During Christ's earthly ministry, Gentiles were outside God's covenant dealings with Israel—without Christ, aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.
At that time God was dealing only with the nation of Israel on covenant ground. Christ could not yet be the true object of faith for a Gentile until His death, burial, and resurrection. Only after the cross were those who were far off made nigh by the blood of Christ.
Ephesians 2:11-12 — This passage directly describes the condition of Gentiles as being without Christ, alienated from Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise.
Ephesians 2:11-12 tells Gentile believers to remember their former state. They were called Uncircumcision by the Circumcision made in the flesh. In that time they were without Christ, aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world. Then verse 13 announces the change: 'But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.'
Les Feldick teaches that during Christ's earthly ministry, God was still dealing only with the nation of Israel. Christ was on covenant ground, and on covenant ground He had the deal only with the Jew. Because of that, He could not be the true object of faith for a Gentile until His death, burial, and resurrection. Les demonstrates this from Ephesians 2:12, which says that at that time—when it was Jew only—Gentiles were without Christ, aliens from Israel's commonwealth, strangers to the covenants, without hope and without God. He also emphasizes that God had not forgotten the Gentiles; He had prophesied that the root of Jesse would rise to reign over the Gentiles and that they would trust in Him, but that dealing would have to wait until the finished work of the cross.
Les explains that Christ was on covenant ground, and on covenant ground He had the deal only with the Jew. Just as a planted kernel of wheat must be buried and die before it can produce new life, Christ had to die, be buried, and rise again before He could become the object of faith for Gentiles. Until that finished work, the Gentile remained outside—without Christ, alienated from Israel, a stranger to the covenants, without hope and without God.
Paul writes that the Gentiles were in the flesh called Uncircumcision by the circumcision. At that time they were without Christ, aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world. Les identifies this as the time when it was Jew only—when God was dealing only with the nation of Israel on those covenant promises.
Les emphasizes that God had not forgotten the Gentiles. Even while He was primarily dealing with Israel from Abraham until the book of Acts, the Old Testament gave promises that there would be a root of Jesse who would rise to reign over the Gentiles and that in Him the Gentiles would trust. However, God could not deal with them in that way until Christ went to the cross.
The next verse, Ephesians 2:13, says that those who were sometimes far off have been made nigh by the blood of Christ. Les points to the crucifixion as that which brought the change. Now God deals with Gentiles on the basis of the finished work of the cross, not on covenant ground with Israel.
Covenant Ground Limits Christ's Ministry
Les teaches that Christ ministered on covenant ground and thus had the deal only with the Jew, so up until His death, burial, and resurrection, He could not be the true object of a Gentile's faith.
The Lot of the Greeks
Les applies Ephesians 2:12 to the Greeks: at that time they were without Christ, aliens from Israel, strangers to covenant promises, without hope and without God, until the cross and resurrection.
Made Nigh by the Blood
Les says the Gentile is no longer in that separated position because they who were far off have been made nigh by the blood of Christ, which refers to the crucifixion.
The Finished Work Changes the Deal
Les explains that on the basis of the finished work of the cross, God now deals with us Gentiles, and those who were once far off and steeped in paganism are made nigh by the blood.
When It Was Jew Only
Les clarifies that the 'at that time' in Ephesians 2:12 refers to when God was dealing only with the nation of Israel on covenant promises, during which Gentiles were without Christ and alienated from the commonwealth.
God Never Forgot the Gentiles
Les shows that even while God was primarily dealing with Israel, the Old Testament promised that the root of Jesse would rise to reign over the Gentiles and they would trust in Him, proving God had not forgotten them.
From Despair to Hope
Les reads the Gentile's hopeless condition and then immediately points to the 'flip side'—in Christ Jesus, those far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
Plain as Day
Les repeats the Ephesians 2:12 description for the Gentile forefathers—without Christ, aliens, strangers, without hope and without God—and then points to the next verse as the change.
Ephesians 2:11: Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;
This establishes the identity of the Gentiles from the perspective of the circumcision.
Ephesians 2:12: 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:
This is the key verse describing the Gentile's status during the time God was dealing with Israel.
Ephesians 2:13: But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
This verse shows the change that came through the blood of Christ, reversing the former separated status.
Les teaches that they could not yet have Christ as the true object of faith because He was on covenant ground with the Jew. That became possible only after His death, burial, and resurrection.
No. Les says God had not forgotten the Gentiles. He had foretold that the root of Jesse would rise to reign over the Gentiles and that they would trust in Him, but He could not deal with them until the cross.
It means the Gentiles were not citizens of the nation of Israel and therefore had no share in the covenant relationship through which God was working at that time. They were strangers to the promises and without hope.
Watch the Teaching: Why Jesus Told His Disciples: Don't Go to Gentiles