Commentaries:
Robertson's Word Pictures (NT)
Being built upon (epoikodomhqentev). First aorist passive participle of epoikodomew, for which double compound verb see I Corinthians 3:10; Colossians 2:17.
The foundation (epi tw qemeliw). Repetition of epi with the locative case. See I Corinthians 3:11 for this word.
Of the apostles and prophets (ton apostolwn kai profhtwn). Genitive of apposition with qemeliw, consisting in. If one is surprised that Paul should refer so to the apostles, he being one himself, Peter does the same thing (II Peter 3:2). Paul repeats this language in Ephesians 3:5.
Christ Jesus himself being the chief corner stone (ontwv akrogwnianiou autou Xristou Ihsou). Genitive absolute. The compound akrogwniaiov occurs only in the LXX (first in Isaiah 28:16) and in the N.T. (here, I Peter 2:6). Liqov (stone) is understood. Jesus had spoken of himself as the stone, rejected by the Jewish builders (experts), but chosen of God as the head of the corner (Matthew 21:42), eiv kefalhn gwniav. "The akrogwniaiov here is the primary foundation-stone at the angle of the structure by which the architect fixes a standard for the bearings of the walls and cross-walls throughout" (W. W. Lloyd).
Other Robertson's Word Pictures (NT) entries containing Ephesians 2:20:
John 12:22
Acts 20:32
1 Corinthians 3:11
1 Corinthians 15:48
Colossians 1:18
Colossians 1:23
1 Peter 2:6
Jude 1:20
Revelation 21:14
DISCLAIMER: Church of the Great God (CGG) provides these resources to aid the individual in studying the Bible. However, it is up to the individual to "prove all things, and hold fast to that which is good" (I Thessalonians 5:21). The content of these resources does not necessarily reflect the views of CGG. They are provided for information purposes only.