Verse 14
And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
Twelve foundations ... "This is an obvious allusion to the theology of the church, which is built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets (Ephesians 2:20)."[35]
On them twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb ... "The apostles are mentioned here in their collective and official, not in their individual, character."[36] It is pointless to ask if Matthew or Paul is included or left out. Just as "Roman terms `decemviri' and `centumviri' came to be official terms without regard to the precise numbers,"[37] the term "apostles" came to be used in the same way.
Despite this, we still think it pertinent to ask if Peter's name had 265 successors engraved after it.
[35] George Eldon Ladd, op. cit., p. 281.
[36] Charles H. Roberson, op. cit., p. 180.
[37] Isbon T. Beckwith, The Apocalypse of John (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1919), p. 759.
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