Fries Memorial Moravian Church

First in a series. Edited for electronic publication.

I  recently had a conversation with a highly intelligent 14-year-old about the virtues of incense, which she professed to enjoy.

“It makes a room smell sweet,” I said.

“Yes, and it keeps away the ghosts,” she said.

She knew I was a preacher and a fuddy-duddy. I thought maybe she was going for shock effect, so I decided to do the same. “I am sure it is effective against ghosts,” I said, “Ghosts are easy, but how good is it at protecting you from the principalities and powers?” Much to her relief and much to my chagrin, our conversation was interrupted. I promised myself that I would speak to her again about these things, in person or in writing. Continue reading →

Today, I want to talk to you about “the dividing wall of hostility.” The Epistle to the Ephesians mentions one and I will mention another.

Before its destruction in 70 A.D., the temple in Jerusalem had four separate courts: 1) the Court of the Gentiles, 2) the Court of the Women, 3) the Court of Israel (aka the Court of Men), and 4) the Court of the Priests. The Court of the Gentiles was the outermost court. It was the only part of the temple where non-Jews were allowed. In it, God-fearing but uncircumcised gentiles could pray, exchange money, and buy animals for to be sacrificed on their behalf. In the gospels, Jesus drove the money changers and animal sellers out of the court of the Gentiles. Non-Jews were allowed to enter the Court of the Gentiles, but that was as far as they could go. The inner courts were separated from the Court of the Gentiles with a wall, and on that wall, priests had posted notices in both Latin and Greek, waring that any uncircumcised person passed over it was liable to be killed. Not unsurprisingly, the wall which bore these solemn warning was known as “the dividing wall of hostility.” This wall was real. It stood in the temple. It was also a metaphor for the animosity between Jews and Gentiles Continue reading →