Charles Ellicott Commentary Ephesians 2:16

"and might reconcile them both in one body unto God through the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:" — Ephesians 2:16 (ASV)

And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body.—In this verse, the latter subject begins—the reconciliation of all to God. On the reconciliation of man to God, see the great passage 2 Corinthians 5:18–21.

But it should be noted that in the original, the word used here and in Colossians 1:20-21 (and nowhere else) is a compound signifying not simply to “conciliate,” but properly to “reconcile”—that is, to reunite those who were originally united but afterwards separated by the sin of man. This brings out the profound idea, which so especially characterizes these Epistles, of a primeval unity of all created being in Christ, marred and broken by sin, and restored by His manifestation in human flesh.

Note that the passage in the Colossians (on which see Notes) has a far wider scope than this passage—having made peace through the blood of His cross, by Him to reconcile all things to Himself; by Him (I say), whether they be things on earth or things in heaven.

On the other hand, this passage characteristically still lays stress on the idea in one body—that is, as throughout, His mystical body, the Church—although probably the phrase is suggested here by the thought of the natural body of the Lord offered on the cross, which is clearly referred to in Colossians 1:21. There is a similar connection of thought in 1 Corinthians 10:16–17, The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? For we are all one bread, and one body.

By the cross, having slain the enmity thereby.—In this verse (in accordance with the context) the enmity, which by His death He slew, is the barrier between God and man, created by sin, but brought out by the Law, as hard and rigid law, in ordinances of which St. Paul does not hesitate to say that sin took occasion by it, and by it slew man (Romans 7:11).

This is illustrated by the related, though different, metaphor of Colossians 2:14, where it is said of Christ that He blotted out the handwriting of ordinances which was against us, which was contrary unto us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to His cross.

Compare also, in Galatians 2:19-20, the connection of spiritual “death to the Law” with our partaking of our Lord’s crucifixion: I, through the Law, am dead to the Law, that I might live unto God. I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live... by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. By His death Christ has both redeemed us from sin, and also redeemed (properly, bought) us from the curse of the Law (Galatians 3:13).