Ephesians 2:11 - Remember that formerly

2:11

Paul has been writing mostly in general terms with regard to Jews and Gentiles, all that he has said has been applied to both without comment. The one small exception to this is Eph 1:11-13. But now he writes a major section on the gospel and its effect on the relationship between Jews and Gentiles. To us this distinction is nowhere near as immediately important as it was in the early church. Christianity was thought to be a heresy by the Jews, while the apostles said it was actually the fulfilment of the Law and the Prophets. Much of the persecution of the church came from the Jews. There were enormous controversies over circumcision and the Law, essentially did Gentile converts need to become Jews? Acts 15 and Galatians are the very important in regard to this matter. Paul wrote at length about this in his letter to the Galatians. In Galatians was written from a somewhat defensive standpoint. Here Paul writes from a much more positive standpoint. “Circumcision” was crux of the matter, the point which seemed to symbolise the whole debate about Jews and Gentiles. The Jews sometimes referred to themselves as “the circumcision”, ie they were God’s people, and Gentiles were not. Jews could sometimes refer to Gentiles in rather derogatory terms, even to the extent of calling them “dogs”. Paul reminds the Gentiles that they are Gentiles by birth, ie by birth they were not part of God’s people. The Jews took pride in circumcision, a physical act done to the flesh.