Toni-Kay: Commentary on Ephesian David Kraemer, JTS

One of the things I love about The Jewish Annotated New Testament,  2nd Edition, NRSV, by Amy Jill Levine and Marc Zvi Brettler are the fabulous commentaries before each chapter.  

Each one is penned by a biblical scholar.  David Kraemer wrote the commentary on the book of Ephesians.  He is a professor of Talmud & Rabbinics at the Jewish Theological Seminary of America.  

From his commentary on the book of Ephesians, starting at p. 388 of the Annotated New Testament,

“...the author addresses his letter to a Gentile audience who have left their pagan ways behind... the author presents Christ as the saving power, the mystery of which has just been revealed.  Christ's blood, offered by God out of divine grace, as a saving power, revivifies believers who were dead on account of sin amd re-orders the world, creating a single, spiritual Israel that nullifies the advantage of Israel of the flesh.  

To accomplish this, the Law, which divides between Israel and Gentiles, must be abolished.  But this reordering does not eliminate another distinction between Israel , which now includes believing Gentiles, and idolaters; (and)  righteous believers must do everything they can to distance themselves from their former sins."    

At p. 389 Kraemer sums up by discussing that

“...much in Ephesians reflects contemporary Jewish concepts and vocabulary.... it's focus on and interpretations of the Shema... and its application, love your neighbor as yourself…"   

Kraemer suggests that the book of Ephesians' loyalty to Paul's mission to the Gentiles, 

“...requiring the destruction of the 'dividing wall,'  the hostility that separates Irael and the nations and the abolition of the Law, could only raise the wall between Jew and Gentile higher, for Jews imbued with the teachings of the Tanakh, viewed themselves as a Chosen People, united by blood and distinct from other nations.  They also understood the covenant to be a covenant of Law, an inheritance that the rabbis, with their focus on Law, understood well.  By virtue of these beliefs, for Jews who had not accepted Paul's interpretations, the vision of Ephesians could only be understood as radically 'other' despite its appropriation of parts of a common tradition."     

(This is me speaking now) 

So....  having an understanding of the point in time this letter was written, and to the audiences the letter was intended for, gives us an understanding of why there was such a divide between the Jewish people and the Gentiles.  At chapter 2:11 we see the discussion about Gentiles being uncircumcised, with circumcision as being a mark of the flesh.... of one's commitment to the Law.  

As Christians we believe the teachings of Christ unify us with the world, with Christ as our cornerstone. At Ephesians chapter 2:15-22, we are unified in Christ, all are joined together (in peace) and "grow into a holy temple in the Lord in whom you are built together spiritually."  

So when I received communion a couple years back at the hand of +Jane Via who said, "You are the body of Christ"  this is what comes to mind.  We are all unified... with a common access in one Spirit to God!  We are the temple spoken of in Ephesians. We through our Christianity, are the body of Christ!

Following the symbolism of circumcision, Richard Rohr comments in his Universal Christ, at p. 221, 

"Unless the awareness of the 'Christ Mystery' rewires you on the physical, neurological and cellular levels, unless you can actually see and experience it in a new way, this will remain another theory of ideaology."  

As Christians our gage (gauge) must be evident... as demonstrated in how we reflect FRUITS of the Spirit on a daily basis.  So our gage, our "circumcision" if you will, is to continually reflect on these questions.

To what degree and to what extent am I reflecting to myself and the world, LOVE, JOY, PEACE, PATIENCE, KINDNESS, GOODNESS, FAITHFULNESS, GENTLENESS, and SELF-CONTROL?  

These are the pillars of the Temple referred to in Ephesians that unify all believers in God.   Without these pillars, our Christianity is just another ideology!

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