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Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Ephesians 2:14–22.
We have now come to the last part of the chapter, which contains an account of the great and mighty privileges that converted Jews and Gentiles both receive from Christ. The apostle here shows that those who were in a state of enmity are reconciled. Between the Jews and the Gentiles there had been a great enmity; so there is between God and every unregenerate man. Now Jesus Christ is our peace, Eph 2:14. He made peace by the sacrifice of himself; and came to reconcile, 1. Jews and Gentiles to each other. He made both one, by reconciling these two divisions of men, who were wont to malign, to hate, and to reproach each other before. He broke down the middle wall of partition, the ceremonial law, that made the great feud, and was the badge of the Jews' peculiarity, called the partition-wall by way of allusion to the partition in the temple, which separated the court of the Gentiles from that into which the Jews only had liberty to enter. Thus he abolished in his flesh the enmity, Eph 2:15. By his sufferings in the flesh, to took away the binding power of the ceremonial law (so removing that cause of enmity and distance between them), which is here called the law of commandments contained in ordinances, because it enjoined a multitude of external rites and ceremonies, and consisted of many institutions and appointments about the outward parts of divine worship. The legal ceremonies were abrogated by Christ, having their accomplishment in him. By taking these out of the way, he formed one church of believers, whether they had been Jews or Gentiles. Thus he made in himself of twain one new man. He framed both these parties into one new society, or body of God's people, uniting them to himself as their common head, they being renewed by the Holy Ghost, and now concurring in a new way of gospel worship, so making peace between these two parties, who were so much at variance before. 2. There is an enmity between God and sinners, whether Jews and Gentiles; and Christ came to slay that enmity, and to reconcile them both to God, Eph 2:16. Sin breeds a quarrel between God and men. Christ came to take up the quarrel, and to bring it to an end, by reconciling both Jew and Gentile, now collected and gathered into one body, to a provoked and an offended God: and this by the cross, or by the sacrifice of himself upon the cross, having slain the enmity thereby. He, being slain or sacrificed, slew the enmity that there was between God and poor sinners. The apostle proceeds to illustrate the great advantages which both parties gain by the mediation of our Lord Jesus Christ, Eph 2:17. Christ, who purchased peace on the cross, came, partly in his own person, as to the Jews, who are here said to have been nigh, and partly in his apostles, whom he commissioned to preach the gospel to the Gentiles, who are said to have been afar off, in the sense that has been given before. And preached peace, or published the terms of reconciliation with God and of eternal life. Note here, When the messengers of Christ deliver his truths, it is in effect the same as if he did it immediately himself. He is said to preach by them, insomuch that he who receiveth them receiveth him, and he who despiseth them (acting by virtue of his commission, and delivering his message) despiseth and rejecteth Christ himself. Now the effect of this peace is the free access which both Jews and Gentiles have unto God (Eph 2:18): For through him, in his name and by virtue of his mediation, we both have access or admission into the presence of God, who has become the common reconciled Father of both: the throne of grace is erected for us to come to, and liberty of approach to that throne is allowed us. Our access is by the Holy Spirit. Christ purchased for us leave to come to God, and the Spirit gives us a heart to come and strength to come, even grace to serve God acceptably. Observe, We draw nigh to God, through Jesus Christ, by the help of the Spirit. The Ephesians, upon their conversion, having such an access to God, as well as the Jews, and by the same Spirit, the apostle tells them, Now therefore you are no more strangers and foreigners, Eph 2:19. This he mentions by way of opposition to what he had observed of them in their heathenism: they were now no longer aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and no longer what the Jews were wont to account all the nations of the earth besides themselves (namely, strangers to God), but fellow-citizens with the saints, and of the household of God, that is, members of the church of Christ, and having a right to all the privileges of it. Observe here, The church is compared to a city, and every converted sinner is free of it. It is also compared to a house, and every converted sinner is one of the domestics, one of the family, a servant and a child in God's house. In Eph 2:20 the church is compared to a building. The apostles and prophets are the foundation of that building. They may be so called in a secondary sense, Christ himself being the primary foundation; but we are rather to understand it of the doctrine delivered by the prophets of the Old Testament and the apostles of the New. It follows, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner-stone. In him both Jews and Gentiles meet, and constitute one church; and Christ supports the building by his strength: In whom all the building, fitly framed together, etc., Eph 2:21. All believers, of whom it consists, being united to Christ by faith, and among themselves by Christian charity, grow unto a holy temple, become a sacred society, in which there is much communion between God and his people, as in the temple, they worshipping and serving him, he manifesting himself unto them, they offering up spiritual sacrifices to God and he dispensing his blessings and favours to them. Thus the building, for the nature of it, is a temple, a holy temple; for the church is the place which God hath chosen to put his name there, and it becomes such a temple by grace and strength derived from himself - in the Lord. The universal church being built upon Christ as the foundation-stone, and united in Christ as the corner-stone, comes at length to be glorified in him as the top-stone: In whom you also are built together, etc., Eph 2:22. Observe, Not only the universal church is called the temple of God, but particular churches; and even every true believer is a living temple, is a habitation of God through the Spirit. God dwells in all believers now, they having become the temple of God through the operations of the blessed Spirit, and his dwelling with them now is an earnest of their dwelling together with him to eternity.
Historical interpretation
Three Centuries of Reception
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Now, by means of communion with Himself, the Lord has reconciled man to God the Father, in reconciling us to Himself by the body of His own flesh, and redeeming us by His own blood, as the apostle says to the Ephesians, "In whom we have redemption through His blood, the remission of sins;" and again to the same he says, "Ye who formerly were far off have been brought near in the blood of Christ;" and again, "Abolishing in His flesh the enmities, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances." And in every Epistle the apostle plainly testifies, that through the flesh of our Lord, and through His blood, we have been saved.
What is near, and what was far off now that "the middle wall has been broken down" of their "enmity," (are made one) "in His flesh." But Marcion erased the pronoun His, that he might make the enmity refer to flesh, as if (the apostle spoke) of a carnal enmity, instead of the enmity which was a rival to Christ.
"For to create in Himself of twain," for He who had made is also the same who creates (just as we have found it stated above: "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus"), "one new man, making peace" (really new, and really man-no phantom-but new, and newly born of a virgin by the Spirit of God), "that He might reconcile both unto God" (even the God whom both races had offended-both Jew and Gentile), "in one body," says he, "having in it slain the enmity by the cross.
He was born in a singular way from a virgin by the Spirit of God. He was born to reconcile both Gentile and Jew to God, both of whom had offended God. He reconciled them into one body through the cross. The enmity was in this way slain. This reconciliation took place in his flesh through his body as he suffered on the cross.
Their souls have thus been reconciled to the eternal and the spiritual, to all things above. The Savior, through the Spirit, indeed the Holy Spirit, descended into souls. He thereby joined what had been separated, spiritual things and souls, so as to make the souls themselves spiritual. He has established them in himself, as he says, “in a new person.” What is this new person? The spiritual person, as distinguished from the old person, who was soul struggling against flesh.
The law that he abolished was that which had been given to the Jews concerning circumcision and new moons and food and sacrifices and the sabbath. He ordered it to cease because it was a burden. In this way he made peace.
What is meant by "Having abolished by ordinances?" For he makes a wide distinction between "commandments" and "ordinances." He either then means "faith," calling that an "ordinance," (for by faith alone He saved us,) or he means "precept," such as Christ gave, when He said, "But I say unto you, that ye are not to be angry at all." That is to say, "If thou shalt believe that God raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." And again, "The word is nigh thee, in thy mouth, and in thine heart. Say not, Who shall ascend into heaven, or who shall descend into the abyss?" or, who hath "brought Him again from the dead?" Instead of a certain manner of life, He brought in faith. For that He might not save us to no purpose, He both Himself underwent the penalty, and also required of men the faith that is by doctrines.
"That he might create in Himself of the twain, one new man." Observe thou, that it is not that the Gentile is become a Jew, but that both the one and the other are entered into another condition. It was not with a view of merely making this last other than he was, but rather, in order to create the two anew. And well does he on all occasions employ the word "create," and does not say "change," in order to point out the power of what was done, and that even though the creation be invisible, yet it is no less a creation than that is, and that we ought not henceforward start away from this, as from natural things.
"That He might in Himself of the twain." That is, by Himself. He gave not this charge to another, but Himself, by Himself, melted both the one and the other, and produced a glorious one, and one greater than the first creation; and that one, first, was Himself. For this is the meaning of "in Himself." He Himself first gave the type and example. Laying hold on the one hand of the Jew, and on the other of the Gentile, and Himself being in the midst, He blended them together, made all the estrangement which existed between them to disappear, and fashioned them anew from above by fire and by water; no longer with water and earth, but with water and fire. He became a Jew by circumcision, He became accursed, He became a Gentile without the law, and was over both Gentiles and Jews.
"One new man," saith he, "so making peace." Peace for them both towards God, and towards each other. For so long as they continued still Jews and Gentiles, they could not have been reconciled. And had they not been delivered each from his own peculiar condition, they would not have arrived at another and a higher one. For the Jew is then united to the Gentile when he becomes a believer. It is like persons being in a house, with two chambers below, and one large and grand one above: they would not be able to see each other, till they had got above.
"Making peace," more especially towards God; for this the context shows.
"And brake down," he proceeds, "the middle wall of partition." What the middle wall of partition is, he interprets by saying, "the enmity having abolished in His flesh, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances." Some indeed affirm that he means the wall of the Jews against the Greeks, because it did not allow the Jews to hold intercourse with the Greeks. To me, however, this does not seem to be the meaning, but rather that he calls "the enmity in the flesh," a middle wall, in that it is a common barrier, cutting us off alike from God. As the Prophet says, "Your iniquities separate between you and Me;" for that enmity which He had both against Jews and Gentiles was, as it were, a middle wall. And this, whilst the law existed, was not only not abolished, but rather was strengthened; "for the law," saith the Apostle, "worketh wrath." Just in the same way then as when he says in that passage, "the law worketh wrath," he does not ascribe the whole of this effect to the law itself, but it is to be understood, that it is because we have transgressed it; so also in this place he calls it a middle wall, because through being disobeyed it wrought enmity. The law was a hedge, but this it was made for the sake of security, and for this reason was called "a hedge," to the intent that it might form an inclosure. For listen again to the Prophet, where he says, "I made a trench about it." And again, "Thou hast broken down her fences, so that all they which pass by the way do pluck her." Here therefore it means security and so again, "I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be trodden down." And again, "He gave them the law for a defence." And again, "The Lord executeth righteous acts and made known His ways unto Israel." It became, however, a middle wall, no longer establishing them in security, but cutting them off from God. Such then is the middle wall of partition formed out of the hedge. And to explain what this is, he subjoins, "the enmity in His flesh having abolished, the law of commandments."
How so? In that He was slain and dissolved the enmity therein. And not in this way only but also by keeping it. But what then, if we are released from the former transgression, and yet are again compelled to keep it? Then were the case the same over again, whereas He hath destroyed the very law itself. For he says, "Having abolished the law of commandments contained in ordinances." Oh! amazing loving-kindness! He gave us a law that we should keep it, and when we kept it not, and ought to have been punished, He even abrogated the law itself. As if a man, who, having committed a child to a schoolmaster, if he should turn out disobedient, should set him at liberty even from the schoolmaster, and take him away. How great loving-kindness were this!
He has reconciled both, that is, those from Gentile and from Jewish backgrounds, in the one body that was offered on behalf of all, so that they may at last be made one body. And he has called all believers a single man because Christ our Lord is the one head, and those who have been favored with salvation fill the role of members.
Christ dispelled the enmity between us and God. He gave his own flesh as a ransom for us. Once this was done, he put an end to the things that separated you and them. For this is what he means by “the law of ordinances.” He has not annulled the Decalogue.… For Christ the Lord himself held these up to the one who wanted to know the way to eternal life. But by doctrines he meant the gospel teaching, since the realizing of full maturity lies in the responsive choices of the will.… Yet these gospel teachings are not laid down as laws. They are a matter of free choice. What he does lay down as law is what he inscribed on nature when he created it in the beginning.
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Summary
Ephesians 2:15 profoundly articulates how Jesus Christ, through His sacrificial death on the cross, decisively ended the hostility that separated humanity from God and, specifically, divided Jews and Gentiles. By nullifying the Mosaic Law's divisive power, Christ forged a new spiritual reality, uniting these two distinct groups into a single, unified "new man," thereby establishing comprehensive peace.
Context
Literary Context
This verse is a crucial component within a larger theological exposition spanning Ephesians 2:11-22. Paul addresses Gentile believers, reminding them of their former state of alienation from God's covenants and Israel. Ephesians 2:14 introduces the concept of Christ being "our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition." Verse 15 then elaborates on how Christ achieved this, detailing the mechanism of peace-making through the abolition of the Law's divisive function. The subsequent verses (Ephesians 2:16-18) further explain that Christ's death reconciled both groups to God in one body, granting access to the Father by one Spirit. This passage culminates in the powerful imagery of believers, both Jew and Gentile, being built together into a holy temple in the Lord (Ephesians 2:19-22).
Historical & Cultural Context
The first-century world was sharply divided between Jews and Gentiles. Jewish identity was deeply intertwined with the Mosaic Law, including its dietary restrictions, circumcision, and ceremonial practices, which served as distinct markers separating them from the "unclean" Gentile nations. The Jerusalem Temple itself had a physical "middle wall of partition" (the Soreg) that Gentiles were forbidden to pass on pain of death, symbolizing this profound religious and social separation. This historical and cultural backdrop underscores the radical nature of Paul's message: Christ's work transcended and dismantled these deeply entrenched religious and ethnic barriers, offering a new basis for identity and community that was neither exclusively Jewish nor Gentile, but "in Christ."
Key Themes
Ephesians 2:15 contributes significantly to several overarching themes in the book of Ephesians. Foremost is the theme of Reconciliation and Unity, demonstrating how Christ's work brings together disparate parties—God and humanity, and Jew and Gentile—into a single, harmonious body. It also highlights the Supremacy of Christ, portraying Him as the sole agent capable of achieving such profound transformation and peace. Furthermore, the verse introduces the theme of New Creation, emphasizing that believers are not merely reformed but made into a "new man" in Christ, signifying a radical shift in identity and relationship. This new reality in Christ also underscores the Abolition of the Old Covenant's Divisive Aspects, particularly the ceremonial Law, which no longer functions as a barrier but is fulfilled in Christ, paving the way for a universal people of God. The concept of peace, as both a state of being and a divine accomplishment, is also central, echoing the broader message of Christ as "our peace" found in Ephesians 2:14.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This word, from G2673, means "to be (render) entirely idle (useless), literally or figuratively." It conveys the idea of rendering something inoperative, nullifying its power, or putting an end to it. In the context of Ephesians 2:15, it signifies that Christ did not merely modify or lessen the enmity and the Law's divisive effect, but completely stripped them of their power to separate and condemn, making them of no effect as a barrier.
This term refers to "hostility; by implication, a reason for opposition." It describes a state of active hatred or deep-seated animosity. Paul uses this powerful word to describe the profound alienation between God and humanity due to sin, and specifically, the intense mutual antagonism that existed between Jews and Gentiles, rooted in their differing covenants and cultural practices. Christ's work directly targeted and eradicated this hostility.
G2537 describes something "new (especially in freshness; while νέος is properly so with respect to age)." This signifies a qualitative newness, something unprecedented and superior, not merely a renovation of the old. The "one new man" is not a hybrid of Jew and Gentile, but an entirely new spiritual entity, distinct from both, created by Christ.
Verse Breakdown
"Having abolished in his flesh the enmity"
This clause establishes the means and object of Christ's work. The "flesh" refers to Christ's physical body, indicating that His atoning death on the cross was the decisive act. Through His crucifixion, He nullified the "enmity"—the deep-seated hostility that separated humanity from God due to sin, and the specific animosity between Jews and Gentiles. His physical sacrifice was the ultimate act of peace-making.
"[even] the law of commandments [contained] in ordinances"
Paul clarifies the primary source of the Jew-Gentile "enmity" that Christ abolished. It was the Mosaic Law, with its specific "commandments" (G1785, authoritative prescriptions) and "ordinances" (G1378, decrees, ceremonial regulations). These aspects of the Law, while divinely given, inadvertently created a barrier, highlighting the distinctiveness of Israel and the "unclean" status of Gentiles, thus fostering division. Christ's death fulfilled the Law, rendering its divisive power inoperative.
"for to make in himself of twain one new man"
This phrase reveals the profound purpose and outcome of Christ's abolition of the enmity and the Law. "Twain" (G1417, two) refers to the two previously separate groups: Jews and Gentiles. The goal was not merely reconciliation or coexistence, but a radical unification "in himself" (G1438, in Christ's person and work). They are forged into "one new man" (G1520, one; G2537, new; G444, human being)—a singular, unprecedented spiritual entity, the Church, where former distinctions are transcended.
"[so] making peace"
This concluding phrase summarizes the glorious result of Christ's entire work described in the verse. The creation of "one new man" out of "twain" inherently results in "peace" (G1515, harmony, prosperity). This peace is multifaceted: reconciliation with God, and reconciliation between previously estranged human groups, specifically Jew and Gentile, now united in Christ.
Literary Devices
Ephesians 2:15 employs several powerful literary devices to convey its profound theological truth. Antithesis is central, contrasting the former state of "enmity" and "twain" (two distinct, hostile groups) with the new reality of "peace" and "one new man" (a unified, harmonious entity). This stark contrast highlights the radical transformation wrought by Christ. Metonymy is present in "in his flesh," where "flesh" (Christ's physical body) stands for His sacrificial death on the cross, the means by which the abolition occurred. The phrase "one new man" functions as a potent Symbolism for the Church, representing a unified body of believers transcending ethnic and social divisions, embodying a new humanity created by Christ. This imagery emphasizes not just reconciliation but a complete spiritual re-creation.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Ephesians 2:15 is a cornerstone passage for understanding the nature of the Church and the scope of Christ's redemptive work. It teaches that the cross of Christ not only dealt with humanity's sin against God but also dismantled the social and religious barriers that divided humanity. The abolition of the "law of commandments contained in ordinances" does not mean the moral law is nullified, but rather that its ceremonial and legalistic aspects, which served as a "dividing wall" between Jew and Gentile, have been fulfilled and transcended in Christ. This inaugurates a new covenant reality where access to God is no longer mediated by ethnic lineage or adherence to specific ritualistic laws, but solely by faith in Christ. The "one new man" represents a radical new humanity, a unified body of believers (the Church) where all are equally reconciled to God and to one another, reflecting God's ultimate purpose to gather all things in Christ.
Reflection and Application
Ephesians 2:15 calls believers to a profound understanding of their identity and purpose in Christ. It challenges us to recognize that any human-made distinctions, prejudices, or barriers that foster division within the body of Christ fundamentally contradict the unifying work of the cross. Our unity is not based on shared culture, ethnicity, social status, or even denominational affiliation, but solely on our common identity as "one new man" in Christ. This truth compels us to actively pursue reconciliation, understanding, and genuine fellowship with all who name Jesus as Lord, regardless of their background. It means intentionally dismantling any "walls" we might consciously or unconsciously erect, fostering environments of radical welcome and mutual respect. Living out this truth demonstrates the transformative power of the Gospel to a fragmented world, showcasing the peace that only Christ can bring.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What does "abolished in his flesh the enmity" mean?
This phrase means that Jesus Christ, through His physical death on the cross, completely nullified or rendered inoperative the deep-seated hostility (enmity) that existed. This hostility was twofold: the alienation between humanity and God caused by sin, and the specific, profound animosity between Jews and Gentiles. Christ's body, broken in sacrifice, became the means by which this division and opposition were decisively overcome, making peace possible. The concept is further elaborated in Colossians 2:14.
How did Christ abolish "the law of commandments contained in ordinances"?
Christ abolished the "law of commandments contained in ordinances" not by destroying the moral principles of the Law, but by fulfilling its requirements and transcending its ceremonial and legalistic aspects that served as a dividing wall between Jews and Gentiles. The Mosaic Law, with its detailed rules and rituals, inadvertently created a separation, emphasizing the distinct "chosen" status of Israel and the "unclean" status of Gentiles. Christ's death on the cross served as the ultimate sacrifice, fulfilling the Law's demands and inaugurating a new covenant. This removed the Law's power to condemn and to divide, as explained in Romans 10:4.
What is the "one new man" that Christ makes?
The "one new man" refers to a singular, unified spiritual entity that Christ creates out of the "twain" (two distinct groups: Jews and Gentiles). It is not merely a reconciliation where they coexist, but a radical fusion into a completely new humanity, the Church. This new identity in Christ transcends former ethnic, social, or religious distinctions, signifying that in Christ, all believers are equally members of God's household, with equal access to God. This concept is foundational to understanding the unity of the Church, as further explained in Ephesians 4:4-6.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Ephesians 2:15 stands as a profound declaration of Christ's unique and indispensable role in the reconciliation of all things. The "abolition in his flesh" points directly to the atoning sacrifice of Jesus on the cross, where His physical body became the vehicle for ending both humanity's enmity with God and the deep-seated division between Jew and Gentile. He is the ultimate peacemaker, not merely by teaching peace, but by embodying and achieving it through His death. The "law of commandments contained in ordinances" that once separated was fulfilled and transcended in Him, demonstrating that Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes (Romans 10:4). In His resurrected body, Christ creates "one new man," signifying the Church as a unified body, where all who believe are brought into a new spiritual humanity, no longer defined by old distinctions but by their shared identity in Him. This new creation is a direct result of His redemptive work, making Him the head of this new body (Colossians 1:18) and the source of its peace (Ephesians 2:14). Thus, Christ is not just the subject of this verse, but its active agent, its means, and its ultimate goal—the very embodiment of the peace and unity He brings.