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`meat, drink, holy day, new moon or sabbath day' were after all but shadows of things to
come and have been nailed to the cross (Col. 2: 14-17), or as Eph. 2: 15 put its:
"Having abolished in His flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained
in ordinances."
While we read of the veil `that is to say His flesh' which was rent, so making a way
into the presence of God, we must set aside the suggestion that the enmity was `in His
flesh' in Eph. 2: 15. The order of the words ten exthran en te sarki autou `The enmity
in His flesh' if lifted out of the passage, might lead to such a translation, although, as
Alford and others point out, it would certainly require the specifying article ten to be
repeated. Just as `in Himself' is preceded and linked with the verb ktizo `to create in
Himself' so in the same verse the words `in His flesh' are preceded and linked with the
verb lusas `Having abolished in His flesh' and that flesh is but a prelude to the fuller
statement `by the cross' of verse sixteen where this enmity was slain.
Peace and reconciliation are placed over against enmity and explain its nature. It was
not the enmity of the unregenerate heart; it was rather the incipient enmity contained in
the separating decrees, decrees which made `fish of one and fowl of the other' as the
proverb has it, in entire opposition to the extraordinary equality of the members of the
One Body presently to be explained (Eph. 3: 6). The goal before this wondrous creation
was peace. We have already indicated that the R.V. is to be followed here. Ktizo means
to create, as distinct from making, moulding or fashioning. It nearly always carries
with it the idea of something new. In one passage creation is ascribed to man, namely in
I Pet. 2: 13 where the A.V. reads `submit yourselves to every ordinance (ktisis) of man',
and then goes on to speak of kings and governors and magistrates. So, in Eph. 2: 15, we
have created of the twain `one new man' even as the Romans said creare consulum `to
create a consul', the material man remaining the same, but the new office being created.
The four occurrences of ktizo in Ephesians are as follows:
A
| Eph. 2: 10. Created in Christ Jesus unto good works.
B | 2: 15. To create in Himself of the twain one new man.
A | 3: 9. The mystery . . . hid in God Who created all things.
B | 4: 24. The new man . . . created in righteousness.
Where the `new man' of the doctrinal position is echoed by the new man of the
practical. The former is created, the latter is put on.
We must now turn our attention to the words `the twain' and ask the question, why did
the Apostle not use the word `the both' as in the three other instances? The both were
made one, the both were reconciled, the both have access. These three statements give
the positive position of this new company. The change over to the `twain' was in
preparation for the references to Gen. 2: 24 which is quoted in Eph. 5: 31 "They two
(duo) shall be one flesh". The `new man' is the goal towards which the purpose of the
ages moves. It is in process now, as may be seen from Eph. 4: 24. The immediate
concern of the dispensation of the Mystery is the production of the `perfect man'