Ephesians 2:17-18

And he [Jesus] came and preached peace to you who were far off, and peace to those who were near, for through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.

Jesus came and preached peace to those who were far off (i.e. Gentiles) and to those who were near (i.e. Jews)

The word for preached is derived from the word for Gospel or the good news – euangelion. This is the word from which we get words like evangelism and evangelical.

Jesus came and he preached a message of peace. It was not any message of peace; it was the good news.

This message is that God is in Christ reconciling the world to himself. The message of peace was firstly a message about peace with God.

Because Jesus paid for our sins on the cross, we are now able to come into God's presence and enjoy relationship with him. The enmity that results in sin and rebellion against God has been dealt with.

Sin sets us against other people at a personal, community, and even international levels. We cannot have peace with others if we do not have peace with God first.

Paul views this as being exemplified as the division between Jew and non-Jew. The Jews had access to the Father through obedience to the Law. So now peace is possible because both parties can have peace with God in Christ.

It cannot be said often enough that the Jews are no longer separate from the Gentiles. They do not have a different path to Heaven. Paul says over and over that the Law was abolished in Christ and that there is no difference anymore between Jew and Gentile.

The destruction of the temple, never to be re-built, in 70 AD demonstrates that God has done away with the old covenant forever.

Through Christ (particularly His death on the cross) Jew and Gentile have access in the one Spirit to the Father.

The cross and the blood of Jesus wash away every sin. “God so loved the world that he sent his one and only Son so that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).

God loves the people of this world and brings us all the opportunity to repent and receive salvation in Christ - Jews and Gentiles, people from every tongue and tribe and nation.

Through Jesus we have access to the Father. When we know that our sins are forgiven, and there is no penalty to be paid, and no punishment to be feared, then we can boldly approach the Father.

The Father is “Abba”. He is not a distant almighty fearful deity to be approached with much abasement and the strict following of protocols. No, to those who are redeemed he is Dad.

Because of Jesus we can know God , an intimate experiential knowledge of our Creator. We can talk to him about the concerns that we have, the desires of our heart, and the needs of others. We can also listen to his voice , reassuring us of his love and grace, that he is handling the issues on our heart.

This access to the Father comes through the Holy Spirit. When we first came to faith, the Holy Spirit entered into us. The Spirit leads us and directs us, equips us and enables us to do impossible things for Christ.

The gifts of the Holy Spirit in 1 Corinthians 12, give us the miraculous powers of Christ, and the fruit of the Holy Spirit in Galatians 5 give us the character of Christ. As we grow in maturity into the fullness of the Holy Spirit, we become true representatives of Christ in the world .

In this sentence we again have a strong statement about the Trinity. The word Trinity is never used in scripture, but it is always present. Through Christ we have access to the Father in the Holy Spirit. Our God is three persons in one God, a community of eternal love - Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Key points in this verse:

• Jesus brings the good news of peace.

• Peace is firstly peace with God.

• Jews as well as non Jews need the gospel and the salvation of Christ.

• The blood of Jesus washes away every sin.

• Through Christ we have access to the Father.

• God the Father is not a stern disciplinarian but a loving Father.

• The Holy Spirit seeks to make us more like Jesus