And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
Twelve foundations. Joshua, the type of Jesus, chose twelve of the people to carry stones over Jordan, as Jesus chose twelve apostles to be foundations of the heavenly city, Himself being the chief corner-stone. Peter is not the only apostolic rock on whose preaching Christ builds His Church. Christ is the true Foundation: the twelve are foundations only in their apostolic testimony concerning Him. Though Paul was an apostle, besides the twelve yet the mystical twelve representing the Church is retained-namely, three, the divine, multiplied by four, the world-number.
In them (so Vulgate) the names ... As architects inscribe their names on their great works, so the apostles shall be held in everlasting remembrance. 'Aleph (') A B, Syriac, Coptic, Andreas, read, 'upon them.' These also insert "twelve" before "names."