*Paul now talks about the previous difference between gentiles and jews. The gentiles being uncircumcised, were excluded from citzenship in Israel and the covenants of the promise, without hope, and without god. Interestingly, the phrase "without god" is translated from the greek atheoi, which makes it seem that Paul is saying they were basically atheists when it came to the god of Israel.
He also says they were separated from Christ. That is even more interesting. Did Christ not preach salvation of/to the gentiles?
*That doesn't matter now, according to the author. The blood of christ on the cross destroyed the invisible barrier between the two peoples by abolishing the law in his flesh, so both Jews and gentiles could be united. Now everyone has access to the father by one spirit. Now they are all members of god's household, with Jesus as the chief cornerstone. Together they are a holy temple, a dwelling in which god lives.
*This is somewhat different than what Paul said in Galatians. In chapters 4 and 5, Paul comes down hard in favor of the gentiles being the children of the promise. He calls them "the children of the free woman" and the Jews "the children of the slave woman." Then he goes on to say "the slave woman's son will never share in the inheritance with the free woman's son." That is in direct contrast to chapter two of Ephesians, which has the Jews and gentiles sharing god as their father in one big happy family.
He also says they were separated from Christ. That is even more interesting. Did Christ not preach salvation of/to the gentiles?
*That doesn't matter now, according to the author. The blood of christ on the cross destroyed the invisible barrier between the two peoples by abolishing the law in his flesh, so both Jews and gentiles could be united. Now everyone has access to the father by one spirit. Now they are all members of god's household, with Jesus as the chief cornerstone. Together they are a holy temple, a dwelling in which god lives.
*This is somewhat different than what Paul said in Galatians. In chapters 4 and 5, Paul comes down hard in favor of the gentiles being the children of the promise. He calls them "the children of the free woman" and the Jews "the children of the slave woman." Then he goes on to say "the slave woman's son will never share in the inheritance with the free woman's son." That is in direct contrast to chapter two of Ephesians, which has the Jews and gentiles sharing god as their father in one big happy family.
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