Ephesians was one of the books I was least interested in until I studied it in seminary. My class on Ephesians focused on translating the entire book from Greek to English and understanding the historical situation surrounding the Ephesian Christians who received this letter from Paul. My time in this book was so wonderful that I decided to lead our discipleship community through it at church.

Whenever I read or study the Bible on my own, I ask four questions:

1. what does the text say about God?
2. what does the text say about humanity (either the world or the church)
3. what do I need more information about / what don’t I understand?
4. what’s tugging at my heart?

Today, I want to share something that tugged on my heart as I taught Ephesians 2 to our discipleship community.

Ephesians 2:11–22 is one of the most under-rated passages of the New Testament. It discusses how God brought the Jews and Gentiles (two groups who were formerly at enmity with each other) together into one new man in Christ Jesus. The church at Ephesus was made up of both of these groups (cf. Acts 19:8–10).

Verses 11–13 have stuck with me:

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.

The alienation of the Gentiles stood out to me. I imagined what it would have felt like to desire God but not to be counted as full members of His people. We talk about the hope of the gospel today, and we can certainly experience that hope in our circumstances. But I have spent a lot of time reflecting on how good it would have felt to hear the ‘good news’ that Gentiles have now been brought near by the blood of Christ in a world where Gentiles were only allowed in the outer courtyard of the temple (if they could even make it to Jerusalem at all).

I attend a church that is predominantly made up of ethnic Gentiles. I taught this passage to a community comprised of ethnic Gentiles. What would worship have looked like for us 2,100 years ago? How much access to corporate worship would we have had? How good would it have been to hear that we were now brought near to God’s household as full citizens because of Christ?

I now try to imagine the emotions I might have felt back then when I think about my salvation today.

Happy Bibleing!