That at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation» (Ephesians 2: 12—15).
TEARING DOWN WALLS, building bridges of reconciliation: Wasn’t this precisely what our Lord achieved with His death on the cross? Thanks to this precious sacrifice, the apostle Paul writes that those who were far from the promises of the covenant «have been brought near by the blood of Christ»; and, moreover, «the middle wall of separation» that separated Jews from Gentiles has been torn down.
It is also interesting to note that there was a «middle wall of separation» in the Jewish temple. It was an enclosure separating the atrium of the Gentiles from the atrium of the Jews. This «wall» set the limits where no heathen could go through without risking their life in the attempt. In fact, an inscription discovered by archaeologists in 1871 literally reads, «Let no foreigner enter within the barrier and enclosing wall about the Temple. But whoever may be caught shall be responsible for his own death that will follow.»• Paul knew this very well, for he himself had been accused by the Jews of Asia Minor of having brought Greeks to the forbidden area of the temple (see Acts 21:28-30).
The good news that today’s text brings us is that with His death on the cross, Christ tore down that middle wall of separation and all the other «walls» that separate humanity. That is why Paul writes, «There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus» (Galatians 3:28). In other words, «the middle wall of separation» has been torn down, and now we all, Jews and Gentiles, are heirs to God’s promises to Abraham.
Is there a wall in your life that separates you from your brother or sister in Christ? Is there a wall in your family, in your church, in your workplace? If so, this is a good day to start tearing down the walls that divide us, due to our differences in race, color, social class, or ideology. As John M. Fowler rightly states, wherever, there is discrimination against a person or group; wherever there are exclusions from friendship and companionship, or it is forbidden to partake of the joy that Christ has brought, there is a wall there. That wall must be torn down. This is the prayer of the cross.
Thank You, Jesus, You for breaking down with Your blood, the barriers that separated me from You. Empower me today to tear down the walls that separate me from others.
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Taken from: Devotional Readings for Adults 2022
“GREAT IS OUR GOD!”
From: FERNANDO ZABALA
Collaborators: Xiomara Perdomo & Angelica Cuate
