Ephesians
2:15 "Having abolished in his flesh the
enmity, even the law of commandments contained
in ordinances; for to make in himself
of twain one new man, so making peace"
KJV
OVERVIEW:
What
does this text mean?
The 10 Commandments were abolished
when Christ died on the cross.
OR
The law of ordinances which pointed
to Christ (shadows) was abolished
when he died on the cross.
The
word abolished in this difficult text may
seem to show that the 10 commandments were
destroyed. But let's take a closer look.
What exactly is the "law of commandments
contained in ordinances?" First, lets
go back a few verses to see what verse 15
is talking about.
EVIDENCE:
Text
Comments
Eph
2:11-12 "Wherefore remember, that
ye being in time past Gentiles in the
flesh, who are called Uncircumcision
by that which is called the Circumcision
in the flesh made by hands; That at
that time ye
were without Christ, being
aliens from the commonwealth of Israel,
and strangers from the covenants of
promise, having no hope, and without
God in the world:"
The
uncircumcised were strangers of covenant
promises before Christ came.
Eph
2:13 "But now in Christ Jesus ye
who sometimes were far off are made
nigh by the blood
of Christ."
By
Jesus, uncircumcised strangers became
part of the promise.
Eph
2:14 "For he is our peace, who
hath made both
one, and hath broken down
the middle wall of partition between
us;"
Christ
has made Jews and Gentiles both one.
Circumcision is part of the law of
ordinances that Jesus did away with
through his life and death. The ordinances
were the wall that separated Jews
and Gentiles.
Ephesians
2:15 "Having abolished in his
flesh the enmity, even the law of
commandments contained
in ordinances; for to make
in himself of twain one new man, so
making peace"
The
ordinance of circumcision is found
in the law of ordinances, not in the
10 commandments. The new covenant
does not include circumcision. However,
the new covenant does include the
10 Commandments as shown in the following
text.
1
Cor 7:19 "Circumcision is nothing
and uncircumcision is nothing. Keeping
God's commands is what counts."
NIV
Ordinances
are out, commandments remain.
Gal
6:15 "For in Christ Jesus neither
circumcision availeth anything, nor
uncircumcision, but
a new creature."
If
circumcision were part of the 10 Commandments
law, it would not say keeping the
commandments is what counts. Keeping
the commandments through the power
of Christ, makes a new creature.
SUMMARY:
Col
2:20 "Wherefore if ye be dead with
Christ from the rudiments of the world,
why, as though living in the world, are
ye subject to ordinances"
The
study of the next difficult text (Col.
2:14-17) provides more Bible evidence
on ordinances.
The
law of ordinances (circumcision, sacrifices,
festivals, etc.) was abolished, not the
10 Commandments.
