Question:
Please explain Ephesians 2:15, which discusses the abolishing of enmity.
Answer:
The thing that Jesus abolishes is “the enmity,” and He does this in His “flesh.” He took upon Himself the flesh of those whom He saves (Heb. 2:14; Gal. 4:4, 5; Rom. 1:3), meaning that the flesh He assumed was the same as the flesh that all people possess, with its inherent tendencies toward sin. If our Lord had followed those sinful tendencies, He would have succumbed to sin like every other human being. However, by the power of the Spirit of God dwelling in Him through faith, He overthrew that enmity and abolished it.
Human beings often allow their minds to align with their flesh, leading to a carnal mindset, which Scripture states is “enmity against God,” as it is not subject to God’s law and cannot be (Rom. 8:7). Thus, the mind is in bondage to sin. Jesus began His mission where humanity failed—within the mind—abolishing the enmity in the flesh, even “the law of commandments contained in ordinances.”
The concept of the carnal mind has given rise to numerous ordinances that people have created in an attempt to live better lives. Various prescribed fasts and practices of self-denial stem from humanity’s effort to earn salvation. However, all these efforts are rendered obsolete through the work of our Lord Jesus Christ. In the concept of “the law of commandments contained in ordinances,” there may be a reference to some of the typical services of the Jews, who viewed these rituals as a means of salvation rather than merely as symbols of faith. Jesus abolished these rituals, creating “in Himself of twain one new man, so making peace.” He invites both Jews and Gentiles to allow that “new man” to enter their hearts so that their sins may be forgiven and overcome, enabling them to become one in Christ Jesus.
