Ephesians 2 continued

I believe that verse 20 refers to God working through the prophets to give the Old Testament Scriptures and the apostles or very close followers I've Luke and Mark for the New Testament. As,always Paul brings the reader back to Christ as the cornerstone. As the people wanted more week launched into chapter 3. Paul describes himself as a prisoner, thus Ephesians is one of the 5 "prison" epistles. He goes on to explain one of the 12 mysteries of the New Testament. (according to the British scholar W.E.Vine) A NT mystery is something previously hidden by God which He then chooses to reveal. Verse 6 explains that the Gentiles have become one with the Jewish believers through the gospel of Jesus Christ. Verse 10 introduces an amazing revelation that God has chosen the Church to show His wisdom to the angelic and demonic entities, an eternal purpose through the Lord Jesus Christ. So we have access to God through faith. Finally Paul says his suffering in their glory because he is suffering for Christ.

Ephesians 2:11-22

Last night our Bible study group studied two passages. The theme of the first was the élimination of the division between Jew and Gentile by Christ. To give some context we went back to Perer's experience in Acts 10 where he is told to kill and eat ceremonial unclean animals forbidden by the law of Moses. (See Leviticus 11) Peter refuses and is told that what God calls clean he can eat. While pondering this 3 men come to him with an invitation to the home of a Gentile, a Roman centurion, which he is also not permitted to do. Acts 10:28 When Peter goes and preaches his Gentile listeners receive the Holy Spirit just as the 3,000 did at the day of Pentecost. Returning to Ephesians 2, Paul explains that the Ephesian believers, also Gentiles, who before conversion were without hope and without hope in the world. verse 12 Jesus, by Hjs own blood, the sacrifice for the sins of Jew and Gentile believers has made peace between the two "by abolishing the law of commandments." He preaches peace and both have access through one Spirit to the Father. Jew and Gentile become fellow citizens, a very importance concept in the Roman world because most people did not have the rights that a citizen had. They are built (verse 20) on the foundation of the apostles and prophets.