them. For this is what he means by “the law of ordinances.” He has not annulled the Decalogue.… For Christ the Lord himself held these up to the one who wanted to know the way to eternal life. But by doctrines he meant the gospel teaching, since the realizing of full maturity lies in the responsive choices of the will.… Yet these gospel teachings are not laid down as laws. They are a matter of free choice. What he does lay down as law is what he inscribed on nature when he created it in the beginning.

He has reconciled both, that is, those from Gentile and from Jewish backgrounds, in the one body that was offered on behalf of all, so that they may at last be made one body. And he has called all believers a single man because Christ our Lord is the one head, and those who have been favored with salvation fill the role of members.

Lest anyone should say: what then, if having been freed from the former transgression of the law, we are again compelled to observe it? – he says that He abolished it as well. For having given us the law for our strengthening, instead of punishing us when we did not keep it, He abolished the law entirely, just as if someone, having entrusted a child to a tutor, when he did not obey, took him away from the tutor. He calls it the "law" of "commandments" because it was the organizer of the order of life; and he calls faith a "doctrine" because it is established through teaching or dogmas. Therefore the apostle said, as it were: instead of a way of life, He introduced faith. For we received justification not as a result of commandments prescribing to do this or that, but "if you believe with your heart and confess with your mouth, you shall be saved" (cf. Rom. 10:9). Or else he calls "doctrine" the prohibitive commandments of the Lord, namely: "but I say to you: do not swear at all" (Matt. 5:34), or "do not be angry" (Isa. 54:9), and the like. He did not make the Greek into a Jew, but elevated both to a better state. And he did not say "change," but "create," in order to express his thought more forcefully, and that thereafter we must not depart from natural works. "In Himself" (ἐν ἑαυτῷ) is said either instead of "through Himself" (δι᾽ ἑαυτοῦ), because it was not someone else who did this, but He Himself, as if melting down the Jew and the Gentile, created one new and wondrous man. Or it means that He Himself was the first to present the model and example, He Himself appeared beforehand as that which He made those (Greeks and Jews) into; and that He stood in the middle between both, holding on one side the Greek and on the other the Jew, mixing them together and removing everything hostile, supernaturally recreating them through fire and water. Thus, in the human nature which He assumed—a nature common to both Gentile and Jew, and assumed for the sake of both—in this nature, freed from all corruption and oldness, He created the two into one new man, free from the decrepitude and unrighteousness of sin. Neither the one nor the other is characterized any longer by his own qualities, but both are characterized by the property of the one man created in the image of Christ. But you will understand these words even better if you mentally picture the Lord as the cornerstone, and these two as walls built upon Him; And in relation to one another (for the Jew then draws near to the Gentile when he becomes a believer), but especially to God, which is also more important, as he shows below.

A problem arises here since he says "breaking down the barrier of partition" and, on the contrary, Matthew 5:17 states: "Do not think that I have come to destroy the law or the prophets. I have not come to destroy, but to fulfill." I reply. The Old Law contained both moral and ceremonial precepts. The moral commandments were not destroyed by Christ but fulfilled in the counsels he added and in his explanations of what the Scribes and Pharisees had wrongly interpreted. So he says in Matthew 5:20: "Unless your justice abounds more than that of the Scribes and Pharisees, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven." And further on: "You have heard that it has been said: 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you: Love your enemies; do good to those who hate you; and pray for those who persecute and calumniate you" (Mt 5:43-44). He abolished the ceremonial precepts with regard to what they were in themselves, but he fulfilled them with regard to what they prefigured, adding what was symbolized to the symbol. It should be understood, therefore, that in saying "breaking" he refers to the observance of the carnal law. To break down this barrier of partition is to destroy the hostility between the Jews and Gentiles. The former wanted to observe the law and the latter had little inclination to do so, from which anger and jealousy sprung up between them. But certainly, Christ has abolished this animosity in his assumed flesh. For at his birth peace was immediately proclaimed to men (cf. Lk 2:14). Or, in his immolated flesh since "He has given himself for us as an offering and sacrifice to God" (Eph 5:2). In this sacrifice all the former sacrifices were fulfilled and came to an end. "For by a single offering he has perfected for ever those who are sanctified" (Heb 10:14). What that barrier was he implies when he says "the law of commandments," as though he said: "Breaking down the barrier" which is "the law of the commandments." The Old Law is termed the law of commandments, not because other laws lacked injunctions since the New Law has commandments: "A new commandment I give you" (Jn 13:34). There are two reasons why this title is applied to the Old Law. One is the great number of legal injunctions it contained, so many that men could not possibly keep them all, according to that text of Acts 15:10: "Now, therefore, why tempt God to put a yoke upon the necks of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear?" And Job 11:6: "That he would tell you the secrets of wisdom, which have multiple applications." Or, it is called "of commandments" meaning "of works." "Where then is your boasting? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith" (Rom 3:27). Thus the baptism of John was called a baptism of water since it would cleanse only externally and not sanctify interiorly. Likewise, the Old Law was termed of works because it ordained only what must be done, but did not confer the grace through which men would have been assisted in fulfilling the law. The New Law, on the other hand, regulates what must be done by giving commands, and it aids in fulfilling them by bestowing grace. I affirm that Christ "in his flesh" was "making void the law of commandments" as the imperfect is made void by the perfect and the shadow by the truth. "When the perfect comes, the imperfect will pass away" (1 Cor 13:10), that is, the imperfection and shadow of the Old Law of which Hebrews 10:1 asserts: "The law has a shadow of the good things to come, not the very image of the things." This happened "by the decrees," referring to the precepts of the New Testament through which the law was annulled. "You shall eat the oldest of the old store; and, the new coming on," that is, the precepts of the Natural Law together with the New Law; and having received these precepts "you shall cast away the old" (Lev 26:10), meaning the ceremonial precepts of the Old Law as they were in themselves, as was mentioned above. He reveals the purpose of the convergence when he states "that he might make the two in himself into one new man." The end is that the aforementioned two peoples would be formed into one people. Whatever unites must come together in some unity, and since the law divided they could not be united in that law. But Christ took the place of the law, and faith in him, as the truth of those symbols, made them one in himself. "That they may be one as we also are one" (Jn 17:22); "For, where there are two or three gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them" (Mt 18:20). This is "into one new man, making peace." That is, into Christ himself who is called a new man on account of the new manner of his conception: "For the Lord has created a new thing upon the earth: a woman shall encompass a man" (Jer 31:22). Another factor is the novelty of the grace he bestows: "For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any meaning, but a new creature" (Gal 6:15); "and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new man who is created according to God" (Eph 4:23). Christ is also a new man on account of the new commands he sets forth: "A new commandment I give you: that you love one another as I have loved you" (Jn 13:34). This appears to correspond to the Apostle's intention, yet in a Gloss the barrier is duplicated. On the side of the Jews the law is set up as the obstacle, while on the Gentiles' side it is idolatry.

The character of the Ephesians previously to their conversion to Christianity, Eph 2:1-3. By what virtue they were changed, and for what purpose, Eph 2:4-7. They were saved by faith, Eph 2:8, Eph 2:9. And created unto good works, Eph 2:10. The apostle enters into the particulars of their former miserable state, Eph 2:11, Eph 2:12. And those of their present happy state, Eph 2:13. Christ has broken down the middle wall of partition between the Jews and Gentiles, and proclaims reconciliation to both, Eph 2:14-17. The glorious privileges of genuine believers, Eph 2:18-22.

Having abolished in his flesh - By his incarnation and death he not only made an atonement for sin, but he appointed the doctrine of reconciliation to God, and of love to each other, to be preached in all nations; and thus glory was brought to God in the highest, and on earth, peace and good will were diffused among men. The enmity of which the apostle speaks was reciprocal among the Jews and Gentiles. The former detested the Gentiles, and could hardly allow them the denomination of men; the latter had the Jews in the most sovereign contempt, because of the peculiarity of their religious rites and ceremonies, which were different from those of all the other nations of the earth. The law of commandments - Contained in, or rather concerning, ordinances; which law was made merely for the purpose of keeping the Jews a distinct people, and pointing out the Son of God till he should come. When, therefore, the end of its institution was answered, it was no longer necessary; and Christ by his death abolished it. To make in himself - To make one Church out of both people, which should be considered the body of which Jesus Christ is the head. Thus he makes one new man - one new Church; and thus he makes and establishes peace. I think the apostle still alludes to the peace-offering, שלום shalom, among the Jews. They have a saying, Sephra, fol. 121: Whosoever offers a peace-offering sacrifice, brings peace to the world. Such a peace-offering was the death of Christ, and by it peace is restored to the earth.

GOD'S LOVE AND GRACE IN QUICKENING US, ONCE DEAD, THROUGH CHRIST. HIS PURPOSE IN DOING SO: EXHORTATION BASED ON OUR PRIVILEGES AS BUILT TOGETHER, AN HOLY TEMPLE, IN CHRIST, THROUGH THE SPIRIT. (Eph. 2:1-22) And you--"You also," among those who have experienced His mighty power in enabling them to believe (Eph 1:19-23). hath he quickened--supplied from the Greek (Eph 2:5). dead--spiritually. (Col 2:13). A living corpse: without the gracious presence of God's Spirit in the soul, and so unable to think, will, or do aught that is holy. in trespasses . . . sins--in them, as the element in which the unbeliever is, and through which he is dead to the true life. Sin is the death of the soul. Isa 9:2; Joh 5:25, "dead" (spiritually), Ti1 5:6. "Alienated from the life of God" (Eph 4:18). Translate, as Greek, "in your trespasses," &c. "Trespass" in Greek, expresses a FALL or LAPSE, such as the transgression of Adam whereby he fell. "Sin." (Greek, "hamartia") implies innate corruption and ALIENATION from God (literally, erring of the mind from the rule of truth), exhibited in acts of sin (Greek, "hamartemata"). BENGEL, refers "trespasses" to the Jews who had the law, and yet revolted from it; "sins," to the Gentiles who know not God.

Rather, make "enmity" an apposition to "the middle wall of partition"; "Hath broken down the middle wall of partition (not merely as English Version, 'between us,' but also between all men and God), to wit, the enmity (Rom 8:7) by His flesh" (compare Eph 2:16; Rom 8:3). the law of commandments contained in--Greek, "the law of the commandments (consisting) in ordinances." This law was "the partition" or "fence," which embodied the expression of the "enmity" (the "wrath" of God against our sin, and our enmity to Him, Eph 2:3) (Rom 4:15; Rom 5:20; Rom 7:10-11; Rom 8:7). Christ has in, or by, His crucified flesh, abolished it, so far as its condemning and enmity-creating power is concerned (Col 2:14), substituting for it the law of love, which is the everlasting spirit of the law, and which flows from the realization in the soul of His love in His death for us. Translate what follows, "that He might make the two (Jews and Gentiles) into one new man." Not that He might merely reconcile the two to each other, but incorporate the two, reconciled in Him to God, into one new man; the old man to which both belonged, the enemy of God, having been slain in His flesh on the cross. Observe, too, ONE new man; we are all in God's sight but one in Christ, as we are but one in Adam [ALFORD]. making peace--primarily between all and God, secondarily between Jews and Gentiles; He being "our peace." This "peace-making" precedes its publication (Eph 2:17).