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Romans 8:1
There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

1 Corinthians 1:30
But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:

2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore if any manbe in Christ,he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

were.

Ephesians 2:12,17,19-22
That at that time ye 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: …

Ephesians 3:5-8
Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; …

Psalm 22:7
All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head,saying,

are.

Ephesians 2:16
And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:

Ephesians 1:7
In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;

Romans 3:23-30
For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; …

you who once were far away
This refers to the Gentiles who were previously excluded from the covenantal promises given to Israel. In the historical context, Gentiles were considered outsiders, both spiritually and socially, lacking the privileges of the Jewish people. The phrase echoesIsaiah 57:19, where God promises peace to those "far and near." The distance is not just geographical but spiritual, highlighting the separation from God due to sin and the lack of access to the covenant community.

have been brought near
This indicates a reversal of the previous alienation. The language of being "brought near" is reminiscent of temple worship, where proximity to God was a privilege of the Jewish people. In the Old Testament, nearness to God was associated with the temple and the sacrificial system. Now, through Christ, Gentiles are granted access to God, symbolizing reconciliation and the breaking down of barriers. This nearness is not just a physical or social change but a profound spiritual reality.

through the blood of Christ
The means by which this nearness is achieved is through the sacrificial death of Jesus. The "blood of Christ" is a reference to His atoning sacrifice, fulfilling the Old Testament sacrificial system. This phrase underscores the cost of reconciliation and the seriousness of sin. The blood signifies the new covenant, as Jesus Himself stated during the Last Supper (Luke 22:20). It fulfills the prophetic imagery of the suffering servant inIsaiah 53 and the Passover lamb inExodus 12, typifying Christ as the ultimate sacrifice for sin.

• Paul turns from what once was to what God has done.

• The phrase signals a decisive change: “you were dead…BUT GOD made us alive” (Ephesians 2:4-5).

• It reminds us that history, guilt, and distance do not get the final word—God’s intervention does (Romans 5:8).

• Location matters. All the blessings named in Ephesians flow only “in Him” (Ephesians 1:3-14).

• Union with Christ means:

– His righteousness counted as ours (2 Corinthians 5:21).

– His life becoming our life (Colossians 3:3-4).

– His access to the Father granted to us (John 14:6).

• Outside of Christ there is condemnation; “Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1).

• Specifically Gentile believers (Ephesians 2:11-12), but the description fits every sinner: alienated, hopeless, and godless.

• Distance was both relational and covenantal—“your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God” (Isaiah 59:2).

• Even those raised in religious settings are naturally “strangers and enemies in your minds because of your evil deeds” (Colossians 1:21).

• God does the moving; we are acted upon.

• Nearness means:

– Adoption into God’s household (Ephesians 2:19).

– Immediate access in prayer (Hebrews 4:16).

– Fellowship with the living God (1 John 1:3).

• The imperative that flows from nearness: “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you” (James 4:8).

• The only doorway to God is a sacrificial one.

• Old-Testament shadows now find fulfillment: “for the life of the flesh is in the blood…to make atonement for your souls” (Leviticus 17:11).

• Christ’s blood secures:

– Forgiveness (Ephesians 1:7).

– Peace (Colossians 1:20).

– Eternal redemption (Hebrews 9:12; 9:22).

• The costliness of the remedy underscores the seriousness of sin—“you were redeemed…with the precious blood of Christ” (1 Peter 1:18-19).

Ephesians 2:13 celebrates a glorious reversal. Once cut off, we now stand welcomed; once hopeless, we now belong—all because Jesus shed His blood and united us to Himself. Our past distance is real, but God’s present nearness is greater, permanent, and joy-giving to every believer who is “in Christ Jesus.”