In the comments section of this blog, someone just asked the question whether Ephesians 2:15 is referring to the Torah, as the Christian church typically teaches. Here is what it says:

For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity. (Ephraim 2:14–16)

Here is my explanation:

What does Ephraim 2:15 really say? Does it say that Yeshua abolished the law? NO! How could it say this when Yeshua said he came to establish the Torah-law and to bring it into its fuller dimension (Matt 5:17), and that not one jot or tittle of it would pass away as long as heaven and earth are here (Matt 5:18), and that the saints would be rewarded eternally based on their obedience to the Torah-law (Matt 5:19)? And then Yeshua goes on to explain the importance of obedience to both the spirit and letter of the Torah-law in the rest of his Sermon on the Mount (Matt 5–7). 

Moreover, how could Ephesians 2:15 mean that YHVH’s Torah-law was done away with when in numerous places Paul upholds the law and declares that he is obedient to it and that he has not violated even one jot or tittle of it, just like Yeshua said? 

Think people think! Let’s not let the silly, illogical, twisting of Scripture and cherry-picked out of contest out arguments of our somewhat biblically ignorant Christian friends dictate our understanding of the Word of Elohim. For example, would you go to a first grader to answer your questions about advanced mathematics or physics. Would you seek a child’s advice and expertise on how to build a house are rebuild an engine? I think not. Sadly, and in reality, most Christians are babies when it comes to understanding the details of Scriptures. All that most of them know how to do is to regurgitate the lies that they have heard from the pulpits. Beyond that, they have little or no knowledge or skill when it comes to rightly dividing the Word of Elohim. So, again, let’s not let these neophytes interpret Scripture for us. 

Not only that, when we repeat faulty interpretations of Scripture, we run the risk of making ourselves look like the same childish fools as those who proffer such lies and misinformation about Scripture. So instead of repeating the lies, let’s step back and logically think our way through the issues, just as I have taught the reader how to do above.

So what does Ephraim 2:15 mean if it is not referring to the Torah law? In reality, this verse says nothing at all about the Torah-law. It simply mentions that Yeshua abolished “commandments” and “ordinances”. Whose commandments and ordinances? Those of Elohim’s or men? We have just proven above that Elohim’s laws have not been done away with, so what is left? It’s a simple process of elimination. This is simple syllogistic logic. 

So what is the real issue in Ephesians chapter two? Paul is making the point that the Gentiles are now part of the nation and covenant promises of Israel through Yeshua. (For context, go read Eph 2 starting in verse 11.). He is battling the Jewish idea that the Gentiles were second class citizens and had no place with Israel and no relationship with Elohim unless they endured an elaborate conversion process including physical circumcision. As such, the Jews looked down on the Gentiles as second class citizens because they were not ethnic or biological Jews. This is the enmity that Paul is talking about in this verse. These are the traditions and dogmas of men (not of Elohim or the Bible) that Yeshua came to obliterate, so that the Gentiles could now receive the gospel message and be part of the kingdom of Elohim where there is neither Jew nor Greek (Gal 3:28), but “the one new man” as Ephesians 2:15 states. 

Actually the Old Testament was very inclusive of Gentiles, if those Gentiles chose to sojourn with Israel and worship and obey the Elohim of Israel. For example, Ruth was a Moabitess. Rahab was a Canaanite. Caleb was an Amalakite. Ephraim and Manasseh were half Egyptian. Moses married a black Ethiopian woman. Moreover, the Torah states in numerous places that there was one law for both the Israelite and the foreign Gentile that chose to become part of Israel. This is because a mixed (non-Israelite) multitude come out of Egypt at the exodus with Israel. This is also because when Israel conquered its enemies, some of the conquered people chose to become part of Israel, and the Torah makes allowances and provision for this. 

Moreover, YHVH commanded the Israelites to be a spiritual light to the nations around them (Deut 4:6), so that the Gentiles would come to the light of YHVH’s Truth (Isa 60:1–3). Additionally, when Israel fulfilled its divine mission to evangelise the Gentiles, not only would the foreigner be able to join himself to Israel because they came to the light of YHVH’s truth (Isa 56:3ff), but that same foreigner would actually eventually have the opportunity and privilege of serving in YHVH’s temple as priests (Isa 66:19–21 cp. 1 Pet 2:9; Rev 1:6; 5:10; 20:6).

Thus, the fulfillment of YHYVH’s greater plan for evangelizing the whole world was being thwarted in Paul’s day by unbiblical and man-made Jewish traditions, dogmas, commandments and rituals that hindered if not prevented Gentiles from coming to the glorious light of the gospel Truth and coming to know Elohim (1 John 2:3–6), and learning how to love him by keeping his Torah commandments (John 14:15, 21; Rom 13:8–10). 

This is what Paul is really saying in Ephesians 2:15. And, as they say, now you know the rest of the story—the whole truth and nothing but the truth!