Jesus was our peace

JESUS WAS OUR PEACE
EDITED BY GLENN PEASE
Ephesians 2:14 14Forhe himself is our peace, who has
made the two groups one and has destroyed the
barrier, the dividingwall of hostility,
New Living Translation
For Christhimself has brought peace to us. He united
Jews and Gentiles into one people when, in his own
body on the cross, he broke down the wall of hostility
that separatedus.
BIBLEHUB RESOURCES
Christ Our Peace
Ephesians 2:14-16
T. Croskery
He is so by effecting two reconciliations, andthus obliterating two deep and
long-standing alienations. He "hath made both one" Jew and Gentile - and
"he hath reconciledboth unto God in one body by the cross." Christis our
Peace,not simply as our Peacemaker, but as our Peaceobjectivelyconsidered
and with regardto our relation to God; for the apostle represents our
nearness to God as grounded in Christ as our Peace. He is therefore our

Peace,as he is calledour Righteousnessandour Redemption (1 Corinthians
1:30), and while thus he is our PeacetowardGod, he is the ground of peace in
every other relation, and especiallybetweenman and man. Thus he abides
our continual Peace,for he did not make peace and end his relation toward
us, but is the Source of our abiding reconciliationwith God as wellas of the
continuous enjoyment of peace. Thus the Old Testamentprophecies which
connectpeace with the Messiahfind their just fulfillment (Isaiah 9:5, 6; Isaiah
57:2, 7). Peace was the legacywhich he left to his disciples (John 14:27). It is
"the peace to which we are calledin one body" (Colossians 3:15). It is that
which "keeps our hearts and minds through Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:7).
Consider-
I. HOW HE HAS MADE PEACE BETWEEN JEW AND GENTILE.
1. He did so by leveling in the dust the middle wall of partition that separated
them widely for ages, in a word, by abolishing the narrow particularism of
Judaism. The wallin question was the ceremoniallaw - "the law of
commandments contained in ordinances" - given to Israel as a separate people
and of positive appointment. The moral law was no part of the partition wail,
and contains in itself nothing either to excite enmity or to establishseparation
betweenman and man. The death of Christ did not abolish it; it was the law of
ceremonies only that was abolishedin the cross, forwhen he died, it
disappearedlike a shadow when the substance was come. The moral law, as
embodied in the Decalogue, was olderthan the Mosaic institute, and therefore
survived its fall. The partition wall that kept Jew and Gentile apart was
(1) an ancient barrier of separation. It lastedsixteen hundred or two thousand
years, according as we date its origin from Abraham or Moses. A Puritan
Father says, "The foundation of the wall of separationwas laid in Abraham's
time when circumcisionwas first given, for that began the quarrel; reared up
higher by Moses'rites;further lengthened and stretchedout in all times of the
prophets, throughout all ages, till Christ, who came to abolishit and break it
down."

(2) It was a high barrier. It kept the Jew effectively apart for more than a
millennium and a half, that he might be trained for the universalist
dispensationthat was to be establishedin the fullness of times.
(3) It engendereda deep hostility on both sides. It was this "enmity that made
the barrier so serious an element of separation. The Jew regardedthe Gentile
with a proud and supercilious superiority, and the Gentile regardedthe Jew
as an enemy of the human race. Literature is full of the evidences of this
continuous hostility. The Gentiles were called in contempt the uncircumcised"
and "sinners of the Gentiles." Juvenal, Tacitus, Martial, Horace, repaythe
debt in the language ofbitter and contemptuous sarcasm.
2. Considerthe grand instrument of reconciliationbetweenJew and Get, the.
"In his flesh." The language refers expresslyto the condition of penal curse-
bearing to which the atoning Saviorspontaneouslysubjected himself. As the
apostle once represents sin as being condemned in Christ's flesh (Romans
8:3), so here our Lord is regardedas having in his flesh takenupon him the
sins of his people, as the greatcause ofenmity and disunion, and having
exhausted at once the sin of man and the wrath of God on the cross, he thus at
once abolishedthe law of ceremonies and annihilated the enmity which found
its occasionin it. The cross is still the instrument of reconciling man to man.
The world has made many efforts to unite men on a basis of liberty, equality,
fraternity - often trying to bring about a union even by the most terrible
bloodshed; but no principle has yet been discoveredto unite man to man save
the gospelofChrist, with its doctrine of atonement through the blood of the
cross.
3. Considerthe ultimate result of the death of Christ. "To make of twain one
new man, so making peace."Those previouslysundered were by the cross
lifted into a higher unity, and placed upon a platform of equal privilege that
obliterated all the old causes ofdivision. The reconciling power of the cross
ran through all the relations of men and all the relations of life. The person of
Christ crucified became henceforththe greatCenter of unity.
II. HOW CHRIST IS OUR PEACE IN EFFECTINGRECONCILIATION
BETWEENGOD AND MAN. "That he might reconcile both unto God in one

body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby." Nothing canbe more
explicit than the declarationthat Christ's mission was intended to reconcile
God and man, who were previously alienatedby sin. It is often contended
that, as God is essentiallya God of love, it becomes us to think only of
reconciliationon man's Side. There are, in fact, two reconciliations, the one
basedon the other - a reconciliationof God to man, and a reconciliationof
man to God. The apostle says elsewhere that"God has reconciledus to
himself by Jesus Christ" (2 Corinthians 5:18), and that it pleased"the Father,
having made peace through the blood of the cross, to reconcile allthings unto
himself" (Colossians1:20). The scheme of salvation, whether we take account
of the incarnation or the atonement, emanated from the Divine goodpleasure
as the supreme source of all blessings. It is always important to emphasize the
fact that the atonement is the effect, not the cause, ofGod's love. The peace
here spokenof is peace on a basis of law and justice; for the offering up of
Christ so magnified the Law and exhaustedall its demands, that, on the
ground of that propitiation, God could be at once just and the Justifier of the
ungodly. This is according to anotherpassage:"Godhath sent forth his Son to
be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness"
(Romans 3:25). If this be so, it is an error to hold that the only purpose of
Christ's death was the manifestationof Divine love. It was, in fact, a
manifestation of Divine justice as well as of Divine love; and if it was not a
manifestation of Divine justice, that is, if there was no righteousnessmaking
that death necessary, it is difficult to see how there could be a manifestationof
love in his dying. It follows also that it is an error to depreciate the importance
of Christ's death, and to lay the main emphasis of his mission upon the virtues
of his life. The Bible knows nothing of a gospelwithout a cross, orof a gospel
which makes the cross a mere affecting incident at the close ofa sublime
career;it rather exhibits the cross as the grand procuring cause oflife and
redemption to man. If you take awaythe cross, you dry up the streamof
blessing which has flowed down through all Christian ages, youput an end to
the abiding peace of God's people, and you paralyze the right arm of the
ministry. Therefore we are justified in regarding the reconciliationbetween
God and. man as resting on Christ's work, and this work as chargedwith
reconciling power, not as it moved the human heart or led to a new conduct in

man, but as it introduced a new relation in which men were placedbefore
God. - T.C.
Biblical Illustrator
For He is our Peace,who hath made both one, and hath broken down the
middle wall of partition.
Ephesians 2:14
Christ our Peace
Paul Bayne.
1. Christ Jesus is the author of all our peace.(1)In restoring the amity and
friendship which we had in creation, but lost by the Fall.(2)In vanquishing
those enemies which had taken us captive, and wrongfully detained us.
2. There was a separationbetweenJew and Gentile, before they came to be in
Christ.

3. The way to obtain peace is to take awaythat which bars it. To make two
rooms into one, you must beat down the wall which forms the partition.
(Paul Bayne.)
Peace fromChrist alone
Paul Bayne.
Christ is the author of all our peace;but He applies it successivelyby degrees.
Like Master, like man; like Prince, like people. Christ for a while endured
greattroubles, and so must His members.
1. In all terror of consciencewe must look to Christ. We keepthe fire from
our faces and eyes with screens;but they are wise who put betweentheir souls
and God's wrath the screenof Christ's reconciliation, lestthis fire burn to the
pit of destruction. This stills the conscience,and fills it with goodhope.
2. This must make us cleave unto Christ, even to let our tenderestbowels love
Him who has done this for us.
3. Seeing Christ alone is the author of all true peace, this should cause us to
seek to be under His kingdom, yea, to give our eyelids no rest till we have
enlisted in the army of Christ. Look how you would do, if the enemy had
entered your gates, takenyour wives and children, spoiledyou of your goods.
If there were a town near you, where you might prevent such danger, and find
safe protection, and live peaceablyand securely, who would not with all
expedition betake himself thither?
4. Seek to be, like Christ, a peace maker.
5. How miserable the condition of all out of Christ.
(Paul Bayne.)
Christ the Peace ofHis people

J. Irons.
I. THE SUBSTITUTION.
1. This substitution of Christ in behalf of His mystical body is primary,
original. It runs as far back as the council of peace. He became our Peace
then, when He entered into the covenantof peace, met the stipulation for
peace, undertook to satisfyall the demands of law and justice for peace, and
pledged Himself to be that peace.
2. It is permanent — it runs through every dispensation of the Church of the
living God. There was not one sort of gospelto preach to Abraham, and
another to preach to the presentrace of sinners. The doctrine of substitution
runs through the whole of the Mosaic economy, and hence it is permanent,
and comes downto the present moment of the existence ofthe Church upon
earth.
II. THE UNION. The smallestfinger in my hand canmove, can grasp, can
unite with the other, in any effort that is put forth, because it is one with the
hand, one with the body, and derives its life and strength and blood from
thence; but sever my little finger from my hand, and it has no more strength
— it is utterly useless. "Apartfrom Me," says Christ, "ye cando nothing."
But in vital union with Jesus, the strength which is His flows to the feeblest
and weakestmember, and is put forth in the mighty actings of faith, and the
holy energies ofthe new man. Moreover, this union is so experimental as
always to produce communion. It is close, it is grasping, it is uniting, it is
abiding, it is mutual in interest. Moreover, it is evident and manifest, because
the world must see that the union which grace has effectedbetweenour souls
and Christ, has cut asunder the tie which once existedbetweenus and them,
has cut asunder the union which made us once very fond of their fooleries.
III. THE PARTICIPATION. His justice is perfectly satisfiedon my behalf,
that I may look upon the bleeding Christ, the rising Christ, the exalted Christ,
and the interceding Christ, and say with Paul, "He loved me, and gave
Himself for me." What serenity! A satisfactory, solid, sacred, holy, serenity of
soul; a heavenly calm, a believing acquiescencein the love, and power, and

grace, and goodness, ofmy God, not only in matters relating to Providence
around me, but in matters relating to my soul's everlasting salvation.
(J. Irons.)
The Prince of Peace
JosephOgle.
I. He is "our Peace,"in that He MAKES peace. PeacebetweenGodand man
— "reconciling both (Jew and Gentile) unto God — by the Cross, having slain
the enmity thereby" (verse 16).
II. He is "our Peace,"in that He GIVES peace. "Mypeace I give unto you —
let not your heart be troubled" (John 14:27). Or, as it is put here, "came and
preachedpeace to you who were afar off" (verse 17).
III. He is "our Peace,"in that He PROMOTES peace."Who hath made both
(Jews and Gentiles)one" (verse 14). This is ever the practical outcome of the
rule of "The Prince of Peace." He promotes peace.
1. In the family, subduing the elements of strife and discord.
2. In the neighbourhood, as every successfulmissionaryat home and abroad
can testify.
3. In the Church.
4. Among nations.Note:These senses in which Christ is "our Peace" are
progressive. He has made peace for us, for all men, by His atoning work. He
may be our peace, speakingpeace within, quieting the tumult of doubt and
fear (Matthew 11:28-30). And, if we are His, He will promote peace through,
and by means of us in every circle in which we move and in every place in
which we have influence.
(JosephOgle.)

Peace alreadymade
When a poor bricklayer who had fallen from a greatheight was lying fatally
injured he was visited by a minister in the neighbourhood. On entering the
cottage he said, "My dear man, I am afraid you are dying. I exhort you to
make your peace with God." "Make my peace with God, sir! Why, that was
made eighteenhundred years ago, whenmy greatand glorious Lord paid all
my debt upon the cruel tree. Christ is my Peace,and I am saved."
Peace andcomfort through the Atonement
C. H. Spurgeon.
There is no chance whateverof our finding a pillow for a head which the Holy
Ghosthas made to ache save in the atonement and the finished work of
Christ. When Mr. Robert Hall first went to Cambridge to preach, the
Cambridge folks were nearly Unitarians. So he preachedupon the doctrine of
the finished work of Christ, and some of them came to him in the vestry and
said, "Mr. Hall, this will never do." "Why not?" saidhe. "Why, your sermon
was only fit for old women." "And why only fit for old women?" said Mr.
Hall. "Because,"saidthey, "they are tottering on the borders of the grave,
and they want comfort, and, therefore, it will suit them, but it will not do for
us." "Very well," said Mr. Hall, "you have unconsciouslypaid me all the
compliment that I can ask for; if this is goodfor old women on the, borders of
the grave, it must be goodfor you if you are in your right senses, forthe
borders of the grave is where we all stand." Here, indeed, is a choice feature
of the Atonement, it is comforting to us in the thought of death.
(C. H. Spurgeon.)
Peace in Jesus only
As the needle in a compass trembles till it settles in the north point, so the
heart of a sinner can getno rest but in Christ.

Peace throughChrist
American.
In the Pitti Palace,atFlorence, there are two pictures which hang side by side.
One represents a stormy sea with its wild waves, and black clouds and fierce
lightnings flashing acrossthe sky. In the waters a human face is seen, wearing
an expressionof the utmost agonyand despair. The other picture also
represents a sea, tossedby as fierce a storm, with as dark clouds;but out of
the midst of the waves a rock rises, againstwhich the waters dash in vain. In a
cleft. of a rock are some tufts of grass and greenherbage, with sweetflowers,
and amid these a dove is seensitting on her nest, quiet and undisturbed by the
wild fury of the storm. The first picture fitly represents the sorrow of the
world when all is helpless and despairing; and the other, the sorrow ofthe
Christian, no less severe,. but in which he is kept in perfect peace, because he
nestles in the bosom of God's unchanging love.
(American.)
The partition wall removed
James Fergusson.
1. Every man by nature, in himself, and without Christ, is at warand enmity
with God, with His Church, and chiefly those in the Church who are truly
regenerate.
2. This enmity could only be removed by Christ's bloodshed and death.
3. The uniting of both Jew and Gentile in one Church is a branch of the peace
which Christ has purchased.
4. From the apostle's designing the ceremoniallaw by a metaphor takenfrom
houses divided by a mid-wall, or from an orchard, garden, or inclosure,
separatedfrom the outfield by a dyke or wall of rough stones, we learn several
things relating to the nature, use, and duration of the ceremoniallaw, which

are the grounds of the similitude. And first, as a wall is built by the ownerof
the enclosure, so the ceremoniallaw was by God's ownappointment
(Deuteronomy 32:8; Exodus 25:40). Secondly, as a rough wallis made up of so
many hard, unpolished stones, not coveredoverwith lime or plaster;so the
ceremoniallaw consistedofmany ordinances (Hebrews 9:10), and those very
difficult to be obeyed, and an intolerable yoke (Acts 15:10). Thirdly, as a wall
or hedge enclosetha piece of ground for the owner's specialuse (which
therefore is more painfully manured), and separateththat enclosure from the
outfield which lieth about it; so the ceremoniallaw did serve to enclose the
people of Israel, as the Lord's own garden and vineyard, for bringing forth
fruit unto Himself (Isaiah 5:7), and to separate them from all the world
besides (Deuteronomy 4:7, 8), as being a worship wholly different from and
contrary unto the superstitious rites and worship used among the Gentiles
(Deuteronomy 12:2), and containing strict injunctions unto the Jews to avoid
all conformity with the Gentiles in their garments (Numbers 15:38), cutting of
their hair (Leviticus 19:27), and such like. Fourthly, as a rough wall is but
weak and ruinous, as not being built with cementor mortar to make it strong,
and therefore but to endure for a season, until the ownerthink fit to enlarge
his enclosure and take in more of the open field; so the ceremoniallaw was not
to last forever, but only for a time, until Christ should come in the flesh, and
take in the Gentiles within the enclosure ofHis Church, who were before an
open field, not possessednormanured by Him; after which there was no
further use of the mid-wall.
5. So long as the ceremoniallaw did stand in force and vigour, the Jews and
Gentiles could not be united into one Church: for seeing by that law the chief
parts of God's worship were restrictedto the Temple at Jerusalem;therefore,
though scatteredproselytes ofthe neighbouring nations did join themselves to
the Church of the Jews, and in some measure observedthe way of worship
then enjoined (Acts 8:27), yet there was a physical impossibility for the
generality of many nations far remote from Jerusalemto have servedGod.
according to the prescript of worship which then was:besides, there was such
an habituate and as it were a natural antipathy transmitted from one
generationunto another among the Gentiles againstthe ceremonialworship,
that there was little less than a moral impossibility of bringing up the body of

the Gentiles unto a cordialjoining with the Jews in it: for the apostle showeth
the ceremoniallaw behoved to be abrogated, in order to a union betwixt these
two, while he saith, "Who hath made both one, and broken down the middle
wall of partition betweenus."
6. Whoeverwould make peace betwixt God and himself, or betwixt himself
and others, he ought seriouslyto think upon those things which stand in the
way of peace, and setabout the removal of them, if it be in his power, and
chiefly those evils in himself, of pride, vain-glory, self-seeking, anda
contentious disposition, which are great obstructions in the wayof peace
(Philippians 2:3, 4); else, whatever, be his pretenses for peace, he is no real
followerof it: for, Christ intending to make peace betwixt Jew and Gentile,
did take awaywhatevermight have impeded it; He even "broke down the
middle wall of partition betweenthem."
(James Fergusson.)
Reconciliationthrough Christ
Themistocles having offended King Philip, and not knowing how to regain his
favour, took his young son, Alexander, in his arms, and so presented himself
before the king; and when he saw the boy smile on him, it very soonappeased
the wrath within him. So the sinner should approachGod with His Son Jesus
Christ within him.
The need of reconciliation
W. Gurnall.
Certainly a soul, sensible as to what the loss of communion with God is, counts
it hath not fulfilled all its errand, when it hath bare peace givenit. Should God
say, "Soul, I am friends with thee, I have ordered that thou shalt never go to
hell, here is a discharge under My hand that thou shalt never be arrestedfor
any debt more: but as for any fellowship with Me, thou canstexpect none: I
have done with thee forever, never to be acquainted with thee more."

Certainly the soul would find little joy with such peace. Were the fire out as to
positive torments, yet a hell would be left in the dismal darkness which the
soul would sit under for want of God's presence. A wickedheart seeks
reconciliationwithout any longing after fellowship with God. Like the traitor,
if the king will but pardon and save him from the gallows, he is ready to
promise him never to trouble him at Court; 'tis his own life, not the king's
favour, he desires.
(W. Gurnall.)
COMMENTARIES
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers
(2 b.) Ephesians 2:14-18 pass on from the descriptionof the call of the heathen
to personalunion with God in Christ, to dwell on the perfect unity and
equality of Jew and Gentile with eachother in Him, and the access ofboth to
the Father.
(14) He (Himself) is our peace.—There is clearlyallusion, as to the many
promises in the Old Testamentof the “Prince of Peace”(Isaiah9:5-6, et al.),
so still more to the “PeaceofEarth” of the angelic song of Bethlehem, and to
the repeateddeclarations ofour Lord, such as, “Peace Ileave with you: My
peace I give unto you.” Here, however, only is our Lord callednot the giver of
peace, but the peace itself—His own nature being the actual tie of unity
betweenGod and mankind, and betweenman and man. Through the whole
passagethus introduced there runs a double meaning, a declarationof peace
in Christ betweenJew and Gentile, and betweenboth and God; though it is
not always easyto tell of any particular expression, whether it belongs to this
or that branch of the meaning, or to both. It is well to compare it with the
obvious parallel in Colossians 2:13-14, where (in accordancewith the whole

genius of that Epistle)there is found only the latter branch of the meaning, the
union of all with the Head, not the unity of the various members of the Body.
Who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition
betweenus.—In this verse the former subject is begun. The reunion of Jew
and Gentile is describedin close connectionwith the breaking down of “the
middle wall of the partition” (or, hedge). The words “betweenus” are not in
the original, and Chrysostominterprets the partition as being, not between
Jew and Gentile, but betweenboth and God. But the former idea seems atany
rate to predominate in this clause. Whether “the middle wall of the hedge”
refers to the wall separating the court of the Gentiles from the Temple proper
(Jos. Ant. xv. § 5), and by an inscription denouncing death to any alien who
passedit (see Lewin’s St. Paul, vol. ii., p. 133), or to the “hedge” setabout the
vineyard of the Lord (Isaiah 5:2; comp. Matthew 22:33)—to which probably
the Jewishdoctors alluded when they calledtheir ceremonialand legal
subtleties “the hedge” of the Law—has beendisputed. It may, however, be
noted that the charge of bringing Trophimus, an Ephesian, beyond that
Temple wall had been the cause of St. Paul’s apprehension at Jerusalem(Acts
21:29), and nearly of his death. Hence the Asiatic churches might well be
familiar with its existence. It is also notable that this Temple-partition suits
perfectly the double sense of this passage:for, while it was primarily a
separationbetweenJew and Gentile, it was also the first of many partitions—
of which the “veil of the Temple” was the last—cutting all men off from the
immediate presence of God. At our Lord’s death the last of these partitions
was rent in twain; how much more may that death be describedas breaking
down the first!
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary
2:14-18 Jesus Christ made peace by the sacrifice ofhimself; in every sense
Christ was their Peace, the author, centre, and substance of their being at
peace with God, and of their union with the Jewishbelievers in one church.
Through the person, sacrifice, and mediation of Christ, sinners are allowedto
draw near to God as a Father, and are brought with acceptanceinto his

presence, with their worship and services,under the teaching of the Holy
Spirit, as one with the Father and the Son. Christ purchased leave for us to
come to God; and the Spirit gives a heart to come, and strength to come, and
then grace to serve Godacceptably.
Barnes'Notes on the Bible
For he is our peace - There is evident allusion here to Isaiah 57:19. See the
notes at that verse. The "peace"here referred to is that by which a "union" in
worship and in feeling has been produced betweenthe Jews and the Gentiles
Formerly they were alienated and separate. Theyhad different objects of
worship; different religious rites; different views and feelings. The Jews
regardedthe Gentiles with hatred, and the Gentiles the Jews with scorn. Now,
says the apostle, they are at peace. Theyworship 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. Reconciliationhas not only takenplace with God, but with eachother.
"The best way to produce peace betweenalienatedminds 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 people 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 at 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 designednot only to produce peace with God, but peace between
alienatedand 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 atonementis
thus designedto produce peace in alienatedminds every where, 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.

And hath 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 separatedfrom that of the Jews;see the notes and the plan of the
temple, in Matthew 21:12. The idea here is, that that was now broken down,
and that the Gentiles had the same accessto the temple as the Jews. The sense
is, that in virtue of the sacrifice ofthe Redeemerthey were admitted to the
same privileges and hopes.
Jamieson-Fausset-BrownBible Commentary
14. he—Greek, "Himself" alone, pre-eminently, and none else. Emphatical.
our peace—notmerely"Peacemaker,"but "Himself" the price of our (Jews'
and Gentiles'alike)peace with God, and so the bond of union between"both"
in God. He took both into Himself, and reconciledthem, united, to God, by
His assuming our nature and our penal and legalliabilities (Eph 2:15; Isa 9:5,
6; 53:5; Mic 5:5; Col 1:20). His title, "Shiloh," means the same (Ge 49:10).
the middle wall of partition—Greek, "… of the partition" or "fence";the
middle wall which parted Jew and Gentile. There was a balustrade of stone
which separatedthe court of the Gentiles from the holy place, which it was
death for a Gentile to pass. But this, though incidentally alluded to, was but a
symbol of the partition itself, namely, "the enmity" between"both" and God
(Eph 2:15), the real cause of separationfrom God, and so the mediate cause of
their separationfrom one another. Hence there was a twofold wall of
partition, one the inner wall, severing the Jewishpeople from entrance to the
holy part of the temple where the priests officiated, the other the outer wall,
separating the Gentile proselytes from accessto the court of the Jews
(compare Eze 44:7; Ac 21:28). Thus this twofold wallrepresentedthe Sinaitic
law, which both severedall men, even the Jews, from access to God(through
sin, which is the violation of the law), and also separatedthe Gentiles from the
Jews. As the term "wall" implies the strength of the partition, so "fence"
implies that it was easilyremoved by God when the due time came.
Matthew Poole's Commentary

For he is our peace;i.e. Peace-maker, orMediatorof peace, both betweenGod
and man, and betweenJew and Gentile. He is called
our peace, as elsewhere ourrighteousness, redemption, salvation. God is said
to reconcile us, 2 Corinthians 5:19, but Christ only to be our peace.
Who hath made both one; i.e. one body, or one people, or one new man,
Ephesians 3:15.
And hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; having taken
awaythe ceremoniallaw, which was as a wall of separationbetweenJew and
Gentile, as appears in the next verse. It seems to be an allusion to that wall of
the temple which parted betweenthe court of the people into which the Jews
came, and the outmost court, that of the Gentiles, who, when they came to
worship, might not come into the other court, and were excluded by this wall.
Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible
For he is our peace,.... The author of peace betweenJew and Gentile: there
was a greatenmity of the Jew againstthe Gentile, and of the Gentile against
the Jew;and chiefly on accountof circumcision, the one being without it, and
the other insisting on it, and branding one another with nicknames on account
of it; but Christ has made peace betweenthem by abrogating the ceremonial
law, which was the occasionofthe difference, and by sending the Gospelof
peace to them both, by converting some of each, and by granting the like
privileges to them all, as may be observed in the following verses:and Christ
is the author of peace betweenGodand his people; there is naturally in man
an enmity to God; sin has separatedchieffriends; nor canman make his
peace with God; what he does, or cando, will not do it; and what will, he
cannot do; Christ is the only fit and proper person for this work, being a
middle personbetweenboth, and is only able to effectit, being God as well as
man; and so could draw nigh to God, and treat with him about terms of peace,

and agree to them, and perform them; and which he has brought about by his
blood, his sufferings and death; and which is made on honourable terms, by a
full satisfactionto the law and justice of God; and so is a lasting one, and
attended with a train of blessings:moreover, Christ is the donor of peace, of
external peace in his churches, and of internal peace ofconscience, and of
eternal peace in heaven: this is one of the names of the Messiahwith the Jews
(b);
"says R. Jose the Galilean, eventhe name of the Messiahis called"peace";as
it is said, Isaiah9:6 "the everlasting Father, the Prince of peace";''
see Micah5:5 where it is said, "and this man shall be the peace";which the
Jewish(c) writers understand of the Messiah:
who hath made both one; Jews and Gentiles, one people, one body, one
church; he united them together, and causedthem to agree in one, and made
them to be of one mind and judgment by the above methods; as well as he
gatheredthem togetherin one, in one head, himself, who representedthem
all:
and hath broken down the middle wall of partition betweenus; the
ceremoniallaw, which was made up of many hard and intolerable commands,
and distinguished, and divided, and kept up a division betweenJews and
Gentiles:so the Jews callthe law a wall, "if she be a wall", Sol 8:9 , "this is the
law", saythey (d): and hence we read of , "the wall of the law" (e); and
sometimes the phrase, a "partition wall", is used for a division or
disagreement;so R. Benjamin says (f), that betweenthe Karaites and
Rabbanites, who were the disciples of the wise men, there was "a middle wall
of partition"; a greatdifference and distance; and such there was betweenthe
Jew and Gentile, by reasonof the ceremoniallaw;but Christ removed it, and
made up the difference: the allusionseems to be to the wall which divided the
court of Israel from the court of the Gentiles, in the temple, and which kept
them at a distance in worship.
(b) Perek Shalom, fol. 20. 1. BaalHatturim in Numbers 25.12. (c)Vid. Kimchi
in loc. (d) T. Bab. Pesachim, fol. 87. 1.((e) Caphtor, fol. 95. 1. & 101. 1.((f)
Itinerar. p. 28.

Geneva Study Bible
{12} For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the
middle wall of partition betweenus;
(12) As by the ceremonies and worship appointed by the Law, the Jews were
divided from the Gentiles, so now Christ, having broken down the partition
wall, joins them both together, both in himself, and betweenthemselves, and
to God. From which it follows, that whoeverpermanently establishes the
ceremonies ofthe Law, makes the grace of Christ void and of no effect.
EXEGETICAL(ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)
Meyer's NT Commentary
Ephesians 2:14.[148]Confirmatoryelucidation to Ephesians 2:13, especially
as to the element implied in the ἘΝ ΧΡΙΣΤῷ ἸΗΣΟῦ, and more preciselyin
the ἘΝ Τῷ ΑἽΜΑΤ. ΤΟῦ ΧΡΙΣΤΟῦ.
ΑὐΤΌς]ipse; as regards His own person, is not put in oppositionto the
thought of ourselves having made the peace (Hofmann), which is in factquite
foreign to the passage;but—and what a triumph of the certainty and
completeness ofthe blessing obtained is therein implied!—“non modo
pacificator, nam sui impensa pacempeperit et ipse vinculum est
utrorumque,” Bengel. See whatfollows. Observe also the presence ofthe
article in ἡ εἰρήνη, denoting the peace ΚΑΤʼ ἘΞΟΧΉΝ (Buttmann, neut. Gr.
p. 109 [E. T. 125]); He is for us the peace absolutely, the absolute contrastto
the ἔχθρα, Ephesians 2:15. The Rabbinical passages, however, in which the
Messiah(comp. Isaiah 9:6) is called‫םולש‬ (Wetsteinin loc.; Schöttgen, Horae,
II. p. 18), do not bear on this passage, since in them the point spokenof is not,
as here,[149]the peace betweenJews andGentiles.
ὁ ποιήσας κ.τ.λ.]quippe qui fecit, etc., now begins the more precise
information, how Christ has become Himself our peace.

τὰ ἀμφότερα]the two [Germ. das Beides], i.e. the two existing parts, the Jews
and Gentiles. The neuter expressioncorresponds to the following ἕν. Nothing
is to be supplied (Grotius: γένη).
ἕν] not so, that one part assumedthe nature of the other, but so that the
separationof the two was done awaywith, and both were raisedto a new
unity. That was the union of the divine οἰκονομία. Seethe sequel. Comp.
Colossians 3:11;Galatians 3:28;Romans 10:12; 1 Corinthians 12:13; John
10:16.
καὶ τὸ μεσότοιχοντοῦ φρ. λύσας] is related to the foregoing as explicative of it
(καί, see Winer, p. 388 [E. T. 546];Fritzsche, Quaest. Luc. p. 9 f.). τοῦ
φραγμοῦ is genitive of apposition: the partition-wall, which consistedin the
(well-known)fence. What is meant by this, we are then told by means of the
epexegetic τὴνἔχθραν; hence Paul has not by the figurative τὸ μεσότ. τοῦ
φραγμοῦ λύσας merely wishedto express the (negative)conceptionthat Christ
has done awaywith the isolation of the O. T. commonwealth, as Hofmann,
Schriftbew. II. 1, p. 375, holds, refining on τὸ μεσότ. τ. φρ., and connecting
τὴν ἔχθραν with καταργήσας.De Wette censures the “extreme tameness” of
the explanation, according to which τὸ μεσότ. κ.τ.λ. is takennot as a
designationof the law, but as a preliminary designationof the ἔχθρα. But the
twofold designationof the matter, describing it first figuratively and then
properly, is in keeping with the importance of the idea, the direct expression
of which produces after the previous figure an effect the more striking.
To take the genitive in an adjectival sense, as equivalent to τὸ μεσότοιχον
διαφράσσον(Vorstius, Grotius, Morus, Koppe, Rosenmüller, Meier, and
others), is wrong, because the characteristic adjective notionis implied in τὸ
μεσότοιχον(paries intergerinus, found elsewhereonly in Eratosthenes quoted
by Athen. vii. p. 281 D, in Hesychius under κατῆλιψ, and in the Fathers[150]),

which has been felt also by Castalio and Beza, inasmuch as they erroneously
translated it as though ΤῸΝ ΦΡΑΓΜῸΝ ΤΟῦ ΜΕΣΟΤΟΊΧΟΥwere used. A
reference, we may add, to a definite φραγμός, whichunderlies the figurative
expression, is not to be assumed, since the words furnish nothing of the sort,
and any kind of fence serving as a partition-wall illustrates the ἔχθρα. Some
have thought of the stone screenwhich in the temple-enclosure markedoff the
court of the Gentiles, and the inscription of which forbade every Gentile from
farther advance (Josephus, Bell. v. 5. 2, vi. 2. 4; Antt. viii. 3. 2 f., xv. 11. 5, al.;
Middoth, ii. 3). So Anselm, Ludov. Cappellus, Hammond, Bengel, Wetstein,
Krebs, Bretschneider, Holzhausen, and others. But at most this could only be
assumed, without arbitrariness, if that screenhad statedly borne the name of
φραγμός. Otherreferences, stillmore foreign to the matter, which have been
introduced, such as to the Jewishdistricts in large towns, which were marked
off by a wall or otherwise (Schöttgenand others), may be seenin Wolf.
Among the Rabbins, too, the figure of a fence is in very frequent use. See
Buxtorf, s.v. ‫.גיס‬
ΛΎΣΑς] in the sense ofthrowing down (Wetstein, ad Joh. ii. 19), belongs to
the figure, and is not chosenon accountof the ΤῊΝ ἜΧΘΡΑΝ which does
not come in till afterwards, although it would be chosensuitably thereto (see
Wetsteinin loc.).
It has been wrongly designatedas an un-Pauline idea, that Christ through His
death should have united the Jews and Gentiles by means of the abolition of
the law (see Schwegler, l.c. p. 389 f.). This union has in fact takenplace as a
raising of both into a higher unity, Ephesians 2:16; Ephesians 2:18; Ephesians
2:21 f.; hence that doctrinal principle is sufficiently explained from the
destination of Paul as the apostle to the Gentiles and his personalexperience,
and from his own elsewhere attesteduniversalism, and need not have as a
presupposition the post-apostolic processofdevelopment on the part of the
church gradually gathering itself out of heterogeneous elements into a unity,
so as to betray a later “catholicizing tendency” (Baur).

[148]“Ver. 14–18 ipso verborum Lenore et quasi rhythmo canticum
imitatur,” Bengel.
[149]In opposition to Hofmann, Schriftbew. II. 1, p. 374, who, at variance
with the context, understands εἰρήνη primarily in relation to God; similarly
Calovius and others.
[150]In Athen. l.c. it is masculine: τὸν τῆς ἡδονῆς καὶ ἀρετῆς μεσότοιχον.
Expositor's Greek Testament
Ephesians 2:14. αὐτὸς γάρ ἐστιν ἡ εἰρήνη ἡμῶν: for He is our Peace. As most
commentators notice, the emphasis is on the αὐτός—“He andno other”. But
there is probably more in it than that. The selectionof the abstractεἰρήνη,
instead of the simple εἰρηνοποιός, suggests that the point of the αὐτός is not
only “He alone,” but “He in His own person”. It is not only that the peace was
made by Christ and ranks as His achievement, but that it is so identified with
Him that were He awayit would also fail,—so dependent on Him that apart
from Him we cannot have it. And He is thus for us “the Peace”(ἡ εἰρήνη),
Peace in the absolute sense to the exclusionof all other. Peace,the peace of the
Messianic age, the peace that is to come by Messiah, is a frequent note in OT
prophecy (Isaiah 9:5-6; Isaiah 52:7; Isaiah53:5; Isaiah57:19;Micah 5:5;
Haggai2:9; Zechariah9:10). Here, as the next sentence shows, the peace
especiallyin view is that betweenJew and Gentile,—ὁ ποιήσας τὰ ἀμφότερα
ἕν: who made both one. Not“hath made,” but “made,” with reference to the
definite actof His death, as suggestedby the ἐν τῷ αἵματι. The ἀμφότερα is
the abstractneuter—the two parties or classes. The sing. neut. ἕν (= one thing,
one organism)expresses the idea of the unity, the new unity which the two
long separate and antagonistic parties became;cf. the ἕν used even of the
relation betweenChrist and God in John 10:16, and for the unity here in view,
cf. Romans 10:12;1 Corinthians 12:13;Galatians 3:28; Colossians 3:11.—καὶ
τὸ μεσότοιχοντοῦ φραγμοῦ λύσας:and broke down the middle wall of the

partition. The former clause beganthe explanation of how Christ became our
Peace.Thatexplanation is continued in this clause and in the following. The
καί, therefore, is epexegetic = to wit, or in that (cf. Win.-Moult., p. 545). The
gen. φραγμοῦ is not a mere equivalent to an adject. or a partic., as if = τὸ
μεσότοιχονδιαφράσσον(Grot., Rosenm., etc.), nor is it the gen. of quality, =
“the middle wallwhose characterit is to divide”; but either (a) the appos. gen.
or gen. of identity, = “the middle wall that is (or, consists in) the partition,” or
(b) the posses. gen., = “the wall pertaining to the partition”. On the latter view
of the gen. the μεσότοιχον(a word found only this once in the NT and of rare
occurrence elsewhere)becomesthe more definite and specific term, the
φραγμός the more general, the former being, indeed, a part of the latter. That
is to say, the φραγμός is the whole systemof things that kept Jew and Gentile
apart, and the μεσότοιχονis the thing in the systemthat most conspicuously
divided them, and that constituted the “enmity,” viz., the Law. It is best,
however, to take the terms μεσότοιχονandφραγμός in the simple, literal sense
of division and separation, which are not explained to be the Law till the
νόμος is actually introduced in the subsequent clause;and, therefore, the
former view of the gen. appears to be preferable. It is suggestedthat what
Paul really expresses then is the fact that the legalsystem, which was meant
primarily to protectthe Jewishpeople againstthe corruption of heathen
idolatry, became the bitter root of Jewishexclusiveness in relation to the
Gentiles. This is to give the φραγμός here the sense of something that fences in
or encloses,whichit occasionallyhas (Soph., Œd. Tyr., 1387). But that is a
rare sense, andthe idea seems to be simpler. It is doubtful, too, whether Paul
had in view here any material partition with which he was familiar. It could
scarcelybe the veil of the Temple that was rent at the Crucifixion; for that veil
did not serve to separate the Gentile from the Jew. It might rather be (as
Anselm, Bengel, and many more have thought) the wall or screenthat divided
the court of the Gentiles from the sanctuary proper, and of which Josephus
tells us that it bore an inscription forbidding any Gentile from penetrating
further (Jew. Wars, v., 5, 2; vi., 2, 4; Antiq., viii., 3, 2; xv., 11, 5). But even this
is questionable, and all the more so as the wall was still standing at the time
when this was written. For the use of λύσας cf. John 2:19.
Cambridge Bible for Schools andColleges

14. he is our peace]“He:”—the glorious living Persongives its essenceto the
sacrificialWork.
“Our peace:”—i.e., as the connexion indicates, the “peace”betweenthe Tribes
of the New Israel, the Gentile and Jewishbelievers;such peace that now,
within the covenant, “there is neither Jew nor Greek” (Galatians 3:28;
Colossians 3:11). The specialaspectof this truth here is the admission of the
non-Jewishbeliever to the inmost fulness of spiritual privilege; but this is so
statedas to imply the tender companion truth that he comes in not as a
conquering intruder but as a brother, side by side with the Jewishbeliever, in
equal and harmonious peace with God.
who hath made both one] Lit., Who made both things one thing. “Both” and
“one” are neuters in the Gr. The idea is rather of positions and relations than
of persons (Monod).—“One:”—“one thing,” one community, or rather, one
organism. (By the same word is expressedthe Unity of the Fatherand the Son,
John 10:30.)In Galatians 3:28 (“ye are all one”)the Gr. has the masculine,
“one [person],” “one [man],” as expresslyin the next verse here.
hath broken down … partition] Lit., did undo the mid-wall of the fence, or
hedge. The next verse makes it clear that this means the Law. In Divine
intention the Law was a “hedge” (Isaiah5:2) round the Old Israel, so long as
their chief function was to maintain a position of seclusion. And it thus formed
a “partition” betweenthe Old Israel and the outer world, not only hindering
but, for the time, forbidding such fusion as the new order brought in.
It is possible that the phrase was immediately suggestedby the demarcation
betweenthe Court of the Gentiles and the inner area of the Temple.
Bengel's Gnomen

Ephesians 2:14. Αὐτὸς) He.[28]We have here Emphasis.[29]—ἡ εἰρήνη)
peace, not merely, the peace-maker;for at the costof Himself He procured
peace, and He Himself is the bond of both (Israel and the Gentiles).—ὁ)
Apposition: Peace;He who hath made, etc. A remarkable saying, Ephesians
2:14-18. He imitates poetry [canticum, a song of joy] by the very tenor of the
words, and almostby the rhythm.—We have a description—(α.)the union of
the Gentiles with Israel, Ephesians 2:14-15;and then (β.) the union of the
Gentiles and Israel, as now one man, with God, Ephesians 2:15, middle of
verse—Ephesians 2:18. The description of eachis subdivided into two parts,
so that the first may correspondto the first, concerning the enmity that has
been takenaway; the secondto the second, concerning the ordinances of the
Gospel.—τὰἀμφότερα, both) The neuter for the masculine, Ephesians 2:18 [οἱ
ἀμφότεροι], properly, because ἓν, one [neuter], follows.—μεσότοιχοντοῦ
φραγμοῦ, the partition wallof the fence [the middle wall of partition]) It is
calledτοῖχος, a wall, because the separating space between[Jews and
Gentiles]was very strongly fortified; φραγμὸς, a fence, because it is easily
removed at the proper time. The partition wall separates houses;the fence
separates tracksofland; comp. Ephesians 2:19.[30]Therefore the distinction
betweencircumcisionand uncircumcision is hinted at. The very structure of
the temple of Jerusalemwas in conformity with it. The wall and the fence
prevent an entrance; and the Gentiles were prevented from entering,
inasmuch as they were not permitted to approachso near as the Israelites,
even as those who were in the humblest rank.—λύσας, who hath broken
down) Who hath brokendown—who hath abolished, and not being repeated,
very closelycohere. This short clause, and hath brokendown, is explained in
Ephesians 2:15, in the first half of the verse; He hath abolished the enmity in
His flesh; comp. Ephesians 2:16, at the end. The law of commandments, which
was properly adapted to the Israelites, He hath abolished, in the universal
ordinances of grace;[31]comp. Ephesians 2:17, at the beginning of the verse.
[28] He alone and pre-eminently.—ED.

[29] See App. An addition to the ordinary meaning of a word, with the power
of increasing its force on either side.
[30] Where ξένοι refers to the separationof countries by the fence, φραγμὸς:
παροικοι to the separationof houses by the μεσοτοιχος, orpartition wall; to
which are opposedrespectivelyσυμπολῖται and οἰκεῖοι.—ED.
[31] But Engl. Vers. takes ἐν δόγμασινwith τῶν ἐντογῶν, “the law of
commandments contained in ordinances.”—ED.
Pulpit Commentary
Verse 14. - For he is our peace. Explanatoryof the preceding verse - of the
way by which we are brought nigh. Christ is not only our Peacemaker, but
our Peace, andthat in the fullest sense, the very substance and living spring of
it, establishing it at the beginning, keeping it up to the end; and the complex
notion of peace is here not only peace betweenJew and Gentile, but between
God and both. Consult Old Testamentpredictions of peace in connectionwith
Messiah(Isaiah9:5, 6; Micah 5:5; Zechariah 9:10, etc.). Who made both one;
literally, both things, both elements;so that there is now no ground for
separating betweena Jewishelementand a Gentile; they are unified. And
broke down the middle wall of the partition. The generalidea is obvious; the
particular allusion is less easilyseen. Some think it is to the veil that separated
the holy of holies from the holy place (Hebrews 10:20); but that could hardly
be called a wall. Others the wall that separatedthe court of the Jew from that
of the Gentiles;but that wallwas literally standing when the apostle wrote,
and besides, the Ephesians could not be supposedto be so familiar with it as to
make it a suitable illustration for them. In the absence ofany specific allusion,
it is best to understand the words generally, "broke down that which served
as a middle wall of partition" - what is mentioned immediately in the
following verse.
Vincent's Word Studies

Our peace (ἡ εἰρήνη ἡμῶν)
Christ is similarly describedin abstractterms in 1 Corinthians 1:30; wisdom,
righteousness, sanctification, redemption. So Colossians 1:27, hope of glory.
Christ is thus not merely our peace-maker, but our very peace itself.
Both (τὰ ἀμφότερα)
Lit., the both. The neuter gender shows that Jews and Gentiles are conceived
by the writer merely as two facts. The masculine is used in Ephesians 2:15,
Ephesians 2:16.
Hath broken down (λύσας)
Lit, loosenedor dissolved. Rev., giving the force of the aoristtense, brake
down. The participle has an explanatory force, in that He brake down.
The middle-wall of partition (τὸ μεσότοιχοντοῦ φραγμοῦ)
Lit., the middle wall of the fence or hedge. The wall which pertained to the
fence;the fact of separationbeing emphasized in wall, and the instrument of
separationin fence. The hedge was the whole Mosaic economywhich
separatedJew from Gentile. Some suppose a reference to the stone screen
which bounded the court of the Gentiles in the temple.
PRECEPTAUSTIN RESOURCES
BRUCEHURT MD
Ephesians 2:14 ForHe Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one
and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall(NASB: Lockman)

Greek:Autos gar estin (3SPAI) e eirene hemon, o poiesas (AAPMSN)ta
amphotera en kai to mesotoichontou fragmou lusas, (AAPMSN) ten
echthran, en te sarki autou,
Amplified: ForHe is [Himself] our peace (our bond of unity and harmony).
He has made us both [Jew and Gentile] one [body], and has broken down
(destroyed, abolished) the hostile dividing wall betweenus, (Amplified Bible -
Lockman)
NET:For He is our peace, the One Who made both groups into one and Who
destroyedthe middle wall of partition, the hostility, (NET Bible)
NLT: For Christ himself has made peace betweenus Jews and you Gentiles by
making us all one people. He has brokendown the wall of hostility that used
to separate us. (NLT - Tyndale House)
Phillips: For Christ is our living peace. He has made a unity of the conflicting
elements of Jew and Gentile by breaking down the barrier which lay between
us. (Phillips: Touchstone)
Wuest: ForHe himself is our peace, the One who made the both one, having
broken down the middle wall of the partition,
Young's Literal: for he is our peace, who did make both one, and the middle
wall of the enclosure did break down,
FOR HE HIMSELF IS OUR PEACE:Autos garestin (3SPAI) e eirene
hemon:
Isaiah9:6,7; Ezek 34:24,25;Mic 5:5; Zech 6:13; Luke 1:79; 2:14; John 16:33;
Acts 10:36;Ro 5:1; Col1:20; Heb 7:2; 13:20
Ephesians 2 Resources -Multiple Sermons and Commentaries
Ephesians 2:11-13 Remembering Then, but Now! - Steven Cole
Ephesians 2:11-22 Our Biography In Brief - Steven Cole
Ephesians 2:13-15 The Unity of the Body, Part 2 - John MacArthur
God's way of Conciliation

as set forth in Ephesians 2:14-16
IN
HIMSELF
Christ is the Mediator between
Jew and Gentile
Christ is the Eradicatorof
all barriers betweenJew and Gentile
Christ is the Conciliatorof
Jew and Gentile with eachother
Christ is the Reconcilerof
Jew and Gentile unto God
Christ is the Centre of the new
man composedof Jew and Gentile.
Adapted from Ruth Paxson's book "The Wealth, Walk and Warfare of the
Christian"
OUR PEACE NOT JUST A CONCEPT
BUT A PERSON!
For (gar) introduces the reasonof the previous statement. Remember to
pause, ponder and query this term of explanation. Hoehner explains "Having
defined the union, Paul introduces this sectionwith an explanatory gar, “for,”
in order to explain how this union was accomplished." (Ephesians-An
ExegeticalCommentary)
Paul does not simply say “He,” but “He Himself” which is equivalent to “He
truly” or “He and none other.”

He Himself (846) (autos) - The pronoun is intensive, signifying "He and no
other"! Christ Himself, not just what He did (which of course was necessary).
Christ is our peace with Godand so with eachother, be they Jew or Gentile.
Christ is thus not merely our Peace-maker, but our very Peaceitself. Note
Paul does not sayChrist made peace (which is true from other Scriptures) but
that He is Peace!
Expositor's Greek Testamentadds that "It is not only that the peace was
made by Christ and ranks as His achievement, but that it is so identified with
Him that were He awayit would also fail,—so dependent on Him that apart
from Him we cannot have it.” (Ephesians 2:13 Commentary - Online)
Our peace - Note the change of pronouns from "you" in the previous verses to
"our" in this verse, clearly signaling that this peace refers to Paul and all
believing Jews and Gentiles.
In this verse we see a fulfillment of Isaiah's famous prophecy "Fora child will
be born to us, a sonwill be given to us; And the government will reston His
shoulders; And His name will be calledWonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. There will be no end to the increase ofHis
government or of peace, Onthe throne of David and over his kingdom, To
establishit and to uphold it with justice and righteousness Fromthen on and
forevermore. The zealof the LORD of hosts will accomplishthis. (Isaiah 9:6-
7-note)
Comment: Messiah's title "Prince of peace" indicates He is the very first
leaderWho will bring true peace to the world. The word for "Prince"
howevermeans not only the giver of peace but also the one who maintains it.
Christ gives the peace, and He maintains the peace. He brings peace in the
fullest sense of wholeness,prosperity, and tranquillity. SavedJews and
Gentiles can now know His peace, andone day the world will experience it as
well.
Albert Barnes explains Jesus Himself being our Peace writing that "The peace
here referred to is that by which a union in worship and in feeling has been
produced betweenthe Jews and the Gentiles. Formerly they were alienated
and separate. Theyhad different objects of worship; different religious rites;

different views and feelings. The Jews regardedthe 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 redeemedfamily. Reconciliationhas not only
takenplace with God, but with eachother. The best way to produce peace
betweenalienatedminds is to bring them to the same Saviour. That will do
more to silence contentions, and to healalienations, 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 ceasetheir
contentions. The work of the atonement is thus designednot only to produce
peace with God, but peace betweenalienatedand 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 feelthat they are one. This
greatwork of the atonement is thus designedto produce peace in alienated
minds everywhere, and to diffuse abroadthe feeling of universal brotherhood.
(Albert Barnes. Barnes NT Commentary)
MacDonaldafterasking how Jesus, a Person, canbe Peace, answers "This is
how: When a Jew believes on the Lord Jesus, he loses his national identity;
from then on he is “in Christ.” Likewise, whena Gentile receives the Savior,
he is no longera Gentile; henceforth he is “in Christ.” In other words,
believing Jew and believing Gentile, once divided by enmity, are now both one
in Christ. Their union with Christ necessarilyunites them with one another.
Therefore a Man is the peace, just as Micah predicted (Mic. 5:5).
(MacDonald, W & Farstad, A. Believer's Bible Commentary: Thomas Nelson)
Peace (1515)(eirene from the verb eiro = to bind or join togetherwhat is
broken or divided) means in essenceto set at one againor join togetherthat
which is separated. In secularGreek eirene describedthe cessationorabsence
of war.

Jesus as the essenceofPeace is the NT parallelof Isaiah's description of Him
as the "Prince of peace" (Isaiah9:6)
Wayne Barberreminds us that "Peace is never going to be present until Jesus
is in an individual’s life. Until a man has receivedGod’s grace, he will never
know His peace. Look in Eph 1:2: "Grace to you and peace from God our
Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. " You see the first thing that must be
receivedis God’s grace. God’s graceis what God does to a man, in a man, for
a man and through a man that a man can’t do himself. God came down. Man
could not ascend. He tried that in Genesis 11. That’s where the Gentile nations
came from. God came down as He told Nicodemus in John 3. He came down
to die for our sin. The greatestpicture of grace in all of Scripture is Jesus
coming to die for our sin and shedding His blood to redeem us off the slave
block of bondage to sin. When man receives God’s grace, then and only then
can he be at peace with the God that he has been estrangedfrom since Adam’s
sin. So before we can talk about peace with man, we must realize that Jesus is
the essence ofour peace with God. So often we do it the reverse. So often there
is a problem betweentwo of us, and we try to major on our relationship to
make our relationship with God better. No, you major on your relationship
with God, and that makes your relationship with others what it ought to be.
Jesus is the essenceofGod’s peace, the essenceofour peace with God. (God so
Loved the World)
Jesus as our peace is a fulfillment of Micah's prophecy…
And this One will be our peace.
When the Assyrian invades our land,
When he tramples on our citadels,
Then we will raise againsthim
Micahprophesies of this peace as a Personin Micah5:5-note
This One will be our peace (shalom) - Notice that true peace is not just a
precept but a Person!This One is the Prince of Peace(Isa 9:6-note, Lk 1:79,
2:14, 19:38, 42, Jn 14:27. 16:33), the Messiah - Anointed One Who alone will

bring peace - He brought peace to hearts of believers with His first coming
(Ro 5:1-2-note, cf Isa 52:7 where "announces peace"and "brings goodnews"
are the same verb in Septuagint -Lxx = euaggelizo/euangelizo), but will bring
peace to the earth at His SecondComing. Peace will characterize the
Millennial reign of Messiah(Isa 11:6-9-note, Isa 55:12;66:12; Jer33:6-note;
Ezek 34:25; 37:26-note). Are we telling the lost around us of this promised
personaland prophetic peace? (Acts 10:36, Mt 5:9-note, Eph 6:15-note)
In Paul's writings we discoverthat Christ "seeing thatHis divine power has
granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true
knowledge ofHim who calledus by His ownglory and excellence."(2Pe 1:3-
note). And Christ is....
Our Peace(Ephesians 2:14)
Our Life (Col 3:4-note)
Our Hope (Col 1:27-note)
Expositor's Bible Commentary writes that…
Christ and no other "has solvedthe problem of our relationships with God
and man" (Barclay, p. 120). He draws men to God and to eachother in His
own person. It is not simply the message He proclaimed or even the message
proclaimed about Him that effects this reconciliation. It is Himself.
(Gaebelein, F, Editor: Expositor's Bible Commentary 6-Volume New
Testament. Zondervan Publishing)
Wuest explains that "Jew and Gentile, by God’s actof selecting the Jewish
nation to be the channel through which He will bring salvation to the lost, had
been separated. Now, in the blood of Christ they in the Church have been
joined. This is the peace spokenofhere.
Ray Stedman writes that "In this very remarkable passage, the apostle gives
us the way of peace. He uses as an illustration the fact that Jesus Christ
bridged the widest chasm which ever has existed betweenmen -- the gulf
betweenthe Jew and the Gentile. If you don't think that conflict can claim
title to being the most difficult gulf to bridge, I suggestyou considerwhy it is

it has been so difficult to settle the Arab-Israeli problem in the Middle East.
The greatestminds of our day have tried to work that out, and no one has
gottenanywhere near a settlement. It is because this conflict is extremely
difficult to bridge. Paul describes how Christ actually does it. And this is a
wonderful picture for us of how peace canbe brought in any area of conflict
or hostility, whether among individuals or groups or nations.
John MacArthur has an interesting illustration writing that "During World
War II a group of American soldiers was exchanging fire with some Germans
who occupieda farm house. The family who lived in the house had run to the
barn for protection. Suddenly their little three–year–olddaughter became
frightened and ran out into the field betweenthe two groups of soldiers. When
they saw the little girl, both sides immediately ceasedfiring until she was safe.
A little child brought peace, brief as it was, as almostnothing else could have
done. Jesus Christcame as a babe to earth, and in His sacrifice onthe cross
He Himself became peace for those who trust in Him. His peace is not
temporary but permanent. (MacArthur, J: Ephesians. Chicago:MoodyPress)
Warren Wiersbe comments on Christ as our peace writing "Peacein our
time! Peace withhonor!” Some of us still remember those words of British
Prime Minister, Sir Neville Chamberlain, when he returned from conferences
in Germany in September 1938. He was sure that he had stopped Adolf Hitler.
Yet one year later, Hitler invaded Poland, and on September 3, 1939, Great
Britain declaredwar on Germany. Chamberlain’s greatpeace missionhad
failed. It seems that most peace missions fail. I read somewhere that from
1500 b.c. to a.d. 850 there were 7,500 “eternalcovenants”agreedonamong
various nations with the hope of bringing peace, but that no covenant had
lastedlonger than two years. The only “eternalcovenant” that has lasted—
and that will last—is the one made by the eternalGod, sealedby the blood of
Jesus Christ. It is Christ’s peace missionthat Paul explains in this section, and
three very important words summarize this greatwork:separation,
reconciliation, and unification. (Wiersbe, W: Bible Exposition Commentary.
1989. Victor)
Eadie explains that "In its widest sense, as this paragraphteaches, “Christis
the peace,”and not merely the peacemaker;the Author of it, for He “makes

both one,” and “reconciles themto God;” the Basis ofit, for He has
“abolishedthe enmity in His flesh,” and “by His cross;” the Medium of it, for
“through Him we both have accessto the Father;” and the Proclaimerof it,
for “He came and preached peace.”(Ephesians 2 Commentary) (Bolding
added)
Blaikie -Christ is not only our Peacemaker, but our Peace,and that in the
fullest sense, the very substance and living spring of it, establishing it at the
beginning, keeping it up to the end; and the complex notion of peace is here
not only peace betweenJew andGentile, but betweenGod and both.
(Ephesians 2 Pulpit Commentary)
William Barclayexplains how Jesus Himself is our peace writing…
Let us use a human analogy. Suppose two people have a difference and go to
law about it; and the experts in the law draw up a document, which states the
rights of the case, andask the two conflicting parties to come togetheron the
basis of that document. All the chances are that the breach will remain
unhealed, for peace is seldom made on the basis of a legaldocument. But
suppose that someone whomboth of these conflicting parties love comes and
talks to them, there is every chance that peace will be made. When two parties
are at variance, the surest wayto bring them togetheris through someone
whom they both love. That is what Christ does. He is our peace. It is in a
common love of him that people come to love eachother. That peace is won at
the price of his blood, for the great awakeneroflove is the Cross. The sight of
that Cross awakens in the hearts of men of all nations love for Christ, and
only when they all love Christ will they love eachother. It is not in treaties and
leagues to produce peace. There canbe peace only in Jesus Christ. (Ephesians
2 Commentary)
WHO MADE BOTH GROUPS INTO ONE:o poiesas (AAPMSN)ta
amphotera en:
Ep 2:15; 3:15; 4:16; Isaiah19:24,25;Ezekiel37:19,20;John 10:16;11:52;
1Cor12:12; Gal3:28; Col 3:11
Esther 3:8; Acts 10:28; Colossians 2:10, 11, 12, 13, 14,20

Who - Christ (5547)(Christos from chrio = to rub or anoint, consecrateto an
office)means one who has been anointed, symbolizing appointment to a task.
The majority of the NT uses refer to Jesus (exceptions = "false Christs" - Mt
24:24, Mk 13:22).
Made (4160)(poieo)brought about.
Both (297)(amphoteros) means eachof two. Literally the Greek reads "the
both", "both things", "both elements" so that there is now no ground for
separating betweena Jewishelementand a Gentile element. They are now
unified.
Jesus alluded to this bringing togetherof Jew and Gentile in John when He
declaredthat…
I have other sheep, which are not of this fold (not of the fold of Israeland thus
a description of the Gentiles who would one day believe in Him); I must bring
them also, and they shall hear My voice;and they shall become one flock with
one shepherd (Believing Jew and believing Gentile forming one spiritual body,
the church, under Christ, the Chief Shepherd). (John 10:16)
One (1520)(heis) is the cardinal numeral one and in this verse defines that
which is united as one in contrastto being divided or consisting of separate
parts. Heis speaks ofoneness, unity and identity, believing Jew and Gentile
united in position and privilege. They are no longer Jews orGentiles, but
Christians. And to go one stepfurther, strictly speaking it is not accurate to
speak of them as JewishChristians or Gentile Christians because all
distinctions such as nationality were nailed to the cross.

BecauseofChrist work in bringing about this union betweenJew and Gentile,
now race and national distinctions disappearas Paul explained to the
Galatians writing that…
There is neither Jew nor Greek (Gentile), there is neither slave nor free man,
there is neither male nor female;for you are all one (heis) in Christ Jesus.
(Galatians 3:28)
The ScottishexpositorJohn Eadie explains that…
Jew and Gentile are not changedin race, nor amalgamatedin blood, but they
are “one” in point of privilege and position towardGod. The figure employed
by Chrysostom is very striking:—
“He does not mean that He has elevatedus to that high dignity of theirs, but
He has raised both us and them to one still higher… I will give you an
illustration. Let us imagine that there are two statues, one of silver and the
other of lead, and then that both shall be melted down, and the two shall come
out gold. So thus He has made the two one.” (Ephesians 2 Commentary)
Thomas Constable makes aninteresting observationwriting that "This verse
is a strong testimony to the fact that with the death of Jesus Christ God began
dealing with humankind on a different basis than He had in the past. He now
stopped working with and though the Jews and Judaism primarily (though
temporarily, cf. Rom. 11). InsteadHe begandealing with Jews and Gentiles
on the same basis, namely their faith in His Son. In others words, He began a
new dispensationor administration in His dealings with humanity. (Ephesians
2 Expository Notes)
AND BROKE DOWN THE BARRIER OF THE DIVIDING WALL: kaito
mesotoichontou phragmou lusas (AAPMSN):
Esther 3:8; Acts 10:28; Col2:10, 11, 12, 13, 14,20

CHRIST THE BREAKER
BROKE DOWN THE BARRIER
One of the many greatnames of Jesus is Christ The Breaker.
Broke down (3089)(luo) means to loose, release,dissolve. Christloosenedor
dissolvedthe barrier. The aoristtense points to the past completedaction.
e
Click to enlarge
Barrier (5418)(phragmos from phrasso = to fence or hedge in) describes a
fence, or enclosing barrier. It signified originally a fence or railing erectedfor
protection rather than separation. It could be a fence, hedge, a thorn hedge
around a vineyard, beside which there was often a wall.
Gilbrant - Phragmos is literally the “fence” around a vineyard. It can also
take the form of a wall or a living hedge. The word is used in the Septuagint in
the Parable of the Vineyard (Isaiah5:2+). It occurs twice in the Gospels in
Jesus’Parable of the Vineyard (Matthew 21:33;Mark 12:1) and once of the
host of a greatsupper who sent his servants into “the highways and hedges”
(of the vineyards) to bring the workers in (Luke 14:23). The only other
reference is figurative, of the Law that separates JewsandGentiles, leading to
enmity. Christ has broken down this “middle wall of partition” (Ephesians
2:14) and has united all believers in himself. (Complete Biblical Library
Greek-EnglishDictionary)
Josephus usedphragmos to refer to the balustrade in the Jerusalemtemple
separating the court of the Gentiles from the temple proper. (see the "fence"
above - to the right of the low fence is The Court of the Gentiles in Herod's
Temple).
When Jerusalemfell in A.D. 70, this partition was demolishedalong with the
temple itself, but Paul saw it as already destroyedby Christ on the Cross.

Ironically enough, Paul himself had been wrongfully accusedoftaking an
Asian Gentile, Trophimus, past this checkpointActs 21:29+.
Phragmos - 4x - barrier(1), hedges(1), wall(2) - Matt. 21:33;Mk. 12:1; Lk.
14:23;Eph. 2:14
Wikipedia Note on the Barrier
THE BARRIER WAS LIKE A JEWISH"NO TRESPASSING"SIGN -The
Temple Warning inscription, also knownas the Temple Balustrade
inscription or the Soreg inscription[2], is an inscription that hung along the
balustrade outside the Sanctuary of the SecondTemple in Jerusalem. Two of
these tablets have been found.[3] (HERE IS THE TRANSLATION OF ONE
OF THESE RECOVERED STONES) - "No strangeris to enter within the
balustrade round the temple and enclosure. Whoeveris caughtwill be himself
responsible for his ensuing death."
NOTE:For more detailed note from the Temple Institute click "soreg"which
was the low, latticedrailing in the diagram above and it separatedthe Temple
courts (only for Jews)from the Court of the Gentiles.
Dividing Wall (3320)(mesótoichonfrom mésos = middle + toíchos = wall)
means middle wall or partition. Metaphoricallymesótoichonreferred to the
Mosaic Law separating Jews andGentiles and recalledthe common rabbinic
idea of the law as a fence dividing the Jews by their observance ofit from all
other races and thus arousing hostility.
What is the "barrier of the dividing wall"? Paulin the present context is not
referring to a literal wall, but to the invisible barrier setup by the Mosaic
Law of commandments contained in ordinances which separatedthe people of
Israelfrom the nations. The sad irony is that "the dividing wall" of the Law of
Moses was the very "barrier" that has kept countless Jewsthrough the
millennia from entering by a new and living way through the veil of the
Temple and into the Holy of holies! (see Heb 10:19-20+).
Vincent explains the spiritual implications of the barrier writing that it
represented"the whole Mosaic economywhich separatedJew from Gentile.
(Ephesians 2 Commentary)

Barth adds the following thought that the barrier of the dividing wall "is (1)
the factof separationbetweenIsraeland the nations, (2) has to do with the
law and its statutes and interpretations, (3) is experiencedin the enmity
betweenJews and Gentiles and (4) also consists ofthe enmity of Jews and
Gentiles alike againstGod."
In any event, this "barrier" was dramatically illustrated by well-knownliteral
wall in the Temple Complex on Temple Mount. There the Jews had
constructeda barrier that separatedthe outer Court of the Gentiles from the
inner Court of the Jews. Betweenthese two courts (see diagram below) there
was a low wall some 4.5 feet high, with thirteen openings.
Josephus records that "When you went through these first cloisters unto the
secondcourt of the Temple, there was a partition made of stone all round,
whose height was three cubits. Its construction was very elegant;upon it stood
pillars at equal distances from one another, declaring the law of purity, some
in Greek and some in Roman letters that no foreigner should go within the
sanctuary"
In another description Josephus writes of the secondcourtof the Temple
"This was encompassedby a stone wall for a partition, with an inscription
which forbade any foreignerto go in under pain of death".
Observe from the diagram that Gentiles were restrictedto the outer court of
the temple, the court of the Gentiles (they were "faroff") and they could not
go beyond the sacredenclosure into the women’s court, or into the court of
Israel, much less into the court of the priests, on penalty of death.
Along the top of the barrier of the dividing wall (the outer bold line in the
diagram), at regular intervals, were stone pillars bearing an inscription
engravedin both Latin and Greek…
“Let no one of any other nation come within the fence and barrier around the
Holy Place. Whoeveris caught doing so will himself be responsible for the fact
that his death will ensue.”

The Roman government gave the Jews permissionto execute any Gentile,
even those who were Roman citizens, if they proceededbeyond this barrier!
Archaeologicalexcavations(1871)have uncoveredone complete stone marker
and a fragment of another from Herod's temple.
Luke records an event in Paul's life that underscores the fact that the Jews
were deadly serious about this warning to Gentiles not to transgress this
barrier…
And when the sevendays (the length of the purification process)were almost
over, the Jews from Asia, upon seeing him (Paul) in the temple, beganto stir
up all the multitude and laid hands on him, crying out, "Menof Israel, come
to our aid! This is the man who preaches to all men everywhere againstour
people, and the Law, and this place;and besides he has even brought Greeks
(Gentiles)into the temple and has defiled this holy place." Forthey had
previously seenTrophimus the Ephesianin the city with him, and they
supposedthat Paul had brought him into the temple." (Acts 21:27-29+)
And so we see that Paul was all too familiar with the barrier, and quite likely
the thoughts of his former encounter associatedwith the barrier of the
dividing wall flooded his mind as he wrote the words in Ephesians 2:14, here
referring not to a literal dividing wallbut a spiritual dividing wall as discussed
above. Paul would have recalledthat his arrestat Jerusalem, which led to his
final imprisonment and death, was due to the factthat he had been wrongly
accusedofbringing Trophimus, an Ephesian Gentile, into the Temple beyond
the barrier of the dividing wall.
In summary, this physical barrier in the Temple Complex illustrated the
barrier of hostility and hate that separatedJew and Gentile. God had
originally separatedJews from Gentiles (cf. Isaiah 5:1-7; Mt 21:33) for the
purpose of redeeming both groups, not for saving the Jews alone. In factGod
had placedthe Court of the Gentiles in the Temple Complex for the very
purpose of winning Gentiles to Himself. It was meant to be a place for Jewish
evangelismof Gentiles, a place for winning proselytes to Judaism and of
thereby bringing them “near.” Insteadthe intervening dividing wall with its
barrier shut the Gentile out from the presence of God! It was also that very

court (the court of the Gentiles)that instead of using as a place of witness to
the paganGentiles of the true and living God, the Jewishleaders ofJesus’day
usurped and convertedto “a robbers’ den” (Mk 11:17)!
WAYNE BARBER
Ephesians 2:11-15:CHRIST, THE AUTHOR OF OUR PEACE—PART 1
by Dr. Wayne Barber
Return to TOP of page
The title of this study is Christ, the Author of Our Peace. In our last study we
tried to understand where the Gentile nations came from. They were called
foreigners in the Old Testament. They were strangers. Thatword appears in
Isaiah. Then through the New Testamentwe find the word "Gentile." In verse
11, Paul writes,
"Therefore rememberthat formerly you, the Gentiles in the flesh."
The word "Gentiles" is the word ethnos. It’s the word we getthe word
"ethnic" from. We getthe idea of different languages,different cultures, and
different peoples.
Of course, we know where that came from. The Gentile nations with all of
their languages came in Genesis 11. The world had repopulated after the
flood, and men had become very proud, due to the depravity of man. Sin had
entered through Adam. They got worse and worse. God, before the
foundation of the world, had already foreordained our salvation. He had
already planned. He knew what was going to take place. The Lamb was ready
even before the world was created. Man’s sin did not catchGod by surprise.
However, God scatteredthe people in Genesis 11.

Now you know why many of the liberal schools in our country want to get rid
of Genesis 1-11. If you knock out Genesis 1-11,you don’t have anything on
which to base the rest of scripture. Genesis 1-11 is the very basis for all of
scripture.
In Genesis 11, Godscatteredthem and confused their languages. The whole
world was made up of paganGentile people. There was no such thing as a
Jew. There was no such thing as Israel. In Genesis 12 Godbeganto reveal
what He was up to. Out of the Gentile nations, particularly Ur [Babylon], He
reachedright down in the Middle East, and pulled a man out by the name of
Abram, whose name he changed to Abraham. In Genesis 17 we read that
1...whenAbram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appearedto Abram and
said to him, "I am God Almighty; Walk before Me, and be blameless. 2 "And
I will establishMy covenant betweenMe and you, and I will multiply you
exceedingly." 3 And Abram fell on his face, and God talked with him, saying,
4 "As for Me, behold, My covenantis with you, and you shall be the father of
a multitude of nations. 5 "No longer shall your name be called Abram, but
your name shall be Abraham; for I will make you the father of a multitude of
nations. 6 "And I will make you exceedinglyfruitful, and I will make nations
of you, and kings shall come forth from you. 7 "And I will establish My
covenantbetweenMe and you and your descendants afteryou throughout
their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your
descendants afteryou. 8 "And I will give to you and to your descendants after
you, the land of your sojournings, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting
possession;and I will be their God."
"Abraham, I want a covenantwith you. Through you, I’m going to bring a
nation, and through that nation will come a seed."
Galatians 3:16 completes that thought and tells us that the seedis Jesus
Christ.
"Now the promises were spokento Abraham and to his seed. He does not say,
"And to seeds,"as referring to many, but rather to one, "And to your seed,"
that is, Christ."

It will be through that seedthat all the nations of this world, including Israel,
will be blessed.
Well, the covenantwas passedon to Isaac (Ge 26:3)
"Sojournin this land and I will be with you and bless you, for to you and to
your descendants I will give all these lands, and I will establishthe oath which
I swore to your father Abraham.
It was passedon to Jacob(Ge28:13-15;35:11-12);
28:13 And behold, the LORD stoodabove it and said, "I am the LORD, the
God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac;the land on which you lie,
I will give it to you and to your descendants. 14 "Yourdescendants shallalso
be like the dust of the earth, and you shall spreadout to the westand to the
eastand to the north and to the south; and in you and in your descendants
shall all the families of the earth be blessed. 15 "And behold, I am with you,
and will keepyou wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I
will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you."
Ge 35:11 God also saidto him, "I am God Almighty; Be fruitful and multiply;
A nation and a company of nations shall come from you, And kings shall come
forth from you. 12 "And the land which I gave to Abraham and Isaac, Iwill
give it to you, And I will give the land to your descendants afteryou."
Jacob’s name was changedto Israel, and Israelhad twelve sons. Those twelve
sons became the twelve tribes of the nation of Israel. Through that nation
would come the seed. Jesus Christwould be born of a virgin, Mary, who is a
descendantof David of the tribe of Judah. Obviously, the prophecy would be
fulfilled. Jesus wouldcome. Eph1:7 tells us that He would shed His blood to
redeem us from the slave block of sin. God had that plan before the
foundation of the world. Paul’s point in chapter2 is to let the Gentile believers
know that they are a part of everything that God had promised. The focus had
been on Israel for all these centuries, but he wantedthem to know they were a
part of the promise that was first given to Abraham. The Jew and the Gentile
are now one in Christ Jesus.

Paul points to the greatgulf betweenthe Gentiles and the Jews in verse 12.
Three things help you to realize the seriousnessofthe situation. First of all he
says in verse 12,
"remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from
the commonwealthof Israel,"
You see, the Gentile world was made up of this nation and that nation, which
had nothing in common with one another. Babylon and Greece and all the
different powers that rose up representedthe Gentiles. Theydidn’t have
anything in common with one another except their own sin. Nothing bonded
them into a commonwealthlike Israel. You see, they were excluded from any
Christ, any Messiah, anyDeliverer. They had no hope in front of them. The
theologians oftheir day told them that every 3,000 years the world would
repopulate itself, and the cycle would start all over again. They lived for
nothing. There was nothing out there. There was no hope whatsoeverforthe
Gentile world. They were living separate from Christ.
However, Israelhad the Messiahto look forward to. That bonded them into a
commonwealth. The word here for "commonwealth" is politeia. We get the
word "politics" from it. It’s the word for "citizen". It refers here to the
behavior of a community of people who have a common purpose. Their
common purpose was they believed a Delivererwould one day come, the
Messiah, the seedthrough which all nations would be blessed. Thatbonded
them togetherinto a commonwealth. While many Jews might depart from
that, and did, they still had a remnant, (Click here for in depth study of
remnant) and that remnant continued to be bonded togetherwith that
glorious hope of a Christ who would one day come. The Gentiles had no such
promise. They were excluded from any such purpose.
The secondstatementhe makes there in verse 12 is,
"and strangers to the covenants of promise."
These covenants were the anchor that pointed to the faithfulness of a God to
deliver what He promised. The Gentiles had no anchor. They were sailors on a
captain less boaton uncharted seas.

The third thing he said in verse 12 is,
"having no hope and without God in the world."
The Gentiles had no "one" god[i.e., they were "polytheists"]. The Jews did.
They believed in JehovahGod Who would send His Sona Deliverer. The
Gentiles had none of this. They were idolatrous, paganpeople. That’s why
God had excluded the Jews from associating withthe Gentile world for so
many years. As a result, the Gentile world opposedthe true God, accepted
false gods and were dominated by Satanas Eph 2:1-3 tell us so clearly. To say
it another way, the Gentile nations were outcasts from both human and divine
fellowship. The only thing they had in common was their sin.
Well, in verse 13, Paul has some goodnews for those Gentiles in Ephesus,
which he wanted them to understand. He says,
"But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought
near by the blood of Christ. "
Paul wants them to know that in Christ Jesus they have been brought near.
That is a beautiful, beautiful truth. It is almostas if Paul, a converted Jew
himself, is looking at the church, sees convertedGentiles and realizes that in
Christ there is no north, no south, no east, no west, no racialbarriers, no
cultural or socialbarriers. He sees the church in oneness as the church ought
to be seen. He sees the church through the Lord Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 2:14 says,
"ForHe Himself is our peace"
That sets the stage for this study, Christ, the Author of our Peace.One of the
basic definitions of the word for "peace" is when two things cohere together.
"Oneness"and the word "peace" are very synonymous. When Jesus prayed
for oneness in John 17, that’s the flip side of what peace is all about. It’s when
nothing is in betweenthat can conflict or irritate, first of all with God, and
secondlywith man. Peace(Click here for in depth word study of peace)is that
oneness that we can have with God and that oneness we canhave with one
another.

If you are looking for peace, youwon’t find it in America. If you are looking
for peace and absence ofconflict, you won’t find it in this world. You will find
it in the Lord Jesus Christ. That’s who we are supposed to honor every day.
Let’s talk about it for a minute.
First of all Christ Himself is the essenceofour peace with God. Before we
start talking about the peace betweenthe Jew and Gentile, we’ve gotto talk
about the peace that man has with God. You cannot begin to have
relationships that are peacefuluntil first of all, your relationship with God is
one of peace.
Ephesians 2:14 says,
"ForHe Himself is our peace"
Turn back to Isaiah 9:6.
"Fora child will be born to us, a sonwill be given to us; And the government
will reston His shoulders;And His name will be calledWonderful Counselor,
Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace."
Now we need to understand that. "Prince" means not only giver, but the one
who maintains it. He gives the peace, and He maintains the peace. The first
place that we find that peace neededis not with Jew and Gentile. It is with
man and God. That peace was disrupted when Adam sinned. Man was
separatedfrom God, and was placedat enmity with God.
That is why Eph 2:1-3 is so important. Man was dead in his trespassesand in
his sins. There needed to be a reconciliation. However, the wages ofsin is
death (Ro6:23). There was no man who was worthy who could pay the price
because there were "none righteous, no, not one." (Ro3:10)The Lord Jesus,
Who is the essenceofGod’s grace, came to this earth and died on the cross to
forgive us of our sin. When a man comes to understand that, he sees himselfas
a sinner, bows down, and receives Jesusinto his life as Lord and Savior.
Immediately peace is effectedwith the Father. Peace is never going to be there
until Jesus is in an individual’s life. Until a man has receivedGod’s grace, he
will never know His peace. Look in Eph 1:2:

"Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. "
You see the first thing that must be receivedis God’s grace. God’s grace is
what God does to a man, in a man, for a man and through a man that a man
can’t do himself. God came down. Man could not ascend. He tried that in
Genesis 11. That’s where the nations came from. God came down as He told
Nicodemus in John 3. He came down to die for our sin. The greatestpicture of
grace in all of Scripture is Jesus coming to die for our sin and shedding His
blood to redeemus off the slave block of bondage to sin.
When man receives God’s grace, then and only then can he be at peace with
the Godthat he has been estrangedfrom since Adam’s sin.
So before you evertalk about peace with man, you’ve got to realize Jesus is
the essence ofour peace with God. So often we do it the reverse. So often there
is a problem betweentwo of us, and we try to major on our relationship to
make our relationship with God better. No, you major on your relationship
with God, and that makes your relationship with others what it ought to be.
Jesus is the essenceofGod’s peace, the essenceofour peace with God.
That’s the first point I want to make. Paul is really not dealing with that at
this point. He has already dealt with it in chapter 1 and all the waydown
through where we are. But when he says in verse 14, "ForHe Himself is our
peace " I just want to make sure you understand that it is with God first, long
before it’s with man.
The secondthing I want you to see is He is the enabler of our peace with man.
You see, Christ establishes ourpeace with God. Once we have Christ in us, He
enables us to be at peace with man. What did Christ do that enabled peace
betweenthe Jew and the Gentile? There was quite a gulf betweenthem as we
have already read in verse 12. These Gentiles were calleddogs. They had
nothing to do with the promises. They knew nothing about Christ. They knew
nothing of a true God. The focus had been on Israelfrom the book of Genesis
all the way through Acts 9. Now, what did Jesus do then to bring the two
groups together? Evenin the Law they had been excluded from one another.
How did Jesus become the enabler of our peace with man? There are two
things that Jesus did to enable our peace man to man, Jew to Gentile if you

please. There was quite a gulf betweenthem. If you can’t see a picture in this
of other relationships daily in our life, then you are missing what Paul is
bringing out. His concernis the Jew and the Gentile, but the applicationflows
into all relationships.
First of all, Christ removed the barriers to our peace. He removed the
barriers in verses 14 and 15. That’s what we want to concentrate on. Let’s
read it.
"ForHe Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke
down the barrier of the dividing wall "
Now this is important to understand.
What was the dividing wall?
Well, it refers to a wall that was ordered by God’s law in the Temple. The
Gentiles could not go beyond that wall. They could go inside the Temple to a
place called the Outer Court or the Court of the Gentiles, but they couldn’t go
beyond it. Actually, the wall was three walls thick if you want to be technical
about it. It wasn’t just that wall that facedthe Court of the Gentiles. There
was another wall on the other side which housed the Court of Women, and
still another wall which was the Inner Court. So before you could actually get
into the place of worship, there were three walls that shut the Gentiles out. On
the wallthere was an inscription that read, "Any foreigner, any stranger, any
Gentile that enters beyond this wallis under the penalty of death." They knew
they had been shut out from the worship experience of Israel. Israel
approachedGod through the Temple, and the Gentiles were shut away from
ever being able to approach God or to relate to Him on any basis whatsoever.
As a matter of fact, there is a sad testimony to the hardness of the Jews after
Jesus came. Here is Paul, preaching that the wall has been torn down. But the
Jews, those religious Jewswho had rejectedJesus and shut Him out of their
lives, continued to hold to the belief that the wall was still there. Look back in
Acts 21:27-29, and we will see that. Ephesus, where he is writing this letter to,
is in Asia. Probably some Jews from Ephesus, the very people he is writing
this letter to, are mentioned here in Acts 21:27-29...

"When the seven days were almostover, the Jews from Asia, upon seeing him
in the temple, beganto stir up all the crowdand laid hands on him, crying out,
"Menof Israel, come to our aid ! This is the man who preaches to all men
everywhere againstour people and the Law and this place;[Paul never did
that. Paulsimply opened up other people to it, and they thought they were
preaching againstthem] and besides he has even brought Greeks into the
temple and has defiled this holy place."
They accusedhim of taking a man by the name of Trophimus into the Temple.
Look at verse 29.
"Forthey had previously seenTrophimus the Ephesianin the city with him,
and they supposedthat Paul had brought him into the temple."
They accusedhim. They didn’t even know this for a fact, but they knew they
could get a case with the listening ears of those religious Jews who had
rejectedChrist. They told them he had taken this Gentile behind the wall of
partition, the dividing wall, the barrier of the dividing wall,. You see, many of
the Jews, notall of them, but many of the Jews were just as evil in God’s sight
as the paganGentiles. They had made a horrible mistake.
You see, they had a privileged nearness to God because ofGod’s choice of
them. God had chosenIsraeland because He had, the people born into that
nation had certain rights and privileges. It may not have been because they
sought after God, but because Godhad chosenthem. They knew nothing of a
personalrelationship with God, basedon their choice ofGod. Do you see the
difference? As a result of this, that which was meant to exclude the Gentiles
for a time became the basis of hatred and discrimination of the Jew to the
Gentile. What they saidwas, "We have a wall. You see there. God loves us
better than He loves you. You can’t come in. We are better than you." So the
Gentile became as dogs to them. To mention the Gentiles as being a part of the
promise God had made to Abraham made the hair stand up and bristle on the
Jew’s neck. The Jew would say, "No way! These are inferior people! We are
racially, culturally and sociallybetter people than they are. They couldn’t be a
part of God’s loving plan."

But when Christ came, He tore down the wall of partition. With their
observancesand with their practices, they thought these external things made
them more favorable in God’s eyes. That has never been true, for God so
loved the world. He promised Abraham, "I don’t just love Jews, I love the
world. I am going to raise up a nation through which the Seedwill come in
that all nations, both Israeland other nations, may have the same
opportunity."
How did Jesus break downthe barrier of the dividing wall? Well, it tells you
in verse 15:
"by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments
containedin ordinances,"
Now I am going to try to simplify something that is not that simple. Let me
just simplify it by saying this: the dividing wall in that temple was ordered by
God. Why? BecauseHe wanted Israel to be pure, to stay awayfrom these
paganidolatrous people who didn’t believe in God. They should never be
allowedto come into that which is holy and sacredand specificallydesigned
for His people at that time. So the dividing wall was ordered by God, along
with the observancesthatwere in the Law. The Jews had to ob-serve the
Sabbaths. They had to observe the eating of certain foods. They had to
observe the commands not to touch certain things. All of these things were
commanded. It was the way in which they relatedto God.
But remember, they had takenthis and made it a symbol of racialand
national pride. "You see, we do these things, we are more spiritual and
loveable to God than others are." The Law was goodand holy [Ro 7:12].
Don’t ever think it was wrong. Galatians says it was a tutor, a baby sitter [Gal
3:24]...
"Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, that we may be
justified by faith."
"Tutor" is another description for the law. The laws were simply given to
hold the people within bounds until the Seedcame. After the Seedcame,

Jesus was our peace

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