Ephesians 2:13, the meaning of "far off" and "near"

[Psalms62]

George Lamsa Translation of the Peshitta

How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings glad tidings of peace; who publishes good tidings of good, and who declares salvation; who says to Zion, Your God reigns!

Can the verse in Ephesians 2:13 be comparable? Analysis of Peshitta verse Ephesians 2:13

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Analysis of Peshitta verse Ephesians 2:13​

Ephesians 2:13 - ܗܳܫܳܐ ܕ݁ܶܝܢ ܒ݁ܝܶܫܽܘܥ ܡܫܺܝܚܳܐ ܐܰܢ݈ܬ݁ܽܘܢ ܕ݁ܡܶܢ ܩܕ݂ܺܝܡ ܪܰܚܺܝܩܺܝܢ ܗ݈ܘܰܝܬ݁ܽܘܢ ܩܰܪܺܝܒ݂ܶܐ ܗܘܰܝܬ݁ܽܘܢ ܒ݁ܰܕ݂ܡܶܗ ܕ݁ܰܡܫܺܝܚܳܐ ܀

Translations​

(Etheridge) But now, by Jeshu the Meshiha, you who before were far off, are brought nigh by the blood of the Meshiha.

(Murdock) But now, by Jesus the Messiah, ye who before were afar off, have been brought near by the blood of the Messiah.

(Lamsa) But now, through Jesus Christ, you who sometimes were far off are brought near by the blood of Christ.

What is the meaning of “far off” and “near” in this verse?

 

[Bithynian]

Far off (Gk: μακράν, markan) and near (Gk: ἐγγύς, engus) have to be read contextually.

In v 12, Paul says to his readers, Gentiles, that they were once “aliens from the commonwealth of Israel” and “strangers to the covenants of his promise”. In v 14 Paul writes “in his flesh, [Christ Jesus] has both groups [Gentiles and Jews] into one”.

In this case, “far off” and “near” are not primarily referring to any spatial sense of distance, but more so the Gentiles’ conceptual distance from the salvific plan of God as embodied in the Body of Christ.

 

[Psalms62]

Those who were distance from the salvation or redemption that God brought can now come near. Isaiah had heard God say: “Peace, Peace, to the far and near”. I took it to mean that those who were sinners (distant from God) were brought nearer. God offered us away to be brought nearer to Himself through His son, Jesus.

Paul said that the middle wall of the barrier between has been torn down. So the reading in Isaiah 52 can be seen as connecting to Ephesians 2:13

How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings glad tidings of peace; who publishes good tidings of good, and who declares salvation; who says to Zion, Your God reigns!

 

[Psalms62]

10

Romans 10:6-7

But the righteousness based on faith says, “Do not say in your heart, ‘ Who will ascend into heaven? ’” (that is, to bring Christ down) “or ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). (ESV)

ἡ δὲ ἐκ πίστεως δικαιοσύνη οὕτως λέγει· μὴ εἴπῃς ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ σου· τίς ἀναβήσεται εἰς τὸν οὐρανόν; τοῦτ᾿ ἔστιν Χριστὸν καταγαγεῖν· ἤ· τίς καταβήσεται εἰς τὴν ἄβυσσον; τοῦτ᾿ ἔστιν Χριστὸν ἐκ νεκρῶν ἀναγαγεῖν. (NA28)

This logic is difficult for me to follow. (The purpose of ascent into heaven is “to bring Christ down”?) This is widely cited as a quote from Deuteronomy 30 (and verse 8 essentially makes that claim):

Οτι ἡ ἐντολὴ αὕτη, ἣν ἐγὼ ἐντέλλομαί σοι σήμερον, οὐχ ὑπέρογκός ἐστιν οὐδὲ μακρὰν ἀπὸ σοῦ. οὐκ ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ ἄνω ἐστὶν λέγων Τίς ἀναβήσεται ἡμῖν εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ λήμψεται αὐτὴν ἡμῖν;…ἔστιν σου ἐγγὺς τὸ ῥῆμα σφόδρα ἐν τῷ στόματί σου καὶ ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ σου καὶ ἐν ταῖς χερσίν σου αὐτὸ ποιεῖν. (LXX, Rahlfs)

This commandment that I command you today is not excessive nor is it far from you. It is not in the sky, saying, “Who will go up to the sky and get it for us?..The word is very near to you, in your mouth and in your heart and in your hands, to do it. (NETS)

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The Idea in Brief

In both passages (in Deuteronomy and Romans) the “Word of God” is what saves man. According to the Christian New Testament, this same “Word of God” was in direct reference to Jesus of Nazareth.

 

[Psalms62]

(continue)

Discussion​

In the Christian New Testament in Romans Chapter 10, the Apostle Paul identifies Jesus of Nazareth within the Torah, where “the commandment” ( הַמִּצְוָה ) appears translated as “the word” ( הַדָּבָר ) in Deut 31:14. That is, this “word” in the Greek Septuagint is ῥῆμα , which is the same word used by Paul in Romans Chapter 10. In both the Torah and Christian New Testament, the “word” descends from heaven and saves man.

By his own statement on various occasions, Jesus of Nazareth had referred to himself as “the son of man,” but he also indicated that he had descended from heaven as well (John 3:13). That is, this descending not only included his “incarnation” but also included his death, whereupon this descent continued into “the belly of the earth” (Matthew 12:40). Thus descent carries the wider idea of not only descending to earth for his physical birth but also his death, at which time he continued the descent into “the belly of the earth.” The subsequent ascent therefore is his rising; that is, the ascent is his resurrection from the dead. In this regard he returned to heaven from whence he had come (John 13:3).

Going back to the Book of Deuteronomy, the “Word of God” is what saves man. The “Word of God” had descended from heaven, but one need not seek “beyond the sea” to find this word.

Deut 30:11-14 (NASB)

11 “For this commandment which I command you today is not too difficult for you, nor is it out of reach. 12 It is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will go up to heaven for us to get it for us and make us hear it, that we may observe it?’ 13 Nor is it beyond the sea, that you should say, ‘Who will cross the sea for us to get it for us and make us hear it, that we may observe it?’ 14 But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may observe it.

" The word " highlighted in bold, above , is the same word ῥῆμα in the Septuagint that Paul had used in Romans 10. That is, the “Word of God” saves man. This “Word of God” is Jesus of Nazareth.

Of particular note in the Book of Deuteronomy, the reference to the sea appears to have carried an additional allusion to the underworld. For example, Jonah had entered the underworld through the

 

[Psalms62]

It’s actually Paul’s words—particularly in Galatians, Romans, and Ephesians—that inform us most clearly about how the relationship between God’s followers and the Law changed after Jesus’ death and resurrection. Ephesians 2 is explicit about what the work of Christ means for our relationship to the Law:

But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups [i.e., Jews and Gentiles] into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall, by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances , so that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace, and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity .Should Followers of Christ Observe the Torah?

 

[Hodos]

It is talking about Gentile believers being brought into God’s favor through Christ and made into one people, getting rid of the distinction between Jew and Gentile. It is using evocative images of the temple worship going on in Israel to demonstrate this. So in verses 19-22, it talks about how through Christ, the Gentiles and Jews both are being built into a holy temple, joined together. The temple in those days was constructed so that there was an outer court (the court of the Gentiles) where Gentiles and proselytes could gather and pray, and the inner court where only circumcised Jews could come to offer sacrifices and prayer to God. Through his death, Christ has done away with those distinctions, making for himself one holy people united in Him.

 

[Psalms62]

The verses are Incredible and are beautifully said for those (as individuals) who were far off (sinners) and distant away from God were brought closer (near) to Himself in the same gesture.

"I ask that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you may know the hope of His calling, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints"
Ephesians 1:18
(Ephesians 1:18 I ask that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you may know the hope of His calling, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints,)

I think of this time as the opening to the Holidays ahead and the calling out for those who are “distant - Far away” to come closer (near) to God, as individuals. This is a good time and a time to reflect.

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[De_Maria]

I’m pretty sure that all of you are correct. There are many levels of understanding to Scripture. And it can be applied to both sinners who are far away and brought into the fold, as well as more directly, to the Gentiles, of which St. Paul was the instrument God used to bring them in the fold.

 

[Psalms62]

Thank you and great post!

 

[Hodos]

Looking back at my post, I may be reading into it a little more than the text makes a case for (pushing the symbolism of the temple too far), but I think my explanation is true to the point of the passage. We are one people in Christ.

 

[Psalms62]

I think you gave a good explanation of the passage.