© 17 Colin Melbourne
The Chief Cornerstone
Q: I understand why Christ is described in the Bible as the chief cornerstone and head of the corner, but I’m having difficulty imagining the stones mentioned because a “corner-stone” sounds so different from “the head of the corner”; can you help?
A: Yes, Praise God, I can, because it also bothered me until I made a point of looking into it.
Dead Stones
The skill of stone-masons is evident around Britain, their handiwork remains for centuries displayed on follies, monuments, places of worship, town halls, libraries, bridges, museums, stately homes, and such like. Take a walk around Canterbury, London, Bristol, York, Chester, Liverpool, Edinburgh, or Manchester, and you can’t fail to be impressed by the stone work adorning many buildings.
First though, let’s listen to the Holy Ghost as we enjoy the appropriate scriptures;
The Rejected Stone
Psalms 118:21-23 KJV;
I will praise thee: for thou hast heard me, and art become my salvation. The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner. This is the LORD’s doing; it is marvellous in our eyes.
The Foundation Stone
Jacob, prophesied the coming Christ in blessing his son Joseph, Gen. 49:24b KJV;
But his bow abode in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob; (from thence is the shepherd, the stone of Israel:)
The Head of the Corner Speaks to Dead Builders
Christ applied Psalm 118 to Himself, quoting it to the unbelieving Jews, Mtt. 21:42 KJV;
Jesus saith unto them, Did ye 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 marvellous in our eyes?
The Resurrected Stone
The Apostle Peter defied the crucifiers of Christ to their snarling faces, boldly declaring, Acts 4:9-12 KJV;
If we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man, by what means he is made whole;
Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole.This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner.
Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
Zion’s Chief Corner Stone
Peter wrote along the same line in 1 Pe. 2:4-8 KJV;
To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture,
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, And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.
In each case the words of God refer to The LORD Jesus Christ.
He is the Stone of Israel, the Head of the corner, and the Chief cornerstone upon whom the Church of God is founded: The Bedrock and Foundation of Zion, the spiritual church of God.
Halelluia! Let your heart give Him all the praise and honour He alone deserves.
The Building Stone Metaphor
The chief corner stone of a building is the first foundation stone layed, termed the head of the corner, (as in the head of a queue) because its position delineates two adjoining walls (metaphorically representing the Jews and Gentiles), and the location of the building.
In the Bible, the terms head of the corner, head-stone, and corner-stone are synonymous, but in present-day colloquial English, headstone is now used to mean the stone marking a grave, as pictured in the left foreground of the image above.
Comprehending the Stone
To understand the cornerstone metaphor of Christ as the Head of the Corner here’s the classic 1878 sermon by English Victorian Baptist, Charles Spurgeon, entitled; “The Headstone of the Corner“. Enjoy this taster of the quality, then read the full pdf text…
If there is not working with Christianity, a Divine agency altogether above its reasonableness. If there is not, in fact, the Spirit of God working with it to convert men, then it will come to nothing, and vanish like other systems.
Our reliance must be, therefore, not upon evidences which we can bring to prove the Truth of the Gospel, nor upon eloquence by which we may advance its claims, but upon the Eternal Spirit of God, for it is He, and He alone, who can lift the rejected Stone, and make it to become the Headstone of the corner.
It is impossible for blinded human nature to believe the Truth of God. And, therefore, we must be born again.
Gospel teachings are so humbling, so radical, so pure, so spiritual, so much above our thoughts that nobody will accept them unless taught of God.
His chosen people shall be taught of the Spirit, and the rest will choose to remain in blindness. So it has been, and so it ever shall be. Full transcription.
This is a first-rate docu-drama DVD of Charles Spurgeon’s life and ministry. Show it to your youth group, and let God inspire them.
[Unrelated Nerd-Note: A “keystone”: is the central stone of an archway, vault or dome, which locks the arch, or dome, securely: Remove it and the structure collapses.]
© 17 Colin Melbourne