The Foundation Of The Church
Some eighteen months after Jesus ordained the twelve, (Matt. 10) he said, "I will build my church." That the church was built is a matter of Divine record. (Acts 8:1.) Some eighteen months after he sent the twelve out to preach, "the kingdom of heaven is at hand," he was in conversation with them. It was then he asked them: "Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?" The answer disclosed that different views were entertained, different opinions, different answers. Jesus asked the apostles: "Whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. And I say unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." (Matt. 16:13-18.) Upon this "rock" — what "rock"? The great truth confessed by Peter, the church was built; the rock which had been spoken of by the prophets. "The rock of our salvation," (Ps. 95:1), "the tried stone." (Isa. 28:16.)
In his first letter to the church at Corinth Paul, referring to his preaching there, said: "I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day, according to the scriptures." (1 Cor. 15:1-4.) What did he preach first of all? The death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. In another statement he said: "As a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereon. For other foundation can no man lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ." (1 Cor. 3:10,11.) Not only is Christ the Son of God, and as such is the foundation of the church, but he is "The Son of God with power . . . . by the resurrection from the dead." (Rom. 1:4.)
In a discussion I once had with a Methodist he argued that the church began with Abraham, and has continued till now, that on the day of Pentecost it was enlarged. He then read: "Ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God; and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone." (Eph. 2:19,20; 4:11.) He contended that the Old Testament church was built on the "prophets," and that on the day of Pentecost the apostles were put into the foundation, and the church enlarged to be for the Gentiles also; and that the Saints (Gentiles) at Ephesus were built upon the foundation of "apostles and prophets" — Old Testament prophets, and New Testament "apostles," the church was enlarged, and the spiritual phase of the church began on Pentecost, but that it is the same church. Some men are not distinguished for their scriptural information.
Recently I saw a diagram with a square, and the names of twelve apostles, and on that square, another square to represent the church, making the apostles the foundation of the church.
The "prophets" mentioned in Ephesians 2:20 were not Old Testament prophets, I know, for in the same letter, Paul says: "By revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit." (Eph. 3:1-5.) Neither "apostles" nor "prophets" of Old or New Testament are any part of the foundation of the Church of Christ. "Other foundation can no man lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ." (1 Cor. 3:11.) The apostles and prophets, New Testament characters, were built on Christ; so also the Gentiles in Ephesus who were converted to Christ were built on the same foundation! They believed the gospel, were the very embodiment of the teaching in their acceptance and obedience thereto, and were with the others, apostles and prophets on the same foundation.