Jesus, the
Christ as the chief corner stone of God's spiritual building — rejected by the builders, made the head of the corner (Psalm 118:22; 1 Peter 2:6-7) — the foundation on which everything rests.
The cornerstone (Greek akrogōniaios; Hebrew pinnah) was the most critical stone in ancient building. Laid first, it set the angle and elevation for the entire structure. A faulty cornerstone produced a faulty building. Several biblical layers. (1) The OT prophecy. Psalm 118:22 — 'The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner.' Isaiah 28:16 — 'Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.' (2) Christ's self-identification. Matthew 21:42 — after telling the parable of the wicked husbandmen, Jesus quoted Psalm 118:22 against the religious leaders: 'The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner.' He applied the prophecy to himself. (3) The apostles' preaching. Acts 4:11 — Peter before the Sanhedrin: 'This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner.' The same religious establishment that rejected him became the witnesses of his vindication. (4) The foundation of the church. Ephesians 2:20 — believers are 'built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone.' The church is a spiritual building; Christ is its cornerstone. 1 Peter 2:5 — believers are 'lively stones' built into the temple Christ founds. (5) The dividing line. 1 Peter 2:6-8 — Christ is precious to those who believe, but for the disobedient he is 'a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence.' How people relate to Christ is how they relate to the cornerstone — built on him or broken against him. (6) The tried stone. Isaiah 28:16 — 'a tried stone.' Christ has been tested — by temptation, by suffering, by death — and proven sure. He is the foundation that will not fail.
“Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner.”
“The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner.”
“The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing.”
“And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone.”
“Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation.”
Build your life on Christ the cornerstone. Anchor identity, security, and direction in him. Test other foundations — career, relationships, achievements, ideologies — against him. They will all crack. He alone is the sure foundation (Isaiah 28:16). Be built into his temple. Reject competing cornerstones. The stone the builders rejected is everything.
The cornerstone is the foundational stone of a building, laid first to set the angle for the whole structure. In Scripture, Christ is called the chief cornerstone — predicted in Psalm 118:22 and Isaiah 28:16, applied to himself in Matthew 21:42, and confirmed by the apostles in Acts 4:11, Ephesians 2:20, and 1 Peter 2:6-7. He is the foundation of God's spiritual building, the church.
Psalm 118:22 — 'The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner.' Christ quoted this against the religious leaders (Matthew 21:42) who were rejecting him. They — the supposed experts in building God's house — rejected the chief stone. God vindicated him by making him 'the head of the corner.' The verse is one of the most quoted OT prophecies in the NT.
Ephesians 2:20 — the church is 'built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone.' 1 Corinthians 3:11 — 'other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.' The church's life, teaching, sacraments, and mission all rest on Christ. Any church not built on him will collapse.
1 Peter 2:7-8 — for those who believe, Christ is precious; for those who disobey, he is 'a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence.' Matthew 21:44 — 'Whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.' How a person relates to Christ is how they relate to the foundation of reality. Rejection of the cornerstone leads to spiritual collapse.