ACC ~ Ephesians 2 v13

FROM WHAT WERE THEY ONCE FAR OFF? TERTULLIAN: They were once far off from the Christ of the Creator, from the way of the Israelites, from the covenants, from the hope of the promise, from God himself. Once far off, the Gentiles now come close in Christ to the things that were once far off. AGAINST MARCION 5.17.12-13.

NOW BROUGHT NEAR TO THE COMMONWEALTH OF TRUE ISRAEL. ORIGEN: Paul is responding to those who think that believers in Christ may enter into the commonwealth of Israel but that it is some entirely different one that has nothing in common with the history of Israel. … It is those who know the spiritual law and live in accordance with it who are made dwellers in the commonwealth of Israel, more so than those who are Israelites in the body only. EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS.

WHETHER ONE CAN BE FAR FROM GOD WHO IS EVERYWHERE. JEROME: God in his entirety is everywhere. Who can be separated from him when all things are in him? … He is, however, said to be far away from the unrighteous, according to Proverbs [15:29]. … Just as far as the unrighteous are away from him, so close is he to the saints. Just when God seemed to be furthest from the Ephesians, he was coming close to them by the blood of Jesus. EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS 1.2.13-14.

BROUGHT NEAR BY THE BLOOD OF CHRIST. AMBROSIASTER: He reminds us that we were brought close to God by the blood of Christ in order to show how great is God’s affection toward us, since he allowed his own Son to die. We too, enduring in faith, should not yield to despair in any of the agonies inflicted on us for his sake, knowing that what he deserves from us exceeds all that our enemies can bring upon us. EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS 2.13.

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