Builder bild'-er (banah; oikodomeo, technites): "To build," "builder," ete, are in the Old Testament commonly the translation of banah, "to build," occurring very frequently; see BUILD, BUILDING. The literal significance leads also to several figurative applications, especially to God as Divine Builder:
(1) as establishing, e.g. the nation (Psalms 69:35, Psalms 102:16, Jeremiah 12:16), the throne of David (Psalms 89:4), Jerusalem (Psalms 147:2);
(2) in restoration-rebuilding (Isaiah 58:12, Isaiah 61:4, Isaiah 65:21, Jeremiah 31:4, Jeremiah 31:28, Jeremiah 42:10, Ezekiel 36:36, Amos 9:11; compare Acts 15:16);
(3) as establishing in prosperity (Job 22:23, 1 Samuel 2:35, Jeremiah 24:6; compare Genesis 16:2 the Revised Version, margin, Hebrew, "be builded by her");
(4) the firm establishment of the Divine attributes (Psalms 89:2);
(5) Divine opposition (Lamentations 3:5, "He hath builded against me"); compare Job 19:8;
(6) the choosing of a corner-stone which the builders rejected (Psalms 118:22, Psalms 118:23; quoted by Christ (Matthew 21:42, Mark 12:10, Luke 20:17); by Peter (Acts 4:11, 1 Peter 2:7)).
In the New Testament Christians are represented as being:
(1) built by God (1 Corinthians 3:9, 1 Corinthians 3:16) on Christ as the one foundation (Matthew 16:18, on Jesus as the Christ; 1 Peter 2:5, Acts 9:31 the Revised Version, margin; Romans 15:20, 1 Corinthians 3:10, 1 Corinthians 3:12, 1 Corinthians 3:14 (epoikodomo); Ephesians 2:20);
(2) as being continuously and progressively built up in their faith and life (Acts 20:32, 1 Corinthians 8:1 the Revised Version, margin, "buildeth up"; Acts 10:23 margin, Greek "build up"; Acts 14:4, Acts 14:17 m; 1 Thessalonians 5:11; compare Judges 1:20);
(3) they are "builded togethe r" (sunoikodomeo) in Christ (Ephesians 2:22, Colossians 2:7 (epoikodomeo); compare 1 Corinthians 3:9);
(4) "builded up" is used in a bad sense (1 Corinthians 8:10 the King James Version and the Revised Version (British and American), "emboldened," the Revised Version, margin "be builded up");
(6) in Hebrews 3:4 God is represented as the Builder (establisher) of all things, the Revised Version, margin "established," and in 11:10 as the Builder (technites), of the New Jerusalem; in Hebrews 9:11 for "building" the Revised Version (British and American) has "creation" (ktisis);
(7) in 1 Corinthians 3:10-14, Galatians 2:18, building represents constructing a system of teaching; Paul speaks of himself as "a wise master-builder" (sophos architekton).
W. L. Walker