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1 Peter 2 – 1 Peter and Jesus – Of Rocks and Stones
1 Peter and Jesus #5
Jesus’ words can be misconstrued, and were even in the first century. Some misunderstood Jesus to say of John that he would never die (John 21:23). Considering how later Catholics misunderstood Jesus to say that Peter was the foundation or rock upon which the church would be built, it is possible that such misunderstanding began early in the first century like the misunderstanding about John (Mt.16:18). Therefore Peter would want to squelch such a thought. Apparently one of Peter’s favorite sayings is that Jesus is the stone, or corner stone. Stone is a different word than rock, but echoes can be found in both words and ideas. He uses it in the sermon in Acts 4:11; and again in his epistle to the Diaspora (1 Pet.2:4-8). And in 1 Peter 2 it is used in reference to building the new temple, in which Christians are the stones.
Paul too echoes this saying of Jesus (Rom.9:32-33). For Paul, the conjecture is that in quoting or referring to Jesus’ words, that such gives this “untimely born” apostle doctrinal authenticity. He too learned his gospel from Jesus directly (Gal.1:12).
Jesus Himself uses this same prophecy to describe Himself (Mt.21:42; Mk.12:10; Lk.20:17). This prophecy, fulfillment, and recounting must be “foundational” to traditional and orthodox Christianity.
Just as in the gospels where there is a flow from Jesus being the stone rejected to the temple being destroyed (Mk.12:10; 13:1-2; Lk.20:17-18; 21:5-6); there is a flow in 1 Peter from Jesus being the living stone rejected to us be the new temple of God.
The applications are profound. With Jesus we are chosen and a temple. Individually we are stones; together the church is a temple. For Messianic Jews, being God’s temple would be meaningful since they were so far from the one in Jerusalem, considered unclean by the Pharisees upon coming to the temple, and more so after it will be destroyed. For Gentile Christians, remember that some nations were excluded totally up to ten generations (Deut.23:3); and later were excluded from certain sections of the Jerusalem temple, restricted to the Court of the Gentiles. All, now, are one nation. Without Jesus we are nothing. And if the comparison to the Jewish temple is to be maintained, when we refuse to “be holy for I am holy,” then we are unworthy to exist, and just like God’s first temple, will be destroyed.
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