`spot the intruder' or some such name, and is generally a collection of words containing

one that is outside the category. For example, in such a list of names as Shakespeare,

Tennyson, Shelley, Beethoven, Byron and Browning, it is obvious that `Beethoven' is the

intruder, a musician among poets. Eph. 2: 11-13 contains a list of words and it will be

seen that `guest' would be an intruder among such words and phrases as Gentiles in the

flesh, uncircumcision, made by hands, without Christ, aliens, guests, no hope, without

God in the world, and far off.

Is it conceivable that one who was a `guest' of the covenant of promise could be at the

same time Godless, Christless and hopeless? The church that the Apostle has in mind in

Eph. 2: is a new thing, created so by God, for the passage in the fifteenth verse that reads

"To make in Himself of the twain" should be translated "To create in Himself of the

twain" as the R.V. indicates.

The Church of the Mystery is no mere evolution; it is a new creation, and as with all

other `new creations' of God, `former things' pass away, and with that passing of `former

things' the dispensational place of the Gentiles, whatever it may have been, is swept

aside, the new thing completely taking its place.

We have already placed Rom. 9: 3-5 over against Eph. 2: 11, 12, where the

dispensational advantage of an Israelite `in the flesh' is placed in strong contrast with the

dispensational disability of a Gentile `in the flesh'. Only as he is translated and found `in

the spirit' can Christ profit him or blessing be enjoyed.

We must now devote our attention to the wondrous change that grace has wrought, but

this must await another study together.

The far off Gentiles, under the gracious provision of the dispensation of the Mystery

are `made nigh'. To appreciate the nature of the distance that hitherto marked the

position of the Gentile, we must pay attention to the explanatory matter that follows in

Eph. 2: 14-18.

Before taking up the separate terms `peace', `enmity', `access', etc., it will be

profitable to consider what is implied in the figurative use of the `middle wall of

partition'. Josephus, speaking of the temple as it stood in his day, tells us that it consisted

of an outer square six hundred feet wide, and a second inner area, which he describes as