I N D E X
`Far off and near' refer in both cases to the one people, Israel.  So
Daniel prayed for all Israel `that are near, and that are far off, through all
the countries whither Thou has driven them'.  Likewise Peter intended his words
to be understood on the day of Pentecost, when he said:
`The promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar
off' (Acts 2:39).
Up to this point the words `far off' applied solely to the dispersed of Israel,
and to these both James and Peter addressed their epistles.
`James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve
tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting' (Jas. 1:1).
When the Jews wanted to use an expression that indicated remoteness from
their own centre of activity, they thought of the Gentile world lying about
them; so when the Saviour told them that He was going away, and that where He
would be they could not come, they replied:
`Will He go unto the dispersed among the Gentiles, and teach the
Gentiles?' (John 7:35).
Even Galilee, which was a part of the holy land, was called `Galilee of
the Gentiles', and the people there are said to have `sat in darkness' (Matt.
4:15,16).
Now, when Ephesians was being written, the people of Israel had become Lo-
ammi `not My people', and during their blindness a new revelation had been made
known, calling the far off Gentiles into an unprecedented state of nearness.  In
the sequel, after the nature of this nearness is explained, the apostle invests
the words of Isaiah 57:19 with a fuller meaning: `Peace, peace to him that is
far off, and to him that is near' (see Eph. 2:17).  This passage however cannot
be understood or correctly interpreted unless it be read in relation to the
whole context.  It is time therefore that we considered the structure of the
passage in order to comprehend its scope.
Ephesians 2:14-18
A
He is our
Peace.
A
Reconciled to God.
B  The
Both one.
B  The Both one body.
B  The
Twain one.
B  The Both one spirit.
A
So making
Peace.
A
Access to the Father.
What we have omitted in this synopsis are the references to enmity and the
middle wall, which enmity was destroyed at the cross.  Before these features are
examined, the glorious basis and sphere of this great change must be considered:
`But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by
the blood of Christ' (Eph. 2:13).
The state of the Gentiles by nature was `without Christ', their state by
grace is expressed by the opposite `in Christ Jesus'.  Expositors do not agree
as to the interpretation of the words translated `by the blood of Christ' --
Alford says:
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