In today’s age of the “dispensation of the grace of God” … we have this truth.

“He (Christ) is our peace, who hath made both (Jew & Gentile) one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us… so that He might reconcile both unto God in ‘one Body’ (the body of Christ) by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby.”

The Apostle Paul writes of the “middle wall of partition” that had separated mankind into two Biblical groups; Israel and the Gentiles. Some say it’s the covenants of promise and the elements of the Law that God had given solely to Israel that are referred to as “the middle wall of partition.” (Eph 2:14). It’s true that some odd requirements of “the Law” made Israel “a peculiar people” (1Pet. 2:9), and yet to be peculiar among all the people. God gave “the Law” to His only covenant people – that is, the Nation Israel.

The Gentiles had been given up at the Tower of Babel when the dispensation we call ‘Human Government’ ended. God then called out Abram and his seed (the nation Israel) and gave them covenant of promise and “the Law.” The calling of Abraham then put a difference between Israel and the Gentiles, who then were found “hopeless” state as seen here.

“That at that time ye (Gentiles) were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:” (Eph. 2:12)

Paul makes it clear to the Ephesians grace gospel believers that they as Gentiles had previously been “without hope… (and) without God,” … but now they are “saved by grace, through faith” in Christ’s cross (Eph 2:8-9). The Gentiles previously had no part in the citizenship of Israel or the covenants of promise;

“But now ‘in Christ Jesus’ ye (Gentiles)… who were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. (Eph. 2:13)

Paul’s reference to “the middle wall of partition” refers to a real physical wall in the Temple as a vivid indication of the distinction that was still being practiced at that time, separating Jews and Gentiles, even though the age had changed from “the Law” to the age of grace for ALL men.

Many Christians are unaware that there had been a physical barrier, a literal wall at the Temple in Jerusalem, which separated Gentiles and Jews in the days of Paul. Known as the “soreg,” this wall prohibited Gentiles from entering into the temple courts. We will look at a few pieces of evidence on this fact below. This wall enforced the distinctive elevated position of Israel, while the Gentiles were outsiders in the things pertaining to relationship with God. The “soreg” (wall) featured signs, in a number of languages, with inscriptions that warned these unauthorized people (Gentiles), even proselytes, against entering the area of the Holy Temple. Some of the signs which were placed on the “soreg” have been discovered by archeologist. Some bear this inscription. “No outsider shall enter the protective enclosure around the sanctuary. And whoever is caught will only have himself to blame for the ensuing death.”

It’s a known fact, that there were Gentile proselytes who went up to the Temple in Jerusalem to worship.

“And there were certain Greeks (Gentiles) among them that came up to worship at the feast:” (John 12:20)

“And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship,” (Act 8:27)

The fact that the Gentiles were still kept separate from the Jewish Temple was apparent in Paul’s day.

(Jews cried) “This is the man (Paul), that teacheth all men every where against the people, and the law, and this place: and further brought Greeks also INTO the temple, and hath polluted this holy place. (Act 21:28)

This wall was not even part of the design God had given for the Temple. It was later added by the Jews in authority to keep Gentiles from entering the Temple area. Nowhere in the Old Testament would you be able to find of such a structure as the “wall of partition.” But this had become the norm in the 2nd Temple times, and no Gentile could enter into the Temple precinct because of it. This was a manmade barrier, and a manmade mandate that kept Gentiles from coming to God’s Temple. Manmade laws are still a problem for sincere seekers.

Considering the above facts, it’s safe to say Paul was referring to this wall of partitioning in his letter to the Ephesians, as it was a notable feature of the Jerusalem Temple, to keep Gentiles from entering in. But Paul no doubt saw this “wall of partition” as being in contrasts with the great truth of “the mystery” of believers being “in Christ” and Christ’s Spirit in ALL believers... making them “one new man” (Eph 2:15) “There is neither Jew nor Greek…  for ye are all one in (union with) Christ Jesus. (Gal. 3:28)

Now looking back, it was with the Lord’s call of Abraham that He had set Israel “above all people” (Exo 19:5) …  if they would keep “the Law.” God’s plan and expectation is that that ultimately, through Israel, He would one day bless the whole world of all mankind. Israel is destined to co-rule the world with the Lord and they shall teach God’s word and bless “all the families of the earth” (Gen 12:3). Of course we know this has never yet happened, but Scripture tells us it will in the Millennium (read Zech. 8:23).

But why hasn’t this happened up till now? The Bible tells us Israel broke God’s Laws, killed His prophets, crucified His Son, the Savior, and rejected the message of Jesus’ Messianic disciples by killing Stephen (Act 7:59). With that, Israel has fallen and God has set Israel aside… for a time… during this age of the Gentile body of Christ.

“Let their (Israel’s) eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their back alway. ¹¹ I say then, have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their FALL salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy.

²⁵ … ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.” (Romans 11:10-11, 25)  

Today, with Israel’s fall and being blinded, ALL men, both Jew & Gentile, are today seen before God as guilty lost Gentiles. The ground is level at the foot of the cross.

“Whatsoever the law saith it saith to them that (Israel) are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped and ALL the world may be brought in guilty before God.” (Romans 3:19)

NOW - “There is none righteous, no, not one:” (Romans 3:10 (KJV)

“The Law” was NOT given to make Israel or mankind better, but rather “that every mouth may be stopped” (Rom 3:19, above), to convince mankind of their utter hopelessness, in themselves, to meet God’s standard of righteousness. This was that they might then hear the gospel and see their need the Savior who can give them “forgiveness of sins” and Christ’s life that can powerfully live righteously.

“For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. (Rom 8:2)

Now, “in Christ” under Paul’s grace gospel, with the “middle wall of partition” broken down, ALL men, both Jew & Gentile, have been placed on the same level, as lost sinners. “God hath concluded them ALL in unbelief: (so) that He might have mercy upon ALL” (Rom. 11:32). Now also, God offers salvation through Christ to ALL men (both Jew & Gentile) who died for the sins of ALL men at the cross of Calvary. Thus Paul wrote this in Ephesians 2:13-16.

“But now, in Christ Jesus, ye who once were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. For He is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us (Jew & Gentile) … so that He might reconcile both unto God in one Body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby.”

We can thank God there is no more “wall” between God and any one would trust His Son, nor between Jew and Gentile who have been made “one Body in Christ” (Rom 12:5), without distinction.

“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond (slave) nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:28)

So “the (one) body of Christ” is a joint-body of Jew and Gentile, but WITHOUT distinction as to race. This then is “to make all men see what is the Fellowship of The Mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: (Eph 3:9). Today ALL men are alike in their lostness, but also ALL men today can call upon the name of the Lord, be saved and enter an intimate relationship with the Lord as God and Father of ALL who believe. Thus Paul here uses the word “whosoever.”

“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord (‘Jesus’ means ‘Savior) shall be saved. (Romans 10:13)