Eph. 2:17

2:17 He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near.

He came. This must be one of the greatest announcements to reach human ears. God came to earth in Jesus Christ! This is startling news. When human beings think about the supernatural, about God, they generally assume that he has little personal interest in us and must be persuaded to turn his face in our direction. Religions are based on the belief that we must get God's attention in some way or another, if not through giving expensive gifts, then through presenting him with our list of charities and good deeds. In shore, religions are based on the assumption that we must do something to earn the benefits of a God who is somewhere, certainly not here, on the earth, among us. He is far off somewhere, with little interest in what is happening here and now. In that case religion is mankind’s way of reaching out to God.

The Gospel is Good News in that God came to us! We did not woo or compel him to do so. He came voluntarily in order to break the bondage of sin so that we can live in fellowship with him.

Jesus came preaching peace, that is, that the Triune God is doing everything necessary to bring us into his Kingdom, the Kingdom of Peace. Jesus is the Prince of Peace. His reign is the reign of eternal peace.

To you who were far away and peace to those who were near.

If I read this correctly, Paul believes that the Jews are near while the Gentiles are far off. What does he mean? I believe that Jesus promised peace to the Jews who were in a Covenant relationship with God as outlined in the Old Testament. That placed them near to the Gospel. Not that the Jews opened their hearts en mass to Jesus, but, as the Old Testament states again and again, it is the Jews that God chose to receive special favors promised in the Covenant he made to Abraham and his followers.

Those special favors did not bring the Jews into Christ but they brought the Jews very near to Christ – blood relatives, so to speak. But they, like Gentiles, had to actually enter into Jesus by believing in him. So, no matter who was near and who was far, all go through the same small door, Jesus Christ.