Christ Is Our Peace

The controlling image in our text is the physical arrangement of the temple in Jerusalem. A wall separating Jews and Gentiles, and signs threatening death to Gentiles who entered the Holy Place, where sacrifices were offered for sin. Christ offered in his own body the final sacrifice to which the temple's sacrifices pointed. Isaiah prophesied a day when God's peace would be proclaimed to those "far and near" (Isaiah 57:19). Through the gospel the Spirit brings Gentiles ("you who were far away") and Jews ("those who were near") together before the Father.