Ephesians 2 is the prodigal son story:
Younger son is Israel scattered in gentile nations.
Older brother is legalistic Judah hating on his little brother
By Tuese Ahkiong
Ephesians 2 is the Parable of The Prodigal Son returning out of the wild lawless pagan world that he was scattered into because of his sin. The son being the Northern Kingdom that was scattered into the pagan nations, heard their Father’s voice via The Gospel and came running to Him. The grumpy older Jewish brother aka The Southern Kingdom, Judah, called himself “the circumcision” and called his little Israelite brother, “the uncircumcision” because he was living like an uncircumcised pagan. The older brother hated on his younger Israeli brother for not keeping THE LAW (which was why there was hostility, division and why they were their enemies)!
The Kingdom of Israel was divided after King Solomon into northern and southern kingdoms or Israel and Judah. Israel, the northern kingdom was later scattered into the nations and Judah, the southern kingdom was exiled and then returned to the land. Judah from where the Jews come from, looked down on their northern brothers and called them gentiles, Greeks, Samaritans...
When the younger son was alienated and scattered in the pagan nations; afar off; cut off; separated, not part of Father’s kingdom, without hope in the world, until Christ’s Fishermen went fishing for THE LOST SHEEP OF THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL via The preaching of The Gospel.
There is a very important difference between Jew and Israelite. All Jews are Israelites, but not all Israelites are Jews.
Israelites from the Northern Kingdom were scattered into the nations living wild pagan uncircumcised and lawless lives. When The Gospel "Great Commission" was preached by THE Holy Spirit EMPOWERED Apostles and Disciples, they did not fail in completing their mission of rescuing the lost sheep in that 1st century generation (30-70AD were the last days). God's Lost sheep heard their Master’s voice and came running back to Him. The Gospel was only for Israel and was fulfilled in 70AD. Then The 12 Tribes of the sons of Israel sang a new song because they were redeemed (saved) and brought back into the family of God!
And I heard the number of the sealed, 144,000, sealed from every tribe of the sons of Israel:
and they were singing a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and before the elders. No one could learn that song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth.
**Weird how the Bible ends with only Israelites sealed and redeemed in God's presence. How un-inclusive of God! Where are the Samoans, Filipinos, Mexicans…? It's as if The Gospel was Only for Israel and the Bible is Only Israel's Story. Yep!
Ephesians 2:11-22 ESV
11 Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called “the uncircumcision” by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands— 12 remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility 15 by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, 16 and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. 17 And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. 19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens,but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. 22 In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.
11 Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called “the uncircumcision” by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands—
***GENTILES IN THE FLESH = NORTHERN KINGDOM ISRAELITES who were once like pagans in being uncircumcised. Gentile is not an ethnic term. It just means nations or peoples.
How can a real gentile be AT ONE TIME a "gentile in the flesh" when they are already uncircumcised?
The scattered Israelites makes better sense that they were "Gentiles in the flesh" because they violated the law of NOT being circumcised!
THE JEWS, southern kingdom, called themselves “the circumcision” and their northern brother “uncircumcised.”
12 remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.
***SCATTERED ISRAEL (NORTHERN KINGDOM) was separate from Christ, NO HOPE,
“at that time” is when scattered Israel was without Christ scattered in the pagan nations.
13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
***SCATTERED ISRAELITES were once far off are NOW brought near by the blood of Christ via THE GOSPEL!
14 For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility
***CHRIST via THE GOSPEL has DESTROYED the DIVIDING WALL OF HOSTILITY, THE LAW between NORTH & SOUTH KINGDOMS.
15 by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace,
***CHRIST fulfills the law. The 2 Kingdoms are united into one. The one new man in place of the two: Jew and Israelite. There is peace between the two because they are now one in Christ.
16 and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility.
***CHRIST RECONCILES the brothers aka Kingdoms/ Houses to God via the cross. The one body is the new body, the new man in Christ.
17 And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near.
***Northern Kingdom, Israel was FAR AWAY because they were SCATTERED INTO THE NATIONS.
Southern Kingdom, Judah was near.
18 For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.
***Both Israel & Judah have access to The Father via Christ by The Spirit.
19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,
***Paul is addressing scattered Israelites in Ephesus as no longer foreigners and strangers. They are no longer cut off but God’s people, saints, and members of his household, HIS HOLY PEOPLE! This is the fulfillment of Hosea 1:9-10, 2:23 and Romans 9:25-26.
20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone,
***Household of God built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, both of which are Israel.
21 in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord.
***The whole structure is in the process of being joined together to grow into Holy Temple in the Lord. Completed in 70AD.
22 In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.
***”You,” The scattered Israelites, are also being built together into a dwelling place for God
More Reading:
Israel prophesied to be scattered in the gentile pagan nations in The Latter Days (30-70AD) worshipping idols like gentiles!https://tueseahkiong.blogspot.com/2023/07/israel-scattered-in-gentile-pagan.html?m=1
How scattered ISRAEL became GENTILES (this confusing word just means NATIONs or PEOPLEs)
https://tueseahkiong.blogspot.com/2023/06/how-israel-became-gentiles-this.html?m=1
THE PARABLES OF YESHUA: were ONLY for Covenant Israel in 1st Century https://tueseahkiong.blogspot.com/2020/02/the-parables-of-yeshua-were-meant-for.html
