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. xxi. 14. But the second has the suffrages of the majority of modern exegetes (Riick., Harl., Bleek, Mey., Ell., etc.). Itis more in accordance with 1 Cor. iii. το (although it is the worth of teachers that is im- mediately in view there), and more especi- ally with Rom. xv. 20, where the Gospel as preached by Paul appears to be the “‘foundation’’. Here, therefore, it seems best on the whole to understand the Gos- pel of Christ as preached by the Apostles to be the ‘‘foundation”’ on which theit converts were built up into the spiritual house. But who are these προφῆται ? The OT prophets, say many (Chrys., Theod., Jer., Calv., Riick., 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 ‘‘ evange- lists before the time ’’ (Moule); cf. Luke xxiv. 25; Acts iii. 18, 21, 24, x. 43 ; Rom. xvi. 26. But the natural order in that case would have been ‘“ Prophets and Apostles,” and the previous statements referred clearly to Christian times—to the preaching after Christ’s death. Hence the προφῆται are to be understood as the Christian prophets, of whom large men- tion is made in the Book of Acts and the Epistles—the NT prophets who in this same Epistle (iii. 5) are designated as Christ’s prophets and are named (iv. Ir) among the gifts of the ascended Lord to His Church. The frequency with which they are referred to (Acts xi. 28, xv. 32; I Cor. xiv., etc.) and the place assigned to them next to the Apostles (Eph. iv. 11) show the prominent position they had in the primitive Church. The
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z= Matt. xxiv. 1 i ο 1