The Pulpit Commentary — Ephesians — Section 71

ye are come unto Mount Zion," etc.). "Their before tho apostles. In other passngrs of names are engraven on the same civic roll this Epistle" o.postles and prophets" ,lcnote with all whom 'the Lord shall count when New 'l'estament officers (eh. iii. 5; iv. 11), he reckoneth up the people.' It is as if they and i! is most suitable to regard that as the who had dwelt in the waste and howling n:ieamng. It was the privilege of the Ephe- wilderness, sco.ttered defenceless and in smns to uso the foundo.tion on which stood melancholy isolation, had been transplo.nted, the two highest bodies of officers in the new not only into Palestine, but bad been ap- disp~nsation-the apostles and prophets; pointed to domiciles on Mount Zion, and nothmg better could be fonnd. Jesus Christ were locnted in thu metropolis, not to admire himself being the chief Comer-stone. Not as its architecture, or gnzo upon its bBttlements, opposed to the foundation, but in e.ddition or envy the tribes who had come up to wor- thereto. Jesus is really both, but there is o. ship in the city which is compact together; reason for specifying him as the chief Corner- but to claim its municipal immunities, ex- stone; comp. Ps. cxviii. 21, "The stone which perience its protection, obey its laws, live the builders rejected is become the headstone and love in its happy society, and hold com- of the comer;" i.e. the stone which, being munion with its glorious Founder and placed in the comer, determined the lines Guardian" (Eadie). And (members) of tho of the whole building. The idea of founda- household of God. A nearer relation to God tion is that of support; the idea of the chief undo. higher privilege is denoted here. You corner-stone is that of regulation, pattern- are not guests or occasional visitors, but hood, producing assimilation. Jesus is not permanent dwellers in the house and only the Origin, Foundation, Support of the members of the family. Compare the Queen Church, but he gives it its shape and form, of Sheba's words to Solomon (I Kings x. 8). he d_etermines the place and the office of Ver. 20.-Being bnilt on the foundation of each stone, he gives life and ch11racter to the apostles and prophets. A new figure, each member. the third: here introduced to denote the Ver. 21.-In whom ell the building. Not change-that of a temple, of which Chris- even the figure of o. building can keep the tians arc stones. There is no contrast in apostle from his favourite idea of vital form iu this figure, as in the other two; it fellowship with Christ as the soul of 111] just expresses directly the privilege attained. Christio.nity-" in whom." niicra oi,co30,ul1 is There is a real contrast, however, between rendered in R.V. "each seveml building." the first three and the last three ,erscs of But surely the want of the article does not the chapter-the lowest degradation ex- make imperative II rendering which is out pressed iu the one, the highest elov11tion in of keeping with the apostle's object, viz. tho other. Observe, the apostle passe~, by to illustrate the organic unity of believers, ussociation of ideas, from the household Jewish and Gentile, as one greo.t body (ver. HJ) to the house (ver. 20), from the (comp. eh. iv. 4, "'!'here is one body"). If domestics to the stones; but_ by a bold figure there had been mo.ny several or sep,:m te he gives life to the stones, otherwise we buildings in the apostle's view, why not,~ might be in the same region of lifelessness Jewish building and o. Gentile building? Or 118 in vcrs. 1--3. Two questions o.rise here. how could the separate buildings ho.ve their I. About this foundation-In what sense is lines direoted by the one chief Corner-stone? it "of the apostles and prophets"? Cer- In Acts ii. 36 1riis o7Kos 'Icrpa-/ill. is not "every trunly not in the sense th11t they constituted house oflero.el," but" all the house of Isrnel." the foundation; for, though this might be Fitly framed together. There is o. jointing warranted grnmm11ticBlly, it would be un- and joining of the various parts to each true: " Other foundation can no m[ln foy other, forming a symmetrical, compact, well- than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ" ordered building. The Church bus mlmy (1 Cor. iii. 11). The best meaning seems to members in ono body, o.nd oil members hBve be, the found11tion which the apostles o.nd not the eo.me office. It is o. co-opernti ve prophets laid, which they used for them- body, each aiding in his own wa.y 11nd with selves and announced for others. But what his own talent. Tho Church is not I\ collec- wl\S this founde.tion? Substantially that of tion of loose stones o.nd timbers; its members I Cor. iii. 11 ; bnt the mention of Obrist as are in vito.1 union with Christ, und ought to chief Corner-stone at the end of the verse he in living o.nd loviag and considero.tu might ut first seem to indico.te tho.t some- fellowship with eaoh other. Groweth into thing difterent was meant by the foundation. a holy temple in the Lord. Incre11so is on nut it is impossible to propose any suitable essential property of the Church; wherever interpretation which would not mo.ke Christ there is life there is growth. But the growth llie Foundation too. 2. Who aro the pro- of the Church is not mere increo.se of mem- phets? We might nntumlly suppose tho bers or sizo ; the growth is towards a temple, Old 'festnment proplwts, but in th11t c1111e of which the character is holy, and it is they would probably hnrn been mentioned in tho Lord. 'fhe worlcl-i"mned temple of  68 THE EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS. [OH, II. 1-22.