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What the Fathers say
Eastern Fathers
John Chrysostom
Is this then the great privilege, it may be said, that we are admitted into the commonwealth of the Jews? What art thou saying? "He hath summed up all things that are in heaven, and that are in earth," and now dost thou tell us about Israelites? Yes, he would say. Those higher privileges we must apprehend by faith; these, by the things themselves. "But now," saith he, "in Christ Jesus, ye that once were far off, are made nigh," in reference to the commonwealth. For the "far off," and the "nigh," are matters of will and choice only.
Theophylact of Ohrid
We were far from God, not in place, but in the disposition of heart and life, yet now we have become near, not by life (for we contributed nothing from works), but in Christ Jesus and by His Blood. For having shed His Blood and given Himself for us, He freed us from the captivity that kept us far from Him, and brought us near to Himself. But you can also understand it this way: we were far from the Israelites, and now we have become near to them.
Irenaeus
And everywhere, when [referring to] the passion of our Lord, and to His human nature, and His subjection to death, he employs the name of Christ, as in that passage: "Destroy not him with thy meat for whom Christ died." And again: "But now, in Christ, ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ." And again: "Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth upon a tree." And again: "And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother …
Western Saints
Jerome
God in his entirety is everywhere. Who can be separated from him when all things are in him?… He is, however, said to be far away from the unrighteous, according to Proverbs [15:29].… Just as far as the unrighteous are away from him, so close is he to the saints. Just when God seemed to be furthest from the Ephesians, he was coming close to them by the blood of Jesus.
Thomas Aquinas
After this he recalls the blessings offered them through Christ in their present condition after conversion. Concerning this he does two things: First, he shows how they were made partakers of the goods previously denied them. Secondly, he shows that their participation in those goods is not that of strangers but of citizens (2:19). The first part again has two sections: First, he depicts these blessings in a general way. Secondly, he specifies them (2:14). …
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