J.H. Heidegger's Corpus of Christian Theology: Fundamental Articles, Part 1

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47.  Some things revealed are believed implicitly, others explicitly.

Moreover, although all things revealed, whether by express letter, or by all the power of the letter, are the object of faith, and so to be believed; nevertheless, it ought to be understood not without a certain distinction.  For some things are believed implicitly through the sincere purpose and ἑτοιμασίαν/readiness of soul to believe the word of God in all things revealed by it, and to seek and search out those things with all one’s strength, as also Saint Paul said that he knew, that Agrippa believed the Prophets, who nevertheless did not yet know all things revealed by the Prophets, Acts 26:27:  and John, in 1 John 2:20, says, that those that have an unction know all things (that is, teachability under the instruction of God, with a desire for progress, also goes under the name of faith).  Other things explicitly.  Indeed, nothing not explicitly revealed is necessary to be believed.  But there are degrees of that necessity both with respect to the things to be believed; and with respect to those believing, some of whom are mature, others but babes in Christ; and with respect to times.  Moreover, that which is always to be believed explicitly and necessarily for the salvation of all furnished with the use of reason is the Foundation.

48.  The foundation, to be believed explicitly, is defined, and distinguished.

Now, that Foundation of the faith, upon which all revealed truth is built, and with which, as a center, it perfectly aligns, in such a way that the man built upon it by faith has a firm and ἀσάλευτον/unshakeable standing, as τεθεμελιωμένοι καὶ ἐρριζωμένοι τῇ πίστει, grounded and rooted in the faith, Colossians 1:23; 2:7.  Yet this is said in more than one way in Scripture.  For at one time it denotes that with which, as the sole foundation, those that make up a holy Temple for God are conjoined, in such a way that on it they are, live, and upon it alone rest for the hope of eternal life:  at another time the axiom, or the fundamental truth, without the knowledge and confession of which no one is able to believe the word of God, to consider God as propitious to him, and to glorify God.

49.  Christ alone is the center of all Divine revelation.

In the former sense the Foundation of the faith is Jesus Christ alone.  Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone tested, ‎פִּנַּ֤ת יִקְרַת֙, ἀκρογωνιαῖον ἔντιμον, a corner, or corner stone, precious, ‎מוּסָ֣ד מוּסָּ֔ד, a foundation founded most surely, Isaiah 28:16 compared with Matthew 21:42; Mark 12:10; Romans 9:32, 33; 1 Peter 2:4, 7.  For, that by that stone Messiah is understood, even Rabbi Salomon Jarchi,[1] David Kimchi,[2] and other more recent Rabbis admit.  Other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ, 1 Corinthians 3:11.  For no other cause than Moses, the Prophets, and the Apostles, does He everywhere go under the name of ‎צוּר, πέτρας, Petræ, Rock, Stone.  The Mighty of Jacob, ‎אֶ֥בֶן יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃, the stone of Israel, Genesis 49:24.  God Himself through Moses, Numbers 20:10, by the symbol of the spiritual Rock from which the Israelites drank, presented Christ, as Saint Paul testifies (that Rock was Christ, 1 Corinthians 10:4).  Moses:  They lightly esteemed ‎צ֥וּר יְשֻׁעָתֽוֹ׃, the Rock of His salvation, Deuteronomy 32:15, 18, 31, 37.  I will not speak of David, who here and there bestows upon God and Christ the extraordinary name of Cliff, Rock, Stone.[3]  In the same way, Isaiah, in the passage just now cited, and Daniel, in Daniel 2:34, 35, etc.  In the Church there are also indeed στύλοι/pillars,[4] who stand firmly for their own sake, and confirm others wavering; and every righteous man, on account of his permanent standing, is called ‎יְס֣וֹד עוֹלָֽם׃, an everlasting foundation, Proverbs 10:25.  Nevertheless, Christ alone properly and φερωνύμως/aptly goes by the name of foundation, Rock, Stone, because He alone upholds all things by the word of His grace and power, Hebrews 1:3; and on Him alone for certain salvation do they rest and confide, and in Him do they bless themselves, as many as are parts of the spiritual Temple, or living stones; and on this foundation are they built, Psalm 2:12; Hebrews 2:3.

50.  The fundamental axiom, or truth, is Christ, insofar as He is the righteousness or Savior of the believer.

But, because Christ, the sole Foundation and Rock of our salvation, does not save, unless πιστευθεὶς/believed/trusted, received in true faith; He is not able to be known or believed apart from knowledge and assent to a certain truth, or the axiom concerning Christ:  on that account, the other notion of foundation, or the fundamental axiom concerning Christ, especially comes into consideration.  Now, in this sense the Fundamental axiom, or Truth, is that belief concerning Christ that renders us partakers of righteousness and eternal life:  because, in order to be rendered sharers in eternal life, we need no other thing than righteousness, which satisfies the Divine Law, which we have, not by our works, but by the grace and bestowal of the righteousness of the Surety Christ.  Therefore, this is the Fundamental axiom, that Christ, ordained by God as both the Surety and Savior of the world, is the righteousness of all that have communion with Him by faith:  or, that Jesus is the Christ, the Author and Finisher of our faith[5] and salvation; or, that He is ‎צִדְקֵנוּ, our righteousness.[6]  For, every axiom, or complex proposition, is founded upon something simple, whether one or many.  But the sole foundation of truth that is necessary for salvation is Christ, in whom alone is salvation, and outside of whom is none, Acts 4:11, 12; Romans 8:3.  We are led to the same by the marks and criteria of fundamental truth, of which sort are, that from it both Christ and the Church have their denomination, the former giving righteousness, the latter receiving it:  that it places the believer in the covenant of grace:  that it is the basis, norm, index, and indubitable criterion of all remaining truths:  that in a singular manner it is eternal, immovable, and Catholic, and contains and uphold the remaining truths no otherwise than a foundation does its edifice:  that it is revealed in Scripture with perfect clarity:  that in Scripture there is no other thing more frequently and carefully asserted, demonstrated and repeated, so that it is more difficult to be ignorant of it than to know it:  that, finally, no other truth is expressed in so many words and phrases differing in sound but agreeing in sense, and is adumbrated in so many mystical figures and symbols.  Which particulars are applied to the axiom expressed by us with almost no effort.

51.  That truth is expressed in diverse ways in Scripture.

Although that Fundamental Truth is singular; yet in Scripture it is expressed in diverse words, but all having the same sense, as it is evident to one comparing these passages, Genesis 3:15; 12:3; 17:1, 7; Exodus 6:7; 31:13; Deuteronomy 32:15; Isaiah 45:24; Jeremiah 23:6; 33:16; Ezekiel 20:19, 20; Matthew 1:21; John 3:16; 8:36; Romans 1:16, 17; 3:28; 1 Corinthians 1:18, 30; 2:2; 12:3; Colossians 2:2, 3; etc.  Moreover, although that truth is singular, yet it is also separated into various members, which are commonly called the Fundamental Articles, neither do they otherwise differ from the fundamental truth than do virtual parts from the whole.  Thy commandment ‎מְאֹֽד׃—רְחָבָ֖ה, is exceeding broad, Psalm 119:96.  This is God’s commandment, that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as the Son gave us commandment, 1 John 3:23.  And unto one, as it were, κεφάλαιωμα, main point, summary and center, are all truths recalled, although they are several and distinct from each other.  A tree is one, although its branches are extended far and wide; a sea is one, although the rivers flowing from it are many.

[1] The details of the life of Rabbi Salomon Jarchi (Solomon Jarchi ben Isaac) have been obscured by the mists of time.  It is relatively safe to associate him with the eleventh century.  He commented on the whole of the Hebrew Bible, and the principal value of his commentary is its preservation of traditional Jewish interpretation.  He also authored the first comprehensive commentary on the Talmud.

[2] David Kimchi (c. 1160-1235) was a famous Spanish Rabbi.  He wrote a commentary on the entire Old Testament and a Hebrew grammar, as a result of which he has long been respected for his profound scholarship.

[3] See, for example, Psalm 62:2; 89:26; 95:1.

[4] See Galatians 2:9.

[5] Hebrews 12:2.

[6] See Jeremiah 23:6; 33:16.