1 Peter 2:4-9
Chapter 2
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He is the living stone rejected by people but chosen by God and precious to him; draw near to him,
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so that you, too, become living stones built into a spiritual temple, a holy community of priests offering spiritual sacrifices that please God through Jesus Christ.
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Scripture states: See, I lay in Zion a chosen and precious cornerstone; whoever believes in him will not be disappointed.
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This is an honor for those who believe, but for unbelievers, the stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,
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and A stone that causes people to stumble, a rock that makes them fall. They stumble over it, rejecting the word, but this fulfills God’s plan.
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You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation—a people owned by God—to proclaim the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
Commentaries
Christ the Living Stone.
From the “spiritual milk” of the Word of God that nourishes the community of newborns, the disciple progresses to another image rich in biblical significance: the stone, which can be the ‘cornerstone’ (cf. Is 28:16) that the believer relies on in faith, or the ‘keystone’ (cf. Ps 118:22), which serves as the key and capstone of the building (cf. Zec 4:7). The development and application of this image form the core of the letter and one of the most beautiful teachings of the New Testament on the Christian community.