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the stone which the builders rejected is become the head stone of the corner. Do we have
difficulty in reading that Jesus Christ is the beginning and the ending, the Alpha and
Omega? As we view the complete building, Christ is the foundation, and completes the
building like the keystone. As the glory of the Lord filled the Temple, so the whole
building is filled with the glory of the Lord.
We have said that Peter quotes Isa. 28: 16. We will quote what he wrote in his
first epistle:
"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 Zion a chief corner stone, elect,
precious ... the same is made the head of the corner" (I Pet. 2: 4-7).
Peter goes on in verse 9 to remind his readers that they are a chosen nation, a royal
priesthood, an holy nation... and here we see that Peter is faithfully dealing with his
ministry to the circumcision.
We will observe how Paul writes, for he also writes of a spiritual house. We must
save space so we ask the reader to look up Eph. 2: 19-22. The fellow citizens with the
saints and of the household of God are like a building, based on the foundation of the
apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone. We are living
stones in this building and are fitly framed together, growing into a holy temple, and in
this temple God Himself will dwell through the Spirit. This temple differs from the one
described by Peter, but Jesus Christ is the corner stone of each building.
So in Ephesians we have the figure of the Body of Christ, we being members of His
Body, the church, and He being its Head. We also have the figure of a holy temple, we
being stones fitted together to make a dwelling place for God Himself.
"For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ" (I Cor. 3: 11),
and it is this foundation that is the basis for the gospel of grace, & also for the "new man"
(Eph. 2: 15, 16), the Body of Christ of which He is the Head.