The Meaning of Ephesians 2:14 Explained

Ephesians 2:14

KJV: For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;

YLT: for he is our peace, who did make both one, and the middle wall of the enclosure did break down,

Darby: For he is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of enclosure,

ASV: For he is our peace, who made both one, and brake down the middle wall of partition,

KJV Reverse Interlinear

For  he  is  our  peace,  who  hath made  both  one,  and  hath broken down  the middle wall  of partition  [between us]; 

What does Ephesians 2:14 Mean?

Verse Meaning

To understand this verse we must discover what dividing wall Paul had in mind. Perhaps it was the wall in Herod"s Temple courtyard that separated the Court of the Gentiles from the Court of the Jews. [1] This seems improbable since that wall still stood and divided Jews and Gentiles when Paul wrote this epistle. Perhaps he had in mind the veil between the holy and most holy places in that temple. However, that veil-it was not a wall-did not separate Jews from Gentiles but all people from God. It seems most probable that Paul had in mind a spiritual rather than a physical barrier that had separated Jews and Gentiles since Abraham"s time. This is in harmony with Paul"s emphasis on spiritual realities that marks Ephesians.
"This new institution [2] does not dissolve ethnic distinctions, but displays reconciliation, with every believer equally qualified to share in the benefits of salvation and peace that emerge from the uniting of Jews and Gentiles into a new living community." [3]
This verse is a strong testimony to the fact that with the death of Jesus Christ God began dealing with humankind on a different basis than He had in the past. He now stopped working with and though the Jews and Judaism primarily (though temporarily, cf. Romans 11). Instead He began dealing with Jews and Gentiles on the same basis, namely, their faith in His Son. In others words, He began a new dispensation or administration in His dealings with humanity.
"When Ephesians 2:14 says Christ is our peace, it means that Jesus is the source of restored relationships, not only between an individual and God but also between individuals. Now people form a new community, the household of God, which itself is compared to a holy temple, a sacred work of God ( Ephesians 2:18-22)." [4]

Context Summary

Ephesians 2:11-22 - Reconciled And United By The Cross
The state of the unconverted must be described by a series of negations. Shut the sun out of the world, love out of the home, liberty out of the state! The unsaved know not of their infinite loss; but if they could see what we inherit through union with Jesus, they could cease to wonder that we run not with them into the same excess of riot. Does a maiden need much persuasion to cast aside paste jewels when real ones are offered her!
There was no natural affinity between Jew and Gentile. This arose partly because of diverse nationality and genius; but in addition the whole code of Jewish customs as to eating clean meats and ceremonial pollution, prevented it. All these party-walls of division were swept away by Christ. In Him, as the cornerstone, two walls, running in different directions, met. Two sections of humanity, East and West, became united to each other, because each was united to Him, and thus was formed a new unit of humanity.
What a noble conception is given of the Church and ultimately of the redeemed race, growing slowly through the ages and becoming God's dwelling-place! Notice the Trinity; through Jesus, the Eternal Father comes by His Spirit to dwell in the heart of man. [source]

Chapter Summary: Ephesians 2

1  By comparing what we were by nature, with what we are by grace,
10  he declares that we are made for good works: and being brought near by Christ,
19  should not live as Gentiles and foreigners, but as citizens with the saints, and the family of God

Greek Commentary for Ephesians 2:14

For he is our peace [αυτος γαρ εστιν η ειρηνη ημων]
He himself, not just what he did (necessary as that was and is). He is our peace with God and so with each other (Jews and Gentiles). [source]
Both one [τα αμποτερα εν]
“The both” (Jew and Gentile). Jesus had said “other sheep I have which are not of this fold” (John 10:16). One (εν — hen) is neuter singular (oneness, unity, identity) as in Galatians 3:28. Race and national distinctions vanish in Christ. If all men were really in Christ, war would disappear. Brake down the middle wall of partition “Having loosened (first aorist active participle of λυω — luō see note on John 2:19) the middle-wall (late word, only here in N.T., and very rare anywhere, one in papyri, and one inscription) of partition See the uproar when Paul was accused of taking Trophimus beyond this wall (Acts 21:28). [source]
One [εν]
(εν — hen) is neuter singular (oneness, unity, identity) as in Galatians 3:28. Race and national distinctions vanish in Christ. If all men were really in Christ, war would disappear. [source]
Brake down the middle wall of partition [το μεσοτοιχον του πραγμου λυσας]
“Having loosened (first aorist active participle of λυω — luō see note on John 2:19) the middle-wall (late word, only here in N.T., and very rare anywhere, one in papyri, and one inscription) of partition See the uproar when Paul was accused of taking Trophimus beyond this wall (Acts 21:28). [source]
Our peace [ἡ εἰρήνη ἡμῶν]
Christ is similarly described in abstract terms in 1 Corinthians 1:30; wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, redemption. So Colossians 1:27, hope of glory. Christ is thus not merely our peace-maker, but our very peace itself. [source]
Both [τὰ ἀμφότερα]
Lit., the both. The neuter gender shows that Jews and Gentiles are conceived by the writer merely as two facts. The masculine is used in Ephesians 2:15, Ephesians 2:16. [source]
Hath broken down [λύσας]
Lit, loosened or dissolved. Rev., giving the force of the aorist tense, brake down. The participle has an explanatory force, in that He brake down. [source]
The middle-wall of partition [τὸ μεσότοιχον τοῦ φραγμοῦ]
Lit., the middle wall of the fence or hedge. The wall which pertained to the fence; the fact of separation being emphasized in wall, and the instrument of separation in fence. The hedge was the whole Mosaic economy which separated Jew from Gentile. Some suppose a reference to the stone screen which bounded the court of the Gentiles in the temple. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Ephesians 2:14

Matthew 5:9 The peacemakers [οι ειρηνοποιοι]
Not merely “peaceable men” (Wycliff) but “makkers up o‘ strife” (Braid Scots). It is hard enough to keep the peace. It is still more difficult to bring peace where it is not. “The perfect peacemaker is the Son of God (Ephesians 2:14.)” (McNeile). Thus we shall be like our Elder Brother. [source]
Acts 10:28 How that it is an unlawful thing [hōs athemiton estin)]
The conjunction hōs is sometimes equivalent to hoti (that). The old form of athemitos was athemistos from themisto But there is no O.T. regulation forbidding such social contact with Gentiles, though the rabbis had added it and had made it binding by custom. There is nothing more binding on the average person than social custom. On coming from the market an orthodox Jew was expected to immerse to avoid defilement (Edersheim, Jewish Social Life, pp. 26-28; Taylor‘s Sayings of the Jewish Fathers, pp. 15, 26, 137, second edition). See also Acts 11:3; Galatians 2:12. It is that middle wall of partition between Jew and Gentile (Ephesians 2:14) which Jesus broke down. [source]
Ephesians 4:3 Bond of peace []
The bond which is peace. Compare Ephesians 2:14, our peace - made both one. Christ, our peace, is thus a bond of peace. Others, however, treat in the bond as parallel with in love of Ephesians 4:2, and cite Colossians 3:14, “love the bond of perfectness.” [source]
Ephesians 2:15 Having abolished in His flesh the enmity [τὴν ἔχθραν ἐν τῇ σαρκὶ αὐτοῦ καταργήσας]
The enmity immediately follows the middle wall of partition, and should be rendered in apposition with and as defining it, and as dependent on brake down, not on abolished: the middle wall which was the enmity. It is used abstractly, as peace in Ephesians 2:14. The enmity was the result and working of the law regarded as a separative system; as it separated Jew from Gentile, and both from God. See Romans 3:20; Romans 4:15; Romans 5:20; Romans 7:7-11. For abolished, see on cumbereth, Luke 13:7, and make without effect, see on Romans 3:3. [source]
Ephesians 2:15 The twain [τους δυο]
The two men (masculine here, neuter in Ephesians 2:14), Jew and Gentile. One new man (εις ενα καινον αντρωπον — eis hena kainon anthrōpon). Into one fresh man (Colossians 3:9-11) “in himself” (εν αυτωι — en hautōi). Thus alone is it possible. Making peace Thus alone can it be done. Christ is the peace-maker between men, nations, races, classes. [source]
Ephesians 2:15 The enmity [την εχτραν]
But it is very doubtful if την εχτραν — tēn echthran (old word from εχτρος — echthros hostile, Luke 23:12) is the object of καταργησας — katargēsas It looks as if it is in apposition with to μεσοτοιχον — mesotoichon and so the further object of λυσας — lusas The enmity between Jew and Gentile was the middle wall of partition. And then it must be decided whether “in his flesh” Final clause with first aorist active subjunctive of κτιζω — ktizō The twain The two men (masculine here, neuter in Ephesians 2:14), Jew and Gentile. One new man (εις ενα καινον αντρωπον — eis hena kainon anthrōpon). Into one fresh man (Colossians 3:9-11) “in himself” (εν αυτωι — en hautōi). Thus alone is it possible. Making peace Thus alone can it be done. Christ is the peace-maker between men, nations, races, classes. [source]
Colossians 3:15 Peace of Christ []
Which comes from Christ. See John 14:27; Ephesians 2:14. [source]
Colossians 2:13 Having forgiven us [χαρισάμενος ἡμῖν]
Freely ( χάρις gracefree gift ), as Luke 7:42; 2 Corinthians 2:7, 2 Corinthians 2:10; Colossians 3:13. Note the change of pronoun from you to us, believers generally, embracing himself. This change from the second to the first person, or, vice versa, is common in Paul's writings. See Colossians 1:10-13; Colossians 3:3, Colossians 3:4; Ephesians 2:2, Ephesians 2:3, Ephesians 2:13, Ephesians 2:14; Ephesians 4:31, Ephesians 4:32. [source]
Colossians 1:17 He is [αὐτὸς ἔστιν]
Both words are emphatic. Ἔστιν is, is used as in John 8:58(see note), to express Christ's absolute existence. “He emphasizes the personality, is the preexistence ” (Lightfoot). For similar emphasis on the pronoun, see Ephesians 2:14; Ephesians 4:10, Ephesians 4:11; 1 John 2:2; Revelation 19:15. [source]
Colossians 1:22 Hath he reconciled [αποκατηλλαχεν]
First aorist (effective, timeless) active indicative (a sort of parenthetical anacoluthon). Here B reads αποκαταλλαγητε — apokatallagēte be ye reconciled like καταλλαγητε — katallagēte in 2 Corinthians 5:20 while D has αποκαταλλαγεντες — apokatallagentes Lightfoot prefers to follow B here (the hard reading), though Westcott and Hort only put it in the margin. On the word see Colossians 1:20. In the body of his flesh (εν τωι σωματι της σαρκος αυτου — en tōi sōmati tēs sarkos autou). See the same combination in Colossians 2:11 though in Ephesians 2:14 only σαρκι — sarki (flesh). Apparently Paul combines both σωμα — sōma and σαρχ — sarx to make plain the actual humanity of Jesus against incipient Docetic Gnostics who denied it. Through death The reconciliation was accomplished by means of Christ‘s death on the cross (Colossians 1:20) and not just by the Incarnation (the body of his flesh) in which the death took place. To present (παραστησαι — parastēsai). First aorist active (transitive) infinitive (of purpose) of παριστημι — paristēmi old verb, to place beside in many connections. See it used of presenting Paul and the letter from Lysias to Felix (Acts 23:33). Repeated in Colossians 1:28. See also 2 Corinthians 11:2; 2 Corinthians 4:14. Paul has the same idea of his responsibility in rendering an account for those under his influence seen in Hebrews 13:17. See note on Romans 12:1 for use of living sacrifice. Holy Positively consecrated, separated unto God. Common in N.T. for believers. Haupt holds that all these terms have a religious and forensic sense here. Without blemish (αμωμους — amōmous). Without spot (Philemon 2:15). Old word α — a privative and μωμος — mōmos (blemish). Common in the lxx for ceremonial purifications. Unreproveable Old verbal adjective from α — a privative and εγκαλεω — egkaleō to call to account, to pick flaws in. These three adjectives give a marvellous picture of complete purity (positive and negative, internal and external). This is Paul‘s ideal when he presents the Colossians “before him” (κατενωπιον αυτου — katenōpion autou), right down in the eye of Christ the Judge of all. [source]
Colossians 1:22 In the body of his flesh [εν τωι σωματι της σαρκος αυτου]
See the same combination in Colossians 2:11 though in Ephesians 2:14 only σαρκι — sarki (flesh). Apparently Paul combines both σωμα — sōma and σαρχ — sarx to make plain the actual humanity of Jesus against incipient Docetic Gnostics who denied it. [source]
Hebrews 11:33 Stopped [ἔφραξαν]
The verb means to fence in; block up. Rare in N.T. See Romans 3:19; 2 Corinthians 11:10, and comp. φραγμός afence, Matthew 21:33; Ephesians 2:14. Occasionally in lxx, as Job 38:8; Proverbs 21:13; Zechariah 14:5. The reference is no doubt to Daniel, Daniel 6:22; comp. 1 Maccabees 2:60. [source]

What do the individual words in Ephesians 2:14 mean?

He Himself for is the peace of us - having made - both one and the barrier of the fence having broken down the hostility
Αὐτὸς γάρ ἐστιν εἰρήνη ἡμῶν ποιήσας τὰ ἀμφότερα ἓν καὶ τὸ μεσότοιχον τοῦ φραγμοῦ λύσας τὴν ἔχθραν

Αὐτὸς  He  Himself 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Nominative Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Root: αὐτός  
Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself.
εἰρήνη  peace 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Feminine Singular
Root: εἰρήνη  
Sense: a state of national tranquillity.
ἡμῶν  of  us 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive 1st Person Plural
Root: ἐγώ  
Sense: I, me, my.
  - 
Parse: Article, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
ποιήσας  having  made 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: ποιέω  
Sense: to make.
τὰ  - 
Parse: Article, Accusative Neuter Plural
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
ἀμφότερα  both 
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Neuter Plural
Root: ἀμφότεροι  
Sense: both of two, both the one and the other.
ἓν  one 
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Neuter Singular
Root: εἷς  
Sense: one.
μεσότοιχον  barrier 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Neuter Singular
Root: μεσότοιχον  
Sense: a partition wall.
τοῦ  of  the 
Parse: Article, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
φραγμοῦ  fence 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: φραγμός  
Sense: a hedge, a fence.
λύσας  having  broken  down 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: λύω  
Sense: to loose any person (or thing) tied or fastened.
ἔχθραν  hostility 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: ἔχθρα  
Sense: enmity.