Matthew Poole Commentary - Ephesians 2:15 - 2:15

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Matthew Poole Commentary - Ephesians 2:15 - 2:15


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Having abolished; abrogated, taken away the power of binding men.



In his flesh; not the flesh of sacrificed beasts but his own flesh: before he mentioned his blood, and now his flesh, to imply the whole sacrifice of Christ, comprehending his flesh as well as blood. The ceremonies had their accomplishment in Christ, and so their abolishment by him.



The enmity; by a metonymy he so calls the ceremonies, which were the cause and the sign of enmity between Jew and Gentile: the Jews hated the Gentiles as uncircumcised, and the Gentiles despised the Jews for being circumcised.



Even the law of commandments contained in ordinances: either, by



the law of commandments, the apostle means the law of ceremonial rites, and by the word which we render



ordinances, he means doctrine, and then (the word contained not being in the Greek) the sense is, that Christ, by his doctrine or commandments, abolished those ceremonial rites: the word commandments seems thus to be used, Deu_16:12 1Ki_2:3 Eze_18:21. Or else (which yet comes to the same) the word rendered ordinances signifies such ordinances as depended upon the sole will of the lawgiver; and is, Col_2:14, taken for ceremonial ones, and so is to be taken here. This the apostle seems to add, to show what part of the law was abrogated by Christ, viz. nothing of the moral law, but only the ceremonial.



For to make, or create, or form, in opposition to abolish.



In himself; by union with himself, as the Head, in which the several members agree.



Of twain; two bodies, or two people, Jews and Gentiles.



One new man; i.e. new body, or new (viz. Christian) people. As the body of a commonwealth is one civil person, so the body of the church is in a like sense one person.



So making peace, between Jew and Gentile, having taken away those ceremonial laws, which were the cause of the difference between them.