This hindrance to the formation of the body of a risen and ascended Christ was formally removed by God Himself in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, where He wrought the redemption of His people. We read,
For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition: having abolished in his flesh the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make (create) in himself of twain (of the two), one new man, so making peace; and that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby (Eph. 2:14-1614For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; 15Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; 16And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: (Ephesians 2:14‑16)).
The cross, then, besides being the scene where the Lord wrought redemption, was the removal of the difficulty, or wall of partition which then existed between Jew and Gentile. It was the basis or groundwork for the formation of this body, and to reconcile a people from both Jew and Gentile to God — giving access to both by one Spirit unto the Father (vs. 18), the name by which God has revealed Himself to each member of the body, in His Son Jesus Christ; as heretofore He had revealed Himself under the name of Jehovah to the one elect nation — the Jew (Ex. 6:33And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them. (Exodus 6:3)).
All this, however, does not constitute a body. It only removes the hindrance, and is the ground or basis of the whole work, as of redemption. The next thing, therefore, which is wanted is to have the Head of the body in heaven, raised up from the dead — a glorified man.