Ephesians 81-82_14 Ephesians 2:12-14
Ephesians 1981-82 Corps Teachings. Lesson 11: Ephesians 2:12-14.
Format: AUDIO
Publication Date: 1981-82
Victor Paul Wierwille was a Bible scholar and teacher for over four decades.
By means of Dr. Wierwille's dynamic teaching of the accuracy and integrity of God's Word, foundational class and advanced class graduates of Power for Abundant Living have learned that the one great requirement for every student of the Bible is to rightly divide the Word of Truth. Thus, his presentation of the Word of God was designed for students who desire the in-depth-accuracy of God’s Word.
In his many years of research, Dr. Wierwille studied with such men as Karl Barth, E. Stanley Jones, Glenn Clark, Bishop K.C. Pillai, and George M. Lamsa. His formal training included Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Theology degrees from Mission House (Lakeland) College and Seminary. He studied at the University of Chicago and at Princeton Theological Seminary from which he received a Master of Theology degree in Practical Theology. Later he completed his work for the Doctor of Theology degree.
Dr. Wierwille taught the first class on Power for Abundant Living in 1953.
Books by Dr. Wierwille include: Are the Dead Alive Now? published in 1971; Receiving the Holy Spirit Today published in 1972; five volumes of Studies in Abundant Living— The Bible Tells Me So (1971), The New, Dynamic Church (1971), The Word's Way (1971), God's Magnified Word (1977), Order My Steps in Thy Word (1985); Jesus Christ Is Not God (1975); Jesus Christ Our Passover (1980); and Jesus Christ Our Promised Seed (1982).
Dr. Wierwille researched God's Word, taught, wrote, and traveled worldwide, holding forth the accuracy of God's "wonderful, matchless" Word.
EPHESIANS 2:12-14
January 20, 1982
Well, I’ve got to give you the literal translation according to usage of Ephesians
chapter 2, verse 12 first tonight. The reason for that is because I never got it figured out last
week, so tonight I will give you the literal according to usage of Ephesians 2:12.
Ephesians 2:12 Literal translation according to usage
That at that time you had no part in the Messiah being alienated from the
family of Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise and were
without hope and without God in the world.
Do I read it again? {Yes.}
Ephesians 2:12 Literal translation according to usage
That at that time you had no part in the Messiah being alienated from the
family of Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise and were
without hope and without God in the world.
Now did you get the expanded one last week good and proper? You want me to read it
again? Well, think you just want me to read it so you can…waste my time [chuckles].
Ephesians 2:12 Expanded translation
That at that time when you were called aliens by those of the so-called
circumcision of the flesh made by hands you were without a Messiah
because the Messiah, Christ, came primarily to and specifically for Israel to
be Christ’s bride that the blessings of the bride and bridegroom might be
upon all believers everywhere and that is why you were aliens from the
commonwealth of Israel strangers from the covenants of promise to Israel
with no hope in a Messiah and thus no God who could give you hope.
I think that expanded translation is just a fantastic translation of verse 12, very
explanatory, sets the thing so beautifully.
Now verse 13 in King James reads:
“But now” sets this verse in contrast with verses 11 and 12.
Ephesians 2:13
But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by
the blood of Christ.
The words “made nigh” literally are “near of kin” (k-i-n).
That word “blood” in that verse is a figure of speech, Metalepsis (m-e-t-a-l-e-p-s-i-s),
which is…puts the umph into that verse. God marked it and this emphasizes the means
whereby the Gentiles are brought near, made next to kin.
So the translation of verse 13, the literal according to usage would be:
Ephesians 2:13 Literal translation according to usage
But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were afar off were made…
…nigh. That’s not what I got, “were afar off were made near.”
Ephesians 2:13 Literal translation according to usage
…were made near by the blood of the Messiah.
The expanded translation is:
Ephesians 2:13 Expanded translation
But now from this very moment you Gentiles who formerly were afar off
from God and away from the rules governing Israel you are now identified
with Christ being made next of kin to God not to Israel by the blood of the
Messiah.
Now verse 14 in King James reads:
Ephesians 2:14
For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the
middle wall of partition between us;
The Research Department did a fantastic piece of work in the background study of the
word “peace” here in Ephesians 2:14, and 15, and 17.
In the Aramaic there are two different words used. The one Aramaic word is spelled
s-l-m for “peace.” The other Aramaic word is spelled s-y-n. This latter word literally means
peace treaty or a treaty of peace. S-y-n, the peace treaty in verse 14 and 15, is between the
Judeans and Gentiles which Christ the Messiah affected by breaking down the middle wall.
But verse 17 uses s-l-m for the peace which was preached to both Judeans and Gentiles
that is between them and God, and that’s why verse 18 further corroborates this saying we
both then, Judeans and Gentiles, have access to the Father.
That’s the first thing in this great fourteenth verse the Research Department worked so
amiably. Then they went to work on the middle wall of partition of that verse.
The Aramaic could literally be translated “the fence or barrier that was standing in the
middle.” You see, there was an actual wall that stood in the temple area that separated
between the court of the Gentiles and the inner court of the Judeans.
In Ephesians 2, the Word of God shows that God in Christ did away with the
separation between Judeans and Gentiles as well as the separation between himself and
both groups. First the Judeans and the Gentiles fight each other; secondly, Judeans were at
enmity with God, Gentiles were at enmity with God.
Verses 14 and 15 tell us that the separation between Judean and Gentile was taken
away. Then the latter part of 15 and verse 16 tell us with this separation gone, God could
reconcile both Judeans and Gentiles to Himself in one body, making one new man.
There are two great illustrations related to this separation deal with the Temple. The
first illustration is that of the rending of the veil of the Temple from top to bottom when
Jesus died (Matthew 27:51; Mark 15:38; Luke 23:45). This veil represented the separation
between Israel and the innermost sanctuary of God. The best Israel could do was send a
representative, the high priest, behind the veil once a year to make atonement for the sins
of the nation. When the veil was torn from top to bottom at Jesus’ death, it showed that
God had done away with any separation between Himself and Israel. Now any Israelite
could enter fully into the presence of God.
But what of the Gentiles? They were still separated from Israel and Israel’s God, for
they were still outside the middle wall of partition. This is the great importance of the
second illustration here in Ephesians 2:14, for in this epistle which reveals the fullness of
the Great Mystery, we are taught that with Jesus Christ’s death the middle wall of partition
has been broken down. However, this truth was not made known in writing until many
years later when the Mystery was revealed. Now Gentiles can enter spiritually into the
inner precincts of the Temple since the veil is rent unto the holy place. Both Israel and
Gentiles now have free and complete access to the glorious presence of the true God as
their Father, as it says in verse 18, “For through him we both have access by one spirit unto
the Father.”
Paul refers to the wall in the Temple area. In doing this, he is using the wall as an
illustration of the law which Israel had, a law which separated them from Gentiles and
Gentiles from them. When the wall was broken down, there was no longer any “wall” of
legalism to separate Gentiles from Israel and the presence of God.
The literal translation of verse 14 is as follows:
Ephesians 2:14 Literal translation according to usage
That is to say he is our peace who made both one and destroyed the middle
wall of partition.
Now the expanded one of verse 14.
Ephesians 2:14 Expanded translation
That is to say he Jesus Christ is our peace treaty reuniting that which has
been separated…
Listen to that again “That is to say he Jesus Christ is our peace treaty reuniting that
which has been separated…”
Ephesians 2:14 Expanded translation
…he in and by one single past action made both Israel and Gentiles one by
way of his peace treaty with God and destroyed by utterly laying in total
ruin and waste…
Gosh, that’s beautiful.
Ephesians 2:14 Expanded translation
…and destroyed by utterly laying in total ruin and waste the middle wall of
partition the barrier between Israel and Gentiles, law and no law,
circumcision and uncircumcision, enmity between Israel and Gentiles.
That’s the expanded one.