Foundation (to lay), Founded
Foundation (to lay), Founded
is properly an adjective denoting “belonging to a foundation” (connected with tithemi, “to place”). It is used (1) as a noun, with lithos, “a stone,” understood, in Luk 6:48-49; Luk 14:29; Heb 11:10; Rev 21:14, Rev 21:19; (2) as a neuter noun in Act 16:26, and metaphorically, (a) of “the ministry of the Gospel and the doctrines of the faith,” Rom 15:20; 1Co 3:10-12; Eph 2:20, where the “of” is not subjective (i.e., consisting of the apostles and prophets), but objective, (i.e., laid by the apostles, etc.); so in 2Ti 2:19, where “the foundation of God” is “the foundation laid by God,” — not the Church (which is not a “foundation”), but Christ Himself, upon whom the saints are built; Heb 6:1; (b) “of good works,” 1Ti 6:19.
lit., “a casting down,” is used (a) of “conceiving seed,” Heb 11:11; (b) of “a foundation,” as that which is laid down, or in the sense of founding; metaphorically, of “the foundation of the world;” in this respect two phrases are used, (1) “from the foundation of the world,” Mat 25:34 (in the most authentic mss. in Mat 13:35 there is no phrase representing “of the world”); Luk 11:50; Heb 4:3; Heb 9:26; Rev 13:8; Rev 17:8; (2) “before the foundation of the world,” Joh 17:24; Eph 1:4; 1Pe 1:20. The latter phrase looks back to the past eternity.
“to lay a foundation, to found” (akin to A, No. 1), is used (a) literally, Mat 7:25; Luk 6:48; Heb 1:10; (b) metaphorically, Eph 3:17, “grounded (in love);” Col 1:23 (ditto, “in the faith”); 1Pe 5:10, AV, “settle.” See GROUND, SETTLE.