“But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity. And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near. For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father.” Ephesians 2:13-18
Why?
So, what is the significance of this “One New Man,” which the Apostle Paul introduces in Ephesians 2, and is only found one time in Scripture, yet is such a powerful concept established by God in Jesus Christ? I hope to unpack this concept such that we might see and understand the mystery, a mystery so important that it would make one wonder why it is only several obscure lines of scripture that many probably don’t even notice the importance thereof. First, consider that Paul, being a Jew, really needed to explain his call as an “apostle to the Gentiles” (Romans 11:13), so he attempts to tell us how the Gentile nations fit in, since the Gospel of Jesus Christ is being proclaimed from Judea and Samaria to the ends of the earth. Secondly, ponder why a Jewish Messiah dies on the cross for the sins of not just the Jewish people but the whole world. It is all a part of the “great mystery” which Paul reveals in Colossians 1:27, “Christ in us the hope of glory.” The why is reconciliation of creation to one through the Cross of Christ.
Significance of One
We will probably never this side of eternity gain a full understanding of the Trinity, how The Uncreated One manifested/manifests in three distinct persons yet are one. Jesus begins to unravel the mystery on the way to the cross. In John 17:20-23 Jesus is praying the greatest prayer ever prayed which only the perfect propitiation for our sin could pray: “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.” The oneness purposed for Jew and Gentle through the Cross brings truth and unity in His Body. Of course, we created ones do not share in the Triune nature of the Godhead, yet there are no favorites and as Paul writes in Ephesians 4:5-6, “One Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.”. Those already reconciled in the cross of Christ and those awaiting harvest of their souls are the providential purpose of God and viewed as one. The requisite of oneness of all believers in Christ begins to make obvious the request of Christ to the Father in the hours of His passion.
Significance of New
Next, this is a new man. We are new when we come to Christ. Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new”. The one new man is made up of Jew and Gentile without loss of cultural ethnicity in the process. The oikos, a Greek word referring to family units and their extended household, are part of a regional culture. Regional cultures rollup into all cultures of which those in Christ are a Kingdom Culture. These cultures are distinct yet components of the Ecclesia, or purposed ruling body of Christ. So evolves providential purpose. It must be understood that the Jewish people will remain unique and separate from the rest of the nations, but we will see Jew and Gentile being renewed and transformed into the fullness of God. Paul makes it clear in Ephesians 3:1-6: “For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles […] that by revelation He made known to me the mystery […] which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets: that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel.”
Significance of Man
Man is obvious, or is it? Fallen man was redeemed by Jesus the Godman, that providential purpose ensue and the newly redeemed man become the manifested sons and daughters of God that all creation groans for. Ephesians 3:8-12 “To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ; to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him.” Paul uses the word fellowship to describe the mystery of One New Man. Fellowship in Greek is “koinonia” meaning fellowship, association, community, communion, or joint participation. God brings Jew and Gentile together in fellowship as is His purpose. Paul tells us that the fellowship of mystery which is the one new man needs to be decreed in His power by the Ecclesia to the principalities and powers in heavenly places. Ephesians 6 tells us that, “we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Eph 6:12). We also know from Ephesians 1 “heavenly places” is also the place of God’s throne, “which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come” (Ephesians 1:20-21). And His Blood was applied to the mercy seat in heaven prior to being seated with the Father.
Significance of Purpose
Jew and Gentile are connected in mutually beneficial ways. What blesses the Jewish people blesses the Gentiles and what blesses the Gentiles blesses the Jews. Foundationally this relationship of mutual benefit is found in the call of Abraham as father of the Jewish nation. In Genesis 12:3 is written “I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” When the fulness of the Jewish people is reached, both Gentiles and Jews will be blessed. “For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. So shall all Israel be saved, as in Romans 11:25-26 is written: “The Deliverer will come out of Zion, And He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob.”
This seemingly complex issue is straight forward. Though specifically mentioned only once as “One New Man,” it can be seen as a thread throughout scripture of the providential purpose of God for those He created in His image. In Romans 15:10 Paul quotes the Song of Moses: “Rejoice, O Gentiles, with His people.” Because we have such difficulty in understanding and integrating simplistic purposes, we need to reflect on the why of our creation for proper illumination. I personally believe the “One New Man” is the destined “End Time” body of believers and that God is restoring His people and preparing them to reign over the nations with His beloved Son. As a dear friend of mine says, we are beginning to get a taste of the Millennium. Until Shiloh come! Shalom and Amen.