Ephesians 2:14
For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility
English Standard Version (ESV)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
Christ is our peace, not just the one who brings it. This verse highlights that the "dividing wall" wasn't just a physical barrier in the temple, but the entire system of Mosaic law and its associated hostility that separated people from God and each other. By breaking down this "wall" in His own flesh, Jesus abolished the enmity itself, creating one new humanity in Him.
Paul is explaining how believers, particularly Gentiles who were previously separated from God and His people, now have full access to God through Christ. He's building on the idea that Gentiles were once far from God but are now brought near, emphasizing that this incredible change is entirely Christ's work. This verse, therefore, pivots to describe Christ as the very source of this peace and unity, dismantling the barriers that kept people apart.
Think about the last time you felt truly at peace. Where did that feeling come from? Ephesians 2:14 gives us a profound answer, revealing that peace isn't just something Christ brings, but something He is.
The verse states, "For he himself is our peace." This isn't just a poetic way of saying Jesus makes peace. It means that in His very being, in His person, Christ embodies and is the peace that reconciles us to God and to each other.
More Than a Peacemaker
Imagine a massive wall, built over centuries, separating entire groups of people. Ephesians 2:14 describes Christ tearing down such a wall, not with a wrecking ball, but with His own life.
The verse powerfully states that Christ "has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility." This wall refers primarily to the deep-seated animosity and separation between Jewish and Gentile believers.
The Fence and the Wall
Understand the original words
eirēnē · Greek Noun
The concept of reconciliation, harmony, and wholeness, fundamentally established by God through the work of Christ, restoring the broken relationship between God and humanity and between fellow believers.
echthra · Greek Noun
The state of being fundamentally opposed to God and to one another; it is the spiritual and social consequence of sin that Christ overcomes through his sacrifice.
The 'middle wall of partition' refers directly to the physical barriers in the Jerusalem Temple that separated Gentiles from Jews. However, the verse broadens this to the entire Mosaic Law, which created deep hostility and separation between the two groups. Christ's sacrifice, in Paul's view, dismantled both the literal and figurative walls, creating a new, unified people.
c. 140 BC
Temple Separation Wall Built
A physical wall (the 'middle wall of partition') was erected in Herod's Temple complex, separating the Court of the Gentiles from the inner courts. Inscriptions warned Gentiles against entering further, under penalty of death.
c. AD 30-33— this verse
Jesus' Crucifixion and Resurrection
Jesus' atoning death on the cross and subsequent resurrection signify the abolition of the Law's ceremonial requirements and the enmity it created between Jews and Gentiles.
c. AD 33-36
Conversion of Saul of Tarsus
Saul, a zealous Pharisee who persecuted early Christians, converted to faith in Christ. This event exemplified the dramatic reconciliation Christ brings between former enemies.
c. AD 46-48
Paul's First Missionary Journey
Paul, now an apostle, began his mission to the Gentiles, establishing churches and demonstrating the inclusion of non-Jews into God's people without requiring adherence to Jewish law.
This prophetic promise speaks of peace to those far off and those near, directly echoing the theme of Christ bringing together previously divided groups, as highlighted in Ephesians 2:14.
Galatians 3:28This passage declares that in Christ, distinctions like Jew and Greek are abolished, reinforcing the idea in Ephesians 2:14 that Christ has made 'both one'.
Colossians 3:11Similar to Ephesians 2:14, this verse emphasizes the unity found in Christ where distinctions are erased, stating 'Christ is all and in all', thus confirming Christ as the source of this unifying peace.
John 10:16Jesus speaks of having other sheep not of this fold, whom He will bring in, so that there may be 'one flock, one shepherd.' This aligns with Ephesians 2:14's concept of Christ uniting different groups into one.
Acts 10:34-35Peter's realization that 'God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him' directly supports the idea that Christ breaks down the dividing walls, making people from all backgrounds welcome.
cambridgeEphesians 2:14: "For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;"
14 . he is our peace ] “ He: ”—the glorious living Person gives its essence to the sacrificial Work. “ Our peace: ”—i.e., as the connexion indicates, the “peace” between the Tribes of the New Israel, the Gentile and Jewish believers; such peace that now, within the covenant, “there is neither Jew nor Greek” ( Galatians 3:28 ; Colossians 3:11 ). The special aspect of this…
vincentEphesians 2:14: "For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;"
Our peace (ἡ εἰρήνη ἡμῶν)Christ is similarly described in abstract terms in 1 Corinthians 1:30; wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, redemption. So Colossians 1:27, hope of glory. Christ is thus not merely our peace-maker, but our very peace itself.Both (τὰ ἀμφότερα)Lit., the both. The neuter gender shows that Jews and Gentiles are conceived by the writer merely…
Christ is our peace, not just the one who brings it. This verse highlights that the "dividing wall" wasn't just a physical barrier in the temple, but the entire system of Mosaic law and its associated hostility that separated people from God and each other. By breaking down this "wall" in His own flesh, Jesus abolished the enmity itself, creating one new humanity in Him.
Paul is explaining how believers, particularly Gentiles who were previously separated from God and His people, now have full access to God through Christ. He's building on the idea that Gentiles were once far from God but are now brought near, emphasizing that this incredible change is entirely Christ's work. This verse, therefore, pivots to describe Christ as the very source of this peace and unity, dismantling the barriers that kept people apart.
Paul is explaining how believers, particularly Gentiles who were previously separated from God and His people, now have full access to God through Christ. He's building on the idea that Gentiles were once far from God but are now brought near, emphasizing that this incredible change is entirely Christ's work. This verse, therefore, pivots to describe Christ as the very source of this peace and unity, dismantling the barriers that kept people apart.
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Ask a follow-up
Ask Sola things like:
Live chat about Ephesians 2:14 is available in the Sola app.
c. AD 49
Council of Jerusalem
A pivotal council addressed whether Gentile converts needed to follow Jewish customs. The decision affirmed that salvation came through faith in Christ, not adherence to the Mosaic Law, solidifying unity.
c. AD 57
Paul Writes Ephesians
From his Roman imprisonment, Paul penned Ephesians, explaining how Christ has united Jews and Gentiles into one new humanity, breaking down the hostility that had separated them.
AD 66-70
First Jewish-Roman War
This devastating war, culminating in the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple, symbolically and physically leveled the physical and religious barriers that had once separated Jews and Gentiles.
"For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility" — Christ is our peace, not just the one who brings it. This verse highlights that the "dividing wall" wasn't just a physical barrier in the temple, but the entire system of Mosaic law and its associa…
