Presentation 05

Studiesin

Ephesians

Chap 1-3Chap 4-6

See what you are in ChristBe what you are in Christ

DoctrineTruthProvision

PracticeApplicationUsage

The Structure of the Book

A NewHumanity

Chap 2 v11-22

In these verses Paul explains how God has created a new humanity. Explaining how people who were once alienated from him and from one another have been wonderfully reconciled.

The structure of his argument mirrors the previous section – a before and after picture.The problem is graphically described before God’s solution is developed.

Introduction

The deep division between Jew and Gentile at a social level: if a Jewish son or daughter married a Gentile they were considered dead by the Jewish family. N.B. Paul’s own experience in the temple in Jerusalem three years previously. Acts 21.27-31

Illustrations of the Alienation

The deep division between Jew and Gentile at a religious level.

JewsGentiles

Illustrations of the AlienationIn Jerusalem today the alienation between thee Jewish and Palestinian communities is seen in the wall that has been constructed to separate them.

Many today are saying that these two groups can never be reconciled.

Yet the amazing thing is the gospel in Paul’s day brought together people from two no less alienated communities.

Jesus Created a New Society

Alienation Reconciliation

Hostility Peace

God and Man

Paul provides us with three pictures to illustrate what the gospel has done.

Picture No.1 An Alienated Society v11-12

The Circumcision: Jews

They possessed Covenantsbut theirs was an

Outward not Inward Religionit was characterised by

Spiritual Superiority

The Uncircumcision: Gentiles

1. “Separated from Christ” - no expectation or promises of Messiah.

2. “alienated from the commonwealth of Israel...strangers to the covenants of promise.” - no sense of belonging to God.

3. “No hope and without God in the world” - hopeless, godless.

They had supressed their knowledge of God. Illustration when a block of wood is held down underwater it becomes waterlogged, losing its natural buoyancy.

Rom 1v20-23

The spiritual vacuum left by the suppression of the knowledge of God was clear in Paul’s day. Temples from every known religion were built on the tiny island of Delos. Pilgrims would visit from temple to temple in the hope that they might have their needs met by one of the “gods”.

Spiritual Vacuum

RememberThere are some things that scripture tells us we are to forget [like the injuries others do us lest the memories destroy our peace of mind].

But there is one thing in particular that we are commanded to “remember” and never forget cf v11-12. And that is what we were like before God’s love reached down and found us. Seeing that awful picture helps us marvel at God’s grace.

Picture No.2 Peacemaking Christ v13-18

“But now in Christ Jesus you... have been brought near” v13

In the Old Testament, Israel were described as the nation that was ‘near to God’. Deut 4.7, Psalm 148. 14In contrast the Gentile nations were described as those who were ‘far off’.Now despite the benefits that the Jewish people had it was still clear that hostility existed between both groups and God and that both needed ‘a relationship change’ described here as ‘peace’. Indeed, Isaiah prophesied that such peace would be established Isaiah 57.19Only once peace had been established could there be the possibility of ‘access’ into God’s presence.

Holiness

Sinfulness

Access Denied: The Old Testament Background

Holy of Holies Holy Place

In the temple, the curtain that separated the holy of holies from the holy place, where the priests went about their daily business, was a reminder that the holy place was off limits. There was no entry, no easy access! This visual aid underlined the fact that man’s sinfulness separated him from God’s holiness!

Access Denied: The Old Testament Background

Another helpful illustration is found in the OT. Book of Esther. In that day in the Persian kingdom no woman dared enter the kings presence uninvited. There was no access. Simply to barge in could mean your death. Cf Esther 4.11 How much more dangerous was it for a sinful man to barge into the presence for a holy God?

Access Denied:

We all know what it feels like to be denied access... E.g. Staff only, members only, nationals only.

Access: Realised“Brought near through the blood of Christ.” v13

What Jesus has accomplished through his death is not mere judicial forgiveness but reconciliation and positive favour with God - access into his presence. Man’s forgiveness is often niggardly. Let me illustrate. After Absalom’s murder of his brother he escaped to an enforced exile. Then Absalom’s father, King David was asked to allow him to return to Jerusalem. In 2 Sam.14.23-24 we read:

“the king [David] said, "He must go to his own house; he must not see my face." So Absalom went to his own house and did not see the face of the king”.

That falls far short of the reconciliation that Christ has procured for his people. We get to see the kings face!

Access: Realised“Brought near through the blood of Christ.” v13

Previously, we had no right of access because of our sin and because of our broken relationship with God

Now, the Christian has access because Jesus has paid the price his sin and changed his relationship with God. We are now the sons of God.

At Jesus’ death “the curtain of the temple [which symbolically said ‘keep out’] was torn in two” Luke 23.45 as God said, ‘there is now access”.Cf. Heb.10.19-20 “we have confidence to enter the most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body.”Jesus’ death destroyed the barrier and opened the door of access.

“Destroyed the dividing wall of hostility” v14

Christ’s Achievement: 1

Keep outCome in

God and ManJew and Gentile

In Paul’s thought is not only the curtain barrier in the temple that divided a holy God from sinful man but the stone wall in the temple that separated the Jewish worshipper from the Gentile peoples.

“he... has made the two one” v14

JewsGentiles

Jews Gentiles

Achievement: 2

Before

After Previously Jews and Gentiles were peoples kept apart by race, creed, language and historical rivalry. Their faith relationship to Christ has dismantled those differences. They are one in Christ!

“The abolition of the law of commandments” v15

1. Paul does not mean the moral law cf Matt.5.172. This is a reference to the ceremonial law: animal sacrifices,

circumcision, dietary regulations, ritual cleanness etc.3. In the cross Jesus, the perfect sacrifice and perfect High Priest,

fulfilled all the shadows and types of the ceremonial law.4. Jesus abolished the idea [taught by his contemporaries] that

law-keeping was the route to attaining salvation. 5. In Christ both Jew and Gentile access God in the same way;

through what has been achieved upon the cross.

Achievement: 3

“his purpose... to create one new man ” v15

Once the divisiveness of the law has been set apart there is nothing to keep the two groups of humanity apart. Jesus has created a single undivided humanity through union with himself.

Jew Gentile

BeforeAfter

Achievement: 4

Inequality Before God AbolishedThis new unity does more than span the Jew - Gentile divide. It addresses sexual and social distinctions.

“Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all”. Colossians 3.11

“There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus”. Gal 3.28

Paul is not saying that the facts of human differentiation are removed for clearly men remain men and women remain women etc. BUT any inequality before God has been abolished.

“Thereby bringing hostility to an end” v16

Because of all Jesus has accomplished, hostility between God and men is brought to an end. The hostility in view is not merely that of our rebellion but also God’s wrath which our sin drew out. Jesus slew that hostility by turning away God’s wrath. Result:

Reconciliationand as a result Jesus is the author of a new

humanity.

Achievement: 5

Access: Experienced“through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.” v19

1. The Holy Spirit overcomes all our internal difficulties assuring us that a warm welcome awaits us with God.

2. He persuades us to be bold in our approach. We often view entry into God’s presence as going

through a revolving door but we belong!

a) We have permanent access.

b) We are not disqualified by failure.

“whenever our hearts condemn us... God is greater than our hearts”. 1 John 3.20

Picture No.3 God’s New Society v19-22

Having described step by step what God has done to bring us near to himself and to one another, it becomes clear not only that our relationships have changed but that our status before God has also changed.

To help us grasp the wonder of that change and the new privileges to which the Christian has access, Paul uses three familiar models of the church. The new Jewish-Gentile community is described as:

1. God’s Kingdom2. God’s Family3. God’s Temple

1. God’s Kingdom “you are fellow citizens” v19

A citizen is the opposite of an alien, who has no right to the protection and provision of the state. In Paul’s day Roman citizenship was a coveted possession cf Acts 16.37

This is not a kingdom of passports and visas but of birth certificates. “In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade-kept in heaven for you”. 1Peter 1.3-4

1. God’s Kingdom “you are fellow citizens” v19

We have become citizens of God’s Kingdom. God rules his people and both blesses and entrusts responsibility to them. This kingdom which is international and interracial is more splendid and more enduring than any earthy empire.

Assyrian Persian Greek Roman Christ

Cf. Daniel 2.31-45

2. God’s Family “members of the household of God” v19

We are more than fellow-citizens under God’s rule we are children in his family. Jesus’ first instruction to Mary after his resurrection was, “Go … to my brothers and tell them, 'I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.‘” John 20.17If we are God’s children, we should not be living in the servants quarters. The commonest word for Christians in the New Testament is brethren [brothers and sisters]. It expresses a close family relationship of affection, care and support.

The Greek word ‘Philadelphia’, ‘brotherly love’ should be a special characteristic of God’s family. “By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13.35

3. God’s Temple “built upon the foundation of apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus

himself being the chief cornerstone.” v20-22

Jesus Christ ApostlesProphets

In Paul’s day the chief cornerstone was the most important stone in a building. It had to be laid perfectly level and its sides had to be perfectly plumb for the remainder of the building was set out from it.

Jesus is indispensible to the church’s unity and growth

Jews and Gentiles are together built on this foundation.

3. God’s Temple “built upon the foundation of apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus

himself being the chief cornerstone.” v20-22

3. God’s Temple “a holy temple in the Lord, a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.”

v20-22

When Solomon built the original temple he prayed before the shekinah glory of God’s presence descended upon it, “The heavens, even the highest heaven, cannot contain you. How much less this temple I have built!” 1 Kings 8.27 Now in God’s new creation there is no temple building. Why? because his redeemed people are a temple people. We read in Rev 21, “The dwelling place of God is with men.God’s plan is not to live in stone buildings

but in human hearts. Cf. Jn 14.23 “If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love

him, and we will come to him and make our home with him”.