Answer: Christ's purpose was to create in Himself
one new man out of the two (Jew and Gentile), and in this body to
reconcile both of them to God through the cross, (verses 15 and
16).
MORE INFORMATION AND/OR OTHER SCRIPTURE REFERENCES:
There is now no dividing wall (literally, no "fencing
in," no "enclosure") for any of God's
created ones. In this instance, a discussion of Jews and
Gentiles would bring to mind that in the temple courts, a partition
wall divided the court of the Gentiles from the court of Israel
with an inscription forbidding a Gentile from going further.
This also was a figurative wall (fencing, enclosure) of the enmity
between Jew and Gentile as "the middle wall of
partition."
Reconciliation is for all, offered by God through the cross,
through the blood of Christ. All who come to God through the
blood of Christ are now ONE. This "one new man,"
this unity, was fervently prayed for by our Savior. God is
ONE, and He will have no divisions in His body, the church.
We are brought to complete unity to let the world know that God
sent His Son, and that God loves us even as He loves His
Son:
John 17:11, 20-23: [Jesus prayed,]
"I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in
the world, and I am coming to You. Holy Father, protect them by the
power of Your Name--the Name you gave Me--so that they
may be one as We are One...My prayer is not for them alone. I
pray also for those who will believe in Me through their message,
that all of them may be one, Father, just as You are in Me and I am
in You. May they also be in Us so that the world may believe that
You have sent Me. I have given them the glory that You gave
Me, that they may be one as We are One: I in them and You in
Me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know
that You sent Me and have loved them even as You have loved
Me."
Galatians 3:26-29: "You are all
sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were
baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.
There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female,
for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ,
then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the
promise."
