It seems that for the most part.. in the old covenant. Gentiles were mostly excluded, and God told the Jews not to mingle with them too much.
But this passage says that Jesus's sacrifice broke down the dividing wall between the Gentiles and the Jews, and God views us all equally.
Eph 2:11; Therefore remember that formerly you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called "Uncircumcision" by the so-called "Circumcision," which is performed in the flesh by human hands—
Eph 2:12; remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.
Eph 2:13; But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
Eph 2:14; For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall,
Eph 2:15; by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, so that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace,
Eph 2:16; and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity.
Eph 2:17; AND HE CAME AND PREACHED PEACE TO YOU WHO WERE FAR AWAY, AND PEACE TO THOSE WHO WERE NEAR;
Eph 2:18; for through Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father.
Eph 2:19; So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God's household,
Eph 2:20; having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone,
Eph 2:21; in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord,
Eph 2:22; in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.
Some people take verse 15 above, and take it to mean God got rid of all the commandments. But in the context of this passage, it simply means the commandments and ordinances that
prevented Jews from associating with Gentiles.
Acts 10:28; And he said to them, "You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a man who is a Jew to associate with a foreigner or to visit him; and yet God has shown me that I should not call any man unholy or unclean.
John 4:9; Therefore the Samaritan woman *said to Him, "How is it that You, being a Jew, ask me for a drink since I am a Samaritan woman?" (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.)
This is from the old testament laws.
Jos 23:6; "Be very firm, then, to keep and do all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, so that you may not turn aside from it to the right hand or to the left,
Jos 23:7; so that you will not associate with these nations, these which remain among you, or mention the name of their gods, or make anyone swear by them, or serve them, or bow down to them.
Deut 7:2; and when the LORD your God delivers them before you and you defeat them, then you shall utterly destroy them. You shall make no covenant with them and show no favor to them.
Deut 7:3; "Furthermore, you shall not intermarry with them; you shall not give your daughters to their sons, nor shall you take their daughters for your sons.
Deut 7:4; "For they will turn your sons away from following Me to serve other gods; then the anger of the LORD will be kindled against you and He will quickly destroy you.
Neh 9:2; The descendants of Israel separated themselves from all foreigners, and stood and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their fathers.
Ezra 9:1; Now when these things had been completed, the princes approached me, saying, "The people of Israel and the priests and the Levites have not separated themselves from the peoples of the lands, according to their abominations, those of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians and the Amorites.
Ezra 9:2; "For they have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and for their sons, so that the holy race has intermingled with the peoples of the lands; indeed, the hands of the princes and the rulers have been foremost in this unfaithfulness."
Ezra 9:3; When I heard about this matter, I tore my garment and my robe, and pulled some of the hair from my head and my beard, and sat down appalled.
Ezek 44:6; "You shall say to the rebellious ones, to the house of Israel, 'Thus says the Lord GOD, "Enough of all your abominations, O house of Israel,
Ezek 44:7; when you brought in foreigners, uncircumcised in heart and uncircumcised in flesh, to be in My sanctuary to profane it, even My house, when you offered My food, the fat and the blood; for they made My covenant void—this in addition to all your abominations.
Ezek 44:8; "And you have not kept charge of My holy things yourselves, but you have set foreigners to keep charge of My sanctuary."
Ezek 44:9; 'Thus says the Lord GOD, "No foreigner uncircumcised in heart and uncircumcised in flesh, of all the foreigners who are among the sons of Israel, shall enter My sanctuary.
Exod 12:43; The LORD said to Moses and Aaron, "This is the ordinance of the Passover: no foreigner is to eat of it;
Lev 22:25; nor shall you accept any such from the hand of a foreigner for offering as the food of your God; for their corruption is in them, they have a defect, they shall not be accepted for you.'"
