Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Ephesians 2:15

"having abolished in the flesh the enmity, [even] the law of commandments [contained] in ordinances; that he might create in himself of the two one new man, [so] making peace;" — Ephesians 2:15 (ASV)

The barrier between Jews and Gentiles was overthrown when Christ effectively disposed of the old law with its meticulously defined sanctions enshrined in its innumerable decrees. Paul does accept that in itself the law is right and good, but he insists that the unregenerate are incapable of complying with its legal demands (Romans 3:19–31; Romans 7:7–12; Romans 8:2–4). “Abolishing” (GK 2934) is a favorite Pauline verb not easy to translate. Literally it means “to make ineffective or powerless.” In Lk 13:7 it refers to ground exhausted by a barren tree; it also sometimes meant “to bring to a standstill or to put out of action.” Eventually it signified “to invalidate, nullify, quash.” Paul is thinking of the abolishing of the totality of the law considered as a moral burden. It was in his crucified flesh that our Lord accomplished the annulment of the law (cf. v.17), so that he might “create in himself” the new humanity of which he as the second Adam is the Head. The Christian is no hybrid but a new creation (v.10).