Tuesday, January 2, 2018

Ephesians 2:11-22 (Daily Bread of 29/12/2017)

HE IS OUR PEACE
Key verse 2:14
Jesus played a big role in human history. This role is perfectly resumed in verse 14. This work also takes place powerfully in every man's heart.
 
1.  Jesus destroys the wall of separation (11-15) 
The history of mankind is covered with division, conflict and  non-stop antagonism. The history between the Jews and the Pagans goes beyond imagination. They hated one another and kept themselves clear one from the other. The Jews condescendingly saw the Pagans as creatures of lesser value whereas the Pagans saw the Jews as arrogant helpless people. The Pagans, who were uncircumsised, were also also look down upon and prohibited from having any rights. The wall of separation between the two was thus far harder that of the wall of Berlin or the lne between Mexico and the United States. It was indestructible. However, Jesus came and he died on the cross in order to break it down. He therefore reconciliated these two groups of people who were normally without hope of reconciliation. Therefore, the enemity was changed into perfect peace. Moreover, on an individual level Jesus's death annuls the commandements's stipulations. The Jews wanted to justify themselves through the law and the Pagans through their personal capacities and intelligence, but the wall between them and God remained intact. However, Jesus destroyed this wall by his death on the cross so as to give profound peace to every single one of them.
2. The two groups form one single dwelling place  (16-22)
Paul explained that through Jesus's death they were able to come together. Jesus is the good news of salvation for them both. From now on they can come before God as they are sanctified by Jesus's blood and thus members of God's family. Jesus crucified for our sins is the cornerstone and the saints and the apostles the means of spreading the Word of God. God made one people out of the Jews and the Pagans by giving them the same teaching through the apostles. Therefore, similarly to the stones that form a building when they are well put into place, these two groups come together perfectly to God's house which is the Church. Individually every one is a living stone in spite of their differences of personality, background, lifestyles and philosophy they form one solid building made by God : the Church.

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