Ephesians 2:16 - Printer Friendly

ESV: and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility.

NIV: and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility.

NASB: and that He might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the hostility.

CSB: He did this so that he might reconcile both to God in one body through the cross by which he put the hostility to death.

NLT: Together as one body, Christ reconciled both groups to God by means of his death on the cross, and our hostility toward each other was put to death.

KJV: And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:

NKJV: and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity.

The peace Christ brings to believers includes unity, as members of a single "body" of the church. This unity is interestingly exemplified using a symbol of death: the cross. Though Paul frequently mentions the sacrifice of Jesus in Ephesians, this is the only place the cross is specifically mentioned. He uses it to highlight his next phrase, where he notes that Jesus' crucifixion resulted in the end of the spiritual hostility between Jews and Gentiles. More importantly, it removed the spiritual obstruction between man and God. The connection of "cross" and "kill" is clear. Christ's cross—an instrument of execution—killed these spiritual barriers.

Both Jews and Gentiles were responsible for sending Jesus to the cross. Similarly, both Jews and Gentiles could benefit from the payment Jesus made on the cross. Through Christ, Jew and Gentile had equal access to salvation through faith in Jesus, becoming part of one family of God. Paul would teach in 1 Corinthians 1:18, "For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." The cross does not make sense to unbelievers, but to the saved it represents God's power to change lives.

Ephesians 2:11–22 explains how those who are saved, by grace through faith in Christ, have become part of a single family. Prior to the coming of Jesus, the Jewish people considered Gentiles to be unclean and inferior. Here, Paul explains how the gospel extends hope, promise, and a relationship with God to Jews and Gentiles alike. Most of the Ephesian church would have been Gentiles, and Paul frequently found himself countering anti-Gentile sentiment among various churches.

Paul repeatedly emphasizes that salvation is accomplished on the basis of grace, through faith. Good works, human effort, and our best intentions will never be enough to earn salvation. Every person is marked with sin, both deliberate and accidental, and for this reason we deserve to be separated from God. Only through His mercy and grace can we be saved, leaving no room for bragging. This also means that all who are saved, Jew and Gentile alike, are part of the same spiritual family. There is no cause for hostility between believers; we are all unworthy, and all saved by the same kindness of God.

The first three chapters of Ephesians focus on doctrinal issues; the last three show how those principles should be applied in real life. Chapter 2 makes a pair of related points about our status as saved believers. First, salvation is entirely dependent on the grace of God, not human efforts. Second, this means all Christians are part of the same family, Jew and Gentile alike. This bridges chapter 1's explanation of God's awesome glory to chapter 3's discussion of God bringing His long-awaited plan into action.

Ephesians follows a theme common in Paul's writings: connecting theory with practice. In this book, however, he goes into greater depth before making the transition. As a letter meant to be read by more than just the believers at Ephesus, this is an important look at how Christian belief should translate into Christian action. The first three chapters lay out spiritual ideas, the last three chapters show how these truths should be applied in the life of a mature believer. Paul focuses heavily on love, the unity of the Christian church, and the incredible value of our salvation through Christ.