Ephesians 2:14-17

Context

Ephesians has traditionally been regarded as a letter written by Paul while in prison, though some scholars hold that it was written by a disciple or successor of Paul. Ephesians 2:11-22 is addressed to readers who were "Gentiles in the flesh." It explains that they were formerly "far off," outside the commonwealth of Israel, but have now been "made nigh" by the blood of Christ. Verses 14-17 set out the basis for this claim: Christ himself is "our peace," and he "hath made both one," Jew and Gentile. The language of "afar off" and "nigh" in verse 17 recalls Isaiah 57:19.

Interpretation

• A twofold reconciliation: Many commentators hold that the passage speaks of two reconciliations together. One is between human beings, namely between Jews and Gentiles; the other is between human beings and God. The passage ties the two becoming "one body" and their being reconciled "unto God" to a single event, the cross.
• "The middle wall of partition": A widely known interpretation connects this expression with the balustrade in the Jerusalem Temple that separated the Court of the Gentiles from the inner courts. Warning inscriptions forbidding Gentiles to enter were posted on that barrier. Another interpretation sees the image as derived from Jewish writings that likened the law to a fence surrounding Israel.
• "The law of commandments contained in ordinances": "Ordinances" here denotes written regulations or decrees. The Reformed tradition, as reflected in the Westminster Confession of Faith, divides the law into ceremonial, civil, and moral law. This tradition holds that what is abolished here is the ceremonial law, such as sacrificial and purity regulations, while the moral law remains in force. By contrast, the so-called "New Perspective on Paul," associated with James D. G. Dunn and others, focuses on the boundary markers that separated Jews from Gentiles, such as circumcision, food laws, and the Sabbath.

Debates and Issues

Differences among theological systems surface in how "one new man" is understood. Dispensationalism appeals to this expression in viewing the church as a new entity distinct from Israel. Covenant theology understands it as the incorporation of Gentiles into the one people of God and emphasizes the continuity between the Old and New Testaments.

There is also a question of translation. In the Greek text it is unclear whether "the enmity" and "in his flesh" belong with the preceding "hath broken down" or with the following "having abolished." As a result, translations divide the clauses at slightly different points.

The passage is sometimes used as a general slogan for conflict resolution. Some object that such use overlooks its original and specific context: the relationship between Jews and Gentiles.

In the Korean Church

The phrase "hath broken down the middle wall" is frequently used in sermons on the unity of the church and on reconciliation between generations and regions. It is also commonly cited in sermons on reunification and in prayer meetings devoted to reconciliation between North and South Korea.

Related Passages

• Galatians 3:26-29
• Colossians 3:11
• 2 Corinthians 5:18-20
• 1 Corinthians 12:13
• Romans 11:17-24