Les Feldick Bible Study

What happened to the rejected chief cornerstone in the legend Les tells?

In the legend, the chief cornerstone came to the builders, but in their confusion they found no place for it, so they dragged it out to a vacant lot. Weeds grew around it, and it lay there. Anyone taking a shortcut through that lot stumbled over it. It became a stone of stumbling, illustrating Israel's rejection of Christ.

Les explains that Peter is continuing his message to Israel's religious leaders and applies the verse, "This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, who is become the head of the corner." Les calls the story a legend, not Scripture, but says it is applicable. In Solomon's temple building, there was no hammer sound at the site; stones were pre-cut at quarries and set in place quietly. In ancient architecture, especially arches, the final stone at the center top of the arch is the chief stone, and the rest of the arch rests against it. In the legend, the chief stone came to the builders, but they were confused and could not find a place for it. They dragged it out to a vacant lot, weeds grew around it, and it lay there. People taking a shortcut through the lot would stumble over that stone. Les says this is apropos because Peter uses the analogy: Israel was the builder of God's Kingdom, and their Christ was to be the Messiah, the chief cornerstone who would hold it all together. But Israel rejected it and, like the builders, threw it out into a vacant lot. Ever since, Christ has become to the nation of Israel a stone of stumbling.