Ephesians 2:11-22

Teacher: Rusty Kennedy
​Sereis: Ephesians

Rusty's Notes

UNITY IN CHRIST
EPHESIANS 2:11-22
11 So, then, remember that at one time you were Gentiles in the flesh—called “the uncircumcised” by those called “the circumcised,” which is done in the flesh by human hands.

• But since the hour that God called Abraham, God made a difference between Jews and Gentiles.
• He made this difference, not that the Jews might boast, but that they might be a blessing and a help to the Gentiles.
• God set them apart that He might use them to be a channel of His revelation and goodness to the heathen nations.
• Sad to say, Israel kept this difference nationally and ritually, but not morally.
• Genesis 15:6 - Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness.[1]
• Genesis 17:1-8 – When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him, saying, “I am God Almighty. Live in my presence and be blameless. 2 I will set up my covenant between me and you, and I will multiply you greatly.”
• Then Abram fell facedown and God spoke with him: 4 “As for me, here is my covenant with you: You will become the father of many nations. 5 Your name will no longer be Abram; your name will be Abraham, for I will make you the father of many nations. 6 I will make you extremely fruitful and will make nations and kings come from you. 7 I will confirm my covenant that is between me and you and your future offspring throughout their generations. It is a permanent covenant to be your God and the God of your offspring after you. 8 And to you and your future offspring I will give the land where you are residing—all the land of Canaan—as a permanent possession, and I will be their God.”[2]
• Genesis 17:9-12 – God also said to Abraham, “As for you, you and your offspring after you throughout their generations are to keep my covenant. 10 This is my covenant between me and you and your offspring after you, which you are to keep: Every one of your males must be circumcised. 11 You must circumcise the flesh of your foreskin to serve as a sign of the covenant between me and you., 12 Throughout your generations, every male among you is to be circumcised at eight days old—every male born in your household or purchased from any foreigner and not your offspring.[3]
• Romans 2:28-29 - For a person is not a Jew who is one outwardly, and true circumcision is not something visible in the flesh. 29 On the contrary, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly, and circumcision is of the heart—by the Spirit, not the letter. That person’s praise is not from people but from God.[4]

12 At that time you were without Christ, excluded from the citizenship of Israel, and foreigners to the covenants of promise, without hope and without God in the world.

• Kenneth Wuest - 5 Things were true about uncircumcised Gentiles:
• 1) They were "without Christ"‎ - The Ephesians worshiped the goddess, Diana, and, before the coming of the Gospel, knew nothing about Christ.
• 2) They were "aliens from the commonwealth of Israel" - no rights - ‎A Gentile could enter the nation as a proselyte, but he was not born into that very special nation.
• Genesis - Theocratic Kingdom
• God had complete authority over the universe.
• Adam (man) was given dominion over the earth.
• The fall came and power was given to Satan.
• God chose the Jews to reestablish His theocracy.
• 3) They were "strangers from the covenants of the promise"‎.
• While the blessing of the Gentiles is included in God’s covenant with Abraham (Genesis 12:1–3 – The Lord said to Abram: Go from your land, your relatives, and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. 2 I will make you into a great nation, I will bless you, I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, I will curse anyone who treats you with contempt, and all the peoples on earth will be blessed through you.[5])
• God did not make any covenants with the Gentile nations.
• The Gentiles were “aliens” and “strangers”—and the Jews never let them forget it.
• 4) They had "no hope"‎
• Historians tell us that a great cloud of hopelessness covered the ancient world.
• Philosophies were empty; traditions were disappearing; religions were powerless to help men face either life or death.
• 5)  They were "without God in the world"
• The heathen had gods aplenty, as Paul discovered in Athens (Acts 17:16–23).
• Someone in that day said that it was easier to find a god than a man in Athens.

13 But now in Christ Jesus, you who were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

• The Gentiles, through faith in Jesus, now have access to the Father anytime they like.
• A privilege that no Jew possesses while living under the Law in his lost condition.

14 For he is our peace, who made both groups one and tore down the dividing wall of hostility. In his flesh,

• Picture of the Temple and the Gentile Court.‎
• Description found at Herod's Temple in 1871 - "No foreigner may enter within the barricade which surrounds the sanctuary and enclosure. Anyone who is caught doing so will have himself to blame for his ensuing death."
• Enmity - deep-rooted hatred. “15 I will put hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring.[6]” (Gen. 3:15).
• The friendship of the world is “enmity with God” (James 4:4; 1 John 2:15, 16).
• The “carnal mind” is “enmity against God” (Rom. 8:7).
• Galatians 3:28 - There is no Jew or Greek, slave or free, male and female; since you are all one in Christ Jesus.[7]

15 he made of no effect the law consisting of commands and expressed in regulations, so that he might create in himself one new man from the two, resulting in peace.

•  “He made no effect” - "Abolish" - To make in operative or inactive
• Jesus did away with this ceremonial Law to free all believers to live by grace.
• "one new man" - A new creation in Christ.
• The old man inherited by Adam was crucified and eradicated in Christ's body.
• Peace replaces enmity and unity prevails as the byproduct.

16 He did this so that he might reconcile both to God in one body through the cross by which he put the hostility to death.

• It was not a question of the Gentile becoming a Jew to become a Christian, but the Jew admitting he was a sinner like the Gentile.
• “since there is no distinction. 23 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God[8]” (Romans 3:22–23).
• ‎The same Law that separated Gentile and Jew also separated men and God, and Christ bore the curse of the Law.
• Paul reminds us that unbelieving Gentiles were under the Law as well. (Romans 7:4 - Therefore, my brothers and sisters, you also were put to death in relation to the law through the body of Christ so that you may belong to another.[9]).
• Once in Christ, any disunity between Jews & Gentiles is a direct result of sin, not a result of the previous barriers that existed under the Law.

17 He came and proclaimed the good news of peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near.

• He came into the world to serve as the mediator who would restore peace between God and man.
• "far away" - Gentiles
• "near" - Jews

18 For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.

• As God's children, who possess His Spirit, we can enter into the Father's presence through the avenue of Jesus Christ anytime we like.
• Hebrews 4:16 - Therefore, let us approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in time of need.[10]

19 So, then, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with the saints, and members of God’s household,

• Through Jesus, Gentiles "are no longer strangers and aliens".
• Saints - All believers of all time... from Genesis 1:1 - Revelation 22:21 - All saints are members of God's household.
• ‎Sin has divided mankind, but Christ unites by His Spirit.
• ‎All believers, regardless of national background, belong to that “holy nation” with citizenship in heaven (Phil. 3:20–21).

20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone.

• The apostles being ones who lived with and were trained by Jesus.
• The prophets being those equipped with the message of the apostles during the formative years of the church.
• The cornerstone binds the structure together[11]
• This reference to the temple would be meaningful to both the Jews and the Gentiles in the Ephesian church: the Jews would think of Herod’s temple in Jerusalem, and the Gentiles would think of the great temple of Diana.
• Both temples were destined to be destroyed, but the temple Christ is building will last forever.
• Now referring to the Church which is believers in Acts 2 all the way up to Christ’s return.

21 In him the whole building, being put together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord.

• "in Him"
• These stones are the believers that are being fit together today.

22 In him you are also being built together for God’s dwelling in the Spirit.[12]

• Oswald Chambers - It is one thing to have participated in regeneration and sanctification and quite another thing to enjoy the knowledge that your body is “the temple of the Holy Ghost.” That is not an experience, it is a revelation, and a revelation which takes some believing, and then some obeying.
• Who inhabits the temple? The Holy Spirit.
• ‎I have to see that I instruct myself regarding these revelations which are only interpreted to me by the Holy Ghost, never by my natural wisdom.

God's masterpiece!

[1] Christian Standard Bible (Ge 15:6). (2020). Holman Bible Publishers.
[2] Christian Standard Bible (Ge 17:1–8). (2020). Holman Bible Publishers.
[3] Christian Standard Bible (Ge 17:9–12). (2020). Holman Bible Publishers.
[4] Christian Standard Bible (Ro 2:28–29). (2020). Holman Bible Publishers.
[5] Christian Standard Bible (Ge 12:1–3). (2020). Holman Bible Publishers.
[6] Christian Standard Bible (Ge 3:15). (2020). Holman Bible Publishers.
[7] Christian Standard Bible (Ga 3:28). (2020). Holman Bible Publishers.
[8] Christian Standard Bible (Ro 3:22–23). (2020). Holman Bible Publishers.
[9] Christian Standard Bible (Ro 7:4). (2020). Holman Bible Publishers.
[10] Christian Standard Bible (Heb 4:16). (2020). Holman Bible Publishers.
[11] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 25). Victor Books.
[12] Christian Standard Bible (Eph 2:11–22). (2020). Holman Bible Publishers.