Ephesians 2:20 – The foundation of the apostles and prophets

…being built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets…

In these verses, the ecclesia is compared to a house. In both meanings of the comparison. In verse 19 as an indication of the inhabitants of  the house ( as in the sentence “I and my house, we will serve the Lord”). And in verse 20, the house is the building in which one lives. In both case the ecclesia is a temple, the house where GOD himself lives.

The foundation of the building of which Paul speaks of, has been laid by “the apostles and prophets”. Obviously not the prophets of the ‘Old Testament’ because in that case, the would have been mentioned first (see also 3:5). The ecclesia has begun with “the apostles” (see also 1 Cor. 12:28; “first apostles”). “Apostles” means ‘delegate’ and refers to the men who were ordained by the resurrected Christ ( 1 Cor.9:1,  15:7).

In addition to ‘delegates’ also ‘prophets’ were counted among the foundation-layers, that is, people who were allowed to directly pass on words from GOD. They all took care of the solid basis of the ecclesia. Personally ‘delegated’ by Christ himself. Paul was the last of them (1 Cor. 15:8, 9:1). The foundation was laid in the first generation. Once. The Word is spoken and passed on to subsequent generations in black and white. On this we can build!

Delen: