Daily Meditations on the Bible / We stand with Israel
… and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord.
Summary: Paul’s metaphors are intended to help us visualize spiritual truths. It helps to realize that metaphors are not the actual truth but only an illustration of truth.
Continue reading “Ephesians 2:21b – The Heart of the Lord”In him the whole building is joined together …
Summary: Paul uses a stone building as a metaphor for the body of Christ. As we look more closely at the metaphor, we discover that Jesus is all that matters.
Continue reading “Ephesians 2:21a – The Ultimate Rock”… with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.
Summary: The internet can’t be trusted to get anything right. Be cautious! When it comes to understanding God’s Word, we need to understand the words in it. Especially if it is a metaphor.
Continue reading “Ephesians 2:20b – Internidiot”... built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets …
Summary: Looking closely at Paul’s use of language helps us understand the concept behind the words.
Continue reading “Ephesians 2:20a – An Excellent Metaphor”Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household,
Summary: Today we explore a bit more about how Jesus brings Jews and Gentiles together.
Continue reading “Ephesians 2:19 – Part of the Family”For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.
Summary: Paul’s sentence describes how we can gain access to God. To do so we need to reach out through Jesus and the Holy Spirit.
Continue reading “Ephesians 2:18 – Access to God”He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near.
Summary: Why do we need peace? The answer has to do with how we see the world. If we are looking through the lens of our own self-interest, we are not seeing life the way God wants us to see it.
Continue reading “Ephesians 2:17 – The Inner Me”… and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility.
Summary: The history of humanity is littered with conflict. The power of God restores peace between men.
Continue reading “Ephesians 2:16 – The Death of Hostility”His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace …
Summary: God changed the rules when he instituted a new covenant in Jesus’ blood. Trying to figure out what those rules are and how to apply them has been a challenge for humanity ever since.
Continue reading “Ephesians 2:15b – The Challenge”… by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations.
Summary: Paul addresses a specific type of law in this passage today. Understanding the history of the law and the types of law created by God is essential to understanding Paul’s point.
Continue reading “Ephesians 2:15a – New Laws and Old”