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From v.14 to 18, details are told for the gentiles being made near in the blood of Christ.
The order in v.14
Here also, I have a sense something strange. Because, for the first time comes "made both one" and then "has broken down the middle wall" .
Usually the order is contraly, isn't it? First comes "has broken down
the middle wall" then "made both one" continues. Why? Ithink,because
these events occured in the body of Christ.
Both the Jews and the gentiles hade been within His physical body, He could treat them freely.
Enmity(v.14)
About enmity in v.14, the original Greek says, "the enmity in his
flesh" (th;n e/cyran e]n th#j sarki; au]tou#), but according to [RCV] "the enmity" and "in his flesh"
are apart far off and "in His flesh" is put in the next verse.
This, I think, is because of the translator's fixed concept of "the
enmity" can never be "in His flesh". I believe both should
be put near as original Greek. So, v.14-15 will be corrected as bellow.
Then, what is the enmity here? It's the law of commandment. And the Lord
in His incarnation, I believe, He tool in these commandment into His flsh.
So He could abolish these laws. Please don't ask me how. Lord only knows
it how He did.
14 For He Himself is our peace, He who has made both one and has broken
down the middle wall of partition, the enmity,
15 The enmity in His flesh abolishing the law of the commandments in ordinances, that
He might create the two in Himself into one new man, so making peace,
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V.16 "one Body", "by it" and "enmity"
There are two problems here.
One is "one Body". This capital letter of one Body means the church as the body of Christ. This one Body can never be His Body the church, but His physical body. So, this should be "one
body".
Next, "by it". Original Greek here is for "in it", "e]n au]tw".
Why "by it" for "e]n au]tw"?
I was surprised that so many Bibles have the same translation "by
it" or "thereby", even KJV. Astonishing!"
NLT, ESV, BSB, NASB, KJV, HCS, ASV, DBT, ERV, GWT. ISR, ISV, KJP, NET,
OJB, WEB, WBT, RSV, NRSV, MSG, and RCV(21). And Jp translations(5) are
all this translation, RCVjp is included in them. Only DRB(Douay-Rheims
Bible) translates "in himself".
If it were translated to "in it", a big theological promblem
may have occurred, I guess.
"The enmity in it" is "the enmity in one body" which
means "the enmity in the body of Christ". The translators may
have feared, "The enmity in the body of Christ? Impossible!"
Therefore, they made it from "in it" to "by it" or
"thereby" which means "by the cross", though in this
verse is "the cross" already, mentioning "cross" for
two times in one verse. They had no idea of “objective we“, so they dared
to do so. But we have it. So, we have no fear to translate "in it".
So, v.16 is as bellow.
16 And might reconcile both in one body to God through the cross, having
slain the enmity in it.
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Enmity
The enmity here is different from that in v.15([RCV] in v.14). The enmity
in v15 is the law of the commandments in ordinances. But the enmity here
is another one which is against God, the real enmity that blocked the “objective
we“ to access God. And this enmity was in the phisical body of Christ.
But it was slain through the cross in His crucifixion.
V.17 and 18
"You" and "we" in these verses are the "subjective
we" who are on this earth.
Here in v.17 the church comes into being, the church in v.16 impossible!
And in v.18 is a church meeting both Jews and gentiles meeting together.
Of course they are of "subjective we" not of “objective we“.
My corrected translation is as follows. Under lined part are corrected
from [RCV]
2:14 For He Himself is our peace, He who has made both one and has broken
down the middle wall of partition,
15 The enmity in His flesh, abolishing the law of the commandments in ordinances, that He might create
the two in Himself into one new man, so making peace,
16 And might reconcile both in one body to God through the cross, having slain the enmity in it.
17 And coming, He announced peace as the gospel to you who were far off,
and peace to those who were near,
18 For through Him we both have access in one Spirit unto the Father.
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END
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