You asked

how does this idea of 'one new humanity' relate to old testament prophecies about gentile inclusion?

Adds the setting and its conversation across both testaments.

Ephesians 2:14-16

“For he is our peace, who made both one, and broke down the middle wall of partition, having abolished in his flesh the hostility, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new humanity out of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, having killed the hostility thereby.”

The Apostle Paul writes to believers in Ephesus, a bustling Roman city with a mix of Jewish and non-Jewish residents. He is explaining how Jesus' death has radically transformed their identity and relationships, particularly bridging the deep-seated divisions between Jewish and Gentile followers of God.

What old barriers, personal or societal, might still need to be broken down to reflect this 'one new humanity'?

Then — the setting

Paul wrote this letter from prison, likely in Rome, around 60-62 AD, to Christian communities in Asia Minor, particularly Ephesus. These communities were grappling with questions of identity and unity, especially how Jewish and Gentile converts could exist together as one people. The 'middle wall of partition' likely refers to both the literal physical barrier in the Jerusalem Temple separating the Court of the Gentiles from inner courts accessible only to Jews, and the broader social and religious distinctions (like adherence to the Mosaic Law) that separated Jews from non-Jews. For centuries, the Jewish people understood themselves as distinct, with unique covenants and practices, making the inclusion of Gentiles on equal terms a profound shift.

Across the Testaments

The Old Testament contains many prophecies hinting at Gentile inclusion, often portraying Israel as a 'light to the nations' (e.g., Isaiah 49:6, Zechariah 8:20-23). However, these prophecies often envisioned Gentiles coming to Jerusalem to worship Israel's God, sometimes still within the framework of Israel's distinct identity and laws. The New Testament, particularly through Paul, develops this idea significantly. Here, Ephesians doesn't merely speak of Gentiles being *included*, but of them being *made one* with Jewish believers, creating an entirely 'new humanity' where the previous distinctions that defined identity and status are superseded by their shared identity in Christ. This is a more radical integration than simple inclusion, suggesting a fundamental reshaping of the people of God.

Keep thinking

Read alongside it

Isaiah 49:6
This Old Testament prophecy speaks of Israel being a light to the nations, bringing salvation to the ends of the earth.
Galatians 3:28
Paul reaffirms that in Christ, traditional social and religious distinctions like Jew/Greek, slave/free, male/female lose their divisive power.
Romans 15:8-12
Paul uses Old Testament prophecies to demonstrate that Christ came to confirm God's promises to Israel and for the Gentiles to glorify God.

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