Ephesians 2:15
by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace,
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Christ didn't just nullify the ceremonial laws; he abolished the enmity that these laws created, not by making them invalid, but by fulfilling them in his own flesh and death. This action was the essential step to creating one new unified humanity in himself, effectively dissolving the old divisions that kept people apart.
Paul is explaining how Christ has bridged the divide between Jews and Gentiles, who were separated by the Mosaic Law and its regulations. He emphasizes that Jesus, through His death, eliminated this division and the enmity it caused, creating a unified new community. This unification in Christ, he'll go on to say, is the foundation for reconciliation with God.
How can the 'law of commandments' be abolished, and what does that mean for peace?
The Apostle Paul explains that Christ, through His death ('in his flesh'), abolished the 'law of commandments expressed in ordinances.' This wasn't the moral law that guides us, but the ceremonial laws and specific decrees that separated people. These laws created an 'enmity' or hostility, particularly between Jews and Gentiles.
Think of it like this: The ceremonial laws were the outward markers that said, 'We are in, and you are out.' They were signs of a deeper separation. By fulfilling and thereby 'abolishing' these, Christ removed the very basis for that division. This act didn't make God's moral standards irrelevant, but rather removed the barrier that prevented people from being reconciled to God and to each other.
What does it mean for Christ to 'create one new man' and how does that unite us?
The ultimate purpose of abolishing the dividing laws was to create something entirely new: 'one new man.' This isn't about erasing differences but about forging a new identity in Christ that transcends former divisions. Jews and Gentiles, who were once separated and even hostile, are now united in Him.
This 'new man' is like a new creation (mentioned in Ephesians 2:10), with Christ as its head and source of life. It's a spiritual reality where ethnicity, background, and social status become secondary to belonging to Christ. This unity is not merely a truce but a deep, organic oneness, much like the concept of the 'one body' of Christ described elsewhere.
Understand the original words
nomos tōn entolōn en dogmasin · Greek Noun phrase
The body of Mosaic laws, including ceremonial requirements, which functioned as a barrier between Jews and Gentiles but was fulfilled and rendered obsolete by Christ’s completed work.
kainos anthrōpos · Greek Noun phrase
The transformation of the individual believer into a new creation through the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit, forming a unified community that transcends previous divisions.
The 'law of commandments expressed in ordinances' wasn't just a set of rules, but the very system that created a deep chasm between Jews and Gentiles. Christ's death didn't just make peace between people; it fundamentally changed humanity's relationship with God's law, making a new, unified people possible.
c. 1440 BC
Mosaic Covenant Established
God establishes the Mosaic Covenant with Israel at Mount Sinai, giving them the Law, including detailed ceremonial and civil ordinances. This law becomes a defining mark of Jewish identity and a barrier separating them from Gentile nations.
c. 1000 BC - 1 BC
Temple and Priesthood Function
The Jerusalem Temple operates as the center of Israel's worship. Its sacrificial system and the distinct role of the Levitical priesthood reinforce the separation between Jews and Gentiles.
c. 450 BC - 400 BC
Post-Exilic Jewish Identity Solidified
After the Babylonian exile, a strong emphasis on maintaining Jewish distinctiveness grows. This period sees a heightened consciousness of the 'middle wall of partition' separating Jews from the surrounding Gentile world.
c. 1st Century BC - 1st Century AD
Jewish-Gentile Tensions High
Relations between Jews and Gentiles are often marked by mutual suspicion, contempt, and legal barriers, especially within Roman territories where both communities coexist.
This passage echoes the idea of unity in Christ by stating there is no longer Jew or Greek, slave or free, male or female, but all are one in Christ Jesus, directly supporting the creation of 'one new man'.
Colossians 1:21-22These verses speak of Christ's reconciling work by which He made believers, formerly alienated and hostile in mind, to be reconciled in His body of flesh by His death, underscoring the abolition of enmity and the making of peace mentioned in Ephesians.
Romans 7:4This verse explains how believers have become dead to the law through the body of Christ, paralleling Ephesians 2:15's concept of the law's abolition and its role in ending hostility.
Isaiah 57:19This prophetic passage speaks of God creating peace for those far and near, directly aligning with the theme of Christ bringing peace to both Jews ('near') and Gentiles ('far off') as described in Ephesians.
2 Corinthians 5:17This verse declares that if anyone is in Christ, they are a new creation, which beautifully complements the idea of Christ creating 'one new man' out of former divisions.
cambridgeEphesians 2:15: "Having 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;"
15 . having abolished , &c.] Lit., The enmity, in His flesh, the law of the commandments in decrees, annulling . In this difficult verse our best guide is the Ep. to the Romans, esp. Romans 7:1-6 , Romans 8:2-3 , passages very possibly in mind when this was written. See also the closely parallel passage, Colossians 1:21-2…
vincentEphesians 2:15: "Having 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;"
Having abolished in His flesh the enmity (τὴν ἔχθραν ἐν τῇ σαρκὶ αὐτοῦ καταργήσας)The enmity immediately follows the middle wall of partition, and should be rendered in apposition with and as defining it, and as dependent on brake down, not on abolished: the middle wall which was the enmity. It is used abstractl…
Christ didn't just nullify the ceremonial laws; he abolished the enmity that these laws created, not by making them invalid, but by fulfilling them in his own flesh and death. This action was the essential step to creating one new unified humanity in himself, effectively dissolving the old divisions that kept people apart.
Paul is explaining how Christ has bridged the divide between Jews and Gentiles, who were separated by the Mosaic Law and its regulations. He emphasizes that Jesus, through His death, eliminated this division and the enmity it caused, creating a unified new community. This unification in Christ, he'll go on to say, is the foundation for reconciliation with God.
Paul is explaining how Christ has bridged the divide between Jews and Gentiles, who were separated by the Mosaic Law and its regulations. He emphasizes that Jesus, through His death, eliminated this division and the enmity it caused, creating a unified new community. This unification in Christ, he'll go on to say, is the foundation for reconciliation with God.
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c. AD 30-33— this verse
Crucifixion of Jesus
Jesus Christ is crucified. His sacrificial death is understood as fulfilling the ceremonial law and abolishing the division between Jews and Gentiles, thereby creating 'one new man'.
c. AD 40s - 60s
Apostolic Ministry and Letters
Apostles like Paul preach the gospel of reconciliation to both Jews and Gentiles, emphasizing their unity in Christ. Paul's letters, including Ephesians, articulate this new reality.
"by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace," — Christ didn't just nullify the ceremonial laws; he abolished the enmity that these laws created, not by making them invalid, but by fulfilling them in his own flesh and death. This action was the e…
