In the first part of the Epistle to the Ephesians, chapters 1 and 2:1-10, the church is presented in relation to Christ in glory, according to the counsels of God. This prepares the way for a very different view of the church — its formation and testimony on earth according to the ways of God.
There is a vast difference between the counsels of God for glory and the ways of God on earth. Comprehending this distinction, we shall see that not only has the church a glorious destiny as united to Christ in heaven, according to the eternal purpose of God, but that it also has an existence on earth and a great place in the ways of God here below. It is this aspect of the church that comes before us in Ephesians 2:11-22.
Jews and Gentiles
In order that we may understand this very important aspect of the church, the Apostle reminds us of the distinct position held by Israel in the times before the cross. At that time they enjoyed a place of privilege to which the Gentile was an entire stranger. In the ways of God upon earth, He separated Israel from the Gentiles and gave them a place of special outward privilege. The Gentiles had no such position in the world, and the very ordinances that regulated the life of the Jew sternly kept Jew and Gentile apart.
But Israel entirely failed to answer to their privileges, and as a result they have, for the time being, lost their special place of privilege on the earth. This setting aside of Israel prepares the way for the marvelous change that has taken place in the ways of God on earth. Following upon the rejection of Israel, God has brought to light the church and thus set up an entirely new circle of blessing, wholly outside the Jewish and Gentile circles. This new departure becomes the occasion of the grace of God flowing out in a very special way to the Gentile. The call goes out to the Gentile; not that the Jew is excluded from the new circle of blessing, for the church is composed of believers from among both Jews and Gentiles.
But if the Gentile is to have part in the church, it must be on a righteous ground. Hence the cross is at once brought in (vs. 13). By the blood of Christ sinners of the Gentiles are made nigh to God, being brought from the place of distance in which sin had put them, into a place of nearness — not a mere outward nearness, by means of ordinances and ceremonies, but a vital nearness that is only fully expressed in Christ Himself, risen from the dead and appearing before the face of God for us. Thus it is said, “In Christ Jesus ye ... are made nigh by the blood of Christ.” Our sins put us afar off, but not only does the precious blood wash away our sins; it makes us nigh. The blood of Christ declares the enormity of the sin which demanded such a price, proclaims the holiness of God that could be satisfied with no less a price, and reveals the infinite love that could pay the price.
The Body of Christ
But the church is not simply a number of individuals “made nigh,” for this will be true of every blood-bought saint of every age. There is more needed; Jewish and Gentile believers must be “made both one” (vs. 14). This, too, the cross of Christ has accomplished. The enmity between Jew and Gentile was caused by the ordinances by which the Jew could approach God in an outward way, while the Gentile could not. But in the cross Christ has entirely abolished the law of ordinances as a means of approach to God and made a new way of approach by His blood. Both Jew and Gentile are brought onto an entirely new ground on an immeasurably higher plane.
But even this does not express the full truth of the church. The Apostle further tells us that we are not only “made nigh” and not only “made both one,” but that we are made “one new man” (vs. 15), “one body” (vs. 16), indwelt by “one Spirit,” by whom we have access to the Father (vs. 18). This, indeed, presents the full truth of the church — the body of Christ that, in the ways of God, is being formed on earth.
God is not only saving souls from Jews and Gentiles on the basis of the blood, not only is He gathering such together in unity, but He is forming them into one new man of which Christ is the glorious Head, believers are the members of the body, and the Holy Spirit the uniting power. This is far more than unity; it is union. The church is not simply a company of believers in happy unity, but a company of people who are members of Christ and of one another in intimate union. And the new man is not merely new in point of time, but is of an entirely new order. Before the cross there were two men, Jew and Gentile, hating one another and at enmity with God. Now in the marvelous ways of God “one new man” has come into being — a new man which embraces every saint on earth united by one Spirit to Christ, the risen and exalted Head.
Three Great Truths
Connected with the formation of the church of God on earth are three great truths to which the Apostle refers: reconciliation to God, the preaching of peace to sinners, and access to the Father on the part of saints.
First, both Jew and Gentile are reconciled to God in one body (vs. 16). In the cross He has so wondrously worked that both have been brought nigh to Him, and both have been brought nigh to one another. Nothing could more perfectly express the entire removal of the enmity than the fact of the Jewish and Gentile believers being formed into “one body.”
The second great truth is that the gospel of peace is preached to the Gentiles who were far off and to the Jews who were dispensationally near. Without the cross there could be no preaching, and without the preaching there would be no church. Christ is looked at as the Preacher, though the gospel He preaches is proclaimed instrumentally through others. We read of the disciples that “they went forth and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them” (Mark 16:20).
There is a third truth of great blessedness. By one Spirit we both (Jew and Gentile) have access to the Father. The distance is not only removed on God’s side, but it is also removed on our side. By the work of Christ on the cross God can draw nigh to us, preaching peace, and by the work of the Spirit in us we can draw nigh to the Father. The cross gives us our title to draw nigh; the Spirit enables us to use our title and practically draw nigh to the Father. It is by the Spirit, but more, it is by “one Spirit,” and therefore in the Father’s presence all is of one accord.
A Holy Temple — a Progressive Building
Thus far we have viewed the church as the body of Christ, but in the ways of God on earth the church is viewed in other aspects, two of which are brought before us in the closing verses of the chapter (vss. 19-22). First, the church is viewed as growing unto “an holy temple in the Lord”; second, as “an habitation of God.”
In the first aspect the church is likened to a progressive building growing unto a holy temple in the Lord. The apostles and prophets form the foundation, Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone. Throughout the Christian dispensation believers are being added stone by stone until the last believer is built in and the completed building displayed in glory. This is the building of which the Lord says in Matthew 16, “I will build My church; and the gates of [hades] shall not prevail against it.” Christ is the builder, not man; therefore all is perfect, and none but living stones form part of this holy structure. Peter gives us the spiritual significance of this building when he tells us that the living stones are built up a spiritual house “to offer up spiritual sacrifices to God,” on the one hand, and to “show forth the excellencies” of God, on the other (1 Peter 2:5,9). In Revelation 21, John sees a vision of the completed building descending out of heaven from God and radiant with the glory of God. Then, indeed, from that glorious building unceasing sacrifices of praise will rise up to God, and a perfect testimony to the excellencies of God will flow forth to man.
A House Completed
Then the Apostle, still using the figure of a building, presents another aspect of the church (vs. 22). He views the saints as no longer being built into a growing temple, but as forming a house already complete for “a habitation of God through the Spirit.” All believers on earth at any given moment are looked at as forming the habitation of God. But the Apostle does not merely say, “Ye are a habitation,” but, “Ye are builded together for a habitation.” That is, the habitation is formed of Jewish and Gentile believers “builded together.” The dwelling-place of God is marked by light and love; therefore, when the Apostle comes to the practical part of the epistle, he exhorts us as dear children to “walk in love” and to “walk as children of light” (Eph. 5:2,8). The house of God is thus a place of blessing and testimony, a place where the saints are blessed with the favor and love of God, and, thus blessed, they become a testimony to the world around. In Ephesians the habitation of God is presented according to the mind of God, and therefore only what is real is contemplated. Other Scriptures will show how, unfortunately, in our hand, the habitation has become corrupted until at last we read that judgment must begin at the house of God.
Thus in this chapter we have a threefold presentation of the church. The church is viewed as the body of Christ, composed of Jewish and Gentile believers united to Christ in glory, thus forming one new man for the display of all that Christ is as the risen Man, Head over all things.
Then the church is a growing temple composed of all the saints of the whole Christian period, wherein sacrifices of praise ascend to God and the excellencies of God are displayed to men.
Lastly, the church is viewed as a complete building on earth, composed of all the saints at any given moment, forming the habitation of God for blessing to His people and testimony to the world.
H. Smith, adapted