built on the foundation of the apostles and prophetsThis phrase emphasizes the foundational role of the apostles and prophets in the early Church. The apostles, chosen by Jesus, were eyewitnesses to His resurrection and were tasked with spreading His teachings. The prophets, both from the Old Testament and those in the early Church, provided divine revelation and guidance. This foundation signifies the continuity and fulfillment of God's plan from the Old Testament to the New Testament. The apostles and prophets laid the doctrinal and spiritual groundwork for the Church, ensuring that it was rooted in truth and divine revelation. This foundation is not merely historical but is living and active, as the teachings and revelations continue to guide the Church today.
with Christ Jesus Himself as the cornerstone
In ancient architecture, the cornerstone was the principal stone, often the largest and most stable, upon which the rest of the structure depended. This metaphor highlights Christ's preeminent role in the Church. As the cornerstone, Jesus is the essential support and unifying element of the Church, ensuring its stability and alignment. This imagery is rooted in Old Testament prophecy, such asIsaiah 28:16, which speaks of a precious cornerstone laid by God. In the New Testament, Jesus is frequently identified as this cornerstone (e.g.,1 Peter 2:6-7), fulfilling the messianic prophecies and establishing the Church's foundation. Christ's role as the cornerstone underscores His authority, divinity, and the centrality of His teachings and sacrifice in the life of the Church.
Persons / Places / Events
1.
ApostlesThe apostles were the primary messengers and leaders in the early church, chosen by Jesus to spread His teachings and establish the church. They played a foundational role in the development of Christian doctrine and practice.
2.
ProphetsIn the context of the New Testament, prophets were individuals who received and communicated divine revelations. They were instrumental in guiding the early church and confirming the message of the apostles.
3.
Christ JesusCentral to the Christian faith, Jesus is the Son of God, whose life, death, and resurrection are the cornerstone of Christian belief. In this verse, He is described as the cornerstone, indicating His essential role in the foundation and unity of the church.
4.
FoundationThis metaphorical term refers to the essential teachings and truths upon which the Christian faith is built. The foundation includes the teachings of the apostles and prophets, with Christ as the cornerstone.
5.
CornerstoneIn ancient construction, the cornerstone was the first stone set in the foundation, determining the position of the entire structure. Jesus as the cornerstone signifies His preeminence and the central role He plays in the church.
Teaching Points
The Role of Apostles and ProphetsThe apostles and prophets laid the doctrinal foundation of the church. Their teachings, inspired by the Holy Spirit, are recorded in Scripture and remain authoritative for the church today.
Christ as the CornerstoneJesus is the essential and unifying element of the church. Our faith and lives must be aligned with Him, as He provides stability and direction.
Building on a Solid FoundationBelievers are called to build their lives on the teachings of Scripture, with Christ as the central focus. This ensures spiritual growth and resilience against false teachings.
Unity in the ChurchThe foundation of apostles, prophets, and Christ promotes unity among believers. We are part of a spiritual building, the church, which transcends cultural and temporal boundaries.
Living Stones in God's BuildingAs members of the church, we are living stones being built into a spiritual house. Our lives should reflect the character and mission of Christ, contributing to the church's growth and witness.
Bible Study Questions and Answers
1.What is the meaning of Ephesians 2:20?
2.How does Ephesians 2:20 describe the foundation of our faith community?
3.What role do "apostles and prophets" play in Ephesians 2:20's foundation?
4.How can Christ as "cornerstone" guide our daily Christian walk?
5.Connect Ephesians 2:20 with other scriptures about Christ as the cornerstone.
6.How can we build our lives on the foundation mentioned in Ephesians 2:20?
7.How does Ephesians 2:20 define the foundation of the Christian faith?
8.What role do apostles and prophets play according to Ephesians 2:20?
9.How does Ephesians 2:20 relate to the authority of church leaders today?
10.What are the top 10 Lessons from Ephesians 2?
11.What does "Foundation of the Apostles and Prophets" mean?
12.What does 'Foundation of the Apostles and Prophets' mean?
13.Do apostles and prophets exist in today's church?
14.In Ephesians 2:19–20, is there historical or archaeological proof of this “foundation of apostles and prophets”?What Does Ephesians 2:20 Mean
Built on the foundationEphesians 2:20 opens with the image of a sturdy building: “built on the foundation.” Paul has just said that believers are “members of God’s household” (Ephesians 2:19). Houses rise or fall depending on what lies beneath them.
- Jesus used the same picture: “Everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them is like a wise man who built his house on the rock” (Matthew 7:24–25).
- Paul echoes it elsewhere: “No one can lay a foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 3:11).
- The common thread is permanence. God is constructing a people who will stand firm because their footing is unshakable.
of the apostles and prophetsThe verse specifies the concrete material of that foundation: “of the apostles and prophets.” Their Spirit-given teaching forms the bedrock.
- The early church “devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching” (Acts 2:42), not human opinion.
- Peter reminds believers “to recall the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets and the commandment of our Lord and Savior through your apostles” (2 Peter 3:2).
- Even the New Jerusalem is pictured “with twelve foundations bearing the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb” (Revelation 21:14), underscoring their once-for-all role.
Because Scripture comes through these messengers, trusting their witness is trusting God Himself.
with Christ Jesus HimselfNext Paul tightens the focus: the foundation is not merely teaching about Christ; it is “Christ Jesus Himself.”
- “He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together” (Colossians 1:17).
- Believers “come to Him, the living stone—rejected by men but chosen and precious to God” (1 Peter 2:4–5).
- Every doctrine, promise, and command rests directly on the person and work of Jesus.
Without Him the entire structure would collapse, no matter how gifted the messengers or how earnest the hearers.
as the cornerstoneFinally, Paul identifies Jesus as “the cornerstone,” the indispensable stone that aligns the whole building.
- “The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone” (Psalm 118:22).
- God foretold, “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a firm foundation” (Isaiah 28:16).
- Peter applies this directly to Christ: “Whoever believes in Him will never be put to shame” (1 Peter 2:6–7).
Because Jesus is the cornerstone, every part of the spiritual house—Jew and Gentile alike (Ephesians 2:14-18)—finds unity and direction in Him.
summaryEphesians 2:20 pictures the church as God’s carefully constructed household. The apostles and prophets lay the lasting foundation through the God-breathed Scriptures they delivered. Yet the foundation ultimately is Christ Himself—the living cornerstone who sets the lines, bears the weight, and guarantees permanence. Built on Him, God’s people stand secure, aligned, and unified for all eternity.
(20-22) In these verses there is a sudden change from a political to a physical metaphor, possibly suggested by the word "household." The metaphor itself, of the Church as "a building of God"--frequently used in the New Testament--reaches its full perfection in this passage. (1) It starts, of course, from the words of our Lord (
Matthew 16:18), "On this rock I will build my Church;" but in the use of it sometimes the prominent idea is of the growth by addition of individual stones, sometimes of the complex unity of the building as a whole. (2) The former idea naturally occurs first, connecting itself, indeed, with the still more personal application of the metaphor to the "edification" of the individual to be a temple of God (found, for example, in
1Thessalonians 5:11;
1Corinthians 8:1;
1Corinthians 10:23;
1Corinthians 14:4;
2Corinthians 5:1;
2Corinthians 10:8). Thus in
1Corinthians 3:9, from "ye are God's building," St. Paul passes at once to the building of individual character on the one foundation; in
1Corinthians 14:4-5;
1Corinthians 14:12;
1Corinthians 14:26, the edification of the Church has reference to the effect of prophecy on individual souls; in
1Peter 2:5, the emphasis is still on the building up of "living stones" upon "a living stone." (Comp.
Acts 20:32.) (3) In this Epistle the other idea--the idea of unity--is always prominent, though not exclusive of the other (as here and in
Ephesians 4:12-16). But that this conception of unity is less absolute than that conveyed by the metaphor of the body will be seen by noting that it differs from it in three respects; first, that it carries with it the notion of a more distinct individuality in each stone; next, that it conveys (as in the "graffing in" of
Romans 11:17) the idea of continual growth by accretion of individual souls drawn to Christ; lastly, that it depicts the Church as having more completely a distinct, though not a separate, existence from Him who dwells in it. (On this last point compare the metaphor of the spouse of Christ in
Ephesians 5:25-33.) Hence it is naturally worked out with greater completeness in an Epistle which has so especially for its object the evolution of the doctrine of "the one Holy Catholic Church." . . .
Verse 20. -
Being built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets. A new figure, the third here introduced to denote the change - that of a temple, of which Christians are stones. There is no contrast in form in this figure, as in the other two; it just expresses directly the privilege attained. There is a real contrast, however, between the first three and the last three verses of the chapter - the lowest degradation expressed in the one, the highest elevation in the ether. Observe, the apostle passes, by association of ideas, from the household (ver. 19) to the house (ver. 20), from the domestics to the stones; but by a bold figure he gives life to the stones, otherwise we might be in the same region of lifelessness as in yore. 1-3. Two questions arise here.
1. About this foundation - In what sense is it "of the apostles and prophets"? Certainly not in the sense that theyconstituted the foundation; for, though this might be warranted grammatically, it would be untrue: "Other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ" (1 Corinthians 3:11). The best meaning seems to be, the foundation which the apostles and prophets laid, which they used for themselves and announced for others. But what was this foundation? Substantially that of1 Corinthians 3:11; but the mention of Christ as chief Corner-stone at the end of the verse might at first seem to indicate that something different was meant by the foundation. But it is impossible to propose any suitable interpretation which would not make Christ the Foundation too.
2. Who are the prophets? We might naturally suppose the Old Testament prophets, but in that case they would probably have been mentioned before the apostles. In other passages of this Epistle "apostles and prophets" denote New Testament officers (Ephesians 3:5;Ephesians 4:11), and it is most suitable to regard that as the meaning. It was the privilege of the Ephesians to use the foundation on which stood the two highest bodies of officers in the new dispensation - the apostles and prophets; nothing better could be found.Jesus Christ himself being the chief Cornerstone. Not as opposed to the foundation, but in addition thereto. Jesus is really both, but there is a reason for specifying him as the chief Cornerstone; comp.Psalm 118:21, "The stone which the builders rejected is become the headstone of the corner;"i.e. the stone which, being placed in the corner, determined the lines of the whole building. The idea of foundation is that of support; the idea of the chief cornerstone is that of regulation, pattern-hood, producing assimilation. Jesus is not only the Origin, Foundation, Support of the Church, but he gives it its shape and form, he determines the place and the office of each stone, he gives life and character to each member.
Parallel Commentaries ...
Greek
builtἐποικοδομηθέντες(epoikodomēthentes)Verb - Aorist Participle Passive - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 2026:To build upon (above) a foundation. From epi and oikodomeo; to build upon, i.e. to rear up.onἐπὶ(epi)Preposition
Strong's 1909:On, to, against, on the basis of, at.theτῷ(tō)Article - Dative Neuter Singular
Strong's 3588:The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.foundationθεμελίῳ(themeliō)Noun - Dative Neuter Singular
Strong's 2310:From a derivative of tithemi; something put down, i.e. A substruction.of theτῶν(tōn)Article - Genitive Masculine Plural
Strong's 3588:The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.apostlesἀποστόλων(apostolōn)Noun - Genitive Masculine Plural
Strong's 652:From apostello; a delegate; specially, an ambassador of the Gospel; officially a commissioner of Christ.andκαὶ(kai)Conjunction
Strong's 2532:And, even, also, namely.prophets,προφητῶν(prophētōn)Noun - Genitive Masculine Plural
Strong's 4396:From a compound of pro and phemi; a foreteller; by analogy, an inspired speaker; by extension, a poet.[with] ChristΧριστοῦ(Christou)Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 5547:Anointed One; the Messiah, the Christ. From chrio; Anointed One, i.e. The Messiah, an epithet of Jesus.JesusἸησοῦ(Iēsou)Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 2424:Of Hebrew origin; Jesus, the name of our Lord and two other Israelites.Himselfαὐτοῦ(autou)Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846:He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.asὄντος(ontos)Verb - Present Participle Active - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 1510:I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist.[the] cornerstone.ἀκρογωνιαίου(akrogōniaiou)Adjective - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 204:In the corner (of a building); subst: corner-(stone). From akron and gonia; belonging to the extreme corner.
Links
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NT Letters: Ephesians 2:20 Being built on the foundation (Ephes. Eph. Ep) 
