Brief Exposition of Galatians and Ephesians, Exposition 2 · Chapter 2 · Verse and explication 14
Vers. -15. For to make in himself, of twain, one new man, so making peace. 16. And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the crosse, having slain the enmity thereby.
THe Apostle, thirdly, for further clearing of what he spoke, ver. 13. that the Gentiles were made nigh to God and His Church in the bloud of Christ, holdeth forth two ends, which Christ proposed to be brought about in His abolishing the ceremoniall Law. First, that He might by a manner of new creation make of those two Nations, of Jew and Gentile, being firmly united to Himself as to their head, one people and Church, here called one new man, to shew the intimacy of that union, as also the way how they were united, not by bringing any one of them to the fashions and customes of the other; for, so they should have been made one old man, but by bringing both off that way of worship whereon they were: the Gentile, both from the substance and external manner of their worship, as having been wholly idolatrous, Gal. 4. 8. The Jew, only from the external manner of their worship, consisting in fleshly and sensible rites and observations, whereby He made them one new Church, with new Ordinances of divine worship, even such as the Church now enjoyeth under the Gospel: and so he concludeth the vers. by shewing that Christ did hereby accomplish what he had spoken of Him, ver. 13, and 14-. Even that He had made peace betwixt the two Nations, and consequently the Gentiles nigh to the Church by His own bloud: this is ver. -15. The second end why Christ did abolish the ceremonial Law, was, that He might reconcile both Jew and Gentile, being so united among themselves in one body, unto a provoked God; which He did by the sacrifice of His own soul and body upon the crosse, by the means whereof he did destroy that enmity which was betwixt God and man, aswell the sin of the Elect both in its guilt (Rom. 8. 1.) and power, Rom. 6. 6. which was the ground and cause of that enmity, Isa. 59. 2. as the ceremoniall Law, which was an evidence of it. See upon ver. 15-. This is the sum of ver. 16.
From Vers. -15. Learn, 1. Union in the Church of Christ, is a thing which ought to be prized by us highly, and sought after earnestly; and so much, as there is nothing in our power which we ought not to bestow upon it, and dispense with for the acquiring and maintaining of it: for, so much was it prized by Christ, that He gave his own life to procure it, and did beat down all His own Ordinances which stood in the way of it; He even abolished in His flesh the Law of Commandments contained in Ordinances, for to make, of twain, one new man. 2. There are no divisions more hardly curable, than those which are about the Religion and Worship of God, in so far as they engage, not only the credit but also the consciences of the divided parties: hence one party, so engaged, doth pursue what they maintain, as that wherein Gods honour and their own salvation are most nearly concerned, and doth look upon the other party, as an adversary in so far at least, to both of those: for, the Apostle, speaking of Christs uniting the Jew and Gentile in one Church and Religion, maketh use of a word which sheweth this was a task of no small difficulty, even such, that no lesse than creating power was required to it, while he saith, for to make in Himself, (the word signifieth to creat in Himself) of twain, one new man. 3. So strict and near is that conjunction and union which is especially among true believers in the Church, that all of them, how far soever dispersed through the world, do yet make up but one man and one body; as being all, whatever be their other differences, most strictly united, as members unto one head, Christ, 1 Cor. 12. 27. and animated, as to the inward man, by the same Spirit of God, residing and acting in them, Rom. 8. 9. for, the Apostle sheweth, that all of them, whether Jew or Gentile, were made, not only one people, one nation, one family, but one new man; For to make, of twain, one new man. 4. As the essentiall unity of the invisible Church, without which the Church could not be a Church, doth of necessity depend upon, and flow from that union, which every particular member hath with Christ, as Head; seing the grace of love (whereby they are knit one to another, Col. 3. 14) doth flow from faith, Gal. 5. -6. whereby they are united to Him, Eph. 3. 17. So, the more our union with Christ is improved unto the keeping of constant communion and fellowship with Him, the more will be attained unto of harmonious walking among our selves, suitable unto that essentiall union which is in the Church of Christ: for, the Apostle maketh the conjunction of Jews and Gentiles in one Church, to depend upon Christ's uniting of them to himself; For to make in Himself, of twain, one new man, saith he. 5. The peace which ought to be, and which Christ calleth for in His Church, is not a simple cessation from open strife, which may take place, even when there remaineth a root of bitternesse in peoples spirits, Psal. 55. 21. but it is such an harmonious walking together in all things as floweth from the nearest conjunction of hearts, and the total removal of all former bitternesse of spirits: for, the peace which Christ did make betwixt Jew and Gentile, did follow upon His abolishing the enmity, and making them one man; so making peace, saith he.
From Vers. 16. Learn, 1. Union and peace with men, even with good men, is to little purpose, except there be peace and friendship with God also: for, the Apostle sheweth, that Christ, in abolishing the ceremonial Law, did design not only the conjunction of the Church among themselves, but their reconciliation with God also, and the former in subordination to the latter; And that He might reconcile both unto God, in one body. 2. As all mankind have fallen from that state of friendship with God, wherein they once were before the fall, Eccles. 7. 29. So, the repairing of this wofull breach, and making up of friendship betwixt God and the Elect, was Christ's great businesse in the world; for effectuating whereof, whatever He did or suffered, was in some one way or other subservient: for, the Apostle sheweth He suffered in the flesh, abolished the ceremonial Law, united the two Nations, that He might reconcile both unto God in one body. The word rendred reconcile, signifieth the making up of old friendship. 3. Though the believing Jews under the Old Testament, were reconciled unto God, even while the ceremonial Law stood in force, Psal. 32. 4. Yet the price, by vertue whereof they were reconciled, could not be actually payed, to wit, Christ's death and sufferings, except the ceremonial Law had presently evanished, (See Ver. 15- Doct. 4.) neither could Jew and Gentile be united together in one body, and so reconciled to God, while that Law was in force and binding. See Vers. 14. Doct. 5. Therefore, and in those respects, it was necessary for Christ to abolish the ceremonial Law that He might reconcile both Jew and Gentile unto God: for, so saith Paul, He abolished the Law of Commandments in Ordinances—that He might reconcile both unto God in one body. 4. There can be no reconciliation betwixt God and us, except we be united by faith to Christ, and to the body of all Believers in Him; So that none can be one with God who are not of the mysticall body of His Church: yea, and in so far will the sense and sweet effects of reconciliation with God be interrupted and obstructed, as persons reconciled do give way unto divisions, rents and strifes among themselves: for, the Gentiles and Jews, being in one body with Christ and His Church, come to be reconciled unto God; That He might reconcile both unto God, in one body, that is, being united among themselves in one body under Christ the head, as is affirmed, vers. 15. 5. As Jesus Christ did interpose as mediator and peacemaker to reconcile God and us; So He behoved, in order unto this end, to bear the chastisment of our peace, and to lay down His life by a shamefull, painfull and cursed death; that so, the justice of God being fully satisfied for our wrong, we might enjoy God's peace and favour with life: for, he sheweth the mean of their reconciliation, was the crosse of Christ, not the material tree or matter of the crosse, but Christ's sufferings and death upon the crosse; That He might reconcile both unto God in one body by the crosse. 6. Christ in suffering Himself to be overcome by death, did fully destroy sin, death, the ceremonial Law, and every other thing which could impede the reconciliation of the Elect with God, He, having thereby brought-in the substance of all those legal shadows, Col. 3. 17. satisfied the justice of God, and purchased grace and strength, which afterwards He was to convey unto all Believers for mortifying and subduing the body of sin and death in them, Act. 5. 31. for saith Paul, He hath slain the enmity thereby, that is, by the crosse, and His death upon the crosse; So that by being slain, He slew the enmity betwixt God and us.