Friday 19 October 2012
- Bible Book:
- Ephesians
"For he is our peace; in his flesh he has made both groups into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us. He has abolished the law with its commandments and ordinances, so that he might create in himself one new humanity in place of the two, thus make peace." (vv. 14-15)
Background
For this writer, and in the Jewish mindset, the world is dividedinto Jews and Gentiles (non Jews); those marked by circumcision andthose not; those born into the tradition and those not; those boundby the covenant and those not. According to the Hebrew Scriptures(Old Testament), separation from the surrounding cultures,particularly in exile, was an important way in which the people ofIsrael remembered that they belonged to God: they did notintermarry; they did not share meals or crockery with others; theydid not worship local gods. Their laws and ordinances governed allof this.
Radically though, this Jewish writer is trying to reach out toGentiles. His warrant for doing this is the cross of Christ (verse13). The cross is a real leveller: both Jews and Gentiles are inneed of Christ's sacrifice (blood verse 13) in order that theymight be reconciled to each other. Christ belongs both to those whowere already near (the Jews) and to those further away (theGentiles) (verse 17). In the light of this new dawn the old lawsand ordinances become irrelevant (verse 15). Now Jews and Gentilesmay marry and eat and worship together in Christ.
It is difficult to read verses like these in the post-Holocaustworld. Words which were intended to bring different ethnic groupstogether within a divided church have been used to sanction or evenincite genocide in the name of Christ. Arguments have been madethat verse 15 and others like it imply that God has abandoned God'sown covenant with the continuing Jewish community. Other verseshave been used to brand the Jews 'Christ-killers' and justifyChristian anti-Semitism. As we read verse 15, though, it isimportant to read also verse 19 in which the writer implies thatthe Gentiles are being grafted into a living tradition with itsroots in the prophets. It is important for us always to rememberalso that the Christ spoken of here is same Jesus who broke allkinds of taboos in order to share with others the rich relationshipwith God he had learned within faithful Judaism.
To Ponder
- What governs your attitudes towards the continuing Jewishcommunity?
- How can Christians be faithful witnesses to Christ, and (yet)be people who break down walls of hostility rather than buildingthem up?
- In what contexts might you be called to be an agent ofreconciliation?