Middle Wall of Partition - Eph. 2:14

[Dr. Walter]

What was "the middle wall of Partition"? Whom did it separate from each other? Did it make a separation in salvation or in public worship between those regarded as saved or accepted by God?

 

[Grasshopper]

http://www.bible-history.com/isbe/P/PARTITION,+THE+MIDDLE+WALL+OF/

 

[Dr. Walter]

Well Grasshopper, I read the web site article. It correctly identified the middle wall of partition as the divider between the court of the gentiles and the Jewish courts (men, women). However, it did not give its correct soteriological significance.

It did not act as a wall of partition between Gentiles and Jews in regard to salvation. It acted as a wall of partition between proselyte Jews and Jews in regard to worship in the house of God.

Salvation had always been jointly the same way through faith in the coming Christ for remission of sins (Acts 10:43; 26:22-23; Heb. 4:2). What Christ built was a new temple where both Jew and Gentile were on an equal basis when it comes to worship and service in the house of God. Christ erased the ethnic distinction in the new dispensation of the church as the house of God.

http://www.bible-history.com/isbe/P/PARTITION,+THE+MIDDLE+WALL+OF/

 

[Iconoclast]

Here is a section of Acts 13 that speaks to this issue:
Unbelieving Israelites broken off, formerly non covenant gentiles grafted in.

26Men and brethren, children of the stock of Abraham, and whosoever among you feareth God, to you is the word of this salvation sent.

27For they that dwell at Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they knew him not, nor yet the voices of the prophets which are read every sabbath day, they have fulfilled them in condemning him.

28And though they found no cause of death in him, yet desired they Pilate that he should be slain.

29And when they had fulfilled all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree, and laid him in a sepulchre.

30But God raised him from the dead:

31And he was seen many days of them which came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are his witnesses unto the people.

32And we declare unto you glad tidings, how that the promise which was made unto the fathers,

33God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee.

34And as concerning that he raised him up from the dead, now no more to return to corruption, he said on this wise, I will give you the sure mercies of David.

35Wherefore he saith also in another psalm, Thou shalt not suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.

36For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep, and was laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption:

37But he, whom God raised again, saw no corruption.

38Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins:

39And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.

40Beware therefore, lest that come upon you, which is spoken of in the prophets;

41Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish: for I work a work in your days, a work which ye shall in no wise believe, though a man declare it unto you.

42And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next sabbath.

43Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas: who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God.

44And the next sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God.

45But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy, and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming.

46Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.

47For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth.

48And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.

49And the word of the Lord was published throughout all the region.

50But the Jews stirred up the devout and honourable women, and the chief men of the city, and raised persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them out of their coasts.

Here are a few more to consider:Romans 9

24Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?

25As he saith also in Osee, I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved.

26And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God.

27Esaias also crieth concerning Israel, Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved:

28For he will finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness: because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth.

29And as Esaias said before, Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, we had been as Sodoma, and been made like unto Gomorrha.

30What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith.

MT21

41They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons.

42Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?

43Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.

44And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.

45And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them.

46But when they sought to lay hands on him, they feared the multitude, because they took him for a prophet.

Gentiles needed to be bought,and brought into the Covenant of grace in time.It was decreed from eternity past, but made known to the church .

3How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words,

4Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)

5Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;

6That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:

7Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power.

8Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;

9And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:

10To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,

11According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:

 

[kyredneck]

http://www.bible-history.com/isbe/P/PARTITION,+THE+MIDDLE+WALL+OF/

Hey Grasshopper, thanks for the article AND that link!

 

[Dr. Walter]

Here is a section of Acts 13 that speaks to this issue:
Unbelieving Israelites broken off, formerly non covenant gentiles grafted in.


Here are a few more to consider:Romans 9

MT21


Gentiles needed to be bought,and brought into the Covenant of grace in time.It was decreed from eternity past, but made known to the church .

I don't deny that the Jews were being cut off and the Gentiles were being grafted in. However, I believe that Ephesians 2:10 is a transition verse from salvation to service "created in Christ Jesus UNTO good works...."

Previous to Ephesians 2:10 the theme is predominantly salvation but after 2:10 the theme is in transition to the church and service. Within this transition section 2:10-3:21 Paul deals with the new house of God and its connection with the gentiles. The former house of God placed a barrier (middle wall of partitition) between Jews and Gentiles in their worship in the house of God under the former covenant. Under the administration of the former covenant redemption was predominantly Jewish.

Under the new covenant administration that barrier is removed in the house of worship and the gentile is received upon equal standing with the Jew.

Ephesians 2:11-13 deals with their former standing in regard to the covenant of redemtion in contrast with the Jews:

11 ¶ Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;
12 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:
13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.

Ephesians 2:14-18 deals with the removal of all external distinctions in both salvation and service (v. 14) removing all former LEGAL distinctions that divided the gentile believer from the Jewish believer in the service of God (v. 15) bringing "peace" (at one) by the cross under the New covenant administration. Under the new covenant administration ("by the cross") there is neither Jew or Gentile but only the "spiritual man." Both are brought together into "one body" the church under the new covenant administration (2:16,19-22; 3;6).

14 ¶ For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;
15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;
16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:
17 And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.
18 For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.

Verse 16 does not say "in one body ON the cross" by "in one body BY the cross" and that body is not the body hanging on the cross but the church body discussed in verses 19-22 demonstrating that in the new house of God there is no more "the middle wall of partition" but Gentile and Jewish elect are under the new covenant administration equals in salvation and in the house of God:

19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;
20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
21 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:
22 In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.

The indefinite article "an" holy temple and "an" habitation makes a direct application to the church at Ephesus.