It should be remembered that neither Baptism nor the Lord's Supper are

called ordinances in the Scriptures, and this term should not be used when

dealing with these subjects.  Some in their zeal to show that in the

dispensation of the Mystery water baptism is unknown, or the Lord's Supper

has no place, weaken their testimony by misusing the word 'ordinance'.  The

truth needs no bolster, and most certainly can never be defended by the

misuse of terms.  (See Baptism1; and Lord's Supper2 for positive teaching on

these important subjects).

Ephesians 1:4

The A.V. reads at Ephesians 1:4:

'According as He hath chosen us in Him before the foundation of the

This translation has been questioned and the alternative rendering is

'before the overthrow of the world'.  The word translated 'foundation' is the

Greek katabole, the verbal form being kataballo.  Katabole is found in

classical Greek bearing the meaning 'foundation'.  The Greek student knows

very well that the meanings attached to many Greek words by their pagan

originators are modified in or excluded from the pages of Holy Scripture, and

he should remember this word katabole is never used in the LXX.  This should

give us pause, for the idea of laying a foundation occurs many times.  The

LXX translates the phrase 'lay a foundation' by the Greek word themelioo, and

the noun 'foundation' by the Greek word themelion, both of which are endorsed

and used in the New Testament.  This too should be kept well in mind.  We

will not quote the thirty or more references that occur, but the following

will suffice as a sample of its usage in the LXX:

'Cursed be the man before the Lord, that riseth up and buildeth this

city Jericho: he shall lay the foundation (themelioo) thereof in his

firstborn' (Josh. 6:26).

'The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation (themelioo) of this

house' (Zech. 4:9).

When the Lord spoke of laying the foundation of the earth, He used the

same Greek word in Zechariah 12:1.

The New Testament follows this use of themelioo 'lay a foundation' and

themelion 'foundation', as the following examples will show.

'He ... laid the foundation on a rock' (Luke 6:48).

'It was founded upon a rock' (Luke 6:48 in the Received Text).

'As a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation ... for other

foundation can no man lay' (1 Cor. 3:10,11).

In like manner, the foundation of the apostles and prophets of

Ephesians 2:20, the sure foundation of 2 Timothy 2:19 and the twelve

foundations of the New Jerusalem (Rev. 21:19), these all use the Greek word

themelion.  The New Testament  therefore takes the same view as does the LXX.

So do we.