Bible Outline • Ephesians 2:11-22 (KJV)
One Savior, One Gospel, One Way of Salvation for Jews and Gentiles.
This teaching comes from the King James Bible, and every verse I quote is from the KJV.
These are my own convictions from the Word of God, shared through The Prevailing Word of God ministry, and they do not speak for any local church.
Primary Text
Ephesians 2:11-22 (KJV)
Main Idea
The old temple limited who could come near to God, and a wall kept Gentiles out of its inner courts. Through the cross, Jesus Christ made believing Jews and Gentiles one, and both now have access to the Father by one Spirit.
Download the printable outline (Word)
I. The Temple: Four Areas and Who Could Enter
A. The Most Holy Place (Holy of Holies)
Who could enter: The high priest only, once a year.
Descriptive
“But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people:”
Hebrews 9:7, KJV
Prescriptive
“Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the vail before the mercy seat, which is upon the ark; that he die not:”
Leviticus 16:2, KJV
In Hebrews 9:7, “the second” means the inner room behind the veil. The mercy seat rested upon the ark in that room.
The high priest entered it once a year on the Day of Atonement, and never without blood.
B. The Holy Place
Who could enter: Priests only.
Descriptive
“Now when these things were thus ordained, the priests went always into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God.”
Hebrews 9:6, KJV
The Holy Place was the first room of the sanctuary, in front of the veil. The priests went in and out of it daily to carry out the service of God.
C. The Inner Courts
Who could enter: Jewish worshippers only.
Descriptive
“and further brought Greeks also into the temple, and hath polluted this holy place.”
Acts 21:28, KJV
The inner courts belonged to the people of Israel, and Gentiles were forbidden to enter them. Within this area were separate courts for Jewish women, Jewish men, and the priests.
D. The Outer Court (Court of the Gentiles)
Who could enter: Both Jews and Gentiles.
Descriptive
“Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves.”
Mark 11:17, KJV
Descriptive
“for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people.”
Isaiah 56:7, KJV
The outer court was the one part of the temple where Gentiles could come and pray to the God of Israel alongside Jews.
Quick Reference
- Outer Court: Jews and Gentiles
- Inner Courts: Jewish worshippers only
- Holy Place: Priests only
- Most Holy Place: High priest only, once a year
II. The Middle Wall of Partition: Paul Was Falsely Accused of Breaking It
A. The Physical Barrier Between Jews and Gentiles
Descriptive
“(For they had seen before with him in the city Trophimus an Ephesian, whom they supposed that Paul had brought into the temple.)”
Acts 21:29, KJV
The temple barrier kept Gentiles out of the restricted inner courts. The crowd accused Paul of bringing a Greek, a Gentile, past it. Paul had not done so, because they only supposed it.
B. The Separation Between Jews and Gentiles
Descriptive
“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 2:12, KJV
Before Jesus Christ came, Israel’s covenant privileges did not include the Gentiles.
C. Christ Broke Down the Dividing Wall
Descriptive
“For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;”
Ephesians 2:14, KJV
Jesus Christ removed the hostility that separated Jews and Gentiles, and He made believers from both one in Himself.
III. Jesus Christ Reconciled Jews and Gentiles to God
A. Jesus Christ Is Our Peace
Descriptive
“For he is our peace, who hath made both one,”
Ephesians 2:14, KJV
Jesus Christ made believing Jews and Gentiles one people.
B. Both Are Reconciled Through the Cross
Descriptive
“And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:”
Ephesians 2:16, KJV
Jesus Christ reconciled both Jews and Gentiles to God through His death on the cross.
C. Both Have Access to the Father
Descriptive
“For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.”
Ephesians 2:18, KJV
Both Jews and Gentiles have access to the Father through Jesus Christ by one Spirit.
D. Access to God Is Through Faith in Jesus Christ
Descriptive
“By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.”
Romans 5:2, KJV
Access to God is through faith in Jesus Christ.
IV. All Believers Are One in Christ Jesus Through Faith in Him
A. All Become Children of God Through Faith in Jesus Christ
Descriptive
“For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.”
Galatians 3:26, KJV
All believers become children of God through faith in Jesus Christ.
B. Neither Jew Nor Greek, Bond Nor Free, Male Nor Female
Descriptive
“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.”
Galatians 3:28, KJV
All believers have equal standing before God in Jesus Christ, whatever their ethnicity, social position, or sex. All believers are spiritually united in Jesus Christ.
C. The Same Lord Saves Jews and Gentiles
Descriptive
“For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.”
Romans 10:12, KJV
God offers the same salvation to both Jews and Gentiles.
D. All Believers Belong to God’s Household
Descriptive
“Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;”
Ephesians 2:19, KJV
Jewish and Gentile believers are members of the same spiritual household.
V. One Gospel, One Savior, One Way of Salvation
A. God Purifies Hearts Through Faith in Jesus Christ
Descriptive
“And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.”
Acts 15:9, KJV
God purifies the hearts of both Jews and Gentiles through faith in Jesus Christ.
B. Both Are Saved Through the Same Grace
Descriptive
“But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.”
Acts 15:11, KJV
Both Jews and Gentiles are saved through the same grace of the Lord Jesus Christ.
C. There Is Only One True Gospel
Prescriptive
“But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.”
Galatians 1:8, KJV
There is no legitimate alternative gospel of salvation.
D. All Believers Belong to One Body
Descriptive
“For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.”
1 Corinthians 12:13, KJV
The Holy Spirit unites believing Jews and Gentiles into one body in Jesus Christ.
E. One Lord, One Faith, One Body
Descriptive
“There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism,”
Ephesians 4:4-5, KJV
All believers share one Lord, one faith, and one spiritual body.
VI. Conclusion: Jesus Christ Is Our Peace
A. One Savior
Descriptive
“Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”
Acts 4:12, KJV
Salvation is found only in Jesus Christ.
B. One Way to the Father
Descriptive
“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”
John 14:6, KJV
Jesus Christ is the only way to God the Father.
C. One Gospel for Everyone Who Believes
Descriptive
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”
Romans 1:16, KJV
The gospel brings salvation to everyone who believes, whether Jew or Gentile.
D. One People Through Faith in Jesus Christ
Descriptive
“And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.”
Galatians 3:29, KJV
All who belong to Jesus Christ share in God’s promised inheritance.
VII. My Closing Thoughts
I want to make a clear distinction between the physical temple restrictions and the spiritual access believers now enjoy through Jesus Christ.
Under the old temple system, the Most Holy Place was restricted to the high priest. The Holy Place was for the priests, and the inner courts were for Jewish worshippers. Only the outer court was open to both Jews and Gentiles.
Ephesians 2:14-18 teaches that Jesus Christ removed the hostility between Jews and Gentiles through His death on the cross. The passage does not claim that Jesus Christ tore down the stone barrier in the temple.
Hebrews 10:19-22 adds an important truth. Believers now have boldness to draw near to God through the blood of Jesus Christ.
Central biblical conclusion: There are not two gospels of salvation, one for Jews and another for Gentiles. There is one Savior, one gospel, and one way of salvation through God’s grace by faith in Jesus Christ.
Also read: The Way In, Access to the Father Through the Blood of Jesus
Key Bible Passages
Isaiah 56:7; Leviticus 16:2; Mark 11:17; John 14:6; Acts 4:12; 15:9, 11; 21:28-29; Romans 1:16; 5:2; 10:12; 1 Corinthians 12:13; Galatians 1:8; 3:26-29; Ephesians 2:11-22; 4:4-5; Hebrews 9:6-7; 10:19-22.
Salvation is only through a personal relationship with God the Father by grace through faith in His Son, Jesus Christ. At the moment of faith in Jesus Christ, the believer is instantly and permanently indwelt by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit regenerates, seals, leads, guides, empowers, and sanctifies the believer in their walk with God.
Prescriptive
“And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”
2 Corinthians 5:18-21, KJV
The Gospel, Stated Plainly
Everything I teach on this site rests on one message from Scripture. Read it in God’s own words from 1 Corinthians 15:1-4, Romans 1:16, and Ephesians 2:8-9.
Watch the teachingNew verse by verse studies go out every week on YouTube, King James Version, with the passage on the screen. Subscribe to The Prevailing Word of God, taught by John Kempf of Melbourne, Florida.