We are reconciled by His blood (Rom. 5:10; 2 Cor. 5:19), redeemed by His blood (Col. 1:14), justified by His blood (Rom. 5:9), and cleansed by His blood (1 John 1:7). The blood of Christ is the vindication of God’s good name and the proof of His love. It is said that Top-lady, the author of that beautiful hymn “Rock of Ages,” was converted by hearing a sermon on Eph. 2:13 preached by a workingman in a barn. For the relationship of the blood of Jesus to salvation see on Rom. 3:25.
Far off … nigh.
With the call of the Christian church (see Vol. IV, p. 35) the gospel was preached to the Gentiles (see on Rom. 11:12). Many of them responded and thus were brought “nigh.”
But now.
Another of Paul’s striking contrasts for emphasis (cf. v. 4).