w

Built On (epi).

x

The foundation.

y

Apostles and prophets.

y

Christ Jesus Himself.

x

Chief Corner Stone.

w

The building In (en).

Q

u

Fitly framed together (sun).

v

Holy Temple in the Lord (hagion).

u

Builded together (sunoikodomes, sun).

v

Habitation (katoiketerion) of God in Spirit.

The sequence of events in Genesis 1 and 2 is creation ... man ... paradise,

where, at the close of Genesis 3, the word `placed' being in the Hebrew shaken

`to dwell as in a tabernacle', leads Rotherham to put a footnote. `Probably as a

habitation for himself: 1 Samuel 4:4; Psalm 80:1; 99:1, esp. chap. 4:14'.  No

intelligible meaning can be attached to the note `esp. chap. 4:14'; we believe

it to be a misprint and should read 4:4 referring to the reference already

given, 1 Samuel 4:4.  From the garden of Eden onward, God is said to have dwelt

`between the cherubim', and both Tabernacle and Temple are built to enshrine the

holiest of all where the cherubim rest on the mercy seat.  This first reference

to `dwelling as a tabernacle', finds its corresponding fulfilment after the

conflict of the ages has passed, in the closing reference to the Tabernacle in

the Scriptures namely in Revelation 21:3,4:

`And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of

God is with men, and He will dwell with them ... and God shall wipe away

all tears ... no more death ... sorrow, nor crying'.

It is evident, however great the wonder of it, that God has sought a home, a

dwelling place among His people since the creation of man, and though the

calling of Ephesians is entirely distinct from that of any other revealed in the

Scriptures, this insistence upon a dwelling place is there

as much as anywhere else.  The following words, all compounds or derivatives

from the root oik, which gives us the word oikos `house' and `dwelling'

katoiketerion, are all found in the section before us.

paroikos-- Alongside the house.

(2:19),  oikeios-- The family side of the house.

Built (2:20),  epoikodomeo-- To build upon as on a foundation.

oikodome-- To build as a house.

(2:22),sunoikodomeomai--To build together as a

Built Together

h

katoiketerion-- A certain or durable dwelling.

As we have before observed, the sequence of events in Genesis 1 and 2 is

creation ... man ... paradise, with God finding a dwelling mid the cherubim.

The sequence in Ephesians 2 is creation ... new man ... habitation, and this

habitation, a Temple.  This can be seen more clearly if set out thus:

Once -- Strangers and aliens.

A