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15. τὸν νόμον τῶν ἐντολῶν ἐν δόγμασιν. This phrase would be unintelligible apart from the comment provided by Col 2:14; Col 2:20. This clear parallel however shows that St Paul is thinking of the Law as a code of precisely formulated precepts requiring to be kept to the letter, cf. Romans 7. In Col. men were in danger of going back to a legalistic system of external regulations as the secret of sanctification, and St Paul has to speak of the Law under that aspect as ‘nailed to the Cross.’ Here the Law regarded in the same aspect is seen to be a dividing force among men until it is abrogated.
ἵνα τοὺς δύο κτίσῃ ἐν αὑτῷ εἰς ἔνα καινὸν ἄνθρωπον ποιῶν εἰρήνην. ‘In order that He might fashion (create) the two in Himself into one new man by making peace.’ Cf. Eze 37:19 καὶ ἔσονται εἰς ῥάβδον μίαν. The result of bringing together the two hitherto divided elements by taking each into vital union with Himself is the production of a new united and perfected Humanity of which the Church is the appointed witness and embodiment and instrument. For κτίσῃ cf. Psalms 101(102):19; Isa 45:8; Isa 54:16; Isa 44:2; Isa 46:11.
See Additional Note, p. 133, on the source of St Paul’s doctrine of the unity of the Church.