A Judeo/Christian Understanding of 'Down in the Valley' Below and 'Up on the Mountain' Above'

Phrases found repeatedly in Bibles translated into English

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IKON ON THE LEFT: 'The priests of the true God...took away the fire from the altar, and hid it Down In the Valley, in a pit both deep and dry' (II Maccabees 1:19)
IKON ON THE RIGHT: 'Jesus took along Peter and John and James, and went Up On The Mountain to pray' (Luke 9:28)

- The Biblical passage included with the Downward Pointing Pyramid on the left refers to the concealment and preservation of the sacred fire used in the ritual offerings of animals to the LORD as described in the Five Books of Moses
- The Upward Pointing Pyramid on the right describes events just prior to the Transfiguration of Jesus Christ when the ghosts of Elijah and Moses appear and converse with Him ending with all three begin shining with white light
- Both triangles put together creates a Star of David (also Seal of Solomon, Star of Creation, Star of Mary, Hexagram), thus visually representing God's creation as it has always appeared to mankind, a world of Valleys and Mountains, the pyramidal structure of the flames in a Fire (Upward pointing Triangle) and constant directional flow of Water (Downward pointing Triangle), the ground below made up of Earth (Downward Triangle) and the skies above filled with Air (Upright Triangle).
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The Full 'Valley/Mountain' References in the Bible

Long ago, when our Fathers were being carried off into the Persian country, the priests of the true God who held office in those days took away the fire from the altar, and hid it Down In the Valley, in a pit both deep and dry, so well guarding their secret so well that none knew where it was to be found.
       
- II Maccabees 1:19 (Knox Bible)       

Some eight days after these sayings, Jesus took along Peter and John and James, and went Up On The Mountain to pray.
   
- Luke 9:28 (New American Standard Bible)

Not surprisingly, the Star of David imitates nature both in terms of physical Direction (Top + Bottom) and material Form (Mountain + Valley)

Patiently Answering the same Questions about Capstones and Cornerstones Over and Over Again

QUESTION: Where is the Capstone on a pyramid? (In Great Pyramid of Giza)
ANSWER: At the very top.

- Where is the Capstone on a Pyramid? Wiki.answers.com

  The Capstone is on the Left and the Cornerstone is on the Right

One thing that must be said about the legacy of the King James Bible (1611) is that, ever since that time, a certain number of its readers seem to have been rendered permanently incapable of telling heads from tails, or in this case, of understanding the crucial difference between Capstones Above and Cornerstones Below.

Now once again, for the last time (yeah right!), the Eye of the Pyramid, or more specifically, the Eye Above the Pyramid is simply NOT a Cornerstone. By its very definition, this symbol cannot and does not represent a Cornerstone. Why? Well, obviously if the pyramid in the picture were real, then it must have been built from the Bottom up, culminating in the unfinished portion at the very Top of the structure (where the Eye floats weightlessly above the actual building. Thus, because of gravity itself, the section of the pyramid where the Eye resides MUST have been built LAST, not first or second, but LAST of all.

Therefore, by the centuries-old, well understood definition of the word itself, this can never be called a Cornerstone because Cornerstones must be placed at the very beginning of construction, usually very near the foundations, or base, of a building. Any stone used later on, or near the end, cannot and should not ever be designated as a Cornerstone because they are not Cornerstones at all, but another type of stone altogether.
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Capstone (noun)
1. Finishing touch, Capstone, copestone (a final touch; a crowning achievement; a culmination)
2. Capstone, copestone, coping stone, stretcher (a stone that forms the top of wall or building)

- Definition of Capstone, Synonym.com

Cornerstone (noun)
1. Basis, base, foundation, fundament, groundwork, Cornerstone (the fundamental assumptions from which something is begun or developed or calculated or explained; "the whole argument rested on a basis of conjecture")
2. Cornerstone (a stone in the exterior of a large and important building; usually carved with a date and laid with appropriate ceremonies)

- Definition of Cornerstone, Synonym.com
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In contrast to this, a stone placed during the final stages of construction, nearly always somewhere close to the Top of a building are, according to multiple Dictionaries and Encyclopedias, called a 'Capstone'. In addition, they are called 'Capstones' even if they are placed at, or near, the corner of a structure- just like where the Eye of the Pyramid happens to be located.

In all honesty, one can partially sympathize with those who see that the top of the Pyramid (or any pyramid for that matter) ends in a corner where all four sides meet at a single point.  As the flaw in logic goes- 'the Eye atop the unfinished Pyramid sits directly on the corner, therefore this must represent a Corner+stone'. Unfortunately, those who think this way tend to remain unaware that the term 'Corner' in Cornerstone must have originally been in reference to the 'Corner' where a building begins (Below), rather than where it ends (Above).

Like it says right on the Picture, Only the Upside Down Eye of the Pyramid Upside Down could possibly be 'The Cornerstone'

 A much easier way to think of the fundamental Capstone/Cornerstone differences is to remember that, like a 'Cap' on any bottle, can, or other container, which just so happens to be situated at the Top, and never the Bottom, a Capstone is Above, and never Below. That is where the Cornerstone is located. In short, Cap = Top/Above while Corner = NOT the Corner at the Top of the Pyramid. Simple enough? Good, even though it is an absolute given this same question will be raised once again. As they exclaim in Yiddish: 'Oh Vey!' Until then, God bless, Shalom, and have a nice day.

'Caps' are at the Top of a Bottle, 'Corners' are where the Gears are on a Throttle

May the LORD God bless you in the name of St. Judas Maccabaeus.

The Cornerstone, Part IV. Theological Interpretations of the Cornerstone

The Stone which the builders rejected has become the Cornerstone.
By the LORD this has been done and it is wonderful in our eyes.

- Psalms 118:22-23

Part IV. Theological Interpretations of the Cornerstone

The understanding of Judeo-Christian theologians when it comes to the meaning of the Biblical word 'cornerstone' has remained fairly consistent for nearly the past two thousand years. In short, not only is Rabbi Joshua ben Joseph (Jesus), the Nazarene, seen as being above it all, He is also considered to be the very foundation upon which the religion of Christianity is based. In other words, Joshua the Messiah (Christ) is both far below (the Eye Below the Pyramid) as well as way above (the Eye Above the Pyramid) mere mortals such as man. Indeed, He stands guard eternally protecting His Judeo-Christian flock from the very top of the mountain to the absolute bottom of the valley. Rabbi Joshua is, quite literally, the ruler the all. Here are two basic Biblical commentaries pertaining to the cornerstone.

Cornerstone
Psalms 118:22-23 may refer to David's preferment; but principally to Christ. 1. His humiliation; he is the Stone which the builders refused: they would go on in their building without him. This proved the ruin of those who thus made light of him. Rejecters of Christ are rejected of God. 2. His exaltation; he is the chief Cornerstone in the foundation. He is the chief Top-stone, in whom the building is completed, who must, in all things, have the pre-eminence. Christ's name is Wonderful; and the redemption he wrought out is the most amazing of all God's wondrous works

- Matthew Henry's Commentary

Cornerstone
Architectural term used twice in the New Testament ( Eph 2:20 ; 1 Peter 2:6 ) to speak of the exalted Jesus as the chief foundation stone of the church, the cornerstone on which all the building depends. The New Testament draws on two Old Testament passages about the coming Messiah ( Isa 28:16 ; Zech 10:4 ). In Isaiah 28:16 the prophet speaks God's words directly to the rulers in Jerusalem who boasted that they were immune to the scourges of life because they were secure in themselves. God said their security was false because he would lay a stone in Zion, a precious cornerstone, which really was secure and it was not those present rulers. Zechariah expands this promise by saying that the cornerstone will come from the tribe of Judah (10:4). Paul builds on this concept in Ephesians 2:20 by saying that Jesus Christ is the chief cornerstone, the apostles and prophets are foundation stones, and the whole building (the church) is a holy temple in the Lord. Peter's use of the idea is more complex, stringing three prophetic verses together ( Psalm 118:22 ; Isa 8:4 ; 28:16 ). The stone laid in Zion ( Isa 28:16 ) is precious to the believer, but as the stone placed at the "head of the corner" (eis kephalen gonias), that is, exalted ( Psalm 118:22 ), he is a stone of offense and stumbling ( Isa 8:4 ) to those who refuse to believe. The metaphor seems obvious: the cornerstone is either a source of blessing or judgment, depending on a person's attitude toward it. Some modern interpreters, beginning with J. Jeremias in 1925, take a different tack, separating the two stones and making the cornerstone one thing and the stone at the "head of the corner" another, that is, a capstone or keystone. It is hard to visualize one stumbling over a capstone, but metaphors can be stretched. In any case, the point is that the very foundation of the church is Jesus Christ. This was prophesied by the prophets of old and fulfilled through the incarnation. Those who believe are blessed and those who stumble over that rock chosen by God are condemned.

- Baker's Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology

In addition to various Biblical commentaries, several Church authorities, including both St. Augustine and St. Thomas Aquinas, have commented quite extensively upon the Biblical and metaphorical use of the term 'cornerstone'. Here is just a sampling of some of their writings:

(Jesus Christ) Himself then is the foundation, and corner stone: rising from the bottom: if indeed from the bottom: for the base of this foundation is the highest exaltation of the building: and as the support of bodily fabrics rests upon the ground, that of spiritual structures reposes on high. Were we building up ourselves upon the earth, we should lay our foundation on the lowest level: but since our edifice is a heavenly one, to Heaven our Foundation has gone before us: so that our Saviour, the corner stone, the Apostles, and mighty Prophets, the hills that bear the fabric of the city, constitute a sort of living structure.

- Exposition on Psalm 87, by St. Augustine

O Prophet, who said, "You are fair in beauty above the children of men;" you are contradicted; another Prophet comes out against you, and says, " You speak falsely. We have seen Him. What is this that you say, 'You are fair in beauty above the children of men? We have seen Him, and He had no grace nor beauty.'" Are then these two Prophets at disagreement in the Cornerstone of peace? Both spoke of Christ, both spoke of the Cornerstone. In the corner the walls unite. If they do not unite, it is not a building, but a ruin. No, the Prophets agree, let us not leave them in strife. Yea, rather let us understand their peace; for they know not how to strive.

- Sermon 45 on the New Testament, St. Augustine

To the one who has faith, Jesus Christ is the chosen, precious 'foundation stone', but to the one who does not have faith, He is a stone of stumbling.

- Dictionary of Biblical Imagery

For Christ alone is the "Corner Stone" (Ephesians 2:20) on which man and society can find stability and salvation.

- Bible Commentary

On this Corner Stone the Church is built, and hence against her the adversary can never prevail: "The gates of hell shall not prevail" (Saint Matthew 16:18), nor can they ever weaken her! Nay, rather, internal and external struggles tend to augment the force and multiply the laurels of her glorious victories...On the other hand, any other building which has not been founded solidly on the teaching of Christ rests on shifting sands and is destined to perish miserably.

- Summi Pontificatus, 1939

As (St.) Augustine says in a sermon on the Epiphany, "the shepherds were Israelites, the Magi were Gentiles. The former were nigh to Him, the latter far from Him. Both hastened to Him together as to the cornerstone." There was also another point of contrast: for the Magi were wise and powerful; the shepherds simple and lowly. He was also made known to the righteous as Simeon and Anna; and to sinners, as the Magi....Yet did this Corner-Stone draw both to Itself; inasmuch as He came 'to choose the foolish things that He might confound the wise,' and 'not to call the just, but sinners,'" so that "the proud might not boast, nor the weak despair.

- Summa Theologica, St. Thomas Aquinas, Question 36. The manifestation of the newly born Christ

Even family life itself, which is the cornerstone of all society and government, necessarily feels and experiences the salutary power of the Church, which redounds to the right ordering and preservation of every State and kingdom. For you know, venerable brethren, that the foundation of this society rests first of all in the indissoluble union of man and wife according to the necessity of natural law...You know also that the doctrines of socialism strive almost completely to dissolve this union; since, that stability which is imparted to it by religious wedlock being lost, it follows that the power of the father over his own children, and the duties of the children toward their parents, must be greatly weakened.

- Quod Apostolici Muneris, 1878

The stone... Another emblem of Christ, the rock, foundation, and corner stone of his Church.

- Challoner

May the LORD God bless you in the name of the Judeo-Christian tradition.

The Cornerstone, Part III. The Metaphorical Roots of 21st Century English Slang

The Stone which the builders rejected has become the Cornerstone.
By the LORD this has been done and it is wonderful in our eyes.

- Psalms 118:22-23

Part III. The Metaphorical Roots of 21st Century English Slang

There is plenty of modern slang that is derogatory and that specifically refers to the eye above the pyramid in an insulting, rebellious manner. Many would say that it stands for being uppity, like some snot with their nose in the air, who believes they are above it all, even above the law. It is not having a high IQ, it’s simply being an air-head. It certainly does not symbolize Lenin’s ‘commanding heights of the economy,’ On the contrary, it’s a bullshit pyramid scheme, a tall tale nearing bankruptcy. Instead of being a sign of financial stability, it is a clear indication that you are about to go belly-up! It is not being on top of the situation, but simply another way of deliberately overlooking major difficulties, hoping they will magically go away. In short, the eye above the pyramid stands for little more than dangerous arrogance and self-destructive pride.

At worst, the eye above the pyramid is a pie in the sky, head in the clouds, high-minded Ponzi scheme and it stinks like high heaven. At best, it is foolishly putting your ass out on a line for no one in particular and for no particular reason except, of course, to make yourself look like a hero in front of others. Some may be frightened or even intimidated by this so-called New World Order but, behind the facade, it is simply an infantile game of ‘look at my butt’ or ‘kiss my ass’ that only filthy-minded people like to play. As the ole’ Southern song recommends: ‘Look away, look away, look away, Dixieland.’

At the same time, one could claim that the eye below the pyramid does not always mean scraping the bottom of the barrel, being down and out, in the pits, or buried six feet under. Instead, it stands for grass roots, down to earth virtues, or even a bottom-up approach to deep-seated problems. In many ways, the eye below is an undervalued solution that, like buried treasure, lies just underneath the surface. It symbolizes the underlying universal truths, the root causes of goodness that touch us deep down, from the bottom of our hearts. We can’t all be top dog, so there’s nothing wrong with cheering for the underdog most of the time. The eye below the pyramid is almost certainly the reason why the nation of Australia is nicknamed the Land Down Under. Wise business owners and investors refer to it as ‘the bottom line.’ In many ways, the eye below the pyramid represents a real hero, who would never dare to commit high crimes and misdemeanors or stage a mutiny at high seas, but would gladly disobey unjust laws to fight the good fight for the down-trodden, much like the white Yankee northerners who helped to hide escaped slaves as a part of the Underground Railroad.

The eye above the pyramid has an expression that, when studied carefully, seems stuck-up as opposed to the righteous anger and jealousy found in the eye below the pyramid. ‘For I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God.’ (Exodus 20:5) A classic Rock song captures the upper crust, uptight, snobbishness this eye seems to express as it gazes out from the heights of wealth and power, a classic example of what Hannah Arendt referred to as the ‘banality of evil.’

I am the eye in the sky. Looking at you, I can read your mind. I am the maker of rules dealing with fools, I can cheat you blind.

- Eye in the Sky, by the Allan Parsons Project

In addition, there are several Biblical passages strongly suggesting that the eye above the pyramid is the real bad guy. It does not, in any way, represent Ronald Reagan’s ‘shining city upon a hill’ nor a ‘light unto the gentiles’ nor God’s ‘holy mountain’ as mentioned by Isaiah and several other prophets of Israel. Seen literally, it is nothing more than a man-made structure, a tomb for the dead tyrant Pharaoh, not Mount Sinai.

May the LORD God bless you in the name of the Judeo-Christian Tradition.

An Eye for an Eye, Part I. As Above, So Below in the English Language

You are to take a life for a life, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a hand for a hand, a foot for a foot, a burn for a burn, a wound for a wound, a bruise for a bruise.

- Exodus 21:23-25

Part I. As Above, So Below in the English Language

In many intricate ways, including the fact that the Eyes of the Pyramid form a substantial portion of the metaphorical symbolism found in the Holy Bible, the English language has been literally embedded with the multi-layered meaning of the Hexagram. From the top of the mountain, to the bottom of the valley, the eyes of the pyramid have been a partially hidden, yet increasingly obvious, influence on the development of English, both in Great Britain and throughout the world, including the Land Down Under.

Subject Matter
Adjective	High	Low
Currency	High Inflation	Low Inflation
Finance	High Interest Rates	Low Interest Rates
Social Status	High Class	Low Class
Preference	High Taste	Low Taste
Intelligence	High I.Q.	Low I.Q.
Merchandise	High-End	Low-End
Technology	High Teach	Low Tech
Stereo Sound	High Fidelity	Low Fidelity
Estimation	High-Balling	Low-Balling
Auction	High Bid	Low Bid
Maintenance	High Maintenance	Low Maintenance
Attendance	High Turnout	Low Turnout
Crime	High Crime Rate	Low Crime Rate
Baseball	High Ball	Low Ball
Maps	High Scale	Low Scale
Land	Highlands	Lowlands
Oceans	High Seas	Low Seas
Tide	High Tide	Low Tide
Magazine	High Times	Low Rider
Rock Song	Rock Mountain High	I've got Friends in Low Places

Subject Matter
Adjective	Over	Under
Expectation	Overwhelming	Underwhelming
Reaction	Over-Reacting	Under-Reacting
Medication	Over the Counter	Under the Counter
Measurement	Overestimate	Underestimate
Individual	Ms. Overhill	Mr. Underhill

Subject Matter
Adjective	Upper	Lower
Terrain	Upper Valley	Lower Valley
Social Class	Upper Class	Lower Class
School Grade	Upper School	Lower School

Subject Matter
Adjective	Top	Bottom
Science	Top Quark	Bottom Quark
Highlands	Top of the Mountain	Bottom of the Mountain
Lowlands	Top of the Valley	Bottom of the Valley
Clothing	Top Button	Bottom Button
Depth	Top of the Waves	Bottom of the Sea
Height	Top of the Sky	Bottom of the Earth

Subject Matter
Adjective	Above	Below
Depth	Above Ground	Below Ground
Middle	Above Average	Below Average
Poor	Above the Poverty Line	Below the Poverty Line
Quality	Above Standard	Below Standard
Boxing	Above the Chin	Below the Belt
Basketball	Above the Basket	Below the Rim
Boundary	Above the Line	Below the Line
Driving	Above the Speed Limit	Below the Speed Limit
Altitude	Above Sea Level	Below Sea Level
Alcohol	Above the Legal Limit	Below the Legal Limit

May the LORD God bless you in the name of the Judeo-Christian tradition.

Nursery Rhymes from Top to Bottom

Believe it or not, even nursery rhymes contain metaphorical evidence of the two triangles which create the Star of David. This age-old Judeo-Christian symbol has obviously affected both language and culture in a variety of different ways as the following examples clearly show:

Rhyme	The Cradle will Rock
	Rock-a-bye baby in the tree top, when the wind blows the cradle will rock.
	...when the bough breaks the cradle will fall and down will come baby cradle and all.

Rhyme	Humpty, Dumpty
	Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall...
	...Humpy Dumpty had a great fall. And all the King’s horses and all the King’s men couldn’t put Humpty Dumpty back together again.

Rhyme	Jack and Jill
	Jack and Jill went up the hill to fetch a pail of water...
	...Jack fell down and broke his crown and Jill came tumbling after.

May the LORD God bless you in the name of the Judeo-Christian Tradition.

The Four Judeo-Christian Symbols Representing the Four Directions and Elements

Directions	Symbols	Elements	Ikons
North		Air
South		Earth
East		Fire
West		Water

The Cornerstone (Eye Below the Pyramid), the Capstone (Eye Above the Pyramid), and the Differences Between Them

The Cornerstone of the Judeo-Christian Tradition

Cor·ner·stone
noun \-stōn\
1: a stone forming a part of a corner or angle in a wall; specifically...a stone laid at a formal ceremony
2: a basic element : foundation
First Known Use of CORNERSTONE: 13th century
Synonyms: basis, bedrock, bottom, base, footing, foundation, ground, groundwork, keystone, root, underpinning,

- Miriam-Webster Dictionary

Cornerstone
1. the basic part of something, on which everything depends.
2. the stone at one of the bottom corners of a new building, often put there during a special ceremony

- Macmillan Dictionary

Cornerstone (noun)
A fundamental principle or underlying concept: base, basis, foundation, fundament, fundamental, root, rudiment (often used in plural). See over/under.

- Thesaurus

Cornerstone (n)
The fundamental assumptions from which something is begun or developed or calculated or explained; "the whole argument rested on a basis of conjecture" [synonyms: basis, base, foundation, fundament, groundwork, cornerstone]

- WordNet 2.1 (2005)

Cornerstone
The cornerstone (or foundation stone) concept is derived from the first stone set in the construction of a masonry foundation, important since all other stones will be set in reference to this stone, thus determining the position of the entire structure.

Over time a cornerstone became a ceremonial masonry stone, or replica, set in a prominent location on the outside of a building, with an inscription on the stone...The rite of laying a cornerstone is an important cultural component...metaphorically in sacred architecture generally.

The origins of this tradition are vague but its presence in Judeo-Christian countries can be associated with one quotation from the Old Testament (Psalm 118:22) cited six times in the New Testament (Matthew 21:42,Mark 12:10, Luke 20:17, Acts 4:11, Ephesians 2:20 and 1 Peter 2:7).

- Wikipedia

The Seven Characteristics of the Cornerstone

The Cornerstone

I. Bottom

II. Down

III. Above

IV. Under

V. Low

VI. Depth

VII. South

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The Eye Above the Pyramid is the Capstone...

The Capstone of the Judeo-Christian Tradition

Cap·stone
[ káp stohn ]
1. top stone: a stone used at the top of a wall or another structure
2. high point: something considered the highest achievement.

- Encarta World English Dictionary

Cap·stone
(kapstn) n.
1. The top stone of a structure or wall.
2. The crowning achievement or final stroke; the culmination or acme.

- American Heritage Dictionary

The Seven Characteristics of the Capstone

The Capstone

I. Top

II. Up

III. Above

IV. Over

V. High

VI. Height

VII. North

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The Seven Characteristics of the Eyes of the Pyramid

The Cornerstone	The Capstone
Bottom	Top
Down	Up
Below	Above
Under	Over
Low	High
Depth	Height
South	North

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The Natural World and the Eyes of the Pyramid

The Cornerstone	The Capstone
Earth	Sky
Valley	Mountain
Thunder	Lightning
Stalactites	Stalactites
Steppe	Plateau
Lakes	Clouds
Waterfall	Geyser
Undertow	Waves
Cave	Cliff
Whirlpool	Tidal Wave
Earthquake	Flood
Tornado	Volcano
Lobster	Shark
Caterpillar	Butterfly
Fish	Seagull
Groundhog	Chipmunk
Beaver	Badger

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The Star of David and the Eyes of the Pyramid

The Cornerstone	The Capstone	The Star of David
Bottom	Top	Middle
Down	Up	Center
Below	Above	Between
Under	Over	At
Low	High	Midway
Depth	Height	Size
South	North	Central

NOTE: The Star of David is also known as the Hexagram, Star of the Creator, Star of Creation, Star of Mary, Star of Bethlehem, or the Joshua Star.