You asked

what was the physical 'middle wall' paul might have been referencing in the temple complex?

The passage, plainly, with room to sit with it.

Ephesians 2:14

“For he is our peace, who made both one, and broke down the middle wall of partition,”

Paul is writing to believers in Ephesus, a significant city in Asia Minor, likely in the 60s AD. In this letter, he's reflecting on how Gentiles (non-Jews) have been included in God's plan through Christ, becoming part of the same community as Jewish believers.

What divisions, visible or unseen, are we called to overcome or dismantle in our communities today?

Keep thinking

Read alongside it

Acts 21:26-30
Describes Paul's accusation of bringing a Gentile into the Temple, highlighting the real consequences of crossing such boundaries.
Galatians 3:28
Emphasizes the unity of all believers in Christ, regardless of previous social distinctions.
Colossians 3:11
Reinforces the idea that ethnic and social distinctions are set aside in Christ.

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