seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
Ephesians 2:11 Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (which is done in the body by human hands)— 12 remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 15 by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, 16 and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. 17 He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.
19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. 21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.
Of course, there is commentary on these verses. If you ask me... It's not much clearer this morning.Way back... Genesis 21:8-21 times.... Abraham had two sons. One was a bastard, Hagar's baby, Ishmael, and the other was Sarah's baby, Isaac. Sarah was married to Abraham, but no matter how hard they tried, Sarah just could not get pregnant. Having children was a big deal back then. Without children, there was no workforce. There were no John Deere tractors back then, humans did all the work. Babies were necessary. So, Sarah told Abraham to sleep with Hagar.
Wouldn't you know it.... as soon as Hagar's baby started to flourish.... Sarah got pregnant. Isn't that the way.... I don't know how many women have agreed to adopt a baby.... and then got pregnant.... But that's what happened to Sarah. So, she had Hagar take her surrogate baby and leave. That's the beginning of the Jews and Gentiles... [Or that's what I was taught anyway.]
Anyway, according to these verses, when Jesus came along, He didn't just come for the half of the family that came from Isaac; He came for Ishamel's offspring too. Isn't it a shame that neither part of the family really recognized Him until it was too late? Both the Jews and the Gentiles had a hand in putting Jesus on the Cross.
Do you know anyone who experienced a bastard returning to "meet the family"? I wonder... What would happen if there was a meeting of the children of Cain and Abel? Now that would be some family reunion!
Anyway, the Jews weren't born with a straight path to Heaven. They lived by ritual. They did things like cutting the thingy and eating only certain foods. Jesus came to show them how to get to Heaven.
The Gentiles were never given a shot at Heaven before Jesus came to earth. They were the Ishmael's and the Abel's of the family. They didn't get their thingy's cut and they ate their stakes blood rare. They didn't need paradise... It was never promised to them. Like the Palestinians of today, they were living on the doorstep, but no one cared if they made it or not... until Jesus came along.
Paul says, Jesus came a long and changed the whole family dynamic. Estranged brothers can shake hands and work together. One day... they will. Paul says that's why Jesus came along.
Jesus came to bring the family of God together.
Jesus offered "reconciliation".
