"But NOW in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ." Eph. 2:13
Who were those that who "sometimes were far off."? Verses 11 and 12 tell you. It was the Gentiles. We were strangers from the covenants God made with Israel, having no hope, and without God in the world.
But notice v. 13. It is the blood of Christ that makes us nigh now.
"And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body BY THE CROSS, having slain the enmity thereby:" Eph. 2:16.
It is BY THE CROSS that Jew and Gentile are made one in Christ.
Does Matt. 10:5,6 and Matt.15:24 make more sense now? BEFORE the cross, Christ says He was NOT SENT but UNTO the LOST SHEEP of the HOUSE OF ISRAEL. He came to fulfill prophecy concerning the nation Israel, and to make them a kingdom of priests and a blessing to all nations. He was their Messiah and the Savior of the World. But they had to accept Him first. As we know they did not. They, as a nation, rejected Him.
And then we have the cross. Where the blood of Christ is shed for all, Jew and Gentile, and we are NOW on equal standing before God.
Everything that pertains to Jesus Christ's earthly ministry BEFORE the cross pertains to Israel and covenants and promises made to them by God. That's why the Beatitudes and the "Rules for Christian Living" in the four gospels does absolutely NOTHING toward salvation. It is at the CROSS that we find His finished work for us and our salvation.
I do hope you will read Ephesians, Chapter Two. It is an eye opener. Truly. God Bless!
I do agree that Ephesians 2 is quite beautiful. I do agree that it is by the blood and the cross that we, Gentiles, are made one in Christ. And what you write about Matthew 10 and 16 is exactly what I meant about needing context. But if any of the 100 questions quoted are somehow perverted by removing them from their context, I’ve missed it. So, I’m left puzzled once again by your intentions.
By the way, I know you don’t mean ill, but you have no idea how tiring it is to deal with Protestants who assume you’ve never read a given bible passage. I’ll grant that there are vast stretches of the Old Testament which are not used in the mass (or by Jesus as quoted in the gospels, or the New Testament writers) which many church-going Catholics may not be that familiar with. But nearly the entirety of the New Testament is incorporated into the cycle of readings at mass, and Catholic devotional resources, so any Catholic is going to be familiar with any portion of it. And it’s rather offensive to presume otherwise.
"But NOW in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ." Eph. 2:13
Who were those that who "sometimes were far off."? Verses 11 and 12 tell you. It was the Gentiles. We were strangers from the covenants God made with Israel, having no hope, and without God in the world.
But notice v. 13. It is the blood of Christ that makes us nigh now.
"And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body BY THE CROSS, having slain the enmity thereby:" Eph. 2:16.
It is BY THE CROSS that Jew and Gentile are made one in Christ.
Does Matt. 10:5,6 and Matt.15:24 make more sense now? BEFORE the cross, Christ says He was NOT SENT but UNTO the LOST SHEEP of the HOUSE OF ISRAEL. He came to fulfill prophecy concerning the nation Israel, and to make them a kingdom of priests and a blessing to all nations. He was their Messiah and the Savior of the World. But they had to accept Him first. As we know they did not. They, as a nation, rejected Him.
And then we have the cross. Where the blood of Christ is shed for all, Jew and Gentile, and we are NOW on equal standing before God.
Everything that pertains to Jesus Christ's earthly ministry BEFORE the cross pertains to Israel and covenants and promises made to them by God. That's why the Beatitudes and the "Rules for Christian Living" in the four gospels does absolutely NOTHING toward salvation. It is at the CROSS that we find His finished work for us and our salvation."
I do hope you will read Ephesians, Chapter Two. It is an eye opener. Truly. God Bless!"
Now here, everyone, is a proper hermeneutic in action. This is someone who is reading the ENTIRE story, catching the movement of the narrative UNTIL it actually comes along and adds us to to the story. I cannot thank you enough, smvoice, although you should be LGVOICE. Everyone on FR should read and reread this entire post to understand how this not only makes the Bible a cogent story, but explains why the Gospel is Good News and not just more "Golden Rule" Law. Thank you, again, my FRiend and brother.