Living Stones

Today’s text: 1Peter 2:4-12

Introduction

Peter uses some interesting imagery in this text, the idea of believers being living stones, and the one Living Stone; Jesus Christ.  The idea is simple: Jesus, the Living Stone is the capstone of God’s Temple, and His followers are living stones used to construct God’s true Temple.  Bear in mind that in the Old Testament, the Temple was the dwelling place of God; the Holy of holies being the innermost part of the Temple at Jerusalem where God’s presence dwelt.  Thus, Peter’s image is that Jesus is the capstone of the new spiritual temple, and all of us are built into it: God’s house.

Points of Interest

vv. 4-5:           See Isaiah 28:16, quoted in verse 6; Psalm 118:22, quoted in verse 7.  Note also Ephesians 2:20-22, 1Corinthians 3:11 and Matthew 16:18. In these verses you will see the contrast between the old Jewish temple and the new house of God; the old being built by stones and mortar and the new being built with living materials.  This is a common illustration in the New Testament to show how the church is built up by its members being built together in unity with Christ Himself as the foundation.  In Matthew, we see that the rock of its foundation is the declaration of who Christ is: the Son of the living God.

vv. 7-8:           The Stone which is our capstone and foundation is a stumbling stone to those who refuse to believe, and a source of dismay to those who, like us, are called to son ship- but who refuse to accept it.

v. 9:                 This verse describes what each Christian is: a Royal Priest, part of a Holy Nation and one belonging entirely to God.  Remember that Peter wrote this letter to all of the Christians in Galatia, not just to certain ones (1Peter 5:14)  This is not a solitary reference; see Gal. 6:13-16, Rev. 1:6, 5:9, Heb. 13:15. Note that a priest is one who intercedes between man and God, offering up sacrifices for sin.  In the New Testament, we are all priests in a royal priesthood, with Jesus Christ as our High Priest. (Heb. 4:14-16).  As such, we have become a holy nation…

v. 10:               Peter makes his intent clear in this verse with respect to exactly who he is talking about.  Once we were not a people, but now we are, once we were not a nation but now we are.  Could he be speaking only to the Jews?  No way!  The Jews were God’s people in the Old Testament, certainly, but they for the most part have not chosen to follow the Messiah God sent to deliver them.  The Christians of Galatia were made up of many peoples, including but not limited to Jews.  They were Greeks, Romans, Macedonians, Hebrews, Arabs and more… they didn’t used to be a people or a nation, but now in Christ they were both: and so are we!

vv. 11-12:       Here, Peter goes on to remind the people of their responsibility as citizens of a HeavenlyKingdom who live in a foreign land (this world).  We are to behave ourselves!  Thus, we are to act in a way that does not bring disrepute on our sovereign, and that may in fact be attractive to others who may wish to join us in the cause of Christ.