 |  |
Eph. 2: 11-22.
The past and present. Dispensationally.
A | 11, 12. The past. | a |
Gentiles in the flesh.
b
| Without Christ.
Dispensational
c | Aliens from the polity of Israel.
disadvantages
c | Strangers from the covenants of the promise.
b
| Having no hope.
a |
Godless in the world.
B | 13-22. The present. | d
| But now made nigh.
e | Reconciliation.
Dispensational
d | No longer strangers.
privileges
e | Fitly framed together.
Section B will require further expansion presently, but we will first draw attention to
what is said under section A. There we have the condition of the world outside of the
boundary of Israel, its sphere and its state. The first item against the world at large was
that they were Gentiles. It will be seen at once that although the division of mankind into
Jew and Gentile had its origin in the giving up of the nations, and the leaving of them to
their ignorance, yet to be a Gentile was not individually a personal responsibility such as
being a thief. That (in the language of Scripture) Gentiles and sinners were almost
synonymous terms can be gathered from Gal. 2: 15, and "a Gentile man and a publican"
are words used to signify one outside the pale of blessing (Matt. 18: 17).
Two words follow the reference to the Gentile, en sarki, "in flesh." It will be
corrective to any false ideas at once to note that the words occur again in this verse as
indicating the sphere likewise of Israel's covenant relationship. The words are not used
here morally, but dispensationally. The Gentile distance was "in the flesh," but so also
was the Israelite nearness. Until there were those who could be called the circumcision,
there were of course none who could be called the uncircumcision. Israel's distinctive
privilege was not only "in the flesh," but was also "hand made." This is in entire contrast
of which ("for we are the circumcision," Phil. 3: 3) is "made without hands"
(Col. 2: 11). Gentiles "in the flesh," and the circumcision "in the flesh" meant enmity.
This is entirely removed in the one body, and in a new sphere, the direct antithesis to the
flesh, they "the both" have access "in one SPIRIT" to the Father. Perfect reconciliation
has been accomplished in this particular. It can therefore be said that regarding the
enmity (for reconciliation always implies enmity) that existed between Gentile and Israel,
between circumcision and uncircumcision "in the flesh," it has been entirely cancelled by
the "reconciling of the both in one body to God."
The next revelation of the condition of these Gentiles in the flesh is that they are
"without a Messiah." Israel again claims the distinctive privilege. "Who are
Israelites. . . . of whom as concerning the flesh the Messiah came, Who is over all, God
blessed unto the ages" (Rom. 9: 4, 5). When the apostle to the Gentiles would define his
gospel, he shows us clearly that Israel claims the Messiah "according to the flesh," for in
Rom. 1: 1-4 he tells us that "he was separated unto the gospel of God. . . . concerning
His Son Who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, and marked off Son