What role do "apostles and prophets" play in Ephesians 2:20's foundation? The Setting: God’s Household under Construction • “You are fellow citizens with the saints and members of God’s household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus Himself as the cornerstone.” (Ephesians 2:19-20) • Paul pictures a single, growing temple. Christ is the indispensable Cornerstone, and the first tier of stones laid next to Him are “the apostles and prophets.” • A secure, once-for-all foundation must be set before any further building can rise. Cornerstone First: Christ Alone • The Cornerstone fixes the whole structure’s alignment, weight-bearing, and unity. • Isaiah 28:16; Psalm 118:22; 1 Peter 2:6-7 confirm the Messiah as that stone. • The apostles and prophets receive their importance only because they are joined to, and direct everyone toward, Christ. Who Are the Apostles? • Chosen eyewitnesses of the risen Lord (Acts 1:21-22; 1 Corinthians 9:1). • Commissioned to preach the gospel with divine authority (Matthew 28:18-20). • Authored or authenticated the New Testament Scriptures (2 Peter 3:15-16). • Performed “signs, wonders, and miracles” that validated their foundational role (2 Corinthians 12:12). Who Are the Prophets? • Spirit-inspired speakers who conveyed God’s direct revelation to the church (Acts 11:27-28; 21:10-11). • Alongside apostles, they unveiled “the mystery of Christ” now written in Scripture (Ephesians 3:5). • Their ministry, like the apostles’, was revelatory and therefore foundational, not endlessly repeating. How Apostles Lay the Foundation 1. Doctrinal Groundwork – They proclaimed the gospel’s core facts: Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). 2. Inspired Writings – Their Spirit-breathed letters form the church’s doctrinal charter (John 14:26; 16:13). 3. Church Planting – Each new congregation was built on apostolic teaching, not local creativity (Acts 2:42). 4. Authoritative Correction – They settled disputes and guarded truth from error (Acts 15; Galatians 1:8-9). How Prophets Lay the Foundation 1. Immediate Revelation – Before the New Testament canon was complete, prophets delivered God’s word to guide fledgling churches. 2. Confirmation of Apostolic Teaching – Prophetic messages harmonized with, never contradicted, what apostles taught (1 Corinthians 14:37-38). 3. Edification and Direction – Their words strengthened, encouraged, and comforted believers, building up the spiritual structure (1 Corinthians 14:3-4). Completed Foundation, Ongoing Building • A foundation is laid once. The apostles and prophets supplied irreplaceable revelation that does not need relaying. • Subsequent generations are “being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit” (Ephesians 2:22). Pastors, teachers, and every believer now build upward, always aligned to the original foundation (Ephesians 4:11-12). • 1 Corinthians 3:10-11 warns that no other foundation can be set “than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.” Implications for Today’s Church • Stability: We stand secure when we cling to apostolic and prophetic Scripture instead of novelty. • Unity: All cultural and ethnic divisions disappear because we share one unchanging foundation (Ephesians 2:14-18). • Discernment: Any teaching that conflicts with apostolic doctrine is, by definition, off-foundation (2 John 9). • Mission: The same gospel entrusted to apostles and prophets propels the church outward until the final stone is set (Matthew 24:14; Revelation 21:14). Christ remains the Cornerstone; the apostles and prophets remain the foundation stones; and we, aligned to them, rise together into God’s holy dwelling. |
    |