Off the Shelf Sunday School--Ephesians

The Unity of Jews and Gentiles (2:11-18)

Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (that done in the body by the hands of men)—remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.

?1.??Paul reminds the Gentile Christians that, before they put their faith in Jesus, they were ignorant of the promises of God. They had no relationship with God and so they were without hope. They were shunned and disliked by the Jews who considered them to be inferior and unclean.?Their only hope was to become Jewish converts like Rahab and Ruth.

2.??Jesus brought unity and peace by his blood. There are no longer racial, religious, ethnic or other distinctions. In the eyes of God, there are only his children saved by faith in Jesus and the children of the devil who reject Jesus. (Jn 8:42-47; 1 Jn 3:10)

3.??The religious pride of the Jewish leaders blinded most of them and they rejected Jesus as the Messiah. How does religious pride cause problems and divisions within Christian churches? How does this pride keep people from being born again through faith in Jesus?

4.??Believers in Jesus are no longer Jews or Gentiles but a new creation. Jesus is the first of a new race of people who are given the holiness and identity of Jesus. Therefore, Jesus has destroyed the wall of hostility between Jews and Gentiles as well as between God and mankind (for those who have faith). (2 Cor 5:16-17)

5.??The death of Jesus on the cross fulfilled the required punishment due for the sins of mankind. Jesus did not come to abolish the requirements of the laws of God but to fulfill them. Therefore, Paul is not saying that the requirements of the laws of God no longer apply to Christians. Everyone will be judged by the laws and commands of God, but Christians have been forgiven for their failure to keep them. (Mt 5:17-20; Rom 10:1-4)

6.??Access to God the Father is only through the Holy Spirit who indwells and transforms those who put their faith in Jesus. (Jn 14:6; 1 Cor 6:19; Phil 3:20-21)