sacrificial aspect, we must not forget such passages as Hebrews 2:14 and Acts

17:26, without which the Kinsman-Redeemer aspect would not be possible.  In

Ephesians 1:7 the blood of Christ is the instrument of deliverance and

forgiveness, which sets the bondman free: in Ephesians 1:14, redemption is of

the purchased possession, the work of the Kinsman-Redeemer retrieving the

inheritance forfeited by death, and in Ephesians 2:13 this Kinsman-Redeemer

makes us one with Himself.  So we shall read presently of this redeemed company

being reconciled to God `in one body', and

when we are weighing this matter over, we shall discover that it is exceedingly

difficult to feel sure as to whether the `one body' refers to the body of His

flesh, as in Colossians 1:22, or to the one Body, namely the newly-formed church

of the Mystery.  Happily, consciousness of the Kinsman-Redeemer enables us to

see that there is no great disparity here, but a most marvellous oneness, `all

of one' in Hebrews 2:11 being made possible by the partaking of flesh and blood

of verse 14.

The Gentiles who were `far off' are said to be `made nigh'.  The epistle

to the Hebrews speaks of `things that are made' (Heb. 12:27) as being

vulnerable, the Greek word translated `made' being poieo.  This cannot be taken

universally, for Ephesians 2:10 says `we are His workmanship' (poem poiema); He

`made' peace and He `made' both one (Eph. 2:14,15).  Yet the apostle does not

use poieo when he says `made nigh' and we shall be wise to observe the

difference implied.  The word used in the phrase `made nigh' is the Greek verb

ginomai, a word related to birth, generation, etc., and so in line with the

living union with the Kinsman-Redeemer that seems to be the dominant feature of

this verse of Ephesians.  The nature of this nearness is further indicated by

the terms employed in the verses that follow.  `Made nigh' is followed by peace,

made one, middle wall of partition, enmity, reconcile, access, and these terms

when examined make it very clear that the distance that is here cancelled was

one that lay at the root of Gentile disability.

Just as Ephesians 2:1-10 is related to time past (Eph. 2:2,3), so the

present section is related to time past (Eph. 2:11), the two sections being

related thus:

A

a  1-3.

Time past.  Walk. World and flesh.

b

4.

But  God.

c  5-10.

Made alive together.

Raised together.

Made to sit together.

A

a  11,12.

Time past.  Gentiles

flesh world.

b  13-18.

But  now.

c  19-22.

Citizens together.

Fitly framed together.

Builded together.