In the Holy Scriptures, Jesus Christ is often referred to metaphorically as a "stone," a term rich with theological significance and prophetic fulfillment. This imagery is rooted in the Old Testament and finds its ultimate expression in the New Testament, where Jesus is identified as the cornerstone of the faith.

1. The Stone the Builders Rejected: This title is derived from Psalm 118:22, "The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone." This prophecy is fulfilled in Jesus, as He was rejected by the religious leaders of His time but became the foundation of the Church. In Matthew 21:42, Jesus Himself cites this verse, affirming His role as the cornerstone: "Jesus said to them, 'Have you never read in the Scriptures: "The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. This is from the Lord, and it is marvelous in our eyes"?'"

2. The Cornerstone: The cornerstone is the foundational stone in a building, essential for its stability and alignment. In Ephesians 2:20, Paul writes, "built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus Himself as the cornerstone." This signifies that Jesus is the essential foundation of the Church, uniting believers and aligning them with God's purposes.

3. A Stumbling Stone and Rock of Offense: In Romans 9:33, Paul references Isaiah 8:14 and 28:16, saying, "as it is written: 'See, I lay in Zion a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense, and the one who believes in Him will never be put to shame.'" This dual imagery highlights that while Jesus is the foundation for those who believe, He is also a stumbling block for those who reject Him, challenging their unbelief and self-righteousness.

4. The Living Stone: In 1 Peter 2:4-5, Jesus is described as a "living stone": "As you come to Him, the living stone, rejected by men but chosen and precious in God’s sight, you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house." This passage emphasizes the vitality and life found in Christ, who, though rejected by humanity, is chosen and precious to God. Believers, too, are called to be living stones, part of the spiritual edifice built upon Christ.

5. The Stone Cut Without Hands: In Daniel 2:34-35, the prophet describes a stone "cut out without hands" that strikes the statue representing earthly kingdoms, breaking them to pieces. This stone grows to fill the whole earth, symbolizing the eternal kingdom of God established through Christ. Jesus, as this divine stone, inaugurates a kingdom that surpasses all earthly powers and endures forever.

The metaphor of Jesus as a stone encapsulates His role as the foundation of faith, the fulfillment of prophecy, and the cornerstone of the Church. It underscores His rejection by the world, His essential place in God's redemptive plan, and His ultimate authority over all creation.Matthew 21:42
Jesus said to them, Did you never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes?
Nave's Topical Index

On the Clause, and in one Lord Jesus Christ, with a Reading from ...
... Saviour; lest, therefore, His manifold appellations should make ... Christ: for though
the titles are many ... is called by two names, Jesus Christ; Jesus, because He ...
/.../cyril/lectures of s cyril of jerusalem/lecture x on the clause.htm

Introduction
... thousands, of the loose-living members whose names are now ... by the grace of God through
the work of Jesus Christ. ... The "Law of Christ", then, is just the moral ...
//christianbookshelf.org/pink/the law and the saint/introduction.htm

Hypocrisy
... him than by turning again to the words of Christ. ... As Jesus says, "they say and they
do not." The ... of Christians"that they have generally taken names of abuse ...
//christianbookshelf.org/spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 5 1859/hypocrisy.htm

The Fifth Theological Oration.
... and little that He is declared by Jesus, as you ... the abundance of the titles, and
how many Names they outrage ... the Spirit of God, the Spirit of Christ, the Mind ...
/.../cyril/lectures of s cyril of jerusalem/the fifth theological oration.htm

Answer to Eunomius' Second Book .
... There are also many other things which Jesus did, the ... itself could not contain the
fulness of Christ's teaching about ... seek to glory in it by the names we employ ...
/.../gregory of nyssa dogmatic treatises etc/answer to eunomius second book.htm

The Life and Death of Mr. Badman,
... As for those whose names I mention, their crimes or ... they profess to know and love;
for Jesus Christ's sake. ... in England is to swear by God, Christ, faith, and ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/the life and death of.htm

Who is Jesus Christ? | GotQuestions.org

Is there power in the name of Jesus? | GotQuestions.org

Is Jesus God? Did Jesus ever claim to be God? | GotQuestions.org

Jesus: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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