{"id":29187,"date":"2022-09-24T13:10:18","date_gmt":"2022-09-24T18:10:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/exegetical-and-hermeneutical-commentary-of-ephesians-220\/"},"modified":"2022-09-24T13:10:18","modified_gmt":"2022-09-24T18:10:18","slug":"exegetical-and-hermeneutical-commentary-of-ephesians-220","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/exegetical-and-hermeneutical-commentary-of-ephesians-220\/","title":{"rendered":"Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Ephesians 2:20"},"content":{"rendered":"

And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner [stone]; <\/i><\/b><\/h3>\n

20<\/strong>. and are built<\/em> ] Better, Having been built<\/strong>; once built (aorist), by your Redeemer. The metaphor here boldly changes, from the inmates of city and house, to the structure. Possibly the element “ house<\/em> ” in “household” suggested this. For similar imagery, cp. 1Co 3:9-10<\/span>; 1Pe 2:4-8<\/span>; Judges 20<\/span>; and see Mat 7:24-25<\/span>. And for curious developments of the imagery here, in very early Christian literature, see St Ignatius Ep. to the Eph<\/em>., ch. ix, and the Shepherd of Hermas<\/em>, ‘Vision’ iii. And for an application of the imagery in ancient hymnology, the hymn (cent. 8 or 9) Urbs beata Hirusalem<\/em> (Trench, Sacr. Lat. Poetry<\/em>, p. 311).<\/p>\n

the foundation of the apostles and prophets<\/em> ] The foundation which consists of them; in the sense that their doctrine is the basis of the faith, and so of the unity, of the saints. Cp. Rev 21:14<\/span>; and the words spoken (Mat 16:18<\/span>) to Peter, “upon this rock I will build My Church.” Not to enter into the details there, it is plain that the personal address to Peter is deeply connected with the revelation to and confession by Peter of the Truth of Christ. The Collect for the day of SS. Simon and Jude, constructed from this passage, is a true comment on it.<\/p>\n

“ The apostles and prophets:<\/em> ” Who are the Prophets here? Those of the O. T. or those of the Gospel, (for whom cp. e.g.<\/em> Eph 3:5<\/span>, Eph 4:11<\/span>; Act 15:32<\/span>; and often)? For the first alternative, it is a strong plea that the O. T. prophets are always regarded in the N. T. as Evangelists before the time; cp. e. g.<\/em> Luk 24:25<\/span>; Act 3:18<\/span>; Act 3:21<\/span>; Act 3:24<\/span>; Act 10:43<\/span>; Rom 16:26<\/span>. The last passage regards the “prophetic scriptures” as the great instrument of apostolic preaching. But on the other hand we should thus have expected “prophets and apostles” to be the order of mention. And Eph 3:5<\/span>, giving the same phrase with distinct reference to the “prophets” of the Gospel<\/em>, is a parallel nearly conclusive in itself in favour of that reference here. In Eph 4:11<\/span>, again, we have the “prophet” named next to the “Apostle<\/em> ” among the gifts of the glorified Saviour to this Church; a suggestion of the great prominence and importance of the function. We take the word here, then, to mean such “prophets” as Judas and Silas (Act 15:32<\/span>); men, we gather, who, though not of one office with the Apostles, shared some of their functions; were directly inspired, on occasion, with knowledge of the future (Act 11:28<\/span>), and with truth of spiritual doctrine (Eph 3:5<\/span>, and 1 Corinthians 14<\/span>); and were specially commissioned to preach and teach such things revealed. May we not probably class the non-apostolic writers of the N. T. among these “prophets”? See further, Appendix F.<\/p>\n

The mention of them here is in special point, because public faith and doctrine is in question. The work of the “prophets” had, doubtless, greatly contributed to the wide spread and settlement of the truth of the free acceptance in Christ of all<\/em> believers, Gentiles with Jews. Observe that in Act 15:32<\/span> it is two “ prophets<\/em> ” who “exhort and confirm<\/em> ” (the Gr. word suggests precisely settlement on a foundation<\/em>) the Gentile believers at Antioch, in the very crisis of the conflict between Pharisaic limits and the universality of the Gospel.<\/p>\n

Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner<\/em> stone] It is possible to render “the chief corner stone of it<\/em> (the foundation) being Christ Jesus;” but far less probable. The “Himself” is almost demanded by the separation and contrast of the supreme position of the Lord. So R. V. There is a slight emphasis, by position, on “ being<\/em>.”<\/p>\n

“The chief corner stone:<\/em> ” one word in the Gr.; found also 1Pe 2:6<\/span>; where Isa 28:16<\/span> (LXX.) is quoted nearly verbatim. Precisely, the LXX. there runs, “I lay among the foundations<\/em> of Sion a stone costly, chosen, chief of the corner, precious;” words which indicate that the idea, to the Greek translators, was that of a stone essential to the foundation<\/em>, not in the higher structure;<\/em> and this is confirmed by St Peter’s use of the quotation. Thus on the whole we take the image to be that of a vast stone at an angle of the substructure, into which the converging sides are imbedded, “in which” they “consist;” and the spiritual reality to be, that Jesus Christ Himself is that which gives coherence and fixity to the foundation doctrines of His Church; with the implied idea that He is the essential to the foundation, being the ultimate Foundation (1Co 3:11<\/span>). Apostles and Prophets reveal and enforce a basis of truths for the rest and settlement of the saints’ faith; those truths, at every point of juncture and prominence, are seen to be wholly dependent on Jesus Christ for significance, harmony and permanence.<\/p>\n

In the Heb. of Isa 28:16<\/span> (and so, or nearly, Job 38:6<\/span>; Psa 118:22<\/span> (Messianic); Jer 51:26<\/span>) the phrase is “stone,” or “head,” of “corner,” or of “prominence.” See too Zec 10:4<\/span>, where the solitary word “corner” appears to convey the same image.<\/p>\n

F. APOSTLES AND PROPHETS. (Ch. Eph 2:20<\/span>.)<\/p>\n

On this collocation of Apostles with (Christian) Prophets some interesting light is thrown by early non-canonical Christian literature. The “Prophet” appears as a conspicuous and most important element in the life and work of some Christian communities in the closing years of cent. 1. The recently discovered Teaching of the Twelve Apostles<\/em>, often referred to with high respect by the Christian Fathers (St Clement of Alexandria even seems to quote it as Scripture, Strom<\/em>, 1. c. xx), belongs most probably to cent. 1, and to the Churches of Syria. Of its sixteen chapters, five (10, 11, 13, 14, 15.) explicitly speak of the Prophets of the Church. We gather that they were usually itinerant visitors to the Churches, but sometimes resident, and then supported by firstfruits. They presided at Divine worship, particularly at the weekly “Thanksgiving” (Eucharist), and had the right (as apparently the ordained “Bishops” and “Deacons,” ch. 15, had not) of using their own words in conducting the sacramental service (cp. perhaps Justin Martyr, Apol<\/em>. 1. c. 67). They are called “high priests” (ch. 13). They were to be tested (cp. 1Jn 4:1<\/span>) by known standards of truth, and by their personal consistency of life, but then, so long as their teaching did not contravene those tests, they were to be heard with the submission due to inspired oracles (ch. 11). To sit in judgment on them was to incur the doom of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. The local “Bishops” and “Deacons” were in some respects inferior to them. The language of ch. 15 indicates, perhaps, that this inspired superior ministry was gradually passing away, and the regularly ordained ministry taking more and more its place.<\/p>\n

The same document (ch. 11) mentions other Visitors called “Apostles;” so entirely itinerant that a stay of three days in one place would betray the man as a “false prophet.” The notice of these “Apostles” is very brief. They were evidently a rarer phenomenon, and of less practical influence, than the Prophets. No reference to the Great Apostles is to be sought in the passage. It may<\/em> be illustrated by Rom 16:7<\/span> (where however see note in this Series); and seems to indicate the existence of a class of constantly moving, and inspired, superintendents and instructors of the Churches, who, as such, would bear a likeness to the Great Apostles. No function of superintendence seems to be assigned to the Prophets.<\/p>\n

In the Shepherd of Hermas<\/em> (first half of cent. 2), ‘Commandment’ xi, is a passage referring to the Christian Prophet and his credentials. These credentials were especially a deep personal humility, a renunciation of gain, and the refusal to “prophesy” in answer to consultations and questions. The Prophet was regarded as “filled by the angel of the prophetic spirit,” when it pleased God, and he then spoke not to individuals but to the congregation.<\/p>\n

In the “First” Epistle [44] of St Clement of Rome to the Church of Corinth (probably about a.d. 95) there is ample allusion to the ordained ministry, but none to the Prophets. The same is the case in the Epistles of St Ignatius and the Epistle of St Polycarp (early cent. 2). In the Epistle of Barnabas<\/em>, written probably somewhat later than the Teaching<\/em>, and possibly based upon it in some measure, no allusion to the “Prophets” occurs.<\/p>\n

[44] The “Second Epistle” is probably by another and later writer. It contains nothing to the point here.<\/p>\n

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

And are built upon the foundation – <\/B>The comparison of the church with a building, is common in the Scriptures: compare the notes at 1Co 3:9-10<\/span>. The comparison was probably taken from the temple, and as that was an edifice of great beauty, expense, and sacredness, it was natural to compare the church with it. Besides, the temple was the sacred place where God dwelt on the earth; and as the church was the place where he delighted now to abide, it became natural to speak of his church as the temple, or the residence of God; see the notes at Isa 54:11-12<\/span>. That building, says Paul, was permanently founded, and was rising with great beauty of proportion, and with great majesty and splendor.<\/P>

Of the apostles – <\/B>The doctrines which they taught are the basis on which the church rests. It is possible that Paul referred here to a splendid edifice, particularly because the Ephesians were distinguished for their skill in architecture, and because the celebrated temple of Diana was among them. An allusion to a building, however, as an illustration of the church occurs several times in his other epistles, and was an allusion which would be everywhere understood.<\/P>

And prophets – <\/B>The prophets of the Old Testament, using the word, probably, to denote the Old Testament in general. That is, the doctrines of divine revelation, whether communicated by prophets or apostles, were laid at the foundation of the Christian church. It was not rounded on philosophy, or tradition, or on human laws, or on a venerable antiquity, but on the great truths which God had revealed. Paul does not say that it was founded on Peter, as the papists do, but on the prophets and apostles in general. If Peter had been the vicegerent of Christ, and the head of the church, it is incredible that his brother Paul should not have given him some honorable notice in this place. Why did he not allude to so important a fact? Would one who believed it have omitted it? Would a papist now omit it? Learn here:<\/P>

(1) That no reliance is to be placed on philosophy as a basis of religious doctrine.<\/P>

(2) That the traditions of people have no authority in the church, and constitute no part of the foundation.<\/P>

(3) That nothing is to be regarded as a fundamental part of the Christian system, or as binding on the conscience, which cannot be found in the prophets and apostles; that is, as it means here, in the Holy Scriptures. No decrees of councils; no ordinances of synods; no standard of doctrines; no creed or confession, is to be urged as authority in forming the opinions of people. They may be valuable for some purposes, but not for this; they may be referred to as interesting parts of history, but not to form the faith of Christians; they may be used in the church to express its belief, but not to form it. What is based on the authority of apostles and prophets is true, and always true, and only true; what may be found elsewhere, may be valuable and true, or not, but, at any rate, is not to be used to control the faith of people.<\/P>

Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone – <\/B>see the note at Isa 28:16<\/span>; Rom 9:33<\/span>, note. The cornerstone is the most important in the building.<\/P>

(1) Because the edifice rests mainly on the cornerstones. If they are small, and unstable, and settle down, the whole building is insecure; and hence care is taken to place a large stone firmly at each corner of an edifice.<\/P>

(2) Because it occupies a conspicuous and honorable place. If documents or valuable articles are deposited at the foundation of a building it is within the cornerstone. The Lord Jesus is called the cornerstone, because the whole edifice rests on him, or he occupies a place relatively as important as the cornerstone of an edifice. Were it not for him, the edifice could not be sustained for a moment. Neither prophets nor apostles alone could sustain it; see the notes at 1Co 3:11<\/span>; compare 1Pe 2:6<\/span>.<\/P> <\/p>\n

Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

Eph 2:20<\/span>; Eph 2:22<\/span><\/p>\n

Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God; and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

The Christian Church<\/strong><\/p>\n


I. <\/strong>The apostle represents the Church under the figure of a city and a household.<\/p>\n

1. <\/strong>A Church must resemble a family or city, in respect of order and government; for without these a religious society can no more subsist, than a civil community or a household.<\/p>\n

2. <\/strong>In a city or household all the members have a mutual relation, and partake in the common privileges; and, though they are placed in different stations and conditions, they must all contribute to the general happiness.<\/p>\n

3. <\/strong>In a city, and also in a family, there is a common interest.<\/p>\n

4. <\/strong>In a well-ordered city or household there will be peace and unity: so there ought to be in a Christian Church.<\/p>\n


II. <\/strong>The manner in which it is founded. The mediation of Christ is the foundation of our faith and hope.<\/p>\n


III. <\/strong>This spiritual house must be united with and framed into, the foundation.<\/p>\n


IV. <\/strong>As the spiritual house must rest on the foundation, so the several parts of it must be framed and inserted into each other.<\/p>\n


V. <\/strong>It must be continually growing. (J. Lathrop, D. D.<\/em>)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Gods temple: its foundation, building, and consecration<\/strong><\/p>\n


I. <\/strong>The foundation laid.<\/p>\n

1. <\/strong>The foundation is Jesus Christ–the foundation of the apostles and prophets, i.e., <\/em>which they laid. It was laid in the promises, types, and prophecies of the Old Testament, and the witness of apostles and evangelists in the New (Joh 3:14; 1Co 10:4<\/span>; Mat 16:16<\/span>).<\/p>\n

2. <\/strong>The foundation of the Church must be the foundation of each member of the Church. The essence of a foundation lies in its strength. The foundation in individual character is truth. Truth is a Person–I am the Truth. The foundation, therefore, is the truth concerning Jesus Christ believed, loved, and lived. The gospel thus received becomes a principle which forms the mainspring of a new life.<\/p>\n


II. <\/strong>The building rising.<\/p>\n

1. <\/strong>Look abroad upon the face of the world, and note the advances which the Church is making in all parts. The very hindrances to missionary work prove its success, for the more active the servants of God are, the more active the agents of Satan will be.<\/p>\n

2. <\/strong>The building must rise in each heart. Growth is almost the only proof of life. The growth of the temple is due to the operation of the Spirit.<\/p>\n

3. <\/strong>In most forms of life there is an exquisite symmetry. We see something of it in this temple: fitly framed together. As there is a beautiful proportion in the doctrines of the gospel, so, though Gods servants are many and their gifts various, their aim is one; and through their united wisdom and love and effort, all the building groweth into a holy temple in the Lord.<\/p>\n


III. <\/strong>The temple consecrated.<\/p>\n

1. <\/strong>We may refer the consecration to the end of the age, because consecration usually follows upon completion.<\/p>\n

2. <\/strong>But even now there is to a certain extent a consecration of this building (1Co 3:16<\/span>; 2Co 5:16<\/span>). How shall I know this?<\/p>\n

(1)<\/strong> By self-consecration. Yield yourselves unto God (Rom 6:13<\/span>), not simply your brain, pen, money, influence, but yourselves. God wants the man–the whole man.<\/p>\n

(2)<\/strong> By God-consecration. He who gives himself to God will surely find God giving Himself to him, consecrating His temple by His presence, and indicating that presence by holy aspirations and a Christ-like disposition, by meekness and gentleness, by self-denial and zeal. He who is spirit taught and spirit wrought will be such a temple as the great God of heaven will not despise. (W. J. Chapman, M. A.<\/em>)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

The Church, a building<\/strong><\/p>\n

Like a building, the Church of God has been going on to the present day, and will do to the end of time. The honour and stability of this building.<\/p>\n

1. <\/strong>As built upon Christ.<\/p>\n

2. <\/strong>As wrought by the Spirit.<\/p>\n

3. <\/strong>As an habitation of God. Why leap ye, ye high hills? this is the hill which God desireth to dwell in, etc. (Psa 68:16<\/span>). In Salem also is His tabernacle, and His dwelling place in Zion (Psa 76:2<\/span>). This denotes–<\/p>\n

(1)<\/strong> His knowledge of them.<\/p>\n

(2)<\/strong> His concern for them.<\/p>\n

(3)<\/strong> Their access to Him.<\/p>\n

(4)<\/strong> His readiness to help them.<\/p>\n

God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved, etc. (Psa 46:5<\/span>). Each member in Christ has his state and office in the Church by Gods appointment, for promoting the good and glory of the whole. And He gave some, apostles; and some, prophets, etc. (Eph 4:11<\/span>, etc.). But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, etc. (1Co 12:18<\/span>). No spiritual life and salvation without being united to Christ by faith. (H. Foster, M. A.<\/em>)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

The Church<\/strong><\/p>\n


I. <\/strong>The unbelieving state of the Gentile Church. Strangers.<\/p>\n

1. <\/strong>Strangers to God. To Father, Son, and Holy Ghost (Eph 2:12<\/span>.<\/p>\n

2. <\/strong>Strangers to the Word of God (Psa 119:158<\/span>).<\/p>\n

3. <\/strong>Strangers to the Church of God (1Jn 3:1<\/span>).<\/p>\n

4. <\/strong>Strangers to themselves (Rev 3:17<\/span>).<\/p>\n

5. <\/strong>Strangers to the enjoyments, fears, duties, privileges, persecutions, and prospects of a Christian (1Co 2:11<\/span>).<\/p>\n

Foreigners.<\/p>\n

1. <\/strong>Naturally of another race (Psa 51:5<\/span>).<\/p>\n

2. <\/strong>Under the authority of another prince (2Co 4:4<\/span>).<\/p>\n

3. <\/strong>Of a totally different complexion (Jer 13:23<\/span>).<\/p>\n

4. <\/strong>Speaking another language (Psa 58:3<\/span>).<\/p>\n

5. <\/strong>Seeking other interests than God (Php 2:21<\/span>).<\/p>\n

6. <\/strong>At an infinite distance from the celestial kingdom, where only true happiness rests (Eph 2:13<\/span>).<\/p>\n


II. <\/strong>Their adopted or privileged condition. Fellow citizens, etc. The city they belong to is either the Church below, or the Church above.<\/p>\n

1. <\/strong>It is the city of God (Heb 12:22<\/span>).<\/p>\n

2. <\/strong>Of Gods building (Psa 127:1<\/span>).<\/p>\n

3. <\/strong>Where He dwells (Psa 68:16<\/span>).<\/p>\n

4. <\/strong>Which is strongly fortified (Isa 26:1<\/span>).<\/p>\n

5. <\/strong>It is delightfully situated by the river of Gods love (Psa 46:4<\/span>).<\/p>\n

6. <\/strong>Endowed with various privileges (1Co 3:21-23<\/span>).<\/p>\n

7. <\/strong>Peopled with high-born inhabitants (Joh 1:13<\/span>).<\/p>\n

The Church of God above.<\/p>\n

1. <\/strong>This is a city of Gods preparing (Joh 14:2-3<\/span>).<\/p>\n

2. <\/strong>There He has His more especial residence (1Co 13:12<\/span>).<\/p>\n

3. <\/strong>The inhabitants are angels and saints (Heb 12:22-23<\/span>).<\/p>\n

4. <\/strong>Of this city we are also citizens (Gal 4:26<\/span>).<\/p>\n

5. <\/strong>Set apart by the Fathers grace (Jud 1:1<\/span>).<\/p>\n

6. <\/strong>By the work of Christ in their behalf (Heb 10:14<\/span>).<\/p>\n

7. <\/strong>And by the agency of the Holy Ghost (Rom 5:5<\/span>).<\/p>\n

8. <\/strong>And having a right to a name and a place in the Church on earth; so have they their citizenship in heaven (Job 16:19<\/span>).<\/p>\n

9. <\/strong>This they have not by birth, nor purchase, but by the free grace of God, which gives them both a right and meetness (2Ti 1:9<\/span>).<\/p>\n

10. <\/strong>And believing Gentiles are here made equal with the Jews in the blessings of salvation (Eph 2:14<\/span>).<\/p>\n

And of the household of God.<\/p>\n

1. <\/strong>The Church of God consisting of believers (Act 5:14<\/span>).<\/p>\n

2. <\/strong>This family is named after, and by Christ (Eph 3:14-15<\/span>).<\/p>\n

3. <\/strong>Of this family God is the Father (Joh 20:17<\/span>).<\/p>\n

4. <\/strong>Christ is the first-born (Rom 8:29<\/span>).<\/p>\n

5. <\/strong>Ministers are stewards of this house (1Co 4:1<\/span>).<\/p>\n

6. <\/strong>To this family all believers belong (Act 4:32<\/span>).<\/p>\n

7. <\/strong>Not by birth, nor merit, but by adopting grace (Eph 1:5<\/span>).<\/p>\n

8. <\/strong>The members of this family are freed from all bondage (Rom 8:15<\/span>).<\/p>\n

9. <\/strong>They can never be arrested or condemned (Rom 8:1<\/span>).<\/p>\n

10. <\/strong>They have liberty of access to God (Eph 2:18<\/span>).<\/p>\n

11.<\/strong> Share in the fulness of Christs grace (Eph 3:19<\/span>).<\/p>\n

12. <\/strong>Are well taken care of (Psa 145:20<\/span>).<\/p>\n

13.<\/strong> They are richly clothed (Isa 61:10<\/span>).<\/p>\n

14.<\/strong> They have plenty of provisions (Psa 36:8<\/span>).<\/p>\n

15. <\/strong>And are heirs of a never-fading inheritance (1Pe 1:4-5<\/span>).<\/p>\n


III. <\/strong>The foundation and cornerstone are Christ. And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets.<\/p>\n

1. <\/strong>The Father saved them designedly in Christ (2Ti 1:9<\/span>).<\/p>\n

2. <\/strong>The Son saved them positively in Himself (Heb 10:14<\/span>).<\/p>\n

3. <\/strong>The Spirit saves them apprehensively in Christ (Tit 3:5<\/span>).<\/p>\n

4. <\/strong>Christ, then, is the foundation of the Church (Mat 16:18<\/span>).<\/p>\n

5. <\/strong>He is the foundation of all covenant blessings (Eph 1:3<\/span>).<\/p>\n

6. <\/strong>Of faith (Act 20:21<\/span>).<\/p>\n

7. <\/strong>Of hope (Col 1:27<\/span>).<\/p>\n

8. <\/strong>Of peace (Eph 2:14<\/span>).<\/p>\n

9. <\/strong>Of joy (Rom 5:11<\/span>).<\/p>\n

10. <\/strong>Of comfort (2Th 2:17<\/span>).<\/p>\n

11.<\/strong> Of glory (Jud 1:25<\/span>).<\/p>\n

12.<\/strong> The stones of this building are hewn out by the Word, and the ministers of the gospel (2Co 4:7<\/span>).<\/p>\n

Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone.<\/p>\n

1. <\/strong>He joins together Old and New Testament saints (Eph 2:14<\/span>).<\/p>\n

2. <\/strong>Saints above and saints below (Heb 12:23<\/span>).<\/p>\n

3. <\/strong>Saints in all parts of the world (Joh 11:52<\/span>).<\/p>\n

4. <\/strong>This stone is refused by many (Psa 118:22<\/span>).<\/p>\n

5. <\/strong>Yet a durable and precious stone (Isa 28:16<\/span>).<\/p>\n

6. <\/strong>It is a foundation cornerstone, reaching under the whole building to the four corners (1Co 3:11<\/span>).<\/p>\n


IV. <\/strong>The perfection of the building. In whom all the building fitly framed together.<\/p>\n

1. <\/strong>All the building–The universal Church of Christ (Act 4:12<\/span>).<\/p>\n

2. <\/strong>Fitly framed–Is of a spiritual nature (Col 2:19<\/span>).<\/p>\n

3. <\/strong>It consists of various parts as a building does (Rom 12:4-5<\/span>).<\/p>\n

4. <\/strong>Fitly or closely joined to Christ by living faith (Gal 2:20<\/span>).<\/p>\n

5. <\/strong>Banded to each other by Christian love (1Jn 4:7<\/span>).<\/p>\n

6. <\/strong>These are all set in the Church in exact symmetry and proportion (1Co 12:12-31<\/span>).<\/p>\n

Groweth into a holy temple in the Lord.<\/p>\n

1. <\/strong>It grows by the accession of elect souls, newly called by Divine grace (Act 2:47<\/span>).<\/p>\n

2. <\/strong>It is not yet openly and visibly completed, but it will be in the calling of the Jews and the fulness of the Gentiles (Rom 11:25-26<\/span>).<\/p>\n

Holy temple; alluding to the temple at Jerusalem.<\/p>\n

1. <\/strong>Whose stones were prepared before they were brought into the building.<\/p>\n

2. <\/strong>Whose magnificence and beauty were very great.<\/p>\n

3. <\/strong>A place of holy worship (2Co 6:16<\/span>).<\/p>\n

In the Lord.<\/p>\n

1. <\/strong>There is no salvation, blessing, or holiness but in the Lord (Col 3:11<\/span>).<\/p>\n


V. <\/strong>The design of this temple. In whom ye are builded together. Then it appears from what has been said, that God is the builder, Christ the foundation, and believers are the materials of this temple.<\/p>\n

1. <\/strong>The door of entrance is faith in Christ (Heb 11:6<\/span>).<\/p>\n

2. <\/strong>Ministers of the gospel are pillars (Gal 2:9<\/span>).<\/p>\n

3. <\/strong>The ordinances are its windows (Exo 20:24<\/span>).<\/p>\n

4. <\/strong>Its provisions are large and entertaining (Psa 132:15<\/span>).<\/p>\n

It denotes–<\/p>\n

(1)<\/strong> Agreement.<\/p>\n

(2)<\/strong> Combination.<\/p>\n

(3)<\/strong> Strength.<\/p>\n

(4)<\/strong> Perpetuity.<\/p>\n

For a habitation of God through the Spirit.<\/p>\n

1. <\/strong>God dwells in the Church in the person of Christ (2Co 6:16<\/span>).<\/p>\n

2. <\/strong>The Church dwells in God by her union to Christ (1Jn 4:13<\/span>).<\/p>\n

3. <\/strong>It is a spiritual dwelling that is here intended, both of God in us, and of us in God (Rom 8:9-10<\/span>). (T. B. Baker.<\/em>)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

The true foundation<\/strong><\/p>\n

When <\/em>the immense stone piers of the East River bridge were begun, three or four years ago, the builders did not attempt to manufacture a foundation. They simply dug down through the mud and sand, and found the solid bedrock which the Almighty Creator had laid there thousands of years ago. It is a wretched mistake to suppose that you need to construct a foundation. Other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Your own merits, however, cemented by good resolutions, will no more answer for a solid base than would a cart-load of bricks as the substratum of yonder stupendous bridge. God has provided for you a cornerstone already. (T. L. Cuyler, D. D.<\/em>)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Jesus our Rock<\/strong><\/p>\n

For a whole week, riot only bishop but all the priests and friars of the city (Exeter) visited Bennet night and day. But they tried in vain to prove to him that the Roman Church was the true one. God has given me grace to be of a better Church, he said. Do you know that ours is built upon St. Peter? The Church that is built upon a man, he replied, is the devils Church, and not Gods. At the place of execution he exhorted with such unction, that the sheriffs clerk exclaimed, Truly this is a servant of God! Two persons, going up to the martyr, exclaimed in a threatening voice, Say, Precor sanctam Mariam et omnes sanctos Dei<\/em>. I know no other advocate but Jesus Christ, replied Bennet. (J. H. M. D<\/em>Aubigne, D. D.<\/em>)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

A new and physical metaphor<\/strong><\/p>\n

In these verses there is a sudden change from a political to a physical metaphor, possibly suggested by the word household. The metaphor itself, of the Church as a building of God–frequently used in the New Testament reaches its full perfection in this passage.<\/p>\n

1. <\/strong>It starts, of course, from the words of our Lord (Mat 16:18<\/span>), On this rock I will build My Church; but in the use of it sometimes the prominent idea is of the growth by addition of individual stones, sometimes of the complex unity of the building as a whole.<\/p>\n

2. <\/strong>The former idea naturally occurs first, connecting itself, indeed, with the still more personal application of the metaphor to the edification of the individual to be a temple of God (found, for example, in 1Th 5:11<\/span>; 1Co 8:1<\/span>; 1Co 10:23<\/span>; 1Co 14:4<\/span>; 2Co 5:1<\/span>; 2Co 10:8<\/span>). Thus in 1Co 3:9<\/span>, from ye are Gods building, St. Paul passes at once to the building of individual character on the one foundation; in 1Co 14:4-5<\/span>; 1Co 14:12<\/span>; 1Co 14:26<\/span>, the edification of the Church has reference to the effect of prophecy on individual souls; in 1Pe 2:5<\/span>, the emphasis is still on the building up of living stones upon a living stone (Comp. Act 20:32<\/span>).<\/p>\n

3. <\/strong>In this Epistle the other idea–the idea of unity–is always prominent, though not exclusive of the other (as here and in Eph 4:12-16<\/span>). But that this conception of unity is less absolute than that conveyed by the metaphor of the body will be seen by noting that it differs from it in three respects first, that it carries with it the notion of a more distinct individuality in each stone; next, that it conveys (as in the grafting in of Rom 11:17<\/span>) the idea of continual growth by accretion of individual souls drawn to Christ; lastly, that it depicts the Church as having more completely a distinct, though not a separate, existence from Him who dwells in it. (On this last point compare the metaphor of the spouse of Christ in Eph 5:25-33<\/span>.) Hence it is naturally worked out with greater completeness in an Epistle which has so especially for its object the evolution of the doctrine of the one Holy Catholic Church. (A. Barry, D. D.<\/em>)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Living temples<\/strong><\/p>\n

My brethren, it becomes of the utmost importance to inquire, Have we a place in this spiritual building? Are we daily striving, as St. Jude exhorts us, to pray in the Holy Ghost, and to build up ourselves on our most holy faith?<\/p>\n


I. <\/strong>That we may know what our state is, what our hope towards God, let us, first, ask ourselves, Am I resting on the sure foundation? St. Paul tells us what it is: Other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.<\/p>\n


II. <\/strong>Again: let us ask ourselves, Do we bear always in mind that we are called to be a holy temple in the Lord, an habitation of God through the Spirit?<\/p>\n

1. <\/strong>A temple gives us the idea of dedication. Do we look upon ourselves as those who are set apart unto holiness, and ought not to be conformed unto this world, but to be transformed by the renewing of our mind, that we may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God?<\/p>\n

2. <\/strong>A temple also gives us the idea of Gods immediate presence (1Co 3:16<\/span>; 1Co 6:19<\/span>). This is a thought full of awe, and full of comfort. God is present in the hearts of them that believe, not as He appeared of old in the Temple at Jerusalem, shining above the mercy seat in a cloud of glory such as mans eye could see (Joh 14:23<\/span>). And how should we regard our mortal body, if we believed it to be the temple of the Spirit of God?<\/p>\n

3. <\/strong>A temple gives us the idea of continual service.<\/p>\n

4. <\/strong>That the work of grace ought to be advancing in us. For what says St. Paul? Growing unto an holy temple in the Lord. (E. Blencowe, M. A.<\/em>)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

The Christian temple<\/strong><\/p>\n

Temples have always excited feelings of the deepest interest in the human race. They generally contain within themselves, and in the materials with which they are constructed, much that is beautiful and grand. They form a kind of middle step between earth and heaven, where faith and sense meet and unite to indulge in contemplations suited to their varied powers and capacities. The Greeks and the Romans were perhaps the most superstitious people in the world, they covered their land with the most bewitching forms of their idolatry; their temples were of the most costly and splendid description. Among all the temples of antiquity, none were equal to the temple at Ephesus dedicated to Diana. It was the boast of ancient Greece, and one of the wonders of the world. Upwards of two hundred years elapsed during its construction, many sovereigns assisted in its progress with no small portion of their revenues. And it was considered peculiarly sacred in consequence of the figure of Diana which it possessed; and which popular report ascribed to Jupiter as his donation. To check the enthusiasm, and in some degree to extinguish the admiration which, notwithstanding the power of Christianity, still lingered in the minds of some members of the Ephesian Church, it is supposed that the apostle used the words of our text in his Epistle to that Church. He there places in contrast to the temple of Diana another fabric in every respect infinitely superior–the Church of God: while the former temple was built upon wooden piles driven into the earth, the latter rests upon the writings of the apostles and prophets; while the materials of the former were all earthly, the materials of the latter are, by the grace of God in the regeneration of the human mind, spiritual and Divine; while the former was devoted to the rites of idolatry and superstition, the latter is sacred to the service of the true and living God; while the former could only boast of the image of its goddess, the latter has the presence, the indwelling presence of its own Maker–the Creator of the world. Other persons, however, imagine that the allusion here made is not to the temple of Diana, but to that more sacred fabric erected by Solomon upon Mount Zion. This was heavenly in its design, gorgeous in its material; it was the residence of Jehovah, and the type of the Christian Church. The Church, then, in this passage is set forth under the figure of a temple; we shall consider–<\/p>\n


I. <\/strong>Its foundation. Prophets and apostles are here associated, Their theme was the same. The prophets predicted the Messiah who was to come, and the apostle recorded the history of the Messiah who had come; the one foretold the redemption to be accomplished, the other wrote of redemption finished and complete. And thus together they form a magnificent communication made from the invisible to the visible world; they resemble together the cherubim upon the ark of the covenant, turning their faces towards each other, and both together towards the mercy seat.<\/p>\n


II. <\/strong>The superstructure of this temple. It often happens in the history of human affairs and transactions that men lay the foundation without being able to raise the superstructure; not so, however, with God. The building will rise and it will be equal to the basis.<\/p>\n

1. <\/strong>We shall consider the nature of the material of which the superstructure is to be composed. The Apostle Peter has a very beautiful description of it in the second chapter of his first Epistle, at the fourth and fifth verses, To whom coming as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God and precious. Living stone. The superstructure resembling the foundation, the foundation equal to the superstructure.<\/p>\n

2. <\/strong>We will notice the symmetry of the building: fitly framed together; not a heap of misshapen ruins huddled together into a mass of inextricable confusion; not a clumsy fabric raised by joiners and masons without skill; everything is arrayed in beautiful order, all the parts dove-tailed into each other, everything is fitly framed in its proper place, and rightly connected.<\/p>\n


III. <\/strong>I come now, in the third place, to the design of the building. It was to be an habitation of God through the Spirit. Now let us consider the presence of God in the Church–in this building. It is an invisible presence, there is no sound of thunder like that which indicated His dwelling upon Sinai; no cloud of glory like that which indicated His presence with Israel is here; He is spiritual. He is a Spirit and must have a spiritual house. But it is a real presence, and here is the real presence in the Church. (J. A. James.<\/em>)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Truth–a strong foundation<\/strong><\/p>\n

You will observe that the historical order–which is the order of time–is inverted, and the apostles are placed before the prophets. And for this reason: because, in the sentence, we are descending the foundation. The apostles are laid on the prophets, and the prophets are laid on Christ. This is the way that our faith touches God. The Bible rests on God–we rest on the Bible: so we reach God. It will not be out of place if I take occasion to say here to you what I often say to those whom I have under instruction–what are the four great proofs of inspiration?<\/p>\n

1. <\/strong>The presumptive proof, of which I have been speaking–that we should expect that, when God has made such a creature as man, He would give to that creature some revelation of Himself.<\/p>\n

2. <\/strong>The internal evidence. The authorship of the books of the Bible spreads over a period of nearly sixteen hundred years. There is one pervading current of thought. How could that agreement be, unless it had been dictated by some one Master-mind? And what could that Master-mind be, but God?<\/p>\n

3. <\/strong>The external evidence. This book–from beginning to end–is full of prophecy. Could any human mind, unassisted, have done that? Could any but God do that? Then God wrote the Bible.<\/p>\n

4. <\/strong>The experimental evidence. The book exactly fits the heart. I feel it when I read it; whoever made my heart made that book. The two must have one origin, and that origin must have been God. Thus, then, I arrive at the firm conviction that the apostles and prophets are a sure foundation on which to build our creed and our salvation, being themselves built on the chief cornerstone. We get, then, at the foundation of truth, truth in its two-fold strength–prophetic truth, apostolic truth; prophetic truth representing the Old Testament,–apostolic truth representing the blew Testament–and both on Christ. What is prophetic truth? Taken in its broad outline, it is this: the affairs, the destinies of this world all under the one watchful eye, and the one superintending hand, of Almighty God. To Him, all time is one unbroken now. And apostolic truth is this. This world has been the scene of a great mission. Christ, the Son of God, has been here, and He hath been careful to extend and perpetuate the knowledge of His mission, and all its benefits by missionaries, whom He hath sent to all the world. (J. Vaughan, M. A.<\/em>)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Thy spiritual building<\/strong><\/p>\n

1<\/strong>. <\/em><\/strong>Faith makes us lean on Christ, as a building on a foundation. Our faith must not be a swimming conceit, but an assurance, making us stay on our God.<\/p>\n

2. <\/strong>The Church is built on Christ. The firmness of the house is according to the sureness of the foundation. How impregnable, then, is the Church! (Mat 16:19<\/span>; Psa 125:1<\/span>).<\/p>\n

(1)<\/strong> The standing of Christians is sure.<\/p>\n

(2)<\/strong> How insecure is the condition of wicked men.<\/p>\n

3. <\/strong>The gospel builds us on no other foundation than that which was laid by the prophets from the beginning. The first preaching differs from the last not in substance but degree; we believe through our Lord Jesus Christ to be saved, even as they. There never was but one way of salvation. The sun rising, and at noon, differ not in substance. Christ is the kernel of both Testaments; blossom and ripe fruit.<\/p>\n

4. <\/strong>Whatever is to be believed, must have prophetic and apostolic authority.<\/p>\n

(1)<\/strong> Be not deluded with traditions.<\/p>\n

(2)<\/strong> Stand not too much on the authority of men.<\/p>\n

(3)<\/strong> Praise God for the fulness of Scripture.<\/p>\n

5. <\/strong>We must rely on Christ for a sure foundation to uphold us. As one would cling by a rock, so must we by Christ. Peter and others are builders: Christ alone is the foundation. Let there be no mistake as to this. (Paul Bayne.<\/em>)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

The foundation of the apostles and prophets<\/strong><\/p>\n

In spite of much ancient and valuable authority, it seems impossible to take the prophets of this verse to be the prophets of the Old Testament. The order of the two words and the comparison of Eph 3:5<\/span>; Eph 4:11<\/span> appear to be decisive–to say nothing of the emphasis on the present, in contrast with the past, which runs through the whole chapter. But it is more difficult to determine in what sense the foundation of the apostles and prophets is used. Of the three possible senses, that<\/p>\n

(1)<\/strong> which makes it equivalent to the foundation on which apostles and prophets are built, viz., Jesus Christ Himself, may be dismissed as taking away any special force from the passage, and as unsuitable to the next clause. The second<\/p>\n

(2)<\/strong>, the foundation laid by apostles and prophets–still, of course, Jesus Christ Himself–is rather forced, and equally fails to accord with the next clause, in which our Lord is not the foundation, but the cornerstone. The most natural interpretation<\/p>\n

(3)<\/strong>, followed by most ancient authorities, which makes the apostles and prophets to be themselves the foundation, has been put aside by modern commentators in the true feeling that ultimately there is but one foundation (1Co 3:11<\/span>), and in a consequent reluctance to apply that name to any but Him. But it is clear that in this passage St. Paul deliberately varies the metaphor in relation to our Lord, making Him not the foundation, or both foundation and cornerstone, but simply the cornerstone, binding together, according to Chrysostoms instructive remark, both the walls and the foundations. Hence the word foundation seems to be applied in a true, although secondary sense, to the apostles and prophets; just as in the celebrated passage (Mat 16:18<\/span>) our Lord must be held at any rate to connect St. Peter with the foundation on which the Church is built; and as in Rev 21:14<\/span>, the foundations bear the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. It is true that in this last passage we have the plural instead of the singular, and that the passage itself, is not, as this is, a dogmatic passage. But these considerations are insufficient to destroy the analogy. The genius, therefore, of this passage itself, supported by the other cognate passages, leads us to what may be granted to be an unexpected but a perfectly intelligible expression. The apostles and prophets are the foundation; yet, of course, only as setting forth in word and grace Him, who is the cornerstone. (A. Barry, D. D.<\/em>)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Christ the cornerstone<\/strong><\/p>\n

The <\/em>metaphor is drawn, of course, from Psa 118:22<\/span> (applied by our Lord to Himself in Mat 21:42<\/span>; Mar 12:10<\/span>; Luk 20:17<\/span>; and by St. Peter to Him in Act 4:11<\/span>), or from Isa 28:16<\/span> (quoted with the other passage in 1Pe 2:6-7<\/span>); in which last it may be noted that both the metaphors are united, and the tried cornerstone is also the sure foundation. In itself it does not convey so obvious an idea of uniqueness and importance as that suggested by the keystone of an arch, or the apex stone of a pyramid; but it appears to mean a massive cornerstone, in which the two lines of the wall at their foundation meet, by which they were bonded together, and on the perfect squareness of which the true direction of the whole walls depended, since the slightest imperfection in the cornerstone would be indefinitely multiplied along the course of the walls. The doctrine which, if taken alone, it would convey, is simply the acceptance of our Lords perfect teaching and life, as the one determining influence both of the teaching and institutions, which are the basis of the Church, and of the superstructure in the actual life of the members of the Church itself. By such acceptance both assume symmetry and stand four-square to all the winds that blow. (See Rev 21:16<\/span>.) That this is not the whole truth seems to be implied by the variation from the metaphor in the next verse. (A. Barry, D. D.<\/em>)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Jesus Christ Himself<\/strong><\/p>\n


I. <\/strong>With Jesus Christ Himself we begin by saying, first, that Jesus Himself is the essence of His own work, and, therefore, how readily we ought to trust Him. Jesus Himself is the soul of His own salvation. How does the apostle describe it? He loved me, and gave Himself for me. Because of this, the Lord Jesus Christ Himself is the object of our faith. Look unto Me, Come unto Me. How very simple, easy, natural, ought faith to be henceforth!<\/p>\n


II. <\/strong>Jesus Christ Himself is the substance of the gospel, and therefore how closely should we study Him. While He was hero He taught His disciples, and the object of His teaching was that they might know Himself, and through Him might know the Father. Whatever else they may be ignorant of, it is essential to disciples that they know their Lord. His nature, character, mind, spirit, object, power, we must know–in a word, we must know Jesus Himself.<\/p>\n

1. <\/strong>This, beloved, is the work of the Holy Spirit. He shall glorify Me: for He shall receive of Mine, and shall show it unto you. The Holy Ghost reveals Christ to us and in us.<\/p>\n

2. <\/strong>Because Jesus is the sum of the gospel, He must be our constant theme. Put out the sun, and light is gone, life is gone, all is gone. The more of Christ in our testimony, the more of light and life and power to save.<\/p>\n


III. <\/strong>Jesus Christ Himself is the object of our love, and how dear He should be. The love of a truth is all very well, but the love of a person has far more power in it. We have heard of men dying for an idea, but it is infinitely more easy to awaken enthusiasm for a person. When an idea becomes embodied in a man, it has a force which, in its abstract form, it never wielded. Jesus Christ is loved by us as the embodiment of everything that is lovely, and true, and pure, and of good report. He Himself is incarnate perfection, inspired by love. We love His offices, we love the types which describe Him, we love the ordinances by which He is set forth, but we love Himself best of all.<\/p>\n

1. <\/strong>Because we love Him, we love His people, and through Him we enter into union with them. We are at one with every man who is at one with Christ. So warm is the fire of our love to Jesus that all His friends may sit at it, and welcome. Our circle of affection comprehends all who in any shape or way have truly to do with Jesus Himself.<\/p>\n

2. <\/strong>Because we love Himself we delight to render service to Him. Whatever service we do for His Church, and for His truth, we do for His sake; even if we can only render it to the least of His brethren we do it unto Him.<\/p>\n


IV. <\/strong>Jesus Christ Himself is the source of all our joy. How ought we to rejoice, when we have such a springing well of blessedness. What a joy to think that Jesus is risen–risen to die no more: the joy of resurrection is superlative.<\/p>\n


V. <\/strong>Jesus Christ Himself is the model of our life, and therefore how blessed it is to be like Him. As to our rule for life, we are like the disciples on the Mount of Transfiguration when Moses and Elias had vanished, for we see no man save Jesus only. Every virtue found in other men we find in Him in greater perfection; we admire the grace of God in them, but Jesus Himself is our pattern. It was once said of Henry VIII, by a severe critic, that if the characteristics of all the tyrants that had ever lived had been forgotten, they might all have been seen to the life in that one king: we may more truly say of Jesus, if all graces, and virtues, and sweetnesses which have ever been seen in good men could all be forgotten, you might find them all in Him: for in Him dwells all that is good and great. We, therefore, desire to copy His character and put our feet into His footprints.<\/p>\n


VI. <\/strong>Lastly, He is the Lord of our soul. How sweet it will be to be with Him. We find today that His beloved company makes everything move pleasantly, whether we run in the way of His commands, or traverse the valley of the shadow of death. A poor girl, lying in the hospital, was told by the doctor or the nurse that she could only live another hour. She waited patiently, and when there remained only one quarter of an hour more, she exclaimed: One more quarter of an hour, and then. She could not say what, and neither can I; only Jesus Himself hath said, Father, I will that they also, whom Thou hast given Me, be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory. And as He has prayed, so it shall be, and so let it be. Amen and Amen. (C. H. Spurgeon.<\/em>)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Jesus Christ Himself the proof of the gospel<\/strong><\/p>\n

The religion of our Lord Jesus Christ contains in it nothing so wonderful as Himself. It is a mass of marvels, but He is the miracle of it; the wonder of wonders is The Wonderful Himself. If proof be asked of the truth which He proclaimed, we point men to Jesus Christ Himself. His character is unique. We defy unbelievers to imagine another like Him. He is God and yet man, and we challenge them to compose a narrative in which the two apparently incongruous characters shall be so harmoniously blended–in which the human and Divine shall be so marvellously apparent, without the one overshading the other. They question the authenticity of the four Gospels; will they try and write a fifth? Will they even attempt to add a few incidents to the life which shall be worthy of the sacred biography, and congruous with those facts which are already described? If it be all a forgery, will they be so good as to show us how it is done? Will they find a novelist who will write another biography of a man of any century they choose, of any nationality, or of any degree of experience, or any rank or station, and let us see if they can describe in that imaginary life a devotion, a self-sacrifice, a truthfulness, a completeness of character at all comparable to that of Jesus Christ Himself? Can they invent another perfect character even if the Divine element be left out? They must of necessity fail, for there is none like unto Jesus Himself. (C. H. Spurgeon.<\/em>)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Jesus Christ Himself the marrow and essence of the gospel<\/strong><\/p>\n

When the Apostle Paul meant that the gospel was preached he said, Christ is preached, for the gospel is Christ Himself. If you want to know what Jesus taught, know Himself. He is the incarnation of that truth which by Him and in Him is revealed to the sons of men. Did He not Himself say, I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life? You have not to take down innumerable tomes, nor to pore over mysterious sentences of double meaning in order to know what our great Teacher has revealed, you have but to turn and gaze upon His countenance, behold His actions, and note His spirit, and you know His teaching. He lived what He taught. If we wish to know Him, we may hear His gentle voice saying, Come and see. Study His wounds, and you understand His innermost philosophy. (C. H. Spurgeon.<\/em>)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Home symbols<\/strong><\/p>\n

Did you ever think how every part of your house can remind you of the great truths which Jesus Christ taught about Himself? The cornerstone says, Christ is the cornerstone; the door, I am the door; the burning candle, I am the Light of the world; the corridor, I am the Way. Look out of the window, and the sight of the starry sky bids you turn your eyes to the bright and morning Star. The rising sun speaks to you of the rising of the Sun of Righteousness with healing on His wings. The loaf on your table whispers of the Bread of Life, and the water that quenches your thirst, I am the Living Water, I am the Water of Life. When you lie down you think of Him that had not where to lay His head, and when you get up, you rejoice that He is the Resurrection and the Life. (Sunday Teacher<\/em>s Treasury.<\/em>)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Growth in holiness<\/strong><\/p>\n

When I was at Mr. Spurgeons house he showed me the photographs of his two sons, who were twins, and whose photographs had been taken every year since they were twelve months old until they were seventeen years old. For the first two years they did not seem to have grown much, but when we compared the first with those of the age of seventeen they seemed to have grown amazingly. So it is with the children of God–they grow in grace. (D. L. Moody.<\/em>)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Growth and permanence<\/strong><\/p>\n

What is the use of thee, thou gnarled sapling? said a young larch tree to a young oak. I grow three feet in a year, thou scarcely as many inches; I am straight and taper as a reed, thou straggling and twisted as a loosened withe. And thy duration, answered the oak, is some third part of mans life, and I am appointed to flourish for a thousand years. Thou art felled and sawed into palings, where thou rottest and art burnt after a single summer; of me are fashioned battle-ships, and I carry mariners and heroes into unknown seas. The richer a nature, the harder and slower its development. (T. Carlyle.<\/em>)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Necessity of holiness<\/strong><\/p>\n

There is no heaven for us, without fitness for heaven. As the official at the Bank of England said to me about some sovereigns I wished to change into notes, If we take them in here they must <\/em>be tested. (B<\/em>)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

The spiritual temple<\/strong><\/p>\n


I. <\/strong>The foundation.<\/p>\n

1. <\/strong>Prophets–the Old Testament. Apostles–the New Testament. Jesus Christ–the Divine Being in whom both dispensations are united.<\/p>\n

2. <\/strong>This foundation is stable, sure.<\/p>\n

3. <\/strong>It gives dignity to the building.<\/p>\n

4. <\/strong>It is the only foundation.<\/p>\n


II. <\/strong>The superstructure.<\/p>\n

1. <\/strong>It will be a united building.<\/p>\n

2. <\/strong>It is a progressive building.<\/p>\n

3. <\/strong>It is a sanctified building.<\/p>\n


III. <\/strong>The materials.<\/p>\n

1. <\/strong>Believers in every age and clime.<\/p>\n

2. <\/strong>Notice the stones in their natural state.<\/p>\n

3. <\/strong>They are derived from different sources.<\/p>\n

4. <\/strong>They are in different stages of preparation.<\/p>\n

5. <\/strong>They must all be fashioned after the manner of the chief cornerstone.<\/p>\n

6. <\/strong>Here is a text by which you may each know whether or not you are in the building.<\/p>\n

7. <\/strong>These stones are bought with a price. (A. F. Barfield.<\/em>)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Christ a builder<\/strong><\/p>\n

Christ builds on through all the ages. For the present, there has to be much destructive as well as constructive work done. Many a wretched hovel, the abode of sorrow and want, many a den of infamy, many a palace of pride, many a temple of idols, will have to be pulled down yet, and mens eyes will be blinded by the dust, and their hearts will ache as they look at the ruins. Be it so. The finished structure will obliterate the remembrance of poor buildings that cumbered its site. This Emperor of ours may indeed say, that He found the city of brick and made it marble. (A. Maclaren, D. D.<\/em>)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

The temple of the faithful<\/strong><\/p>\n

1<\/strong>. <\/em><\/strong>There is a special wisdom required in those who are to dispense the doctrine of faith; they must proceed by line and order. We do not entrust a piece of work of any importance but to those who are masters of their craft. Much more does the spiritual building require workmen who labour as they need not be ashamed (2Ti 2:15<\/span>). And this teaches people how they should submit themselves to be framed and squared according as the ministry requires. Before a rough stone can be conveniently laid, it must be hewed by the mason, polished, and planed, and so brought to the rest of the building. So it is with you: you must be smoothed and planed before you can come to lie in this building. If ye be Gods building, ye must be squared to His model.<\/p>\n

2. <\/strong>The faithful have a close union with Christ and one another. As in a house the building, all of it, must be fitted to the foundation, and every part of it suit one with another, so in this building, which we are, there must be a straight coupling with the foundation, and correspondence one with another. In the material temple (the type of the spiritual) the walls or rows of stone that were in it were so squared that one piece did not bulge out above the other, but being laid together a man would have thought them one entire stone. So all the other things were so contrived, that window answered to window, door to door, chamber to chamber; there was a pleasant proportionableness in everything. In like manner must the multitude of believers be all laid on one foundation, and all of them so even that they seem as one living stone, and every one answering most commodiously to another. And thus it is with the faithful in their union with Christ and with one another. Love makes the saints each seek the good of the other, and be serviceable each to other.<\/p>\n

3. <\/strong>True believers grow up from day to day. Even as it is in great buildings, which are not at once begun and perfected, So do the stones of the spiritual temple go on growing till they come to perfection. Where we cease to grow, there we decline; he that wins not, loses. Leave off endeavour to be better, and you will soon cease to be good.<\/p>\n

4. <\/strong>Believers are a temple for Gods habitation.<\/p>\n

(1)<\/strong> A great dignity.<\/p>\n

(2)<\/strong> Defile not the temple of God. To do so is sacrilege.<\/p>\n

(3)<\/strong> Avoid all profanation of it.<\/p>\n

5. <\/strong>Believers must be sanctified throughout.<\/p>\n

6. <\/strong>Believers grow by the power of Christ. The Church still goes forward, in spite of heresies, persecutions, all scandals of life, all the gates of hell, because God is its builder.<\/p>\n

(1)<\/strong> Let us look to Him for spiritual edification.<\/p>\n

(2)<\/strong> It should comfort us to know that in due time we shall be finished.<\/p>\n

God will make up all the breaches and ruins of our sinful nature, and build us up a glorious temple for Himself, wherein He will dwell forever. (Paul Bayne.<\/em>)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

The building<\/strong><\/p>\n

1<\/strong>. <\/em><\/strong>Observe the term groweth, intimating that the Church is ever enlarging her borders and adding to her members, either by the admission of the children of her members to the waters of baptism, or by the conversion of the heathen, and leading them to the same. And so it will continue, growing and increasing, until the consummation of all things: and God shall have accomplished the number of His elect.<\/p>\n

2. <\/strong>Observe the expression, fitly framed together, showing the order and subordination of the different members. Not a confused mass of building materials, without shape and order; but set in their several stations, by the great Master of the universe.<\/p>\n

3. <\/strong>Observe how the whole glory of this is ascribed not to man, but to our Lord Jesus Christ. In Him the building is framed; in Him it groweth and increaseth; the power to do so coming from Him. (A. P. Perceval, B. C. L.<\/em>)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

The growth of the new kingdom<\/strong><\/p>\n

The growth of the body, on Christs part, is spontaneous, and on mans, consentaneous. In whom all the building fitly framed together, groweth unto a holy temple in the Lord. It grows from Christ, but it grows in unity with our consenting affections. Christ never violates human freedom, but works in it, with it, and by it. What wilt thou that I should do unto thee? Ask, and ye shall receive. According to your faith be it unto you. He would open and develop in us much more of His purity and truth, goodness and beauty; but He waits for our desire, and by processes of wondrous wisdom and gentleness He seeks to beget in us that desire. If the spirit of the flesh in us be ardent, or the spiritual affections be lukewarm, the growth of the new nature will be retarded, or suspended. If it be necessary to receive Christ, in order to salvation, it is equally necessary to walk in Him, in a spirit of watchfulness and prayer, in order to growth. Inasmuch as all the building is growing in the Lord, and according to His order, it will, in the end, not only be a glorious temple of humanity, but marvellously adapted for the indwelling and manifestation of God. I will dwell in them, and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. I will fill them, and they shall represent My fulness. The whole building, the redeemed of every generation, growing more and more into unity with each other, and with Christ, and through Him with all the hidden powers of the Godhead, is a work which is every way worthy of all Almighty Father. To what glory, to what beauty, will the kingdom grow? to what wisdom will its members attain? what will be their powers? what their fellowship? what their individual freedom of action? what their service and end, as one empire in the Son, and in the Father? At present there is much in human souls, much in the constitution of nature, and very much in the strife of the great spirit world, to hinder the full development of Gods purpose in Christ. But all hindrances have their appointed limit. In due time, they will all be overmastered or removed; and God and the redeemed race will come into perfect relationship. (John Pulsford.<\/em>)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

The growth of the structure<\/strong><\/p>\n

The structure is in process of growth. It is not finished–the copestone has not been put upon it. The scaffolding occasionally disfigures it; yet even in its immature state, and with so much that is undeveloped, one may admire its beauty of outline, and its graceful form and proportions. Vast augmentations may be certainly anticipated; but its increase does not mutilate its adaptations, for it grows as being fitly framed together. A structure not firm and compact is in the greater danger of falling the higher it is carried; and if it topple on our heads, what matter is it whether we are crushed by a Corinthian or a Doric ruin? But this fabric, with walls of more than Cyclopean or Pelasgian strength and vastness, secures its own continuous and illimitable elevation. Provision is thus made for its increase, and without breach or delapidation it rises in height. (J. Eadie, D. D.<\/em>)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Christian unity<\/strong><\/p>\n

All the redeemed are one body–many members, but still one great incorporation. Ye are builded together for an habitation of God, through the Spirit. The materials of a house form no place of abode, while they lie scattered and separated. In the ancient tabernacle, the glory of the Lord did not appear till it was compacted and set up. The Divine presence rested not upon the stones and timber of the Temple till they were framed into the edifice. We may hence infer, that if we would enjoy the promised blessing, we should avoid strifes and divisions, and follow after peace, and the things whereby one may edify the other. (Anonymous.<\/em>)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

The tabernacle of the Most High<\/strong><\/p>\n


I. <\/strong>The Church is a building. Not a heap of stones shot together, but a building. Of old her Architect devised her. Methinks I see Him, as I look back into old eternity, making the first outline of His Church. Here, saith He, in His eternal wisdom, shall be the cornerstone, and there shall be the pinnacle. I see Him ordaining her length, and her breadth, appointing her gates and her doors with matchless skill, devising every part of her, and leaving no single portion of the structure unmapped. I see Him, that mighty Architect, also choosing to Himself every stone of the building, ordaining its size and its shape; settling upon His mighty plan the position each stone shall occupy, whether it shall glitter in front, or be hidden in the back, or buried in the very centre of the wall. I see Him marking not merely the bare outline, but all the fillings up; all being ordained, decreed, and settled, in the eternal covenant, which was the Divine plan of the mighty Architect upon which the Church is to be built. Looking on, I see the Architect choosing a cornerstone. He looks to heaven, and there are the angels, those glittering stones–He looks at each one of them from Gabriel down; but, saith He, None of you will suffice. I must have a cornerstone that will support all the weight of the building, for on that stone every other one must lean. O Gabriel, thou wilt not suffice I Raphael, thou must lay by; I cannot build with thee. Yet was it necessary that a stone should be found, and one too that should be taken out of the same quarry as the rest. Where was he to be discovered? Was there a man who would suffice to be the cornerstone of this mighty building? Ah, no! neither apostles, prophets, nor teachers would. Put them all together, and they would be as a foundation of quicksand, and the house would totter to its fall. Mark how the Divine mind solved the difficulty–God shall become man, very man, and so He shall be of the same substance as the other stones of the temple; yet shall He be God, and therefore strong enough to bear all the weight of this mighty structure, the top whereof shall reach to heaven. I see that foundation stone laid. Is there singing at the laying of it? No. There is weeping there. The angels gathered round at the laying of this first stone; and look, ye men, and wonder, the angels weep; the harps of heaven are clothed in sackcloth, and no song is heard. They sang together and shouted for joy when the world was made; why shout they not now? Look ye here, and see the reason. That stone is imbedded in blood. The first is laid; where are the rest? Shall we go and dig into the sides of Lebanon? Shall we find these precious stones in the marble quarries of kings? No. Whither are ye flying, ye labourers of God? We go to dig in the quarries of Sodom and Gomorrah, in the depths of sinful Jerusalem, and in the midst of erring Samaria. I see them clear away the rubbish. I mark them as they dig deep into the earth, and at last they come to these stones. But how rough, how hard, how unhewn. Yes, but these are the stones ordained of old in the decree, and these must be the stones, and none other. There must be a change effected. These must be brought in, and shaped and cut and polished, and put into their places. I see the workmen at their labour. The great saw of the law cuts through the stone, and then comes the polishing chisel of the gospel. I see the stones lying in their places, and the Church is rising. The ministers, like wise master builders, are there running along the wall, putting each spiritual stone in its place; each stone is leaning on that massive cornerstone, and every stone depending on the blood, and finding its security and its strength in Jesus Christ, the cornerstone, elect, and precious. Now open wide your eyes, and see what a glorious building this is–the Church of God. Men talk of the splendour of their architecture–this is architecture indeed; neither after Grecian nor Gothic models, but after the model of the sanctuary which Moses saw in the holy mountain. Do you see it? Was there ever a structure so comely as this–instinct with life in every part? There is no house like a heart for one to repose in. There a man may find peace in his fellow man; but here is the house where God delighteth to dwell–built of living hearts, all beating with holy love–built of redeemed souls, chosen of the Father, bought with the blood of Christ. The top of it is in heaven. Part of them are above the clouds. Many of the living stones are now in the pinnacle of paradise. We are here below. The building rises, the sacred masonry is heaving, and, as the cornerstone rises, so all of us must rise, until at last the entire structure, from its foundation to its pinnacle, shall be heaved up to heaven, and there shall it stand forever–the new Jerusalem, the temple of the majesty of God.<\/p>\n

1. <\/strong>The Divine Architect makes no mistakes. When our eyes shall have been enlightened, and our hearts instructed, each part of the building will command our admiration. The top stone is not the foundation, nor does the foundation stand at the top. Every stone is of the right shape; the whole material is as it should be, and the structure is adapted for the great end, the glory of God, the temple of the Most High.<\/p>\n

2. <\/strong>Another thing may be noticed–her impregnable strength. This habitation of God, this house not made with hands, but of Gods building, has often been attacked, but never taken. What multitudes of enemies have battered against her old ramparts! but they have battered in vain.<\/p>\n

3. <\/strong>And we may add, it is glorious for beauty. There was never structure like this. One might feast his eyes upon it from dawn to eve, and then begin again. Jesus Himself takes delight in it. God joys over it with singing (Zep 3:17<\/span>).<\/p>\n


II. <\/strong>But the true glory of the Church of God consists in the fact that she is not only a building, but that she is a habitation. There may be great beauty in an uninhabited structure, but there is always a melancholy thought connected with it. Who loves to see desolate palaces? Who desireth that the land should cast out her sons, and that her houses should fail of tenants? But there is joy in a house lit up and furnished, where there is the sound of men. Beloved, the Church of God hath this for her peculiar glory, that she is a tenanted house, that she is a habitation of God through the Spirit. How many Churches there are that are houses, yet not habitations! I might picture to you a professed Church of God; it is built according to square and compass, but its model has been formed in some ancient creed, and not in the Word of God. There are too many churches that are nothing but a mass of dull, dead formality; there is no life of God there. A house is a place where a man solaces and comforts himself. Our home is the place of our solace, our comfort, and our rest. Now, God calls the Church His habitation–His home. Oh, how beautiful is the picture of the Church as Gods house, the place in which He takes His solace! For the Lord hath chosen Zion; He hath desired it for His habitation. This is my rest forever: here will I dwell; for I have desired it.<\/p>\n

2. <\/strong>Furthermore, a mans home is the place where he shows his inner self. There are sweet revelations which God makes in His Church, which He never makes anywhere else.<\/p>\n

3. <\/strong>A mans home is the centre of all he does. Yonder is a large farm. Well, there are outhouses, and hay ricks, and barns, and the like; but just in the middle of these there is the house, the centre of all husbandry. No matter how much wheat there may be, it is to the house the produce goes. It is for the maintenance of the household that the husband carries on his husbandry. Now, Gods Church is Gods centre. Why doth God clothe the hills with plenty? For the feeding of His people. Why is providence revolving? Why those wars and tempests, and then again this stillness and calm? It is for His Church. Not an angel divides the ether who hath not a mission for the Church. It may be indirectly, but nevertheless truly so. All things must minister and work together for good for the chosen Church of God, which is His house–His daily habitation.<\/p>\n

4. <\/strong>We love our homes, and we must and will defend them. Ay, and now lift up your thoughts–the Church is Gods home; will He not defend it?<\/p>\n


III. <\/strong>The Church is, by and by, to be Gods glorious temple. It doth not yet appear what she shall be. (C. H. Spurgeon.<\/em>)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Believers Gods habitation<\/strong><\/p>\n

1<\/strong>. <\/em><\/strong>Believers have the Lord to dwell with them.<\/p>\n

(1)<\/strong> Grieve not, but please this guest.<\/p>\n

(2)<\/strong> See the blessedness of all the faithful.<\/p>\n

2. <\/strong>By being built on Christ, we come to be a dwelling for God.<\/p>\n

3. <\/strong>The Spirit of sanctification makes us a fit habitation for God. (Paul Bayne.<\/em>)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

The spiritual building<\/strong><\/p>\n


I. <\/strong>The materials.<\/p>\n

1. <\/strong>Their nature.<\/p>\n

2. <\/strong>Their diversity.<\/p>\n

3. <\/strong>Their number.<\/p>\n

4. <\/strong>Their circumstances.<\/p>\n

5. <\/strong>Their value.<\/p>\n


II. <\/strong>The basis and plan.<\/p>\n

1. <\/strong>The foundation is Christ.<\/p>\n

2. <\/strong>The chief cornerstone is Christ.<\/p>\n

3. <\/strong>The whole building is constructed by Christ.<\/p>\n

4. <\/strong>The excellencies of Christ will be the beauty of the building.<\/p>\n


III. <\/strong>The instruments and agency by which this building is constructed and carried on. The Holy Spirit.<\/p>\n

1. <\/strong>The vastness of the work requires a universal presence.<\/p>\n

2. <\/strong>The difficulty of the work demands infinite resources.<\/p>\n

3. <\/strong>The time needed to carry on the work requires a perpetual agency.<\/p>\n


IV. <\/strong>The design to be accomplished in this work. For an habitation of God. (Isaiah Birt.<\/em>)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Believers are temples<\/strong><\/p>\n

If there be anything common to us by nature, it is the members of our corporeal frame; yet the apostle taught that these, guided by the Spirit as its instruments, and obeying a holy will, become transfigured; so that, in his language, the body becomes a temple of the Holy Ghost, and the meanest faculties, the lowest appetites, the humblest organs, are ennobled by the Spirit mind which guides them. Thus he bids the Romans yield themselves unto God as those that are alive from the dead, and their members as instruments of righteousness unto God. (F. W. Robertson, M. A.<\/em>)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Inhabited by the Holy Spirit<\/strong><\/p>\n

I <\/em>am sitting, on a summers day, in the shadow of a great New England elm. Its long branches hang motionless; there is not breeze enough to move them. All at once there comes a faint murmur; around my head the leaves are moved by a gentle current of air; then the branches begin to sway to and fro, the leaves are all in motion, and a soft, rushing sound fills my ear. So with every one that is born of the Spirit. I am in a state of spiritual lethargy, and scarcely know how to think any good thought. I am heart empty, and there comes, I know not where or whence, a sound of the Divine presence. I am inwardly moved with new comfort and hope; the day seems to dawn in my heart, sunshine comes around my path, and I am able to go to my duties with patience. I am walking in the Spirit, I am helped by the help of God, and comforted with the comfort of God. And yet this is all in accordance with law. There is no violation of law when the breezes come, stirring the tops of the trees; and there is no violation of law when God moves in the depths of our souls, and rouses us to the love and desire of holiness. (James Freeman Clarke.<\/em>)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

The rival builders<\/strong><\/p>\n

The story of Rowland Hill preaching against the first Surrey Theatre is very characteristic. The building of Surrey Chapel was going on simultaneously with that of the theatre. In his sermon he addressed his audience as follows:–You have a race to run now between God and the devil; the children of the last are making all possible haste in building him a temple, where he may receive the donations and worship of the children of vanity and sin! Now is your time, therefore, to bestir yourselves in the cause of righteousness, and never let it be said but what God can outrun the devil! <\/em>(Clerical Anecdotes.<\/em>)<\/p>\n

.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n


<\/strong><\/p>\n

Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

Verse 20. And are built upon the foundation<\/B><\/I>] Following the same metaphor, comparing the Church of Christ to a city<\/I>, and to the temple<\/I>, the believing Ephesians are represented as parts of<\/I> that building<\/I>; the living stones<\/I> out of which it is principally formed, 1Pe 2:4-5<\/span>, having for foundation<\/I>-the ground plan, specification, and principle on which it was builded, the doctrine<\/I> taught by the prophets<\/I> in the Old Testament<\/I>, and the apostles<\/I> in the New<\/I>. Jesus Christ being that corner stone<\/I>, or , the chief angle or foundation corner stone, the connecting<\/I> medium by which both Jews and Gentiles were united in the same building. Elsewhere Jesus Christ is termed the foundation stone. Behold I<\/I> lay in Zion a foundation stone, a tried stone, a precious corner<\/I> stone<\/I>, Isa 28:16<\/span>; but the meaning is the same<\/I> in all the places where these terms, foundation<\/I> and corner stone<\/I>, occur; for in laying the foundation of a building, a large stone is generally placed at one of the angles<\/I> or corners<\/I>, which serves to form a part of the two walls which meet in that angle. When, therefore, the apostle says that Jesus Christ is the chief corner stone<\/I>, it means such a foundation stone as that above mentioned.<\/P><\/p>\n

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets; <\/B>the foundation which the apostles and prophets laid by their preaching, viz. Christ, whom they held forth as the only Mediator between God and man, the only Saviour and head of the church: see 1Co 3:11<\/span>. <\/P>

Foundation, <\/B>in the singular number, to imply the unity of their doctrine centring in Christ: <\/P>

apostles and prophets, <\/B>whose office was to preach, not kings and patriarchs. <\/P>

Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner-stone; <\/B>as both supporting the building by his strength, and uniting the several parts of it, Jew and Gentile: see Mat 21:42<\/span>; Psa 118:22<\/span>. They that are of chief authority are called the corners of a people, as sustaining the greatest burden, 1Sa 14:38<\/span>; Isa 19:13<\/span>. <\/P>

Objection.<\/B> If Christ be the corner-stone, how is he the foundation? <\/P>

Answer.<\/B> The same thing may have different denominations in different respects; Christ is called a foundation, <\/I>1Co 3:11<\/I><\/span>, a corner-stone, <\/I>1Pe 2:6<\/I><\/span>, a temple, <\/I>Joh 2:19<\/I><\/span>, a door, <\/I>Joh 10:7<\/I><\/span>, a builder, Mat 16:18<\/span>; so here again a corner-stone, <\/I>and yet laid for a foundation, <\/I>Isa 28:16<\/I><\/span>. <\/P> <\/p>\n

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

20.<\/B> Translate as Greek,<\/I>“Built up upon,” c. (participle having been built upupon;<\/I> omit, therefore, “and are”). Compare 1Co 3:11<\/span>;1Co 3:12<\/span>. The same image in Eph3:18<\/span>, recurs in his address to the Ephesian elders (Ac20:32<\/span>), and in his Epistle to Timothy at Ephesus (1Ti 3:15<\/span>;2Ti 2:19<\/span>), naturally suggested bythe splendid architecture of Diana’s temple; the glory of theChristian temple is eternal and real, not mere idolatrous gaud. Theimage of a building is appropriate also to the Jew-Christians; as thetemple at Jerusalem was the stronghold of Judaism; as Diana’s temple,of paganism. <\/P>

foundation of the apostles,<\/B>c.that is, upon their ministry and living example (compare Mt16:18<\/span>). Christ Himself, the only true Foundation, was the grandsubject of their ministry, and spring of their life. As one with Himand His fellow workers, they, too, in a secondary sense, are called”foundations” (Re21:14<\/span>). The “prophets” are joined with them closely forthe expression is here not “foundations<\/I> of the apostlesand the<\/I> prophets,” but “foundations<\/I> of theapostles and prophets.<\/I>” For the doctrine of both wasessentially one (1Pe 1:10<\/span>;1Pe 1:11<\/span>; Rev 19:10<\/span>).The apostles take the precedency (Lu10:24<\/span>). Thus he appropriately shows regard to the claims of theJews and Gentiles: “the prophets” representing the oldJewish dispensation, “the apostles” the new. The “prophets”of the new also are included. BENGELand ALFORD refer themeaning solely to these (Eph 3:5<\/span>;Eph 4:11<\/span>). These passages imply,I think, that the New Testament prophets are not excluded; but theapostle’s plain reference to Ps118:22<\/span>, “the head stone of the corner,” proves that theOld Testament prophets are a prominent thought. David is called a”prophet” in Ac 2:30<\/span>.Compare also Isa 28:16<\/span>;another prophet present to the mind of Paul, which prophecy leans onthe earlier one of Jacob (Ge49:24<\/span>). The sense of the context, too, suits this: Ye were oncealiens from the commonwealth of Israel<\/I> (in the time of her OldTestament prophets<\/I>), but now ye are members of the true Israel,built upon the foundation of her New Testament apostles and OldTestament prophets. Paul continually identifies his teaching withthat of Israel’s old prophets (Act 26:22<\/span>;Act 28:23<\/span>). The costlyfoundation-stones of the temple (1Ki5:17<\/span>) typified the same truth (compare Jer51:26<\/span>). The same stone is at once the corner-stone and thefoundation-stone on which the whole building rests. Paul supposes astone or rock so large and so fashioned as to be both at once;supporting the whole as the foundation, and in part rising up at theextremities, so as to admit of the side walls meeting in it, andbeing united in it as the corner-stone [ZANCHIUS].As the corner-stone, it is conspicuous, as was Christ (1Pe2:6<\/span>), and coming in men’s way may be stumbled over, as the Jewsdid at Christ (Mat 21:42<\/span>;1Pe 2:7<\/span>).<\/P><\/p>\n

Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible <\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets<\/strong>,…. The prophets of the Old Testament, and the apostles of the New, who agree in laying ministerially the one and only foundation, Jesus Christ; for not the persons of the apostles and prophets, nor their doctrines merely, are here meant; but Christ who is contained in them, and who is the foundation on which the church, and all true believers are built: he is the foundation of the covenant of grace, of all the blessings and promises of it, of faith and hope, of peace, joy, and comfort, of salvation and eternal happiness; on this foundation the saints are built by Father, Son, and Spirit, as the efficient causes, and by the ministers of the Gospel as instruments: these lie in the same common quarry with the rest of mankind, and are singled out from thence by efficacious grace; they are broken and hewn by the word and ministers of it, as means; and are ministerially laid on Christ the foundation, and are built up thereon in faith and holiness; yea, private Christians are useful this way to build up one another:<\/p>\n

Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone<\/strong>; which cements and knits together angels and men, Jews and Gentiles, Old and New Testament saints, saints above, and saints below, saints on earth, in all ages and places, and of every denomination; and which is the beauty and glory, as well as the strength of the building, which keeps all together; and Christ is the chief, the headstone of the corner, and who is superior to angels and men. This phrase is used by the Jews to denote excellency in a person; so a wise scholar is called , “a cornerstone”; i see Ps 118:22<\/span>. It may be rendered, “the chief cornering-stone”; it being such an one that is a foundation stone, as well as a cornerstone; and reached unto, and lay at the bottom of, and supported the four corners of the building; for the foundation and corner stone in this spiritual building, is one and the same stone, Christ: it is said of the temple of Latona, at Buto, in Egypt, that it was made, <\/p>\n

, “of one stone”, as Herodotus k an eyewitness of it, attests.<\/p>\n

i Abot R. Nathan, c. 28. k Euterpe, c. 155.<\/p>\n

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

Being built upon <\/B> (<\/SPAN><\/span>). First aorist passive participle of <\/SPAN><\/span>, for which double compound verb see 1Cor 3:10<\/span>; 1Cor 2:17<\/span>.<\/P>

The foundation <\/B> ( <\/SPAN><\/span>). Repetition of <\/SPAN><\/span> with the locative case. See 1Co 3:11<\/span> for this word.<\/P>

Of the apostles and prophets <\/B> ( <\/SPAN><\/span>). Genitive of apposition with <\/SPAN><\/span>, consisting in. If one is surprised that Paul should refer so to the apostles, he being one himself, Peter does the same thing (2Pe 3:2<\/span>). Paul repeats this language in 3:5<\/span>.<\/P>

Christ Jesus himself being the chief corner stone <\/B> ( <\/SPAN><\/span>). Genitive absolute. The compound <\/SPAN><\/span> occurs only in the LXX (first in Isa 28:16<\/span>) and in the N.T. (here, 1Pe 2:6<\/span>). <\/SPAN><\/span> (stone) is understood. Jesus had spoken of himself as the stone, rejected by the Jewish builders (experts), but chosen of God as the head of the corner (Mt 21:42<\/span>), <\/SPAN><\/span>. “The <\/SPAN><\/span> here is the primary foundation-stone at the angle of the structure by which the architect fixes a standard for the bearings of the walls and cross-walls throughout” (W. W. Lloyd). <\/P> <\/p>\n

Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

Of the apostles and prophets. The foundation laid by them. <\/P>

Prophets are New – Testament prophets. See ch. Eph 3:5<\/span>; Eph 4:11<\/span>. See on 1Co 12:10<\/span>. <\/P>

Chief corner – stone [] <\/SPAN><\/span>. Only here and 1Pe 2:6<\/span>.<\/P> <\/p>\n

Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

<\/strong><\/p>\n

1) “And are built upon”<\/strong> (epoikodomethentes epi) “Having been built upon.” The Ephesus household, body, or church assembly had been “assembled,” “developed,” “organized,” or “domed up” and formed into an affinity of laborers for Jesus Christ on the very doctrines of the first church, doctrines that the Jerusalem and Galilean saints held.<\/p>\n

2) “The foundation of the apostles and prophets”<\/strong> (to themelio ton apostolon kai propheton) This foundation was Jesus Christ, the true Messiah, the Redeemer and the builder of the New Testament kind of body or assembly, the church, Mat 16:18-19<\/span>; Act 4:12<\/span>; Act 20:28<\/span>; Eph 5:25<\/span>. When Jesus said, “I will build (oikodomeso), enlarge, embellish, or build up my church.” He referred to His sustaining its growth or development, which He had already begun or originated, Mat 16:18<\/span>; Joh 3:28-29<\/span>.<\/p>\n

3) “Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone”<\/strong> (ontes akrogoniaiou autou christou iesou) Jesus Christ was and is the chief corner stone, as Savior of lost men, from dead stones to lively stones, from sin to salvation, and thereafter fitly framing them into an household of worship and service through scriptural baptism and fellowship into His body, the church, to do His work, 1Pe 2:4-8<\/span>; 1Co 12:12-13<\/span>; 1Co 12:27<\/span>; Eph 4:4<\/span>.<\/p>\n

The worthy Christian I if e is to be built both on Christ as Savior and upon or supported by the fellowship and service to be found in His spirit-empowered church, His assembly body, 1Co 3:10-15<\/span>; Act 1:8<\/span><\/p>\n

Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

20. And are built. The third comparison illustrates the manner in which the Ephesians, and all other Christians are admitted to the honor of being fellow-citizens with the saints and of the household of God. They are built on the foundation, — they are founded on the doctrine, of the apostles and prophets. We are thus enabled to distinguish between a true and a false church. This is of the greatest importance; for the tendency to error is always strong, and the consequences of mistake are dangerous in the extreme. No churches boast more loudly of the name than those which bear a false and empty title; as may be seen in our own times. To guard us against mistake, the mark of a true church is pointed out. <\/p>\n

Foundation, in this passage, unquestionably means doctrine; for no mention is made of patriarchs or pious kings, but only of those who held the office of teachers, and whom God had appointed to superintend the edification of his church. It is laid down by Paul, that the faith of the church ought to be founded on this doctrine. What opinion, then, must we form of those who rest entirely on the contrivances of men, and yet accuse us of revolt, because we embrace the pure doctrine of God? But the manner in which it is founded deserves inquiry; for, in the strict sense of the term, Christ is the only foundation. He alone supports the whole church. He alone is the rule and standard of faith. But Christ is actually the foundation on which the church is built by the preaching of doctrine; and, on this account, the prophets and apostles are called builders. (1Co 3:10<\/span>.) Nothing else, Paul tells us, was ever intended by the prophets and apostles, than to found a church on Christ. <\/p>\n

We shall find this to be true, if we begin with Moses; for “Christ is the end of the law,” (Rom 10:4<\/span>,) and the sum of the gospel. Let us remember, therefore, that if we wish to be reckoned among believers, we must place our reliance on no other: if we wish to make sure progress in the knowledge of the Scriptures, to him our whole attention must be directed. The same lesson is taught, when we consult the word of God as contained in the writings of the prophets and apostles. To shew us how we ought to combine them, their harmony is pointed out; for they have a common foundation, and labor jointly in building the temple of God. Though the apostles have become our teachers, the instruction of the prophets has not been rendered superfluous; but one and the same object is promoted by both. <\/p>\n

I have been led to make this remark by the conduct of the Marcionites in ancient times, who expunged the word prophets from this passage; and by that of certain fanatics in the present day, who, following their footsteps, exclaim loudly that we have nothing to do with the law and the prophets, because the gospel has put an end to their authority. The Holy Spirit everywhere declares, that he has spoken to us by the mouth of the prophets, and demands that we shall listen to him in their writings. This is of no small consequence for maintaining the authority of our faith. All the servants of God, from first to last, are so perfectly agreed, that their harmony is in itself a clear demonstration that it is one God who speaks in them all. The commencement of our religion must be traced to the creation of the world. In vain do Papists, Mahometans, and other sects, boast of their antiquity, while they are mere counterfeits of the true, the pure religion. <\/p>\n

Jesus Christ, himself is the chief corner-stone (130) Those who transfer this honor to Peter, and maintain that on him the church is founded, are so void of shame, as to attempt to justify their error by quoting this passage. They hold out that Christ is called the chief corner-stone, by comparison with others; and that there are many stones on which the church is founded. But this difficulty is easily solved. Various metaphors are employed by the apostles according to the diversity of circumstances, but still with the same meaning. In writing to the Corinthians, Paul lays down an incontestable proposition, that “no other foundation can be laid.” (1Co 3:11<\/span>.) He does not therefore mean, that Christ is merely a corner, or a part of the foundation; for then he would contradict himself. What then? He means that Jews and Gentiles were two separate walls, but are formed into one spiritual building. Christ is placed in the middle of the corner for the purpose of uniting both, and this is the force of the metaphor. What is immediately added shews sufficiently that he is very far from limiting Christ to any one part of the building. <\/p>\n

(130) According to that ancient prophecy, (Psa 118:22<\/span>,) ‘the stone, which the builders refused, is become the head-stone of the corner.’ The strength of buildings lies in their angles; and the corner-stone is that which unites and compacts the different sides of them; the chief cornerstone is that which is laid at the foundation, upon which the whole angle of the building rests, and which therefore is the principal support and tie of the whole edifice.” — Chandler. <\/p>\n

Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

(20) Built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets.<\/strong>In spite of much ancient and valuable authority, it seems impossible to take the prophets of this verse to be the prophets of the Old Testament. The order of the two words and the comparison of Eph. 3:5<\/span>; Eph. 4:11<\/span>, appear to be decisiveto say nothing of the emphasis on the present, in contrast with the past, which runs through the whole chapter. But it is more difficult to determine in what sense the foundation of the apostles and prophets is used. Of the three possible senses, that (1) which makes it equivalent to the foundation on which apostles and prophets are built, viz., Jesus Christ Himself, may be dismissed as taking away any special force from the passage, and as unsuitable to the next clause. The second (2), the foundation laid by apostles and prophetsstill, of course, Jesus Christ Himselfis rather forced, and equally fails to accord with the next clause, in which our Lord is not the foundation, but the corner-stone. The most natural interpretation (3), followed by most ancient authorities, which makes the apostles and prophets to be themselves the foundation, has been put aside by modern commentators in the true feeling that ultimately there is but one foundation (1Co. 3:11<\/span>), and in a consequent reluctance to apply that name to any but Him. But it is clear that in this passage St. Paul deliberately varies the metaphor in relation to our Lord, making Him not the foundation, or both foundation and corner-stone, but simply the corner-stone, binding together, according to Chrysostoms instructive remark, both the walls and the foundations. Hence the word foundation seems to be applied, in a true, although secondary sense, to the apostles and prophets; just as in the celebrated passage (Mat. 16:18<\/span>) our Lord must be held at any rate to connect St. Peter with the foundation on which the Church is built; and as in Rev. 21:14<\/span>, the foundations bear the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. It is true that in this last passage we have the plural instead of the singular, and that the passage itself, is not, as this is, a dogmatic passage. But these considerations are insufficient to destroy the analogy. The genius therefore of this passage itself, supported by the other cognate passages, leads us to what may be granted to be an unexpected but a perfectly intelligible expression. The apostles and prophets are the foundation; yet, of course, only as setting forth in word and grace Him, who is the corner-stone.<\/p>\n

Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone.<\/strong>The metaphor is drawn, of course, from Psa. 118:22<\/span> (applied by our Lord to Himself in Mat. 21:42<\/span>; Mar. 12:10<\/span>; Luk. 20:17<\/span>; and by St. Peter to Him in Act. 4:11<\/span>), or from Isa. 28:16<\/span> (quoted with the other passage in 1Pe. 2:6-7<\/span>); in which last it may be noted that both the metaphors are united, and the tried corner-stone is also the sure foundation. In itself it does not convey so obvious an idea of uniqueness and importance as that suggested by the key-stone of an arch, or the apex-stone of a pyramid; but it appears to mean a massive corner-stone, in which the two lines of the wall at their foundation met, by which they were bonded together, and on the perfect squareness of which the true direction of the whole walls depended, since the slightest imperfection in the corner-stone would be indefinitely multiplied along the course of the walls. The doctrine which, if taken alone, it would convey, is simply the acceptance of our Lords perfect teaching and life, as the one determining influence both of the teaching and institutions, which are the basis of the Church, and of the superstructure in the actual life of the members of the Church itself. By such acceptance both assume symmetry and stand four-square to all the winds that blow. (See Rev. 21:16<\/span>.) That this is not the whole truth seems to be implied by the variation from the metaphor in the next verse.<\/p>\n

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

(20-22) In these verses there is a sudden change from a political to a physical metaphor, possibly suggested by the word household. The metaphor itself, of the Church as a building of Godfrequently used in the New Testamentreaches its full perfection in this passage. (1) It starts, of course, from the words of our Lord (Mat. 16:18<\/span>), On this rock I will build my Church; but in the use of it sometimes the prominent idea is of the growth by addition of individual stones, sometimes of the complex unity of the building as a whole. (2) The former idea naturally occurs first, connecting itself, indeed, with the still more personal application of the metaphor to the edification of the individual to be a temple of God (found, for example, in 1Th. 5:11<\/span>; 1Co. 8:1<\/span>; 1Co. 10:23<\/span>; 1Co. 14:4<\/span>; 2Co. 5:1<\/span>; 2Co. 10:8<\/span>). Thus in 1Co. 3:9<\/span>, from ye are Gods building, St. Paul passes at once to the building of individual character on the one foundation; in 1Co. 14:4-5<\/span>; 1Co. 14:12<\/span>; 1Co. 14:26<\/span>, the edification of the Church has reference to the effect of prophecy on individual souls; in 1Pe. 2:5<\/span>, the emphasis is still on the building up of living stones upon a living stone. (Comp. Act. 20:32<\/span>.) (3) In this Epistle the other ideathe idea of unityis always prominent, though not exclusive of the other (as here and in Eph. 4:12-16<\/span>). But that this conception of unity is less absolute than that conveyed by the metaphor of the body will be seen by noting that it differs from it in three respects; first, that it carries with it the notion of a more distinct individuality in each stone; next, that it conveys (as in the graffing in of Rom. 11:17<\/span>) the idea of continual growth by accretion of individual souls drawn to Christ; lastly, that it depicts the Church as having more completely a distinct, though not a separate, existence from Him who dwells in it. (On this last point compare the metaphor of the spouse of Christ in Eph. 5:25-33<\/span>.) Hence it is naturally worked out with greater completeness in an Epistle which has so especially for its object the evolution of the doctrine of the one Holy Catholic Church.<\/p>\n

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

20<\/strong>. <\/strong> And are built<\/strong> Here the figure changes. From the family, here begins the building<\/strong>, put up with a very rapid and finished architecture. Its foundations <\/strong> are apostles and prophets<\/strong>. Not indeed their persons, but as the embodiments of the gospel they preached. The prophets <\/strong> are not of the Old Testament, but of the New, as in Eph 3:5<\/span>; Eph 4:11<\/span>. <\/p>\n

Corner stone<\/strong> The large stone laid by ancient builders at each corner to bind and hold the walls firmly together. See note Mat 21:42<\/span>. And this image beautifully expresses the unity of Jews and Gentiles by Christ.<\/p>\n

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

‘Being built on the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the chief cornerstone.’<\/p>\n

The believing Gentiles are now built into a living Temple of God (‘a habitation of God in the Spirit’ – Eph 2:22<\/span>) on the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets. The fact that the Prophets are linked with the Apostles as the foundation makes clear that the foundation is the teaching of both, and not the persons themselves. We can compare this with how the foundation rock on which the church would be built was also the statement of Peter, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God’ (Mat 16:16-18<\/span>). The true church of God is not founded on men but on truth.<\/p>\n

In view of the stress all through on the uniting of believing Jews and Gentiles in one, and their now enjoying together all the benefits of being ‘Israel’, we are almost certainly to see these as including the Old Testament Prophets, and as including John the Baptiser. The foundation is the teachings of the Jesus as revealed through the Apostles, including their expansion of that teaching, and the teachings of the Old Testament as exemplified in the Old Testament Prophets. Jesus Christ is the chief cornerstone as the teaching of both prophets and Apostles points to Him and centres on Him. Indeed He is the foundation on which all their teaching is built (1Co 3:11<\/span>).<\/p>\n

This interpretation parallels it with 2Pe 3:2<\/span>, ‘That you should remember the words which were spoken before by the holy Prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Saviour through your Apostles’, and Rom 16:25-26<\/span>, where Paul speaks of ‘my Gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ — the mystery which — is now manifested and by the scriptures of the Prophets, according to the commandment of the eternal God, is made known unto all the nations unto obedience of faith’.<\/p>\n

Some would see the prophets as solely New Testament Prophets but such stress on their foundation qualities is not found elsewhere, and 2Pe 3:2<\/span> and Rom 16:25-26<\/span> also suggest otherwise. (Eph 3:5<\/span> might be seen as fairly strong support for this view, although see our discussion on that verse. But if so it is almost unique). As we have seen the Old Testament Prophets and their teachings are constantly in mind in the Apostles’ teaching (Rom 1:2<\/span>; Rom 16:26<\/span>; Jas 5:10<\/span>; 1Pe 1:10<\/span>; 2Pe 3:2<\/span>). In Rev 21:14<\/span> the names of the twelve Apostles alone are written on the foundation stones of the new Jerusalem, the twelve patriarchs and the twelve tribes being represented by twelve gates.<\/p>\n

‘Christ Jesus Himself being the chief cornerstone.’ The chief cornerstone was either fitted at the top of the building, giving strength to the whole and binding the structure together, or the foundation stone on which all else rested. Thus Christ Himself is seen as the binding force that holds all together and strengthens the whole, and as the One on Whom all is founded.<\/p>\n

Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

Eph 2:20<\/span><\/em><\/strong>. <\/strong>And are built upon the foundation, <\/em><\/strong>&c.<\/strong> “And ye are still more closely united to Christ, and to the Father in him, not only as citizens to their supreme magistrate, and as children to their father; but as a building to its foundation, which is another figure under which the church of Christ may be considered in its relation to him (1Pe 2:4-5<\/span>.), who is a sure foundation, which God himself has laid in Zion, besides which no man can lay any other; but which is ministerially laid both by my preaching (1Co 3:10-11<\/span>.), and by the doctrine of the twelve apostles, as master-builders, under Christ, in the New-Testament dispensation (Rev 21:14<\/span>.); as it also has been in the writings of the ancient prophets (Psa 118:22<\/span>. <\/span>Isa 28:16<\/span>.), which testified of Christ (Joh 5:39<\/span>.). The doctrine of all these is in substance the same, with regard to salvation and eternal life by Jesus Christ, who is not only the rock, on which he has built his church (Mat 16:18<\/span>.); but is also the principal corner-stone,whichunites,holds,andbindstogetherbothbelievingJewsandGentiles in himself as one church, and gives strength, solidity, and beauty to the whole spiritual edifice that is erected upon him.” The heads <\/em>of Israel, <\/em>who bore the weight of government, are called the chief, <\/em>and the stay, <\/em>or, as it is in the Hebrew, , the corners of the people <\/em>(1Sa 14:38<\/span>. Isa 19:13<\/span>.); accordingly Christ is called the chief corner-stone <\/em>and the head-stone of the corner <\/em>(Psa 118:22<\/span>.), because the church depends as entirely upon him as its foundation, <\/em>when considered in allusion to a house or building, as it does upon him as its head, <\/em>when considered in allusion to a natural or political body. <\/p>\n

Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

Eph 2:20<\/span> . The conception leads the apostle, in keeping with the many-sided versatility of his association of ideas, to make the transition from the figure of a household- fellowship<\/em> , to the figure of a house- structure<\/em> , and accordingly to give to a further illustration, which now is no longer appropriate to the former<\/em> figurative conception, but only to the latter<\/em> , which, however, was not yet expressed in . Comp. Col 2:6-7<\/span> .<\/p>\n

] namely, when ye became Christians. The compound<\/em> does not stand for the simple<\/em> term (Koppe), but denotes the building up<\/em> . Comp. 1Co 3:10 ; 1Co 3:12<\/span> ; 1Co 3:14<\/span> ; Col 2:7<\/span> ; Xen. Hist<\/em> . vi. 5. 12; Dem. 1278. 27. , with the dative<\/em> , however (comp. Xen. Anab.<\/em> iii. 4. 11), is not here occasioned by the aorist<\/em> participle (Harless), which would not have hindered the use either of the genitive (Horn. Il.<\/em> xxii. 225; Plato, Legg.<\/em> v. p. 736 E) or of the accusative (1Co 3:12<\/span> ; Rom 15:20<\/span> ); but the accusative<\/em> is not employed, because Paul has not in his mind the relation of direction, and it is purely accidental that not the genitive<\/em> of rest, but the dative<\/em> of rest is employed.<\/p>\n

. . .] is taken by Chrysostom, Oecumenius, Theophylact, Erasmus, Estius, Morus, and others, including Meier, Olshausen, Baumgarten-Crusius, de Wette, as genitive of apposition<\/em> ; but wrongly, since the apostles and prophets are<\/em> not the foundation, but have laid<\/em> it (1Co 3:10<\/span> ). The foundation laid by the apostles and prophets<\/em> (as most expositors, including Koppe, Flatt, Rckert, Matthies, Harless, Bleek, correctly take it) is the gospel of Christ, which they have proclaimed, and by which they have established the churches; see on 1Co 3:10<\/span> . “Testimonium apost. et proph. substructum est fidei credentium omnium,” Bengel.<\/p>\n

] has been understood by Chrysostom, Theodoret, Oecumenius, Jerome, Erasmus, Beza, Calvin, Calovius, Estius, Baumgarten, Michaelis, and others, including Rckert, of the Old Testament<\/em> prophets. That not these, however, but the New Testament<\/em> prophets (see on 1Co 12:10<\/span> ), are intended (Pelagius, Piscator, Grotius, Bengel, Zachariae, Koppe, Rosenmller, Flatt, Harless, Meier, Matthies, Olshausen, Baumgarten-Crusius, de Wette, Bleek), is clear, not indeed from the non-repetition of the article, since the apostles and prophets might be conceived as one<\/em> class (Xen. Anab.<\/em> ii. 2. Ephesians 5 : ; comp. Saupp. ad Xen. Venat.<\/em> v. 24; Dissen, ad Dem. de cor<\/em> . p. 373), but (1) from the very order of the words, [158] which, especially from the pen of an apostle, would most naturally have been . ; (2) from the analogy of Eph 3:5<\/span> , Eph 4:11<\/span> ; and (3) from the fact that the foundation-laying in question can, from the nature of the case, only be the preaching of the Christ who has come<\/em> , because upon this foundation the establishment of the church took place, and in that preaching the old prophetic predictions were used only as means (Rom 16:26<\/span> ). Comp. also Eph 2:21<\/span> . Harless supposes that the apostles are here called at the same time<\/em> prophets. [159] In this way, no doubt, the objection of Rckert is obviated, that, in fact, the prophets themselves would have come to Christianity only by means of the apostles, and would themselves have stood only on the ; but ( a<\/em> ) from the non-repetition of the article there by no means follows the unity of the persons (see above), but only the unity of the category, under which the two are thought of. ( b<\/em> ) There may be urged against it the analogy of Eph 4:11<\/span> , as well as that in the whole N.T., where the ecclesiastical functions are already distinguished [160] and prophets<\/em> are mentioned, apostles<\/em> are not at the same time intended. It is true that the apostles had of necessity to possess the gift of prophecy, but this was understood of itself, and they are always called merely apostles<\/em> , while simply those having received the gift of prophecy, who were not<\/em> at the same time apostles, are termed prophets<\/em> ; comp. 1Co 12:28<\/span> f. ( c<\/em> ) There would be no reason whatever bearing on the matter in hand why the apostles should here be designated specially as prophets; nay, the contrast of Moses and the prophets<\/em> , arbitrarily assumed by Hofmann, would only tell against<\/em> the identity (Luk 24:27<\/span> ; Luk 24:44<\/span> ; Act 24:14<\/span> ; Joh 1:46<\/span> ). That objection of Rckert, however, disappears entirely when we contemplate the prophets as the immediate and principal fellow-labourers<\/em> in connection with the laying of the foundation done primarily by the apostles, in which character they, although themselves resting upon the of the apostles, yet in turn were associated with them as founders. And the more highly Paul esteems prophecy (1Co 14:1<\/span> ), and puts the prophets elsewhere also in the place next to the apostles (Eph 4:11<\/span> ; 1Co 12:28<\/span> f.), with so much the more justice might he designate the apostles and prophets<\/em> as laying the foundation of the churches; and the less are we warranted, with de Wette, in finding here traces of a disciple of the apostles<\/em> , who has had before him the results of the apostolic labours as well as the period of the original prophecy as concluded, or with Schwegler (in Zeller’s Jahrb<\/em> . 1844, p. 379) and Baur (p. 438), in recognising traces of Montanism<\/em> with its new prophets as the continuers of the apostolate.<\/p>\n

. . .] wherein Jesus Christ Himself is corner-stone<\/em> . On this most essential point, without which the building up in question upon the apostolic and prophetic foundation would lack its uniquely distinctive character, hinges the whole completion of the sublime picture, Eph 2:21-22<\/span> . The gospel preached by the apostles and prophets is the foundation, the basis, upon which the Ephesians were built up, i.e.<\/em> this apostolic and prophetic gospel was preached also at Ephesus, and the readers were thereby converted and formed into a Christian community; but the corner-stone<\/em> of this building is Christ Himself<\/em> , inasmuch, namely, as Christ, the historic, living Christ, to whom all Christian belief and life have reference, as necessarily conditions through Himself the existence and endurance of each Christian commonwealth, as the existence and steadiness of a building are dependent on the indispensable corner-stone, which upholds the whole structure (on , sc<\/em> . , which does not occur in Greek writers, comp. LXX. Isa 28:16<\/span> ; Symm. Ps. cxvii. 22; 1Pe 2:6<\/span> ; on the subject-matter, Mat 21:42<\/span> ). Only as to the figure, not as to the thing signified, is there a difference when Christ is here<\/em> designated as the corner-stone<\/em> , and at 1Co 3:11<\/span> as the foundation<\/em> . The identity of the matter lies in , 1 Cor. l.c.<\/em> See on that passage. In the figure of the corner-stone<\/em> (which “duos parietes ex diverso venientes conjungit et continet,” Estius) many have found the union of the Jews and Gentiles<\/em> set forth (Theodoret, Menochius, Estius, Michaelis, Holzhausen, Bretschneider, and others). But this is at variance with ., Eph 2:21<\/span> , according to which for every<\/em> Christian community, and so also for those consisting exclusively<\/em> of Jewish-Christians or exclusively<\/em> of Gentile-Christians, Christ is the corner-stone.<\/p>\n

] does not apply to (Bengel, Cramer, Koppe, Holzhausen, Hofmann, II. 2, p. 122), for Christ is conceived of as the corner-stone, not of the foundation, but of the building (Eph 2:21<\/span> ). It belongs to , which with this is placed emphatically at the end, in order then to join on by . . . that which is to be further said of Christ, in so far as He is Himself the corner-stone. The article . . might<\/em> be used; Christ would then be conceived of as already present in the consciousness of the readers ( He Himself, Christ<\/em> ; see Fritzsche, ad Matth.<\/em> p. 117): it was not necessary<\/em> , however, to use it (in opposition to Bengel); but the conception is: Christ Himself<\/em> is corner-stone ( Il.<\/em> vi 450; Xen. Anab<\/em> , ii. 1. 5, Rev 11<\/span>Rev 11<\/span> , al.<\/em> ; see Bornemann, ad Anab.<\/em> i. 7. 11; Krger on Thuc<\/em> . i. 27. 3), so that Christ Himself<\/em> , as respects His own unique destination in this edifice, is contradistinguished from His labourers, the apostles and prophets.<\/p>\n

Whether, it may be asked, is masculine<\/em> (see on 1Co 3:10<\/span> ) or neuter?<\/em> It tells in favour of the former that, with Paul, it is at 1Co 3:11<\/span> (also 2Ti 2:19<\/span> ) decidedly masculine<\/em> , but in no passage decidedly neuter<\/em> (Rom 15:20<\/span> ; 1Ti 6:19<\/span> ). Harless erroneously thinks that the neuter is employed by the apostle only metaphorically.<\/p>\n

[158] This has been very arbitrarily explained by the assertion that the apostles preached the gospel immediately, that they possessed the greater endowment of grace, that the foundation had been no recens positum<\/em> , and such like. See specially Calovius and Estius.<\/p>\n

[159] So also Rckert on Eph 3:5<\/span> , and Hofmann, Schriftbew<\/em> . II. 2, p. 122. The latter adduces as a reason, that . is no peculiar N.T. designation like . This, however, it surely is, namely, in the N.T. sense<\/em> , for which the O. T. word<\/em> was the most suitable vehicle. Philippi also, Glaubenslehre<\/em> , I. p. 288, Exo 2<\/span> , declares himself in favour of Harless.<\/p>\n

[160] This is not yet the case at Mat 23:34<\/span> , where rather the whole category<\/em> of Christian teachers is still designated by Old Testament names. In the parallel Luk 11:49<\/span> , on the other hand, the apostles are already adduced as such by name.<\/p>\n

Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone<\/em> ; <\/p>\n<\/p>\n

<\/strong><\/p>\n

Ver. 20. Upon the foundation<\/strong> ] Foundation is taken either for Christ, 1Co 3:11<\/span> ; Mat 16:16<\/span> , or the doctrine of the Scriptures which teach salvation only by Jesus Christ, as here and Rev 21:14<\/span> . <\/p>\n

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

Eph 2:20<\/span> . : being built upon the foundation<\/em> . From the idea of the house<\/em> or household<\/em> of God contained in the Paul passes by an easy transition to that of the building<\/em> of the spiritual . The – in the comp. verb probably expresses the notion of building up<\/em> ; the second with the dative , that of resting on<\/em> the foundation which also might have been expressed by the gen. The forms and both occur, the former much more frequently than the latter in Greek literature generally. The latter, however, is found frequently in the LXX, and at least once quite unmistakably in the NT (Act 16:26<\/span> ). : of the Apostles and Prophets<\/em> . The omission of before does not necessarily identify the Apostles and Prophets as one and the same persons (Harl.); cf.<\/em> Win.-Moult., p. 162. It indicates, however, that they both belong to the same class<\/em> . The gen.<\/em> is variously understood as (1) the gen. of apposition<\/em> = the foundation which is<\/em> or consists in<\/em> the Apostles; (2) the gen. of originating cause<\/em> = the foundation laid by<\/em> them; (3) the possess.<\/em> gen. = “the Apostles’ foundation” in the sense of that on which they built (Anselm, Beza, etc.), or as = that on which they also were built (Alf.). The choice seems to be between (1) and (2). The former has been the view of many from Chrys. down to Von Soden and Abbott, and is favoured so far by Rev 21:14<\/span> . But the second has the suffrages of the majority of modern exegetes (Rck., Harl., Bleek, Mey., Ell., etc.). It is more in accordance with 1Co 3:10<\/span> (although it is the worth of teachers that is immediately in view there), and more especially with Rom 15:20<\/span> , where the Gospel<\/em> as preached by Paul appears to be the “foundation”. Here, therefore, it seems best on the whole to understand the Gospel of Christ as preached by the Apostles to be the “foundation” on which their converts were built up into the spiritual house. But who are these ? The OT prophets, say many (Chrys., Theod., Jer., Calv., Rck., etc.) a view certainly favoured by the use made of the writings of these prophets in the NT, and by the view given of them as “evangelists before the time” (Moule); cf.<\/em> Luk 24:25<\/span> ; Act 3:18<\/span> ; Act 3:21<\/span> ; Act 3:24<\/span> ; Act 10:43<\/span> ; Rom 16:26<\/span> . But the natural order in that case would have been “Prophets and Apostles,” and the previous statements referred clearly to Christian<\/em> times to the preaching after Christ’s death. Hence the are to be understood as the Christian<\/em> prophets, of whom large mention is made in the Book of Acts and the Epistles the NT prophets who in this same Epistle (Eph 3:5<\/span> ) are designated as Christ’s<\/em> prophets and are named (Eph 4:11<\/span> ) among the gifts of the ascended Lord to His Church. The frequency with which they are referred to (Act 11:28<\/span> ; Act 15:32<\/span> ; 1Co 14<\/span> , etc.) and the place assigned to them next to the Apostles (Eph 4:11<\/span> ) show the prominent position they had in the primitive Church. The statements made regarding them in the early non-canonical literature ( The Teaching of the Twelve<\/em> , Clem. Alex., Strom.<\/em> , the Shepherd of Hermas<\/em> , etc.) show how they continued to exist and work beyond the Apostolic Age, and help us to distinguish their ministry as that essentially of teachers and exhorters, whether itinerant or resident, from the essentially missionary<\/em> ministry of the Apostles. Further the association of these prophets<\/em> with the Apostles<\/em> suggests that the latter term is not to be restricted here to the Twelve, but is to be taken as including all<\/em> those to whom the name “Apostle” is given in the NT. : Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner-stone<\/em> . A few documents, including [179] , omit . The of the TR is supported by such authorities as [180] [181] [182] [183] [184] . The best reading, however, is , “Christ Jesus,” which is found in [185] [186] [187] -corr., 17, Vulg., Copt., Goth., etc., and is adopted by LTTrWHRV. The word ( cf.<\/em> the of Isa 28:16<\/span> ) is peculiar to biblical and ecclesiastical Greek, and is applied to Christ also in 1Pe 2:6<\/span> . It denotes the stone placed at the extreme corner, so as to bind the other stones in the building together the most important stone in the structure, the one on which its stability depended. The refers to , not to the , nor to the (Beng.), the point being that to Christ Himself and none other the building owes its existence, its strength and its increase. He Himself, and neither Apostle nor Prophet, is at once the ultimate foundation (1Co 3:11<\/span> ) and the Head-stone of the Corner. Some have supposed that, the being the stone inserted between two others to give strength and cohesion to the whole, there is a reference in the phrase to the union of Jew and Gentile. But this is to push the figure too far.<\/p>\n

[179] Codex Sinaiticus (sc. iv.), now at St. Petersburg, published in facsimile type by its discoverer, Tischendorf, in 1862.<\/p>\n

[180] Codex Ephraemi (sc. v.), the Paris palimpsest, edited by Tischendorf in 1843.<\/p>\n

[181] Codex Claromontanus (sc. vi.), a Grco-Latin MS. at Paris, edited by Tischendorf in 1852.<\/p>\n

[182] Codex Augiensis (sc. ix.), a Grco-Latin MS., at Trinity College, Cambridge, edited by Scrivener in 1859. Its Greek text is almost identical with that of G, and it is therefore not cited save where it differs from that MS. Its Latin version, f, presents the Vulgate text with some modifications.<\/p>\n

[183] Codex Mosquensis (sc. ix.), edited by Matthi in 1782.<\/p>\n

[184] Codex Angelicus (sc. ix.), at Rome, collated by Tischendorf and others.<\/p>\n

[185] Codex Vaticanus (sc. iv.), published in photographic facsimile in 1889 under the care of the Abbate Cozza-Luzi.<\/p>\n

[186] Codex Alexandrinus (sc. v.), at the British Museum, published in photographic facsimile by Sir E. M. Thompson (1879).<\/p>\n

[187] Codex Sinaiticus (sc. iv.), now at St. Petersburg, published in facsimile type by its discoverer, Tischendorf, in 1862.<\/p>\n

Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

EPHESIANS<\/p>\n

‘THE CHIEF CORNER-STONE’ <\/strong><\/p>\n

Eph 2:20<\/p>\n

The Roman Empire had in Paul’s time gathered into a great unity the Asiatics of Ephesus, the Greeks of Corinth, the Jews of Palestine, and men of many another race, but grand and imposing as that great unity was, it was to Paul a poor thing compared with the oneness of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ. Asiatics of Ephesus, Greeks of Corinth, Jews of Palestine and members of many another race could say, ‘Our citizenship is in heaven.’ The Roman Eagle swept over wide regions in her flight, but the Dove of Peace, sent forth from Christ’s hand, travelled further than she. As Paul says in the context, the Ephesians had been strangers, ‘aliens from the commonwealth of Israel,’ wandering like the remnants of some ‘broken clans,’ but now they are gathered in. That narrow community of the Jewish nation has expanded its bounds and become the mother-country of believing souls, the true ‘island of saints.’ It was not Rome which really made all peoples one, but it was the weakest and most despised of her subject races. ‘Of Zion it shall be said,’ ‘Lo! this and that man was born in her.’<\/p>\n

To emphasise the thought of the great unity of the Church, the Apostle uses here his often-repeated metaphor of a temple, of which the Ephesian Christians are the stones, apostles and prophets the builders, and Christ Himself the chief corner-stone. Of course the representation of the foundation, as being laid by apostles and prophets, refers to them as proclaiming the Gospel. The real laying of the foundation is the work of the divine power and love which gave us Christ, and it is the Divine Voice which proclaims, ‘Behold I lay in Zion a foundation!’ But that divine work has to be made known among men, and it is by the making of it known that the building rises course by course. There is no contradiction between the two statements, ‘I have laid the foundation’ and Paul’s ‘As a wise master-builder I have laid the foundation.’<\/p>\n

A question may here rise as to the meaning of ‘prophets.’ Unquestionably the expression in other places of the Epistle does mean New Testament prophets, but seeing that here Jesus is designated as the foundation stone which, standing beneath two walls, has a face into each, and binds them strongly together, it is more natural to see in the prophets the representatives of the great teachers of the old dispensation as the apostles were of the new. The remarkable order in which these two classes are named, the apostles being first, and the prophets who were first in time being last in order of mention, confirms this explanation, for the two co-operating classes are named in the order in which they lie in the foundation. Digging down you come to the more recent first, to the earlier second, and deep and massive, beneath all, to the corner-stone on whom all rests, in whom all are united together. Following the Apostle’s order we may note the process of building; beneath that, the foundation on which the building rests; and beneath it, the corner-stone which underlies and unites the whole.<\/p>\n

I. The process of building. <\/strong><\/p>\n

In the previous clauses the Apostle has represented the condition of the Ephesian Christians before their Christianity as being that of strangers and foreigners, lacking the rights of citizenship anywhere, a mob rather than in any sense a society. They had been like a confused heap of stones flung fortuitously together; they had become fellow-citizens with the saints. The stones had been piled up into an orderly building. He is not ignoring the facts of national, political, or civic relationships which existed independent of the new unity realised in a common faith. These relationships could not be ignored by one who had had Paul’s experience of their formidable character as antagonists of him and of his message, but they seemed to him, in contrast with the still deeper and far more perfect union, which was being brought about in Christ, of men of all nationalities and belonging to mutually hostile races, to be little better than the fortuitous union of a pile of stones huddled together on the roadside. Measured against the architecture of the Church, as Paul saw it in his lofty idealism, the aggregations of men in the world do not deserve the name of buildings. His point of view is the exact opposite of that which is common around us, and which, alas! finds but too much support in the present aspects of the so-called churches of this day.<\/p>\n

It is to be observed that in our text these stones are, in accordance with the propriety of the metaphor, regarded as being built, that is, as in some sense the subjects of a force brought to bear upon them, which results in their being laid together in orderly fashion and according to a plan, but it is not to be forgotten that, according to the teaching, not of this epistle alone, but of all Paul’s letters, the living stones are active in the work of building, as well as beings subject to an influence. In another place of the New Testament we read the exhortation to ‘build up yourselves on your most holy faith,’ and the means of discharging that duty are set forth in the words which follow it; as being ‘Praying in the Holy Spirit, keeping yourselves in the love of God, and looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ.’<\/p>\n

Throughout the Pauline letters we have frequent references to edifying, a phrase which has been so vulgarised by much handling that its great meaning has been all but lost, but which still, rightly understood, presents the Christian life as one continuous effort after developing Christian character. Taking into view the whole of the apostolic references to this continuous process of building, we cannot but recognise that it all begins with the act of faith which brings men into immediate contact and vital union with Jesus Christ, and which is, if anything that a man does is, the act of his very inmost self passing out of its own isolation and resting itself on Jesus. It is by the vital and individual act of faith that any soul escapes from the dreary isolation of being a stranger and a foreigner, wandering, homeless and solitary, and finds through Jesus fellowship, an elder Brother, a Father, and a home populous with many brethren. But whilst faith is the condition of beginning the Christian life, which is the only real life, that life has to be continued and developed towards perfection by continuous effort. ‘Tis a life-long toil till the lump be leavened.’<\/p>\n

One of the passages already referred to varies the metaphor of building, in so far as it seems to represent ‘your most holy faith’ as the foundation, and may be an instance of the doubtful New Testament usage of ‘faith,’ as meaning the believed Gospel, rather than the personal act of believing. But however that may be, context of the words clearly suggests the practical duties by which the Christian life is preserved and strengthened. They who build up themselves do so, mainly, by keeping themselves in the love of God with watchful oversight and continual preparedness for struggle against all foes who would drag them from that safe fortress, and subsidiarily, by like continuity in prayer, and in fixing their meek hope on the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. If Christian character is ever to be made more Christian, it must be by a firmer grasp and a more vivid realisation of Christ and His truth. The more we feel ourselves to be lapped in the love of God, the more shall we be builded up on our most holy faith. There is no mystery about the means of Christian progress. That which, at the beginning, made a man a Christian shapes his whole future course; the measure of our faith is the measure of our advance.<\/p>\n

But the Apostle, in the immediately following words, goes on to pass beyond the bounds of his metaphor, and with complete indifference to the charge of mixing figures, speaks of the building as growing. That thought leads us into a higher region than that of effort. The process by which a great forest tree thickens its boles, expands the sweep of its branches and lifts them nearer the heavens, is very different from that by which a building rises slowly and toilsomely and with manifest incompleteness all the time, until the flag flies on the roof-tree. And if we had not this nobler thought of a possible advance by the increasing circulation within us of a mysterious life, there would be little gospel in a word which only enjoined effort as the condition of moral progress, and there would be little to choose between Paul and Plato. He goes on immediately to bring out more fully what he means by the growth of the building, when he says that if Christians are in Christ, they are ‘built up for an habitation of God in the Spirit.’ Union with Christ, and a consequent life in the Spirit, are sure to result in the growth of the individual soul and of the collective community. That divine Spirit dwells in and works through every believing soul, and while it is possible to grieve and to quench It, to resist and even to neutralise Its workings, these are the true sources of all our growth in grace and knowledge. The process of building may be and will be slow. Sometimes lurking enemies will pull down in a night what we have laboured at for many days. Often our hands will be slack and our hearts will droop. We shall often be tempted to think that our progress is so slow that it is doubtful if we have ever been on the foundation at all or have been building at all. But ‘the Spirit helpeth our infirmities,’ and the task is not ours alone but His in us. We have to recognise that effort is inseparable from building, but we have also to remember that growth depends on the free circulation of life, and that if we are, and abide in, Jesus, we cannot but be built ‘for an habitation of God in the Spirit.’ We may be sure that whatever may be the gaps and shortcomings in the structures that we rear here, none will be able to say of us at the last, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’<\/p>\n

II. The foundation on which the building rests. <\/strong><\/p>\n

In the Greek, as in our version, there is no definite article before ‘prophets,’ and its absence indicates that both sets of persons here mentioned come under the common vinculum of the one definite article preceding the first named. So that apostles and prophets belong to one class. It may be a question whether the foundation is theirs in the sense that they constitute it, an explanation in favour of which can be quoted the vision in the Apocalypse of the new Jerusalem, in the twelve foundations of which were written the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb, or whether, as is more probable, the foundation is conceived of as laid by them. In like manner the Apostle speaks to the Corinthians of having ‘as a wise master-builder laid the foundation,’ and to the Romans of making it his aim to preach especially where Christ was not already named, that he might ‘not build upon another man’s foundation.’ Following these indications, it seems best to understand the preaching of the Gospel as being the laying of the foundation.<\/p>\n

Further, the question may be raised whether the prophets here mentioned belong to the Old Testament or to the New. The latter alternative has been preferred on the ground that the apostles are named first, but, as we have already noticed, the order here begins at the top and goes downwards, what was last in order of time being first in order of mention. We need only recall Peter’s bold words that ‘all the prophets, as many as have spoken, have told of the days’ of Christ, or Paul’s sermon in the synagogue of Antioch in which he passionately insisted on the Jewish crime of condemning Christ as being the fulfilment of the voices of the prophets, and of the Resurrection of Jesus as being God’s fulfilment of the promise made unto the fathers to understand how here, as it were, beneath the foundation laid by the present preaching of the apostles, Paul rejoices to discern the ancient stones firmly laid by long dead hands.<\/p>\n

The Apostle’s strongest conviction was that he himself had become more and not less of a Jew by becoming a Christian, and that the Gospel which he preached was nothing more than the perfecting of that Gospel before the Gospel, which had come from the lips of the prophets. We know a great deal more than he did as to the ways in which the progressive divine revelation was presented to Israel through the ages, and some of us are tempted to think that we know more than we do, but the true bearing of modern criticism, as applied to the Old Testament, is to confirm, even whilst it may to some extent modify, the conviction common to all the New Testament writers, and formulated by the last of the New Testament prophets, that ‘the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.’ Whatever new light may shine on the questions of the origin and composition of the books of the Old Testament, it will never obscure the radiance of the majestic figure of the Messiah which shines from the prophetic page. The inner relation between the foundation of the apostles and that of the prophets is best set forth in the solemn colloquy on the Mount of Transfiguration between Moses and Elias and Jesus. They ‘were with Him’ as witnessing to Him to whom law and ritual and prophecy had pointed, and they ‘spake of His decease which He should accomplish at Jerusalem’ as being the vital centre of all His work which the lambs slain according to ritual had foreshadowed, and the prophetic figure of the Servant of the Lord ‘wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities’ had more distinctly foretold.<\/p>\n

III. The corner-stone which underlies and unites the whole. <\/strong><\/p>\n

Of course the corner-stone here is the foundation-stone and not ‘the head-stone of the corner.’ Jesus Christ is both. He is the first and the last; the Alpha and Omega. In accordance with the whole context, in which the prevailing idea is that which always fired Paul’s imagination, viz. that of reconciling Jew and Gentile in one new man, it is best to suppose a reference here to the union of Jew and Gentile. The stone laid beneath the two walls which diverge at right angles from each other binds both together and gives strength and cohesion to the whole. In the previous context the same idea is set forth that Christ ‘preached peace to them that were afar off Gentiles and to them that were nigh Jews.’ By His death He broke down another wall, the middle wall of partition between them, and did so by abolishing ‘the law of commandments contained in ordinances.’ The old distinction between Jew and Gentile, which was accentuated by the Jew’s rigid observance of ordinances and which often led to bitter hatred on both sides, was swept away in that strange new thing, a community of believers drawn together in Jesus Christ. The former antagonistic ‘twain’ had become one in a third order of man, the Christian man. The Jew Christian and the Gentile Christian became brethren because they had received one new life, and they who had common feelings of faith and love to the same Saviour, a common character drawn from Him, and a common destiny open to them by their common relation to Jesus, could never cherish the old emotions of racial hate.<\/p>\n

When we, in this day, try to picture to ourselves that strange new thing, the love which bound the early Christians together and buried as beneath a rushing flood the formidable walls of separation between them, we may well penitently ask ourselves how it comes that Jesus seems to have so much less power to triumph over the divisive forces that part us from those who should be our hearts’ brothers. In our modern life there are no such gulfs of separation from one another as were filled up unconsciously in the experience of the first believers, but the narrower chinks seem to remain in their ugliness between those who profess a common faith in one Lord, and who are all ready to assert that they are built on the foundation of the Apostles and prophets, and that Jesus Christ is from them the chief corner-stone.<\/p>\n

If in reality He is so to us, and He is so if we have been builded upon Him through our faith, the metaphor of corner-stone and building will fail to express the reality of our relation to Him, for our corner-stone has in it an infinite vitality which rises up through all the courses of the living stones, and moulds each ‘into an immortal feature of loveliness and perfection.’ So it shall be for each individual, though here the appropriation of the perfect gift is imperfect. So it shall be in reference to the history of the world. Christ is its centre and foundation-stone, and as His coming makes the date from which the nations reckon, and all before it was in the deepest sense preparatory to His incarnation, all which is after it is in the deepest sense the appropriating of Him and the developing of His work. The multitudes which went before and that followed cried, saying, ‘Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord.’<\/p>\n

Fuente: Expositions Of Holy Scripture by Alexander MacLaren<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

And are = Having been. Compare Act 20:32. <\/p>\n

upon. App-104. <\/p>\n

the foundation . . . prophets. The foundation laid by the apostles and prophets (compare Heb 2:3, Heb 2:4; Heb 6:1, Heb 6:2), or (2) the foundation of the apostles and prophets themselves, laid by God. <\/p>\n

foundation. Greek. themelios. See App-146. <\/p>\n

apostles and prophets. App-189. <\/p>\n

Jesus Christ. The texts re “Christ Jesus”. App-98. <\/p>\n

the. Omit. <\/p>\n

chief corner stone = foundation corner-stone. Greek. akrogoniaios. Only here and 1Pe 2:6. See Septuagint of Isa 28:16. Christ is both foundation corner-stone, and head of the corner. Compare Psa 118:22. See Act 4:11. <\/p>\n

Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

Eph 2:20. , built upon) A phrase frequent with Paul, writing to the Ephesians, Eph 3:18, (comp. Act 20:32); and to Timothy, bishop of Ephesus, a metaphor taken from architecture; 1Ti 3:15; 2Ti 2:19.- , on the foundation) As the foundation supports the whole building, so the testimony of the apostles and prophets is the substruction or support of the faith of all believers; by them the foundation was laid; Christ Jesus is here said to be the head of the corner. The same Person is spoken of as the very foundation, 1Co 3:11.- , and prophets) Prophets of the New Testament, who are next to the apostles; Eph 4:11, Eph 3:5.- , being chief corner stone of it) Paul briefly indicates the passage in Isa 28:16, as very well known; comp. 1Pe 2:6, note. Christ Jesus is the chief corner stone of the foundation. The participle , at the beginning of this clause, is strongly demonstrative in the present tense. The pronoun is to be referred to ;[35] for if it were construed with , it would be in this form: [36] , as we read , …, with the article,[37] Mat 3:4; Mar 6:17; Luk 3:23; Luk 24:15; Luk 24:36; Joh 2:24; Joh 4:44; 2Co 11:14.<\/p>\n

[35] But Engl. Vers. takes it, Jesus Christ Himself. Beng. renders it, Jesus Christ being the chief corner-stone of it, viz. of the foundation.-ED<\/p>\n

[36] Whether the reading or should be preferred is left doubtful on the marg. of both Ed. The Germ. Vers. separates by a parenthesis.-E. B.<\/p>\n

[37] AB Vulg. Memph. Orig. read the order . But D()Gg and Rec. Text have . (Acc. to Lachm., C supports the former order. Acc. to Tischend., C supports the latter.)-ED.<\/p>\n

Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

Eph 2:20<\/p>\n

Eph 2:20<\/p>\n

being built upon the foundation of the apostles-The Gentiles were builded as stones-living stones-into the temple of God resting upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets. Ye also, as living stones, are built up a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. (1Pe 2:5). The gospel as preached by Paul and the other apostles is the foundation on which their converts were built into the spiritual temple-the church. Some expositors object to this interpretation, saying that those who are parts of the building could not act as agents in laying the foundation; but they rested on it even while they laid it.<\/p>\n

and prophets,-The New Testament prophets were a distinct class of inspired teachers to make known the will of God after it had been revealed through the apostles.<\/p>\n

[It is fitting that the following should be said in reference to the apostles, as exercising authority, and entitled to be received in that representative character with which the Lord had endowed them. The promises of the Lord unto Peter certainly imply an apostolic office and function: I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven (Mat 16:19); and later on to the whole group of apostles, he said: These things have I spoken unto you, while yet abiding with you. But the Comforter, even the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said unto you (Joh 14:25-26); on the day he ascended to heaven, he said: Behold, I send forth the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city, until ye be clothed with power from on high (Luk 24:49); and the power came upon them on the day of Pentecost, following his resurrection when they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. It is, there fore, but the recognition of what had been thus appointed when for the apostles as a body, and for the prophets whose service bore such an intimate relation with their own, a place and function so fundamental is indicated.]<\/p>\n

Christ Jesus himself being the chief comer stone;-[The cornerstone is a massive stone in which the two lines of the wall at their foundation meet, by which they were bonded together, and on the perfect squareness of which the true direction of the whole walls depended, since the slightest imperfection in the cornerstone would be indefinitely multiplied along the course of the walls.]<\/p>\n

Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

Spiritual Architecture<\/p>\n

Being built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the chief corner stone; in whom each several building, fitly framed together, groweth into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom ye also are builded together for a habitation of God in the Spirit.Eph 2:20-22.<\/p>\n

1. St. Paul was a Jew, and the Jewish temple had the same fascination for his thought and the same powerful hold upon his imagination as in the case of other Jews. St. Paul had indeed ceased to worship there, but his attachment to the ideas that the temple represented was so strong that it became with him a favourite image and illustration of the Christian Church. Now as a building that temple was one of the most beautiful in existence; and as the chosen residence of Jehovah it was sacred in the mind of the Apostle. And yet one can hardly think that St. Paul was referring here to the temple at Jerusalem, for he was writing not to Jews but to the men and women of Ephesus, men and women who, for the most part, had never seen the temple at Jerusalem, and could neither appreciate its beauty nor understand the allusion. But then Ephesus had its temple too. Paul and the Ephesians were brought together on one occasion in very severe contest about the merits of this temple, the glory of their city, the temple of the great Diana of the Ephesians. That building was one of the wonders of the world. We are told that when it was erected all the architects of celebrity joined in constructing the plan, that it was reared of the most costly materials, and that after it had been burnt down by the hand of a madman or a fanatic equal care was exercised in the reconstruction of it. Every woman of Ephesus brought all that was costly and splendid to aid in the rebuilding of the favourite temple. It was a saying that the sun never shone upon a finer edifice than the temple of Diana at Ephesus. This structure was quite familiar to the Ephesian Christians; they had ceased indeed to be worshippers at the shrine, but they had not ceased to admire the building. Hence the singular appropriateness with which the Apostle points to it as a beautiful illustration of the church or the building of which he was about to speak.<\/p>\n

2. What the Apostle is about to speak of is not any material structure or ecclesiastical organization, but the great spiritual fellowship of the redeemed in Jesus Christ. It is a Church in which living men are the materials, of which God Himself is the Architect and the Builder. Its foundation has been laid with His own hand on the ruins of the fallen temple of humanity. It has been in process of construction ever since; its advancement has never been interrupted; it is still rising, this grand spiritual edifice! One day the glorious structure will be completed. That is the Church of which St. Paul writesno earthly structure, no ecclesiastical organization, but this spiritual Church, built upon the foundation of apostles and prophets.<\/p>\n

If you liken human life and development to a dwelling, the lower story is on the ground, and made of clay. How roomy, and how full of men that live next to the dirt! Above that, however, is a story of iron. There are men of energy, and of a ruling purpose irresistible, seeking and gaining their ends at all hazards; and this story is populous, too. The next story is dressed in velvet and carved wood, and here are they that dwell in their affections, and are brought together by the sympathy of a common gentleness and kindnessbut on the lower levels of life. Above that is a room of crystal and of diamonds, and there are but few that dwell in it. From its transparent walls one may behold the heaven and the earth. Out of it men may see the night as well as the daymen who live a life so high, so pure, and so serene that they may be said to dwell at the very threshold of the gate of heaven itself.1 [Note: Henry Ward Beecher.] <\/p>\n

I<\/p>\n

The Materials of the Building<\/p>\n

The Temple of God is made up of the blessed company of all faithful people, the apostles and prophets being the foundation, and Christ Himself the chief corner-stone. This is that one body into which we are all baptized by one spirit. This is the society for which Christ prayed that they might be all one.<\/p>\n

A few years ago I spent an evening at a meeting called for the purpose of deepening the spiritual life. It was a meeting of great power and blessing. That same night a dream came which fixed itself vividly on my mind. I stood on a rocky promontory overlooking a terrible chasm. Spanning the chasm, from one rocky side to the other, was a bridge of the most dazzling beauty, exquisite in design and workmanship, and built of the most costly material. As I stood in awe and wonder, I exclaimed, How glorious! No sooner had I spoken than a voice at my side, in tones of reproach, said: You see only its beauty. Look again and see its size. That bridge is large enough to carry across in safety the entire human race. Again I looked, and lo! the bridge, albeit the most beautiful thing my eyes had ever seen, was so wide and so strong that the whole race might have crossed over it.1 [Note: C. B. Keenleyside, Gods Fellow-Workers, 31.] <\/p>\n

1. Where do the materials come from? The stones for this building are dug out of that vast quarry of sinful humanity of which Ephesus formed a part. In whom ye also are builded together for a habitation of God in the Spirit.<\/p>\n

A quaint old legend runs thus: Proceeding from a pile of material which had been left as rubbish, after a great building had been erected, a voice was heard shouting, Glory! glory! A passer-by, attracted by the rejoicing, stopped to know the cause; and found that the voice came from a mass of marble half covered with dust and rubbish. He brushed away the dirt, and said<\/p>\n

What are you shouting for? There is surely little glory to you in the rubbish heap.<\/p>\n

No, said the marble, not much glory now, that is true; but Michael Angelo has just passed by, and I heard him say, I see an angel in that stone. And he has gone away for his mallets and chisels, and he is coming back to carve out the angel.<\/p>\n

And the stone went off again in an ecstasy, shouting, Glory! glory! glory!<\/p>\n

Humanity was like that stone in the rubbish heapbroken, unclean, useless; but the great Sculptor saw it, and He wondered that there was no one to help. As Angelo saw the angel in that stone, so God sees the image of His Son in the human wreck. Jesus would not have died for us had it been otherwise. To His eye, the flower is in the bud, the fruit in the blossom, the butterfly in the grub, the saint in the sinner, and the hero in the rustic. The grace of God carved a Mller out of the family scapegrace, a Pastor Hsi out of the ruined opium fiend, a John B. Gough out of the bar-room wreck.1 [Note: C. B. Keenleyside.] <\/p>\n

Exclusive of animal decay, we can hardly arrive at a more absolute type of impurity than the mud or slime of a damp, overtrodden path in the outskirts of a manufacturing town. I do not say mud of the road, because that is mixed with animal refuse; but take merely an ounce or two of the blackest slime of a beaten footpath on a rainy day, near a large manufacturing town.<\/p>\n

That slime we shall find in most cases composed of clay (or brickdust, which is burnt clay) mixed with soot, a little sand, and water. All these elements are at helpless war with each other, and destroy reciprocally each others nature and power, competing and fighting for place at every tread of your footsand squeezing out clay, and clay squeezing out water, and soot meddling everywhere and defiling the whole. Let us suppose that this ounce of mud is left in perfect rest, and that its elements gather together, like to like, so that their atoms may get into the closest relations possible.<\/p>\n

Let the clay begin. Ridding itself of all foreign substance, it gradually becomes a white earth, already very beautiful; and fit, with help of congealing fire, to be made into finest porcelain, and painted on, and be kept in kings palaces. But such artificial consistence is not its best. Leave it still quiet to follow its own instinct of unity, and it becomes not only white, but clear; not only clear, but hard; nor only clear and hard, but so set that it can deal with light in a wonderful way, and gather out of it the loveliest blue rays only, refusing the rest. We call it then a sapphire.<\/p>\n

Such being the consummation of the clay, we give similar permission of quiet to the sand. It also becomes, first, a white earth, then proceeds to grow clear and hard, and at last arranges itself in mysterious, infinitely fine, parallel lines, which have the power of reflecting not merely the blue rays, but the blue, green, purple, and red rays in the greatest beauty in which they can be seen through any hard material whatsoever. We call it then an opal.<\/p>\n

In next order the soot sets to work; it cannot make itself white at first, but instead of being discouraged, tries harder and harder, and comes out clear at last, and the hardest thing in the world; and for the blackness that it had, obtains in exchange the power of reflecting all the rays of the sun at once in the vividest blaze that any solid thing can shoot. We call it then a diamond.<\/p>\n

Last of all the water purifies or unites itself, contented enough if it only reach the form of a dew-drop; but if we insist on its proceeding to a more perfect consistence, it crystallizes into the shape of a star.<\/p>\n

And for the ounce of slime which we had by political economy of competition, we have by political economy of co-operation, a sapphire, an opal, and a diamond, set in the midst of a star of snow.1 [Note: Ruskin, Modern Painters (Works, vii. 207).] <\/p>\n

2. The Foundation has been laid by apostles and prophets. They are our spiritual progenitors, the fathers of our faith. We see Jesus Christ through their eyes; we read His teaching, and catch His Spirit in their words. Their testimony, in its essential facts, stands secure in the confidence of mankind. Nor was it their words alone, but the men themselvestheir character, their life and workthat laid for the Church its historical foundation. This glorious company of the apostles formed the first course in the new building, on whose firmness and strength the stability of the entire structure depends. Their virtues and their sufferings, as well as the revelations made through them, have guided the thoughts and shaped the life of countless multitudes of men, of the best and wisest men in all ages since. They have fixed the standard of Christian doctrine and the type of Christian character. At our best, we are but imitators of them as they were of Christ.<\/p>\n

If a man is to be a pillar in the temple of his God by and by, he must be some kind of a prop in Gods house to-day. We are here to support, not to be supported. No one can be a living stone on the foundations of the Spiritual House, which is Gods habitation, without being a foundation to the stones above him.2 [Note: M. D. Babcock, Thoughts for Every-Day Living, 7.] <\/p>\n

3. Christ is the chief Corner-stone.<\/p>\n

The idea of the corner-stone, so repeatedly alluded to in Scripture, can be understood only by reference to the buildings of remote ages. We must imagine a massive stone, like one of those at Stonehenge, cut to a right angle, and laid in the building so that its two sides should lie along the two walls, which meet at a corner, thus binding them together in such a way that neither force nor weather could dissever them. This term does not necessarily signify that it would be put at the top or at the bottom of a building; it only means that it occupied a very important position, which it would have if it lay a few courses above the lowest, so as to act by its weight on those below, and to serve as a renewed basis to those above. A corner-stone bound together the sides of a building. Some of the corner-stones in the ancient work of the Temple foundations are seventeen or nineteen feet long, and seven and a half feet thick. At Nineveh the corners are sometimes formed of one angular stone. A corner-stone must, then, be of great importance; hence, more than once in Scripture great princes or leaders of a nation are called by this name of corner, or corner-stone (Jdg 20:2; 1Sa 14:38; Isa 19:13). In A.V. they are called the chief, or the stay, of their people; in the original, the word is corners, or corner-stones.<\/p>\n

But in a sense far higher, far beyond that in which any earthly prince can be called by this name, may we apply it to our Lord Jesus Christ. He so applied it to Himself, when speaking the parable of the Householder on the last week of His public teaching, as recorded by St. Matthew, St. Mark, and St. Luke (Mat 21:42; Mar 12:10; Luk 20:17). It was so applied by St. Peter when, confronting the Sanhedrin, he boldly charged them with being the murderers of Christ: This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner.<\/p>\n

Christianity is not one truth, but many; it is a whole system of truth, and yet is there not one truth in the system that is prominently majestic, as is the sun in the solar system? It is the truth that centres in Jesus Christ. There are many precious truths on which the Church is built; there is one truth on which the Church reposes, as upon the corner-stone. There is one truth on which our hopes and prospects all depend. There are many bright and glorious hopes which we gain from this Bible, but there is one which is more prominent than all the othersit is Jesus Christ, the Saviour of sinners and the King of men. There are many stones in the foundation of our hopes for the future; there is one corner-stone, that is Jesus Christ.1 [Note: R. Vaughan Pryce.] <\/p>\n

The plain historic truth in regard to the Christian Church is this, that from the beginning the Christian Church has held an attitude towards Jesus that absolutely forbids His classification with other men, that absolutely lifts Him above all that have ever trodden the earth before or since, and pays to Him such honour as can justly be given only to the perfect incarnation of the eternal God. The very first record that we have tells us that the early Church used to sing a hymn to Christ as God early in the morning; and it was for that that He was ever worshipped.1 [Note: H. van Dyke.] <\/p>\n

Christ is made the sure foundation<\/p>\n

And the precious corner-stone,<\/p>\n

Who, the two walls underlying<\/p>\n

Bound in each, binds both in one,<\/p>\n

Holy Sions help for ever,<\/p>\n

And her confidence alone.<\/p>\n

All that dedicated City,<\/p>\n

Dearly loved by God on high,<\/p>\n

In exultant jubilation<\/p>\n

Pours perpetual melody;<\/p>\n

God the One and God the Trinal,<\/p>\n

Singing everlastingly.<\/p>\n

To the temple, where we call Thee,<\/p>\n

Come, O Lord of Hosts, to-day;<\/p>\n

With Thy wonted loving-kindness<\/p>\n

Hear Thy people as they pray,<\/p>\n

And Thy fullest benediction<\/p>\n

Shed within its walls for aye.<\/p>\n

Here vouchsafe to all Thy servants<\/p>\n

What they supplicate to gain;<\/p>\n

Here to have and hold for ever<\/p>\n

Those good things their prayers obtain,<\/p>\n

And hereafter in Thy glory<\/p>\n

With Thy blessed ones to reign.<\/p>\n

Laud and honour to the Father,<\/p>\n

Laud and honour to the Son,<\/p>\n

Laud and honour to the Spirit,<\/p>\n

Ever Three and Ever One:<\/p>\n

Consubstantial, coternal<\/p>\n

While unending ages run.2 [Note: Angularis Fundamentum, Latin Office Hymn, translated by J. M. Neale.] <\/p>\n

II<\/p>\n

The Design of the Building<\/p>\n

The plan of the Spiritual Temple was drawn by the hand of the Master Architect, who threw up the over-arching dome of the skies and scattered it full of worlds; and taught all architects how to design and all builders how to build. The plan bears on its face the Divine imprint. No human mind could have conceived it, and no human hand could have drawn it. It is inherent in the nature of the Infinite. It is not an afterthought of man, but a forethought of God; not a human accident, but a Divine plan. In beauty it as far exceeds anything that man could draw as the blue sky or the star-studded arch of the heavens exceeds in beauty the highest triumph of human skill. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are Gods thoughts higher than our thoughts, and Gods ways than our ways.<\/p>\n

There is a story of an old mason whose work day by day was the mixing of the mortar for use in the erection of a beautiful building. It was this old mans custom to contemplate the plan of the finished building as displayed outside the contractors office. He said it helped him to mix his mortar so much better if he could keep before his mind the lovely thing that the architect had planned. The Bible is the rule of Faith, the character-builders Vade mecum. It pictures the Perfect Temple, Christ Jesus. It says that we shall be like Him. And he that hath this hope in him, purifieth himself even as He is pure.1 [Note: E. J. Padfield.] <\/p>\n

The greatest European painter of the past fifty years Was probably Arnold Boecklin. He has influenced modern painting abroad more, perhaps, than any other. How? When a young man in Florence his soul was filled with an ideal of painting which was quite other than that of any of his contemporaries, and he laboured to put this ideal upon canvas. At first no one would buy his pictures, and he nearly starved to death. But he laboured on because he loved his art. By and by when he became known, his work, it might almost be said, produced a revolution in the art world. It was not this revolution, however, that he had striven for, but the beauties his soul had seen. So with the Church. The Church will reform the world, not by making that reform her object, but by fixing her gaze and desire upon the ideal which has been set before her by her Lord, the ideal of the Holy Catholic Church.1 [Note: N. H. Marshall.] <\/p>\n

1. There is unity in the design.The building is not a heap of stones thrown carelessly together. It has a marvellous symmetry. It is fitly framed together. The idea in the Apostles mind seems to be a temple, with a number of courts all being built at the same time. At first there seems to be but very little connexion between them, but as the building proceeds, every several building grows into a holy temple. How lovely it is to trace the gradual growth of this building, the simple devotion of the first believers, the brotherly love of the Pentecostal Church, the missionary ardour of St. Paul and his companions, the faith and constancy of the early martyrs, who loved not their lives to the death; the steadfast devotion to truth of Waldenses, and Lollards, the Huguenots, and our own Reformers; the consistent godliness in some unknown cottage home, and the brilliant services of Christian philanthropists, who have overthrown gigantic evils by the power of the cross of Christ. And for all this building the chief corner-stone is Jesus Christ, but if He is the chief corner-stone, we also are to be corner-stones, joining together what would otherwise run counter to one another.<\/p>\n

The image is that of an extensive pile of buildings, such as the ancient temples commonly were, in process of construction at different points over a wide area. The builders work in concert, upon a common plan. The several parts of the work are adjusted to each other; and the various operations in process are so harmonized that the entire construction preserves the unity of the architects design. Such an edifice was the apostolic Churchone, but of many partsin its diverse gifts and multiplied activities animated by one Spirit and directed towards one Divine purpose.<\/p>\n

St. Peter and St. Paul carried out their plans independently, only maintaining a general understanding with each other. The apostolic founders, inspired by one and the self-same Spirit, could labour at a distance, upon material and by methods extremely various, with entire confidence in each other and with an assurance of the unity of result which their teaching and administration would exhibit. The many buildings rested on the one foundation of the Apostles. Whether it were I or they, says our Apostle, so we preach, and so ye believed. Where there is the same Spirit and the same Lord, men do not need to be scrupulous about visible conformity. Elasticity and individual initiative admit of entire harmony of principle. The hand may do its work without irritating or obstructing the eye, and the foot run on its errands without mistrusting the ear.<\/p>\n

As Hooker lay dying, he was observed to be held in an ecstasy of contemplation; and on being asked what might be the subject of his thoughts, he replied, that he was admiring the wondrous order which prevails throughout all the distinctions and multitudes of the heavenly world. Without which order, he added, peace could not be in heaven. If on earth, which is without the gate, we find so much regularity and order, what may we imagine to be the order and fitness of all things in the house of our Fathers glory?1 [Note: J. Pulsford, Christ and His Seed, 84.] <\/p>\n

Unity in itself, especially unity conditioned upon a common catechism, is not an object. Neither is it a thing to be compassed by any direct effort. It is an incident, not a principle, or a good by itself. It has its value in the valuable activities it unites, and the conjoining of beneficent powers. The more we seek it, the less we have it. Besides, most of what we call division in the Church of God is only distribution. The distribution of the Church, like that of human society, is one of the great problems of Divine wisdom; and the more we study it, observing how the personal tastes, wants, and capacities of men in all ages and climes are provided for, and how the parts are made to act as stimulants to each other, the less disposed shall we be to think that the work of distribution is done badly. It is not the same thing with Christian Unity, either to be huddled into a small inclosure, or to show the world how small a plat of ground we can all stand on. Unity is a grace broad as the universe, embracing in its ample bosom all right minds that live, and outreaching the narrow contents of all words and dogmas.2 [Note: Horace Bushnell, Preacher and Theologian, 62.] <\/p>\n

Himself the staunchest champion of the existing union of Church and State, Stanley practised his own precept of making the most of what there is of good in institutions, in opinions, in communities, in individuals. And this sympathy was neither a strategic union, nor an armed truce, nor the tolerance of indifference. It was the real fellow-feeling which springs from the power, and the habit, of descending into those deeper regions of thought and emotion where conflicting opinions find a point of union. To the Baptists he was grateful for the preservation of one singular and interesting relic of primitive and apostolic times; to the Quakers, for dwelling, even with exaggerated force, on the insignificance of all forms, of all authority, as compared with the inward light of conscience; to the Dissenting Churches generally, for keeping alive that peculiar force of devotion and warmth which is apt to die out in light of reason and in the breath of free inquiry. Religion, he told his American hearers, could ill afford to lose even the Churches which we most dislike, and which in other respects have wrought most evil.1 [Note: R. E. Prothero, The Life of Dean Stanley, ii. 242.] <\/p>\n

2. The design has holiness written upon it.In what sense do we speak of the Church as holy? The word as applied to the ancient Jewish Church, from which it was inherited by the Christian Church, meant set apart for Gods service, consecrated to Him. It implied the election of the nation by God for His purposes; as it is said in Deuteronomy, Thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God: the Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto himself. These covenant privileges the Apostles regarded as being carried on to the Christian Church, and accordingly St. Paul speaks habitually of the members of the Christian society as holy, the word which our Version renders saints; and St. Peter similarly quotes and applies to the Church the declaration, Ye are an elect race, a royal priesthood, a holy nationholy because elect.<\/p>\n

But both St. Peter and St. Paul invariably explain that this Holiness in the sense of consecration implies a demand for holiness in the sense of purity of life. Ye are the temple of God, says St. Paul, and the Spirit of God dwelleth in you. If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy. And so St. Peter, As he which hath called you is holy, be ye yourselves also holy in all manner of living. Your holiness must not be merely separation for Gods service, it must be conformity to Gods! nature. It must be holiness in the sense in which God can be spoken of as holy, i.e. perfect, sinless. Be ye perfect, as your Father in heaven is perfect. The condition of this freedom from sin is abiding in Christ and His Spirit, and this is not only possible, but a growing reality which will one day be actual fact of experience.<\/p>\n

The Tabernacle was holy because it was indwelt by God. Of course there is a sense in which all places are indwelt by God. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the Lord. But in a very special sense God chose to make the Tabernacle in the Wilderness, for the time being, His local habitation. There it was He manifested Himself, as He manifested Himself nowhere else, to man. There it was He held converse with those whom He had appointed as the representatives of man. There it was He accepted the sacrifices which prefigured the great Sacrifice which was to be offered in the end of the world. The Tabernacle was holy because it was indwelt by God. The Church of Christ is holy because she is indwelt by God the Holy Ghost. The Lord (says the Prophet) shall suddenly come to his temple. May we not say that there was at least one great fulfilment of that prophecy on the day of Pentecost, when God the Holy Ghost suddenly came, and by coming laid the first stones of that great Temple of the living Church of Christ which is the Holy Habitation of the Most High?<\/p>\n

God occupied, if one may say so, but part of the Tabernacle. God the Holy Ghost occupies every part of the Christian Church. At first sight that seems a truism, but it contains a momentous question for every one of us. If God the Holy Ghost occupies every part of the Christian Temple, if the Church of Christ is filled in every corner by God the Holy Ghost, the question arises, Does God the Holy Ghost dwell in me? If not, then I am not part of that holy temple and I am not part of the Church of God. Let there be no possible mistake; nothing but the indwelling of God the Holy Ghost can make us parts of the true Church of Christ, of that holy temple which is built up of living stones.1 [Note: W. M. Hopkins, The Tabernacle and its Teaching, 92.] <\/p>\n

Ye are in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. Wonderful equivalence and exchange! The Lord leaves not His disciple orphaned; He comes to him; He is in him; He manifests Himself to him, and abides in him. And yet it was expedient that He should go away; for otherwise the Paraclete would not come. The Paraclete comes; and behold He mediates and makes for the Christians soul and self a Presence of the Lord which somehow is betterfar betterfor the man in this his pilgrimage and tabernacle than even the joy and glory, if it were granted, of his Saviours corporeal proximityshall I dare to say than his Saviours personal indwelling as the Son of Man outside the vehicle of this Presence of the Spirit?<\/p>\n

This sacred mediation of the heavenly Spirit, this conveyance through Him of every blessing of the vital Union, appears everywhere in the subject. In the imagery of the Building it is in the Spirit that the saints, compacted into their Corner Stone, are being builded together to be the habitation of God. Where that Spirit isif I may quote words of the Dean of Llandaffwhere that Spirit is, there is the Body, and only there. And so it is when the exercises and actions of the spiritual lifewhich life is Christare spoken of at large. It is in the Spirit that the saintthat is to say, the genuine Christian here belowhas access in Christ unto the Father. It is those who are led by the Spirit who are in truth and deed, not in a certain sense, but in reality and nature, the sons of God in His Son. It is by the Spirit that they mortify, that they continuously do to death, the deeds of the body, in the power and name of Christ. It is by the Spirit that they walk in Christ. It is because of the Spirit dwelling in them (a truth full of significance as to the nature of the body of the resurrection) that their mortal body shall be quickened, in the day when their Lord from heaven shall change it into likeness to His own. Of that harvest the indwelling Spirit is the Firstfruits. Of that inheritance He is the Earnest. So the Sevenfold One is sent forth into all the earth, as the Eyes, as the Presence, of the exalted Lamb of the Sacrifice. It is by Him, and by Him alone, that that presence is in the Church, and is in the Christian.1 [Note: Bishop H. C. G. Moule, All in Christ, 171.] <\/p>\n

3. The actual is ever approximating to the ideal.The work keeps moving on. Just as, when any great building is being erected, you see here and there the different workmen engaged with the particular portion which devolves upon them, so it is with the holy temple St. Paul speaks of in the text. The ministers and stewards of Gods mysteries are doing their work in the particular part of the spiritual building assigned to them. One may have his work to do in a part of the building where a skilled and superior workman is required; another in a more humble place, though it too is necessary for the perfection of the whole; some have to chisel wealth into stones meet for the Masters use; some to chip off the excrescences of intellect, in order that the stones may fit into the walls of Gods building; some have, with ruder hands, to blast the rocks of ignorance and prejudice, and to be content to leave the polished corners of the temple to more experienced hands. But you see, all the while the building is growing; it is rising higher and higher; and as we see more activity, more zeal, more earnestness in the cause of this building of God, we know that Satan trembles; because every living stone in the spiritual building, which is precious in the eyes of the great Architect of the Universe, is a stone rescued from the ruins of the world, destined to have its final place amongst those of which the Lord speaks, when He says, They shall be mine, when I make up my jewels.<\/p>\n

We did not speak of the higher life, nor of a beautiful Christian, for this way of putting it would not have been in keeping with the genius of Drumtochty. Religion there was very lowly and modestan inward walk with God. No man boasted of himself, none told the secrets of the soul. But the Glen took notice of its saints, and did them silent reverence, which they themselves never knew.1 [Note: Ian Maclaren, Beside the Bonnie Brier Bush.] <\/p>\n

We call to mind the beautiful description by Tennyson of that mysterious city which Gareth and those with him beheld through the mist. They pronounced it a city of enchanters, and it was told them concerning its builders<\/p>\n

They came from out a sacred mountain-cleft<\/p>\n

Toward the sunrise, each with harp in hand,<\/p>\n

And built it to the music of their harps.<\/p>\n

For an ye heard a music, like enow<\/p>\n

They are building still, seeing the city is built<\/p>\n

To music, therefore never built at all,<\/p>\n

And therefore built for ever.<\/p>\n

III<\/p>\n

The Use of the Building<\/p>\n

1. It is to be a habitation of God in the Spirit.God is to be the occupant of the Temple. Here is the eternal destiny of the true Church of God. It is not only that it is to be saved in Christ for ever, ineffable as is the wonder of that fact. It is not only that it is to enjoy God fully for ever, though that amazing prospect is so amply and definitely revealed. It is to be a holy Sanctuary, a Shrine, a Divine Presence-Chamber, a permanent Habitation of God. In measure, the wonderful fact has already begun to be; already He dwells in His people, and walks in them; already the eternal Son resides in the very heart of the true member of the Church, by faith. But all this is as when some building, planned already by the master in its final glory, is slowly rising, and beginning to show, amidst fragments and dust and the noise of the workmen, some hints and outlines of what it is to be; the owner, the intending dweller in it, walks in and out amidst the vast beginnings, and perhaps rests and shelters himself under the unfinished walls and roofs. It will be otherwise when the last stone is in place, and the last splendid equipment of the chambers is completed, and he receives his admiring friends in the banquet-chamber, and shines out amidst the shining of his palace, himself the central splendour of it in all his dignity of wealth and welcome. So it is with the saints, and with their common life as the Church of God. Wonderful are the beginnings. Amidst all the apparent confusions of the field where the building is in progress, its form and scale begin to show themselves, across the perspective of centuries and continents. And when the stones already in place are scrutinized, it is found that each of them is a miniature of the whole; a shrine, a home of the presence of the Lord, by faith. But a day of inauguration is drawing on when we shall see greater things than these. Then the Divine indwelling in each living stone will be complete and ideal, for sinners there are saints indeed. And as for the community, it will cohere and be one thing with a unity and symmetry unimaginable now.<\/p>\n

There all the millions of His saints<\/p>\n

Shall in one song unite,<\/p>\n

And each the bliss of all shall view<\/p>\n

With infinite delight.<\/p>\n

Paul seems to say to these Ephesians: You have in your city a magnificent temple, the wonder of the world, the temple of Diana. It bears witness to mans need of worship. But you know that that temple is not really a habitation of God. The eternal Spirit of God dwells not in temples of stone and marble. The one real temple of the Divine Spirit is the human heart. Ye are the habitation of God. Socrates, indeed, and the Stoics had taught this, but St. Pauls thought goes far beyond that of Socrates and the Stoics. It is not only the individual human heart, says St. Paul, that is the temple of Godit is a Society. Ye are builded together, he says, in Christ into an habitation of God in the Spirit. Here is the originality of the conceptiona new conception of a Society so filled with the life of Christ that it may be said to be in Him; built up, like some cathedral, into a glorious unity of idea, with infinite diversity in its membersa conception then new, now so familiar, of a Church, a continuous embodiment on earth of the Spirit of Christ. And this new conception, this dream, has been realized; it took form; it became a living organism; it lives to-day; it is the Church of Christ.1 [Note: J. M. Wilson in The Guardian, May 29, 1911, p. 725.] <\/p>\n

2. The Church should reveal the power of the indwelling God.It is a habitation of God in the Spirit. This is what no other society is or can be. The Church possesses Divine gifts and powers, because it is the abode of a Divine presence. It is a spiritual Society. The world looks on the Church and sees only a great organization, with much that is imperfect, much perverted, much incomplete. The Divine origin of the Church, the Divine presence with the Church, have never saved it, were never pledged to save it, from the consequences of human wilfulness or error. The world knows nothing of the indwelling Spirit which gives to the Church its essential character. How could it? For we are speaking of that Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him; but ye know him for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. Yes; the very meaning and purpose of the existence of the Church is that it is the area, the clothing, the environment, the casket, of the supernatural. If it is not this, it is nothing; it is a mere human society, graceless, giftless, powerless. If it is this, it is verily the fulness of him that filleth all in all.<\/p>\n

In accomplishing the conversion of the world, the Church has two points to prove and testifyfirst, that Christ is alive and at work now to-day on earth, and that He can be found of them that believe, and manifest Himself to those that love Him; and, secondly, that He is so by virtue of the deed done once for all at Calvaryby which the prince of this world was judged, and the world was overcome, and man given access to God. What proofs can the Church offer for these two points? It has three proofs to give. First, its own actual life. This is its primary witness, that Christ is now alive at the right Hand of God the Father. This is the cardinal testimony. Christ is alive, otherwise I should not be alive as you see me this day. And then this personal life of Christ in His Church verifies and certifies to the world the reality of that old life on earth, of that Death on Calvary, of that Resurrection on Olivet. The fact that the man at the Beautiful Gate has this perfect soundness in the presence of all, the very man whom they knew and saw so lame,this makes it certain that God did send His Son Christ Jesus to be a Prince of Life. And, therefore, the living Church bears a book about with it, the Gospel book, the Apostolic witness, the witness of those who so beheld, tasted, handled, the Word of Life, of those who were actually there all the time in which the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up from us. And again, the body carries with it a third witness; not only the Apostolic record, but the Apostolic rite, the act commanded by the dying Christ to be done for ever as a memorial and a witness until His coming again. Ever that society rehearses this deed of the new covenant, that deed which is the seal and pledge to men for all time, of the one covenant sealed with Christs blood once for all, even on the night of His betrayal. Ever this rehearsal continues until Christ comes again, and every such rehearsal verifies, to all who take and eat the bread, that great sacrifice which the Lord offered when in the upper chamber among the Twelve, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake.1 [Note: H. Scott Holland, Helps to Faith and Practice, 94.] <\/p>\n

Dr. Dale was spending a summer holiday at Grasmere, and had walked over to Patterdale to spend the day with Dr. Abbott, the headmaster of the City of London School, an able and prominent Broad Churchman. In the early evening his friend started with him to set him on his way home, still intent on the questions, religious and ecclesiastical, which they had discussed for many hours. We were walking together from the head of Ullswater up towards the foot of Grisedale tarn, and he asked me, with an expression of astonishment and incredulity, whether I really thought that if the shepherds of Patterdalea dozen or score of themdetermined to constitute themselves a Congregational church, it was possible for such a church to fulfil the purposes for which churches exist. To such a question there could be but one answer. Great natural sagacity, high intellectual culture, however admirable, are not essential: It is enough if, when they meet, they really meet in Christs namebut no man can say that Jesus is the Lord but by the Holy Ghost. Christs presence with the shepherds of Patterdale would be a sufficient reply to all who challenged their competency to discharge the functions of church government. Whatever gifts and endowments might be necessary for the development of religious thought and life in their full perfection, the Divine presence was its one and its only essential condition.1 [Note: Life of R. W. Dale, 247.] <\/p>\n

3. Each individual life should be a shrine of the Spirit.Union with Christ, and a consequent life in the Spirit, are sure to result in the growth of the individual soul and of the collective community. That Divine Spirit dwells in and works through every believing soul, and while it is possible to grieve and to quench It, to resist and even to neutralize Its workings, these are the true sources of all our growth in grace and knowledge. The process of building may be and will be slow. Sometimes lurking enemies will pull down in a night what we have laboured at for many days. Often our hands will be slack and our hearts will droop. We shall often be tempted to think that our progress is so slow that it is doubtful if we have ever been on the foundation at all or have been building at all. But the Spirit helpeth our infirmities, and the task is not ours alone, but His in us. We have to recognize that effort is inseparable from building, but we have also to remember that growth depends on the free circulation of life, and that if we are, and abide, in Jesus, we cannot but be built for a habitation of God in the Spirit.<\/p>\n

Till man has personal relations with God, it is hard to conceive of his having any corporate relations. It would be a monstrous unreality to conceive of a society which God could make His abode, in no single member of which was the presence of the Spirit of God. A whole cannot be utterly diverse from its parts. The presence of the Spirit of God and of the life of God in the soul of man must be presupposed before we can even approach the subject of the corporate life of the Church, or, in other words, of the building up of the Christian Society as a habitation of God in the Spirit. There is no doubt there was at one time a great danger of over-individualism among religious people in this land. It was not an uncommon thing to hear people say, A mans religion lies between himself and his God. Why, half the Bible is straight against that! Possibly there may be some little danger the other way now.<\/p>\n

Man is a temple either for God or His opposite. It is for us to choose whom we will have to live within. The secret of power is the recognition of the all-loving, me-loving, God. All-holy, and therefore never resting, cost Him what it may, till we are holy too. Away with the austere man! Enter and abide, thou striving Spirit of Love! It is a wonderful thing, that consciousness of the Indwelling Jesus. I only lately became positively conscious of this. How, I do not know, of course; but it was so, and He abides. When over us and in us there is One greater and holier, and more filled with love for us than our furthest thought, and we know it and walk in the light of it, there is power and sweet influence.1 [Note: F. W. Crossley, in Life, by J. Rendel Harris, 70.] <\/p>\n

In the days of Trajan there lived a Saint of God named Ignatius, who sealed his testimony with his blood. Ignatius was commonly known as Theophorosor the Bearer of God. I imagine that there was such a pre-eminent holiness, such a supernatural sanctity in his character that he seemed to be a kind of incarnation of the Divine life. The title given to Ignatius is one to which every Christian who is faithful to his calling may in some degree humbly lay claim. He is a Theophoros, a God-bearer. Christ dwells in him and he dwells in Christ. Christ is in him the hope of glory.2 [Note: S. C. Lowry, The Work of the Holy Spirit, 20.] <\/p>\n

We all live in the sublime. Where else can we live? That is the only place of life. And if aught be lacking, it is not the chance of living in heaven, rather it is watchfulness and meditation, also perhaps a little ecstasy of soul. Though you have but a little room, do you fancy that God is not there, too, and that it is impossible to live therein a life that shall be somewhat lofty? If you complain of being alone, of the absence of events, of loving no one and being unloved, do you think that the words are true? Do you imagine that one can possibly be alone, that love can be a thing one knows, a thing one sees; that events can be weighed like the gold and silver of ransom? Cannot a living thoughtproud or humble, it matters not; so it come but from your soul, it is great for youcannot a lofty desire, or simply a moment of solemn watchfulness to life, enter a little room? And if you love not, or are unloved, and can yet see with some depth of insight that thousands of things are beautiful, that the soul is great and life almost unspeakably earnest, is that not as beautiful as though you loved or were loved? And if the sky itself is hidden from you, does not the great starry sky, asks the poet, spread over our soul, in spite of all, under guise of death?1 [Note: Maeterlinck, The Treasure of the Humble, 179.] <\/p>\n

Our souls go too much out of self<\/p>\n

Into ways dark and dim:<\/p>\n

Tis rather God who seeks for us,<\/p>\n

Than we who seek for Him.<\/p>\n

Yet surely through my tears I saw<\/p>\n

God softly drawing near;<\/p>\n

How came He without sight or sound<\/p>\n

So soon to disappear?<\/p>\n

God was not gone: but He so longed<\/p>\n

His sweetness to impart,<\/p>\n

He too was seeking for a home,<\/p>\n

And found it in my heart.2 [Note: F. W. Faber.] <\/p>\n

Spiritual Architecture<\/p>\n

Literature<\/p>\n

Beeching (H. C.), The Apostles Creed, 83.<\/p>\n

Bellett (J. C.), in Sermons for the People, i. 104.<\/p>\n

Colyer (J. E.), Sermons and Addresses, 173.<\/p>\n

Findlay (G. G.), The Epistle to the Ephesians, 146.<\/p>\n

Fleming (S. H.), Fifteen-Minute Sermons for the People, 122.<\/p>\n

Greenhough (J. G.), Christian Festivals and Anniversaries, 158.<\/p>\n

Holland (H. S.), Gods City and The Coming of the Kingdom, 29.<\/p>\n

Hopkins (W. M.), The Tabernacle and its Teaching, 89.<\/p>\n

How (W. W.), The Knowledge of God, 173.<\/p>\n

Keenleyside (C. B.), Gods Fellow-Workers, 11.<\/p>\n

Lowry (S. C.), The Work of the Holy Spirit, 42.<\/p>\n

Pulsford (J.), Christ and His Seed, 81.<\/p>\n

Romanes (E.), Thoughts on the Collects for the Trinity Season, 141.<\/p>\n

Skrine (J. H.), Saints and Worthies, 39.<\/p>\n

Stuart (E. A.), in Sermons for the People, New Ser., i. 86.<\/p>\n

Christian World Pulpit, lii. 401 (Pryce); lxv. 397 (Percival); lxxix. 138 (Marshall).<\/p>\n

Church of England Pulpit, xliii. 269 (Terry).<\/p>\n

Churchmans Pulpit: St. Simon and St. Jude, All Saints, xv. 303 (Paget).<\/p>\n

Homiletic Review, li. 290 (H. van Dyke).<\/p>\n

Fuente: The Great Texts of the Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

built: Eph 4:12, 1Pe 2:4, 1Pe 2:5 <\/p>\n

the foundation: Eph 4:11-13, Isa 28:16, Mat 16:18, 1Co 3:9-11, 1Co 12:28, Gal 2:9, Rev 21:14 <\/p>\n

Jesus: Psa 118:22, Isa 28:16, Mat 21:42, Mar 12:10, Mar 12:11, Luk 20:17, Luk 20:18, Act 4:11, Act 4:12, 1Pe 2:7, 1Pe 2:8 <\/p>\n

Reciprocal: Gen 49:24 – the stone Exo 26:15 – boards Exo 36:13 – so it became Deu 12:5 – habitation 1Sa 14:38 – chief 1Ki 6:1 – build 1Ki 7:11 – General 1Ki 18:31 – twelve stones 2Ch 4:4 – It stood Job 38:6 – fastened Psa 87:1 – His Psa 122:3 – builded Pro 9:1 – builded Pro 10:25 – an Son 8:9 – we will Isa 54:11 – I will lay Jer 31:4 – build Eze 41:1 – to the temple Eze 48:8 – the sanctuary Zec 4:7 – headstone Zec 6:12 – he shall build Mat 12:6 – General Luk 6:13 – apostles Luk 6:48 – and laid Joh 2:21 – temple Joh 17:22 – the glory Joh 20:23 – General Act 1:2 – the apostles Act 2:42 – they Act 20:32 – to build Rom 11:18 – thou bearest Rom 15:20 – build Rom 16:26 – and by 1Co 1:9 – the fellowship 1Co 3:10 – I have 1Co 3:11 – General 2Co 6:16 – ye are 2Co 13:5 – Jesus Christ Eph 3:5 – as it Col 2:7 – built 2Ti 2:19 – the foundation 1Pe 2:6 – Behold 2Pe 3:2 – and of 1Jo 4:13 – General Rev 11:1 – Rise Rev 18:20 – and ye<\/p>\n

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

(Eph 2:20.) -built up upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets. The preposition in composition is not, as Koppe affirms, without additional meaning, nor can it, as in Theophylact’s exegesis, have the sense of again; but it gives prominence to the idea of the foundation on which the structure rests. Not the form or purpose, but the basis of the building, was the special thought in the writer’s mind-superaedificati, as in the Vulgate. 1Co 3:10; 1Co 3:12; 1Co 3:14; Col 2:7. This architectural allusion is a change of figure, or rather, it is the employment of a term in a double meaning. House has a similar twofold signification with us, as the House of Bourbon or House of Stuart-phrases in which the word is employed in a secondary and emphatic signification. We speak too of such houses being built up by the wisdom or valour of their founders. In such cases, as Alford says, there is a transition from a political and social to a material image. Having described the believers as , the apostle enlarges the metaphor, by explaining on what the rests, what its symmetry is, and what its glorious purpose. That house is composed of the , and each of them is a living stone, resting on the one foundation. <\/p>\n

What the writer means by is plain; but what is meant by the subjoined ? With every wish, arising from the usage of quotation, to refer the term to the inspired messengers of the Old Testament, we feel that the force of evidence precludes us. The Greek fathers and critics, along with Erasmus, Calvin, Beza, Calovius, Estius, Baumgarten, Michaelis, Rckert, Bisping, and Barnes, hold the view which we are obliged to abandon. Ambrosiaster also explains-hoc est, supra Novum et Vetus Testamentum collocati. Tertullian says that Marcion, believing the reference to be to prophets of the Old Testament, expunged the words et prophetarum. Contra Marc. 5.17; Opera, vol. ii. p. 326, ed. Oehler. The apostle often refers to the prophets of the Old Testament; but in such places as Rom 1:2 the reference is at once recognized. We prefer, then, with the great body of interpreters, to understand the prophets of the New Testament. Our reasons are these- <\/p>\n

1. The apostles are placed before the prophets, whereas, in point of time and position, the prime place should be assigned to the prophets. Estius says that the two classes are ranged dignitatis habita ratione, as the apostles had seen and heard Christ, enjoyed more endowments than the old prophets, and were immediately instrumental in founding these early churches. Did the phrase occur nowhere else, these ingenious arguments might be of some weight; though still, if the church be regarded as an edifice, the prophets laid the foundation earlier than the apostles, and should have been mentioned first in order. The dignity of Moses, Samuel, David, and Isaiah, under the old dispensation, was not behind that of the apostolical college. The ruddy tints of the morning, ere the sun rises, are as fresh and glowing as the softened splendours of the evening, after he has set. And the argument that the apostles are named first because they personally founded the churches, is precisely the reason why we believe that prophets of an earlier time, and living under a different economy, are not meant at all. <\/p>\n

2. Other portions of this epistle are explanatory of the apostle’s meaning. In Eph 3:5 he speaks of a mystery, which was in other ages not made known to the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto His holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit- . In this declaration, the prophets are plainly perceived to be the inspired contemporaries of the apostles, enjoying similar revelations of truth from the same Spirit. What more natural than to suppose, that the apostle means the same persons by the very same names in a previous section! This opinion is the more likely, when we consider that the mystery declared to apostles and prophets is the union of Jew and Gentile. Again, Eph 4:11, And He gave some apostles, and some prophets- , . So that the prophets are a special class of functionaries, and rank next to the apostles, personally instrumental as they were in founding and building up the churches. Why may not the allusion be to them in this verse, as they are twice named in combination by the writer in the same epistle? The presumption is, that in the three places the same high officebearers are described. <\/p>\n

3. We deny not the relation of the prophets of the Old Testament to the church of the New Testament. They preceded, the apostles followed, and Jesus was in the midst. But in writing to persons who had been Gentiles, who were strangers to the Hebrew oracles, and had enjoyed none of their prophetic intimations-persons whose faith in Christ rested not on old prediction realized in Him, but on apostolic proclamation of His obedience and death-a reference to the seers of the Hebrew nation would not have been very intelligible and appropriate. To Jews with whom the apostle had reasoned out of the Scripture, and whom he thus had convinced that Jesus was the Christ, the reference would have been natural and stirring; but not so in an address to the Gentile portion of a church situated in the city of Diana. <\/p>\n

The prophets of the New Testament were a class of sufficient importance and rank to be designated along with the apostles. The passages quoted from this epistle show this. And there are many other references. Act 19:6; Rom 12:6; 1Co 12:10; 1Co 13:8; the greater portion of the 14th chapter; and 1Th 5:20. These passages prove that the office was next in order and dignity to the apostolate. The prophets spoke from immediate revelation-with demonstration of the Spirit and with power; and prior to the completion of the canon they stood to those early churches in such a relation as the written oracles stand to us. They were the oral law and testimony, and their work was not simply a disclosure of future events. (For illustration of the office of New Testament prophets, see under Eph 4:11.) <\/p>\n

4. Had the apostle meant to distinguish the prophets of the Old Testament as a separate class, the article would probably have preceded the noun. Winer, 19, 4; Khner, 493, 9; Matthiae, 268, Anm. i.; Middleton, p. 65, ed. Rose. Comp. Mat 3:7; Mat 15:1; Luk 14:3, in which places different classes of men, but leagued together, are described. See also Col 2:19; 2Th 3:2; Tit 1:15; Heb 3:1. Not that, as Harless, Rckert, Hofmann (Schriftb. vol. ii. p. 103), and Stier seem to say, apostles and prophets are identical-or that apostles were also prophets, as being men inspired. The want of the article clearly shows that both classes of office-bearers are viewed in one category as one in duty and object-one incorporated band. This combination of function and labour shows, that these prophets were those of the church of the New Testament. <\/p>\n

The relation in which apostles and prophets stood to the church is defined by the words . The preposition describes the building as resting on the foundation with the idea of close proximity. Khner, 612, 1, , ; Bernhardy, p. 249-the dative signifying absolute superposition. Donaldson, Gr. Gram. 483, b. The stones are represented not as in the act of being brought, but as already laid, and so the dative is employed rather than the accusative, which occurs in 1Co 3:12. <\/p>\n

But what is the exact relation indicated by the genitive- ? It has been supposed to mean, 1. The foundation on which the apostles themselves have built – the apostles’ and prophets’ foundation-the genitive being that of possession. Such is the view of Anselm, Bucer, Aretius, Cocceius, Piscator, Alford, and Beza, the last of whom thus paraphrases it-Supra Christum qui est apostolicae et propheticae structurae fundamentum. But the object of the apostle is not to show the identity of the foundation on which the Ephesian church rested with that of prophets and apostles, and Christ is here represented, not as the foundation, but as the chief corner-stone. Thus, as Ellicott says, this exegesis tacitly mixes up and the . <\/p>\n

2. In the phrase-foundation of the apostles and prophets-the genitive has been thought to be that of apposition, that is, these apostles and prophets are themselves the foundation. Winer, 59, 8, a. Such is the opinion of Chrysostom and his imitators, Theophylact and OEcumenius, of a-Lapide, Estius, Zanchius, Morus, de Wette, Baumgarten-Crusius, Meier, von Gerlach, Turner, Hofmann, and Olshausen. , says Theophylact, , . This view is supposed to be confirmed by a passage in the Apocalypse (Rev 21:14)-The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. But these foundations belong to a wall, a symbol of defence, not to the great Christian temple; and unless Judas be regarded as deposed, and Matthias as prematurely chosen and never divinely sanctioned, Paul, the founder of the Ephesian church, cannot be reckoned among these twelve. It does not matter for the interpretation whether be masculine or neuter, nor is the argument of Hofmann (Schriftb. vol. ii. sec. part, p. 101) of any avail, that as the last clause has a personal reference this must have the same. In one sense the apostles, in their personal teaching and labours, may be reckoned the foundation; but should such a sense be adopted here, Christ would be brought into comparison with them. Hofmann (l.c.) gets out of this objection by taking the following as referring to -Jesus Christ being its chief corner-stone-that is, if He is the corner-stone of the foundation, the language prevents Him being regarded as primus inter pares. But, as we shall see, the exegesis is not tenable. The whole passage, however, gives Jesus peculiar prominence, and the apostle never weari es of extolling His dignity and glory. Still, there is nothing doctrinally wrong in this interpretation, for, personally, prophets and apostles are but living stones in the temple, the next tier above the corner-stone; but officially they were not the foundation-they rather laid it. And therefore- <\/p>\n

3. The phrase-foundation of the apostles and prophets, means the foundation laid by them, the genitive being subjective, or that of originating agency-der thtigen Person oder Kraft. Scheuerlein, 17, 1; Winer, 30, 1; Hartung, Casus, p. 12. Such is the exegesis of Ambrosiaster, Bullinger, Bodius, Calvin, Calovius, Piscator, Calixtus, Wolf, Baumgarten, Musculus, Rell, Zanchius, Grotius, Bengel, Koppe, Flatt, Rckert, Harless, Matthies, Meyer, Holzhausen, and Ellicott. The apostles and prophets laid the foundation broad and deep in their official labours. In speaking of the foundation in other epistles, the apostle never conceives of himself as being that foundation, but only as laying it. He stands, in his own idea, as external to it. Referring to his masonic operations, he designates himself a wise master-builder, and adds-Other foundation can no man lay, than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Similar phraseology occurs in Rom 15:20. In this laying of the foundation, apostles and prophets were alike employed, when they preached Jesus and organized into communities such as received their message. The foundation alluded to here is -not so much Christ in person, as Christ our peace-a gospel, therefore, having no restrictive peculiarity of blood or lineage, and by accepting which men come into union with God. And no other foundation can suffice. When philosophical speculation or critical erudition, political affinity or human enactment, supplants it, the structure topples and is about to fall. The opinions of Luther, Calvin, Cranmer, Wesley, Knox, or Erskine (and these were all pillars), are not the foundation; nor are the edicts and creeds of Trent, Augsburg, Dort, or Westminster Such writings may originate sectional distinctions, and give peculiar shape to column or portico, shaft or capital, on the gr eat edifice, but they can never be substituted for the one foundation. Yea and further- <\/p>\n

-Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner-stone. A and B, with the Vulgate, Gothic, and Coptic, reverse the position of the proper names, and their authority is followed by Lachmann, Tischendorf, and Alford; but the majority of uncial MSS. are in favour of the present reading. The pronoun is, by Bengel, Cramer, Koppe, and Holzhausen, referred to the preceding -Jesus Christ being its chief corner-stone. That the translation of our English version may be maintained, it is not necessary, as these critics affirm, that the article should precede the proper name. Fritzsche, Comment. in Mat 3:4; Luk 10:42; Joh 4:44. It is, besides, not of the foundation, but of the temple that He is the chief corner-stone. The contrasts Christ with apostles and prophets. They lay the foundation, but Jesus Himself in person is the chief corner-stone-, being all the while–scilicet-. The reference in the apostle’s mind seems to be to Psa 118:22; Isa 28:16; Jer 51:26. These passages suggested the figure which occurs also in Mat 21:42; Act 4:11; 1Pe 2:4-6. There are two different Hebrew phrases- – (Psa 118:22), whereas in Isa 28:16 the words are , rendered by the Seventy- . The first expression certainly denotes not the copestone, nor yet the head or point where two walls meet, but the most prominent stone in the corner. In the latter phrase the reference is to a stone specially employed at the angle or junction of two walls, to connect them, as well as to bear their weight. In the first formula, allusion is made more to the position than to the purpose of the block. In Jer 51:26, the corner-stone and the foundations seem to be distinguished. The corner-stone, placed at the angle of the building, seems to have been reckoned in Oriental architecture of more importance than the foundation-stone. The foundation-stones, -plural, were first laid, and indicated the plan of the structure; but the corner-stone-that is, the foundation-stone placed at the corner-required peculiar size and strength. In short, the chief corner-stone is that principal foundation which was carefully laid at the angle of the building, and on which the connected walls rested. From its position and design it was styled the head of the corner. While the apostles and prophets generally placed the foundation, the primary stone-on which, in Hebrew idea or image, the structure mainly rests, and by which its unity is upheld-was Jesus Christ. Without this its walls would not have been connected, but there must have been a fissure. As Theodoret, Menochius, Estius, and Holzhausen think, there may be a reference to Jew and Gentile united on the one rock. The laying of the foundation prepares for the setting down of the corner-stone, which connects and concentrates upon itself the weight of the building. That man, Jesus, who was Christ, the divinely – appointed, qualified, and accepted Saviour, unites and sustains the church. Saving knowledge is the apprehension of that truth about Him which Himself has announced-saving faith is dependence on the atoning work which He has done-hope rests in His intercession-the sanctifying Spirit is His gift-the unity of the church has its spiritual centre in Him-its government is from Him as its King-and its safety is in Him its exalted Protector. Whether, therefore, we regard creed or practice, worship or discipline, faith or government, union or extension, is He not in His truth, His b lood, His power, His legislation, and His presence to His church, Himself the chief corner-stone? In short, He is the Alpha and the Omega, and combined at the same time with every evangelical theme. Should we describe the glories of creation, He is Creator; or enlarge on the wisdom and benignity of Providence, He is Preserver and Ruler. Is the Divine Law the theme of exposition?-He not only enacted it, but exemplified its precepts and endured its penalty. Are we summoned to speak of death?-He has abolished it; or if we wander among the tombs, He lay in the sepulchre and rose from it the first-fruits of them that sleep. If ministers preach, Christ crucified is their text; and if churches grow in grace, such holiness is conformity to the life of their Lord. He is, moreover, all in all in the entire circuit of the operations of the Spirit, who applies His truth to the mind, sprinkles His blood on the heart, and seals the inner man with His blessed image. <\/p>\n

Fuente: Commentary on the Greek Text of Galatians, Ephesians, Colossians and Phillipians<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

Eph 2:20. Foundation of the apostles and prophets. It has been thought by some that these prophets were those of the Old Testament, who prophesied the coming of the church. It is true they did make such predictions, and in that figurative manner could be referred to in connection with the church when thinking of the basis of truth upon which the divine institution was founded. However, Paul declares these prophets were a part of the foundation itself, hence they were the spiritually-gifted prophets that the church contained in the first century. This is specifically stated in Act 13:1 and 1Co 12:28. That these prophets in the church were among those who received spiritual gifts is declared in Eph 4:8-11. Chief corner stone is from the one Greek word AKROGO-NIAIOS which Thayer defines, “placed at the extreme corner.” He also gives the historical information, “For as the corner-stone holds together two walls, so Christ joins together as Christians, into one body dedicated to God, those who were formerly Jews and Gentiles.”<\/p>\n

Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

Eph 2:20. Built up upon the foundation. The figure naturally passes over into that of a house in which God dwells (Eph 2:22). The participle expresses the notion of a superstructure, in accordance with the mention of the foundation.<\/p>\n

Of the apostles and prophets. The latter term refers to the New Testament prophets (comp. chaps. Eph 3:5; Eph 4:11), since both the order of the words and the thought of the passage opposes a reference to Old Testament prophets. Some have taken prophets as identical with apostles, because the article is not repeated; but this is not conclusive. The prophets in the New Testament church were a distinct class of extraordinary teachers. Three explanations of the entire phrase are possible: (1.) The foundation consisting of the Apostles and prophets; (2.) the foundation belonging to them; (3.) the foundation laid by them, The first view avoids confusing the foundation and corner-stone, and presents no doctrinal difficulty; since in this living temple these persons might be properly regarded as the foundation. But the whole analogy of Scripture figures seems to be against it. The second takes Christ as the foundation; but this is against the specific mention of Him as corner-stone. The third points to the preaching of Christ by the Apostles, as the foundation, and is now the usual view. The only objection is that it represents those who are parts of the building as agents in laying the foundation; but they rested on it even while they laid it. Comp. 1Co 3:11.<\/p>\n

Christ Jesus himself, etc. There is considerable variation in the manuscripts, but this is the better supported reading. The corner-stone unites the parts of the building and supports it as a whole, the most important stone. Comp. the references. Christ is thus termed, because the historical living Christ, to whom all Christian faith and life refers, through Himself necessarily conditions the existence and permanence of every Christian community, just as the existence and firmness of a building is not possible without the corner-stone which holds together the entire edifice (Meyer). Eph 2:21. <\/p>\n

In whom; in Christ, not in the cornerstone, or foundation. Not through Him, but in Him, as the point of union and support.<\/p>\n

Every building. The omission of the article in the Greek, by the best authorities, makes this the literal sense. Most commentators, however, think that all the building is the meaning, the article being dispensed with, as with proper names, in accordance with a tendency which is manifest in later usage. Certainly every building gives a very peculiar turn to the thought, where union with and in Christ has been the theme. Building, in any case, refers to an edifice in process of erection. Every would point to the separate Christian congregations, each of them growing in the same way, in the Personal Christ. Yet even when thus explained, the distributive sense seems harsh.<\/p>\n

Fitly framed together is growing. The participle, as well as the verb, represents an action still going on, namely, that of fitting together the different parts. The word is derived from that translated joints in Heb 4:12, and occurs only here and in chap. Eph 4:16. In the latter passage the organism of a living body is referred to, and probably that idea should be included here, since this participle must be joined with in whom. The growth is both outward and inward, extensive and intensive, in numbers and in grace.<\/p>\n

Unto a holy temple. The word is the more restricted one, applied to the sanctuary. Meyer insists that we should render the holy temple, since the article might be omitted in speaking of so well-known an object; the Apostle, as a Jew, having in mind but one temple. If every building refers to each congregation of believers, then they are fitted together in their growth toward this end, of being one holy temple.<\/p>\n

In the Lord, i.e., Christ, not God. Some take this as defining holy more closely; others join it with the verb, thus repeating in whom. It seems best to regard as a further definition of holy temple, added with a grammatical laxity characteristic of this Epistle in its use of such phrases (and it is a holy temple in the Lord, and in Him alone; Ellicott).<\/p>\n

Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

God’s Temple<\/p>\n

The church is a building with individual Christians laid as its stones on the foundation of Christ ( 1Pe 2:5 ). The apostles and prophets of the first century were the ones who proclaimed Jesus as the foundation ( 1Co 3:11 ; Mat 16:13-20 ). There are two different thoughts on the cornerstone. Lipscomb describes it as a massive stone off of which two lines of the building are formed. It being perfectly square would be imperative to a well-formed structure. However, others believed it to refer to the stone which holds together the roof or a supporting arch. In any case, this stone is a key part of the structure without which the building could not take form. Such a stone perfectly represents Christ (2:20).<\/p>\n

Christians must be united to form a dwelling place for God. Also, they must be united “in the Lord” to be acceptable for God to inhabit. In Christ, Christians are built together to form a suitable dwelling place for God. Evidently, God occupies this dwelling in the form of the Holy Spirit. Knowing we are God’s dwelling place should make us very careful to have proper associations and keep ourselves free from sin’s defilement (2:21-22; 2Co 6:14-18 ; 2Co 7:1 ; 1Co 6:19-20 ).<\/p>\n

Fuente: Gary Hampton Commentary on Selected Books<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the <\/p>\n

chief corner [stone]; <\/p>\n

We are built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets – we have a solid footing upon which to take our stand. We are part of a building that has Christ as the corner stone. He is the strength of the building, the identifier, if you will. All can look at this building and know that we are His. <\/p>\n

The apostles we can understand since some of them were involved in the writing of Scripture and they were the teachers that went out into the world to evangelize, it was the apostles that set the world on its ear with the Good News. The work of the apostles was the founding of the church and their teachings were the strong foundation that we now build upon. <\/p>\n

The question is, what prophets? They may be the New Testament prophets, though they seem to be of little importance in the written word. I would assume that this refers back to the Old Testament prophets which had set down their messages for the edification of the Old Testament saints. This teaching became some of the teaching of the New. This was an integrated part of the foundation that was set for the church to be built upon. <\/p>\n

The Net Bible translators state that this is the New Testament prophets, however I have to wonder. There is no indication that I can think of to show that the New Testament prophets received any revelation that made it into the Scriptures. Yes, they did some predicting, but they did not add to the revelation itself that God made of Himself to man. Only the Old Testament prophets fit this requirement, if indeed my requirement of revelation is correct. Gill agrees that the prophets are of the Old Testament variety rather than New. <\/p>\n

However, in studying the next section I ran into verse five which to me would show that this phrase IS speaking of the New Testament prophets. “Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;” Note “now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets….” shows that the Old Testament prophets were not involved in this revelation and in my mind not in the verse twenty information either. <\/p>\n

Barnes suggests that “prophets” probably refers to the whole of the Old Testament as a foundation. Indeed, this might be true, but prophets is in a phrase with “apostles” which would indicate specific people as “apostles” refers to the twelve. <\/p>\n

Fuente: Mr. D’s Notes on Selected New Testament Books by Stanley Derickson<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

2:20 {15} And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the {r} chief corner [stone];<\/p>\n

(15) The Lord committed the doctrine of salvation, first to the prophets, and then to the apostles, the end of which, and matter as it were and substance, is Christ. Therefore that is indeed the true and universal Church which is built upon Christ by the prophets and apostles, as a spiritual temple consecrated to God.<\/p>\n

(r) That is the corner stone of the building, for the foundations are as it were corner stone of the building.<\/p>\n

Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n

Paul, third, compared the church to a temple. It rests on the foundation of the apostles and prophets. Evidently New Testament prophets are in view since the word "prophets" follows "apostles" (cf. Eph 3:5; Eph 4:11). These men constituted the foundation of the church since it was through them that God revealed and established the church.<\/p>\n

"In practical terms this means that the church is built on the New Testament Scriptures." [Note: Stott, p. 107.] <\/span><\/p>\n

When Paul wrote, the cornerstone was the crucial part of the foundation of a building. It was the stone with which the builder squared up every other stone, including the other foundation stones. [Note: Hoehner, "Ephesians," p. 627.] <\/span><\/p>\n

"In the East it was considered to be even more important than the foundation." [Note: Wood, p. 42.] <\/span><\/p>\n

Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner [stone]; 20. and are built ] Better, Having been built; once built (aorist), by your Redeemer. The metaphor here boldly changes, from the inmates of city and house, to the structure. Possibly the element “ house ” … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Ephesians 2:20”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-29187","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-commentary"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29187","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=29187"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29187\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=29187"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=29187"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=29187"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}