In verses 14 and 15 of chapter 2 of his inspired letter to the followers of Christ at Ephesus, the apostle Paul called the Mosaic Law a “middle wall of partition” (NIV, “dividing wall of hostility”). The Law divided non-Jewish peoples from the Jews and was a cause of enmity between them. It was also a barrier which stood between the non-Jewish peoples and God.
In calling the Law a wall, Paul, no doubt, was thinking of God’s temple in Jerusalem. The outer courtyard of the temple was called the ‘Court of the Gentiles.’ A low wall separated this courtyard from the ‘Court of Israel’ and the temple proper. On this wall notices were posted which said, “No man of another race is to enter within the fence and enclosure around the Temple. Whoever is caught will have only himself to thank for the death which follows.” (Word Biblical Commentary, Volume 42, Ephesians, Word Books, 1990, p. 141)
But Paul writes that through His death on the cross, Jesus has fulfilled the Law, and in doing so, has destroyed the barrier which separated one people from another. Now, both the Jew and non-Jew can be reconciled to God, and to each other through Jesus’ blood. In verses 19 through 22 Paul discusses the implications of this. He writes, “So then you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God, being built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the chief cornerstone; in whom the whole building, fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom you also are built together for a habitation of God in the Spirit.”
Paul writes that one consequence of Jesus’ destroying the dividing wall is that the non-Jewish followers of Christ are no longer “strangers and foreigners.” In verse 12 Paul had reminded his readers that before coming to Christ they were “alienated from the commonwealth of Israel” (NIV, “excluded from citizenship in Israel”). Now, they are “fellow citizens with the saints”. The term ‘saints’ needs a little explanation. Some people have the idea that a saint is someone who has done some special work of merit or who has an unusual amount of virtue. But this is not what Paul means. In verse 9 he had already explained that no one is saved by his own works. The basic meaning of the Greek word which Paul uses means, ‘someone who is set apart for special use.’ What Paul is saying is that by accepting Christ, non-Jewish people, as well as the Jews, are included in God’s chosen, that is, those whom God has set apart for His own.
Another consequence of the dividing wall being destroyed is that the non-Jewish people who accept Christ are included in God’s household. What this means is that God treats those who follow Christ as if they were His own children. In chapter 1, verse 5 Paul had already said that God has predestined the followers of Jesus “for adoption as children.” Those who were formerly enemies, have now become brothers in Christ.
Another name for God’s household is ‘church’. We know this because in writing to Timothy, Paul said, “These things I write to you, hoping to come to you shortly; but if I wait long, that you may know how men ought to behave themselves in the house of God, which is the assembly of the living God…” (1 Timothy 3:14-15) In chapter 1 of his letter to the Ephesian Christians, Paul called the church, that is, God’s household, a body. But in chapter 2, verses 20 and 21 he writes that it is also a building.
Just as a physical building has a foundation, God’s household also has a foundation. Paul writes that this foundation is the “apostles and prophets.” By ‘apostle’ Paul is no doubt referring to the 12 men whom Christ especially chose to be witnesses on His behalf. Later, Paul himself was added to this group by Christ. By ‘prophet’ it is possible that Paul means the people through whom God caused the Old Testament Scriptures to be written. But it is more likely that he is referring to those people in the Church who were specially gifted to proclaim God’s message prior to the writing of the New Testament Scriptures. In chapter 3, verse 5 Paul says that God’s plan and purpose has now been revealed to the apostles and prophets as it had not been made known in previous generations. Also, in chapter 4, verses 11 through13 Paul writes that the apostles and prophets have been given to the church to prepare God’s people for works of service and so that they may reach unity in the knowledge of Christ. In calling the apostles and prophets the foundation of God’s household, Paul is saying that the church is built on their authority and teaching. From this we can see that any group which denies the authority of the apostles or which does not follow the teachings of the New Testament writings is not part of God’s household.
But the foundation is not merely composed of the apostles and prophets. Paul writes that the cornerstone is Christ Jesus. In other words, if it is not built on Christ the whole building will collapse. As Paul wrote in another place, “For no one can lay any other foundation than that which has been laid, which is Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 3:11)
Another characteristic of God’s household is that it is fitted together. In speaking of the church in chapter 4 of this letter, Paul will emphasize that it is built up in love as each part works together. The church, that is God’s household, is to be united regardless of the different backgrounds of the people in it.
Paul writes that this building is being built into a holy temple. The physical temple in Jerusalem, with its dividing wall, was destroyed just a few years after this letter was written. In its place, God is raising another temple made of the hearts of those redeemed from sin by Christ. In another place Scripture says, “You also, as living stones, are built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 2:5)
Paul writes that God lives in this temple by his Spirit. The question is: are we part of the this holy temple so that God may live in us?