Ephesians 2:17 · Bible study
Ephesians 2:17 Commentary: Christ's Gospel of Peace to All
Greek · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
How Christ came after His resurrection to preach peace to both Jews and Gentiles, connecting His cross to the apostolic mission.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Christ, after His resurrection, proclaimed peace with God and between Jews and Gentiles through apostolic preaching.
- Key words: εὐηγγελίσατο (he announced good news), ἐλθών (having come), εἰρήνην (peace), μακράν/ἐγγύς (far/near).
- Main debate: Whether Christ's coming refers to His post-resurrection appearances or His ongoing presence in the Spirit through apostolic ministry; most see the latter as primary.
- Theological theme: Reconciliation, peace with God and unity between divided peoples through Christ's cross.
- Best use: Preaching the inclusive scope of the gospel; teaching that Christ personally announces peace to all who hear the apostolic message.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near.
WEB World English Bible 2000
He came and preached peace to you who were far off and to those who were near.
KJV King James Version 1769
And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
and he came and preached peace to you that were far off, and peace to them that were nigh:
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
and having come, he did proclaim good news--peace to you--the far-off and the nigh,
Darby Darby Bible 1890
and, coming, he has preached the glad tidings of peace to you who [were] afar off, and [the glad tidings of] peace to those [who were] nigh.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
And coming, he preached peace to you that were afar off: and peace to them that were nigh.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Y vino, y anunció la paz á vosotros que estabais lejos, y á los que estaban cerca:
Ele veio, e proclamou o evangelho da paz a vós que estáveis longe, e paz aos que estavam perto.
Il est venu annoncer la paix à vous qui étiez loin, et la paix à ceux qui étaient près;
Und er ist gekommen, hat verkündigt im Evangelium den Frieden euch, die ihr ferne waret, und denen, die nahe waren;
En komende, heeft Hij door het Evangelie vrede verkondigd u, die verre waart, en dien, die nabij waren.
E con la sua venuta ha annunziato la buona novella della pace a voi che eravate lontani, e della pace a quelli che eran vicini.
I przyszedłszy opowiedział pokój wam, którzyście dalekimi i którzyście bliskimi.
И, придя, благовествовал мир вам, дальним и близким,
並且 來 傳 和平 的福音給你們 遠處的人， 也 給那近處的人。
And he came preaching peace to you who were far off, and to those who were near;
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · Ephesians 2:17
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators broadly agree that Christ's 'coming' to preach peace in this verse is not a reference to his earthly ministry. Barnes notes that Jesus preached peace personally to those who 'were nigh' (Jews) during his life, but to those 'afar off' (Gentiles) he preached it 'by his apostles.' Calvin underlines the necessity of proclamation: 'All that Christ had done towards effecting a reconciliation would have been of no service, if it had not been proclaimed by the gospel.' Several commentators point to the verb εὐηγγελίσατο, he announced good news, putting the stress on the joyful nature of the message. Gill specifies it is 'not of Christ's coming in the flesh' but 'of his coming by his Spirit in the ministry of his apostles.' The peace proclaimed is the reconciliation achieved on the cross, now offered to both Jews and Gentiles. The whole phrase echoes Isaiah 57:19, as the Cambridge Bible notes.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: Christ achieved peace through the cross and now announces that peace to all — Jews and Gentiles — through the gospel that continues to be preached.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| How Christ 'came and preached' | Christ's coming for this purpose is not limited to his earthly ministry but involves his post-resurrection activity through apostles and Spirit. | Some emphasize his resurrection appearances (Cambridge: first word 'peace' to gathered church), while others emphasize the ongoing Spirit-empowered preaching of apostles (Gill, Calvin). |
| Identity of 'far off' and 'near' | These terms refer primarily to Gentiles (far off) and Jews (near) in terms of covenant access to God. | Whether this is strictly ethnic and religious distance (Barnes, Gill) or also a spiritual condition that both groups share (Calvin: Jews also needed the gospel). |
| Repetition of 'peace' in the second clause | Many ancient manuscripts include a second 'peace' before 'to those who were near', making the phrase symmetrical. | Whether this repetition is original or an early scribal addition; modern critical editions (e.g., NA28) include it in brackets, and it appears in the BSB and YLT translations. |
| Connection to Isaiah 57:19 | The phrase is a clear allusion to Isaiah's promise of peace to far and near. | Some see Paul intentionally claiming the prophecy for the New Israel (Cambridge), while others focus on the immediate context of Jewish-Gentile reconciliation without extended typology. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Ephesus was a major port city in Asia Minor, home to a thriving church that included both Jewish and Gentile believers. Paul's letter to them addresses a deep cultural and religious divide. Jewish identity was bound up in the law, the temple, and the covenant promises. Gentiles were regarded by many Jews as 'far off' from God, without Messiah, without hope, without God in the world (Ephesians 2:12). The temple in Jerusalem had a literal dividing wall that separated the Court of the Gentiles from the inner courts, reinforcing this separation.
When Paul writes that Christ 'came and preached peace,' he draws on an Old Testament promise. Isaiah 57:19 says, 'Peace, peace, to him that is far off and to him that is near, says the Lord.' The Hebrew phrasing uses distance as a metaphor for spiritual alienation. For Paul, Christ is the one who fulfills that promise. After his resurrection, Jesus greeted his disciples with 'Peace' (John 20:19). Then, as Wesley puts it, he preached peace 'by his ministers and his Spirit.' The apostolic mission began in Jerusalem (to those near) and expanded to the ends of the earth (to those far off). The peace Christ won on the cross now travels through human voices, breaking down the dividing wall that separated people from God and from each other.
Textual Notes
The most notable variant in this verse is the repeated 'peace'. Several early Greek manuscripts (including P46, Sinaiticus, Vaticanus) and the Vulgate read 'peace' in both clauses: 'peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near.' The Cambridge Bible notes this as 'the best reading' and JFB states that the oldest manuscripts insert 'peace' again. The repetition is reflected in modern translations such as the BSB and YLT. Other textual variants for this verse are not considered significant by the consulted sources.
Reception History
Early Christian writers used this verse to argue for the inclusion of Gentiles in the church without requiring Jewish law. Irenaeus and Origen saw it as a fulfillment of Old Testament promises of universal peace. In the Reformation, Calvin and other Protestant commentators stressed that Christ's peace must be proclaimed; they used this text to highlight the necessity of preaching for salvation. Later, this verse became a key text for missionary movements, supporting the idea that Christ's peace must be preached to every ethnic group. In the twentieth century, Ephesians 2:17 was often cited in contexts of racial reconciliation, as the 'far off' and 'near' speak to any division the gospel can heal.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Christ came from the cross and the grave to announce peace. The aorist participle ἐλθών points back to his finished work. Peace was not a possibility but a proclamation based on what he had done.
- This peace is for two kinds of people: those who were far off and those who were near. The Jews were near by covenant; the Gentiles were far off. Both needed the same peace. Both are now invited.
- Christ continues to preach peace through his people. As the Cambridge Bible notes, the Church is sent as an 'ambassador on behalf of Christ.' The same peace that Jesus gave to his disciples is to be announced to every nation.
Five-point outline
- Christ's personal coming. He came of his own free love (JFB).
- The content of the message: peace. Not a truce, but reconciliation with God and between divided peoples.
- The two audiences: far off and near. Peace is offered to those who feel distant from God and to those who think they are already close.
- The means of proclamation. Christ preaches through apostles, ministers, and the Spirit's power.
- The result: access to the Father. The next verse (18) shows that this peace gives both groups one access in one Spirit.
Illustration hooks
- Think of a family where two feuding siblings have not spoken in years. One finally takes the step of coming to the other and speaking a word of reconciliation. That is what Christ did, he came to both sides.
- Consider a hospital waiting room where news arrives that a dangerous surgery went well. A doctor comes out and announces, 'It is peace.' That is what Christ does: he personally delivers the good news of his successful work.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Does Christ still speak peace to me when I feel far from God?
- How does this peace change the way I treat Christians from different backgrounds?
- Was Christ's peace only for the first apostles, or is it something we can experience today?
Leading a Discussion
This passage shows us that the peace Christ made on the cross is not a silent reality. He personally announces it. That announcement continues whenever the gospel is preached. The 'far off' and the 'near' are not fixed categories, both need the same peace. Begin your discussion by reading Ephesians 2:11-18 to see the full flow of Paul's argument.
Discussion questions
- What does it mean that the Gentiles were 'far off' and the Jews were 'near'? Was nearness just based on possession of the law?
- How did Christ 'come and preach peace' after his ascension? In what sense is he still the speaker when his servants preach?
- Why do you think Paul repeats the word 'peace' in some manuscripts? What does that repetition suggest about the tone of the message?
- How does the peace described here go beyond a feeling of calm to include the tearing down of barriers between people groups?
- In what ways do you still see a division between those who think they are 'near' to God and those who feel 'far off'? How does this verse address both groups?
- What would it look like for a church today to be a place where Christ's peace is preached to both the far off and the near?
- Take a moment to silently consider: which group do you identify with more, the near or the far off? How does Christ's coming change that identity?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Deuteronomy 4:7 | For what great nation is there that has a god so near to them as Yahweh our God is whenever we call on him? |
| Psalms 75:1 | For the Chief Musician. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” A Psalm by Asaph. A song. We give thanks to you, God. We give thanks, for your Name is near. Men tell about your wondrous works. |
| Psalms 76:1 | For the Chief Musician. On stringed instruments. A Psalm by Asaph. A song. In Judah, God is known. His name is great in Israel. |
| Psalms 76:2 | His tabernacle is also in Salem. His dwelling place in Zion. |
| Psalms 85:10 | Mercy and truth meet together. Righteousness and peace have kissed each other. |
| Psalms 147:19 | He shows his word to Jacob, his statutes and his ordinances to Israel. |
| Psalms 147:20 | He has not done this for just any nation. They don’t know his ordinances. Praise Yah! |
| Psalms 148:14 | He has lifted up the horn of his people, the praise of all his saints, even of the children of Israel, a people near to him. Praise Yah! |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
10 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke clarifies that preaching peace means God was ready to forgive and save both Jews and Gentiles. His emphasis falls on the divine readiness, not just the message itself but the posture of God already inclined to extend salvation to all peoples.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes highlights the two ways Christ preached peace: in person to the Jews who were near, and through his apostles to the Gentiles far off. He presents Christ as the author of a single system of salvation that brings reconciliation with God to both groups on equal terms.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin stresses that Christ's reconciling work would have been useless unless proclaimed by the gospel. He insists the terms "far off" and "near" refer to covenant standing, not geography: Jews were near through the promise, Gentiles were banished. Christ preached this peace not in person but through the apostles after his resurrection.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentator highlights that Christ’s first word after rising from the dead was “Peace” to His gathered church, and only then did He send that church into the world as His ambassador. This means Christ’s coming to preach peace to the Ephesians happened through the church’s mission, carrying forward His own resurrection greeting to those far off and near.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note emphasizes that Christ personally came and preached peace to both groups—
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill understands Christ's "coming" here not as his incarnation but as his later work through the apostles after making peace by the cross. The apostles preached peace to the Gentiles far off and also to the Jews who were near, fulfilling the pattern that the first shall be last and the last first.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB emphasizes that Christ personally came and announced peace to the apostles after His resurrection, and through His Spirit in the Church to all. The doubling of "peace"
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange stresses that Christ does not merely bring peace between Jews and Gentiles but creates an entirely new humanity. By abolishing the law with its divisive commands, He kills the enmity and fashions both groups into one new man in Himself, reconciling them to God through the cross.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry highlights that Christ reconciled not just sinners to God but also Jews and Gentiles to each other. The "middle wall" he broke down is the ceremonial law, which had been like the temple partition separating Gentile from Jew, causing their long-standing hostility.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley specifies that Christ came after his resurrection and preached peace through his ministers and the Spirit. He distinguishes the Gentiles as those at the utmost distance from God and the Jews as comparatively near, being God's visible church.