1 Foundation 2

Foundation 17 : 8, where only those whose names were written

II. New Testament
The NT concept of “foundation” is expressed by a
variety of Greek terms. The architectural term θε-
μλιος/-ον refers to the foundation laid for a build-
ing (e.g., Luke 14 : 29; Acts 16 : 26; 1 Cor 3 : 10; Heb
in the “book of life” prior to the world’s foundation
were destined to avoid the idolatry associated with
the Roman imperial cult (cf. Rev 13 : 14–15;
19 : 20; 20 : 4).
Bibliography: ■ Hofius, O., “Erwählt vor Grundlegung der
Welt (Eph 1,4),” ZNW 62 (1971) 123–28. ■ Hofius, O.,

11 : 10); a solid foundation was assured only when “καταβολ, ς, ,” EDNT 2 (Grand Rapids, Mich. 1992) 255–
56. ■ Niemann, F.-J., “Von der paulinischen Metapher
excavations reached bedrock (Luke 6 : 48; cf. Vitru-
‘Fundament’ zur neuzeitlichen Fundamentaltheologie,”
vius, De Architectura 1.5.1). Revelation 21 : 14, 19 de- ZKT 124 (2002) 42–78. ■ Petzke, G., “θεµελιω,” EDNT 2
scribe the foundations of the walls of the eschato- (Grand Rapids, Mich. 1992) 139. ■ Schnider, F./Stenger,
logical “new Jerusalem,” identified with the twelve W., “The Church as a Building and the Building up of the
apostles. Hebrews 11 : 10 applies the term to the Church,” in Office and Ministry in the Church (ed. B. van Iersel/
transcendent “heavenly Jerusalem,” whose architect R. Murphy; New York 1972) 21–34.
is the God of Israel (cf. Heb 12 : 22).
Connoting firmness and solidity, θεμλιος is
used metaphorically to authorize the teaching of in- Thomas R. Blanton, IV
dividuals or groups. Jesus’ wisdom sayings are said
to provide a firm foundation for ethical praxis
(Luke 6 : 46–49; cf. Epictetus, Diatr. 2.15.8–9). The
image of Jesus depicted in the preaching of itiner-
ant missionaries such as Paul could be described as
the “foundation” of a community (1 Cor 3 : 11).
Paul’s letters privilege missionaries who first pro-
claim the “gospel” in a particular region; they pro-
vide a foundation upon which others build (1 Cor
3 : 10–15; Rom 15 : 20). Deutero-Pauline epistles de-
velop foundation imagery, depicting the apostles
and early Christian prophets as the foundations of
the community, with Jesus as cornerstone (Eph
2 : 20; cp. 1 Pet 2 : 6) or, in a related metaphor, pre-
senting the church itself as the “pillar and support
(
δραωμα) of the truth” (1 Tim 3 : 15). The Epistle
to the Hebrews characterizes teaching about repen-
tance, baptism, the resurrection of the dead, and
apocalyptic judgment as the “foundation” (καταβ-
ολ) of catechesis (Heb 6 : 1).
The term καταβολ is frequently used in ex-
pressions recalling myths of the creation of the
earth (Luke 11 : 50; Heb 4 : 3; 9 : 26; cf. Gen 1–2).
The NT texts manufactured venerable credentials
for the new messianic movement that crystallized
around Jesus of Nazareth by retrojecting its origins
and ideals to the time of the cosmos’ creation: Al-
though the subject of divine foreknowledge, Jesus
was only “revealed” at the end of the ages (1 Pet
1 : 20; cf. 1 En. 48 : 1–10); Jesus’ parables disclosed
secrets hidden since the foundation of the earth
(Matt 13 : 35); an eschatological kingdom was pre-
pared by the God of Israel before the foundation of
the world (Matt 25 : 34). Building on traditions of
Wisdom’s existence before the world’s creation
(Prov 8; Wis 7 : 21–26), the Gospel of John attributes
preexistence to Jesus (John 1 : 1–18; 8 : 58; 17 : 5),
whom God loved before the world was founded
(John 17 : 24). The theme of divine election appears
in Eph 1 : 4, where the members of the Christian
sect are depicted as chosen before the foundation of
the world. A related theme occurs in Rev 13 : 8 and

Encyclopedia of the Bible and Its Reception 9 (© Walter de Gruyter, Berlin/Boston 2014)