For He Himself is our peace, who made both one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall, by abolishing in His flesh the hostility, the Law of commandments in ordinances, so that in Himself He might make the two one new person, establishing peace; and that He might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the hostility. NASB as footnoted and italics removed.
Here is the study:
For He Himself refers to Jesus the Anointed One.
Is our peace refers both to our enmity between our fallen self and God, and to the enmity within ourselves, wanting to be righteous, but continuing to sin, described by Paul in Romans 7 before salvation.
He made both one refers to our rebirth, with our "made sinner" human spirit replaced with our holy and blameless human spirit. So we are at peace within our spiritual self, but still dealing with the sinful lusts of the flesh. It also seems likely this "both into one" might refer to our spiritual self being united with Christ's spiritual body.
Broke down the barrier of the dividing wall refers to us being unholy and therefore walled off from our Holy God. This barrier was removed by Christ's washing of regeneration, also called the circumcision of Christ.
By abolishing in His flesh refers to the sacrifice of His physical life.
The hostility refers to the consequences of our violations of His expressed will contained in the Law.
So that "in Himself" He might make refers to making our two selves (for godliness and against godliness) into one born anew creation. This spiritual rebirth occurs when God transfers our fallen human spirit into Christ's spiritual body.
Establishing peace again seems to refer both to our inner peace as a born anew creation and our peace with God due to the washing of regeneration provided by Christ's sacrifice.
So that He might reconcile them both in one body, referring I believe to God and the born anew person being reconciled within Christ's spiritual body.
Having put to death the hostility refers again to His sacrifice providing the payment needed to replace our fallen human spirit with the new creation.
Here is the study:
For He Himself refers to Jesus the Anointed One.
Is our peace refers both to our enmity between our fallen self and God, and to the enmity within ourselves, wanting to be righteous, but continuing to sin, described by Paul in Romans 7 before salvation.
He made both one refers to our rebirth, with our "made sinner" human spirit replaced with our holy and blameless human spirit. So we are at peace within our spiritual self, but still dealing with the sinful lusts of the flesh. It also seems likely this "both into one" might refer to our spiritual self being united with Christ's spiritual body.
Broke down the barrier of the dividing wall refers to us being unholy and therefore walled off from our Holy God. This barrier was removed by Christ's washing of regeneration, also called the circumcision of Christ.
By abolishing in His flesh refers to the sacrifice of His physical life.
The hostility refers to the consequences of our violations of His expressed will contained in the Law.
So that "in Himself" He might make refers to making our two selves (for godliness and against godliness) into one born anew creation. This spiritual rebirth occurs when God transfers our fallen human spirit into Christ's spiritual body.
Establishing peace again seems to refer both to our inner peace as a born anew creation and our peace with God due to the washing of regeneration provided by Christ's sacrifice.
So that He might reconcile them both in one body, referring I believe to God and the born anew person being reconciled within Christ's spiritual body.
Having put to death the hostility refers again to His sacrifice providing the payment needed to replace our fallen human spirit with the new creation.