The stumbling stone is Jesus Christ, rejected by Israel and become a rock of offense to them because they sought righteousness through the law rather than by faith.
Israel pursued the law of righteousness but did not attain it, because they approached it as a matter of works rather than believing what God had said. In contrast, Gentiles attained righteousness through faith. Les Feldick teaches that Christ, the chief cornerstone, was cast aside by Israel and has ever since been a stone of stumbling to them, though the day is coming when He will take His place as the headstone of the corner.
Romans 9:32-33 — This is the core passage that names Christ as the stumblingstone and the rock of offense, explaining why Israel missed Him.
1 Peter 2:7-8 — Peter applies the stone imagery directly to Jesus and to the disobedient who stumble at the Word.
Psalm 118:22 — The Old Testament verse that supplies the building metaphor of the rejected stone becoming the headstone of the corner.
Scripture uses the picture of a stone to describe the Messiah. Psalm 118:22 says, 'The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner.' Peter quotes this in Acts 4:11, saying, 'This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner.' Romans 9:32-33 explains that Israel 'stumbled at that stumblingstone' because they sought it not by faith but as it were by the works of the law. First Peter 2:7-8 makes the application explicit: to those who believe, Christ is precious, but to the disobedient He is 'a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence.' Romans 10:11 adds the promise, 'Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.'
Les Feldick explains that Israel, as the builder of God's kingdom, rejected the chief cornerstone — Jesus. He uses a legend, clearly not taken from Scripture, about the chief stone for Solomon's temple being dragged into a vacant lot, where people who took a shortcut would stumble over it. That is exactly what Christ has become to Israel: a stone of stumbling. Even today Jerusalem is a stone of stumbling to the nations, and it will remain so until the last day. Les also notes that the same imagery appears throughout the Old Testament: Christ is the stone in Daniel's vision and the rock Moses struck in the wilderness. The stone will not stay out in the weeds forever. The day is coming when it will return and take its place as the chief cornerstone of God's dealings with Israel and the world. The believer today has the promise that whosoever believes on Christ will not be ashamed.
According to Romans 9:32, Israel sought righteousness not by faith but by the works of the law, and therefore stumbled at that stumblingstone. Les Feldick points out that Israel could not comprehend righteousness by faith, while Gentiles who were not seeking righteousness attained it because they believed what God had said. Israel was the builder of God's kingdom, and Christ was the chief cornerstone they rejected and threw aside.
In Acts 4:11 Peter tells the religious leaders of Israel, 'This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner.' Les Feldick explains that Peter was using the familiar Old Testament stone imagery. He draws on a legend about the chief cornerstone for Solomon's temple being cast into a vacant lot, where people stumbled over it as they took shortcuts. That legend illustrates how Israel rejected Christ, the very stone that should have held God's kingdom together.
Les Feldick teaches that Psalm 118:22 contains a break in the middle. The part about the builders refusing the stone was fulfilled at the crucifixion, but the part about it becoming the headstone of the corner is still future. He uses the picture of the stone being left in a vacant lot: it will not stay there covered with weeds forever. The day is coming when Christ will return and take His place as the chief cornerstone of God's dealings with Israel and the world. Scripture promises that whosoever believes on Him shall not be ashamed.
Israel's Failure to Believe
Les explains that Israel could not believe what God said, and therefore missed righteousness by faith, while Gentiles attained it by believing.
The Rejected Chief Cornerstone
Les tells the legend of the chief cornerstone thrown into a vacant lot and shows that Israel, as the builders, rejected Christ so that He became a stone of stumbling to them.
Jerusalem as a Stumbling Stone
Les points out that Israel threw Christ out, and He is a stumbling stone to them even to this day, just as Jerusalem itself is a stone of stumbling to all the nations until the last day.
Legend of the Chief Stone
Les describes the legend of the perfectly cut chief cornerstone for Solomon's temple that was set at nought by the builders, illustrating how Christ was disallowed.
Christ as the Rock Throughout Scripture
Les traces the stone and rock imagery through Scripture, showing that Christ is the stone in Daniel's vision and the rock Moses struck in the wilderness.
The Living Stone Disallowed
Les connects Peter's description of Christ as a living stone, disallowed of men, to the same truth that He became a stone of stumbling especially to Israel.
Psalm 118:22 Fulfilled and Future
Les says the builders' refusal of the stone was fulfilled at the crucifixion, but the part about becoming the headstone of the corner has not happened yet; it is still future.
The Future Return of the Stumbling Stone
Les teaches that the stone of stumbling will not stay out in the weeds forever; it will return as the chief cornerstone of God's dealing with Israel and the world, and those who believe on Him will not be ashamed.
Psalm 118:22: The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner.
This is the Old Testament verse that supplies the building metaphor for the rejected stone that becomes the chief cornerstone.
Acts 4:11: This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner.
Peter quotes this to the religious leaders of Israel, applying the rejected stone directly to Jesus.
Romans 9:32: Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone;
This verse explains why Israel missed righteousness: they pursued it through works rather than faith, stumbling over the stumblingstone.
Romans 9:33: As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
This verse names Christ as the stumblingstone and rock of offense, with the promise that everyone who believes on Him will not be ashamed.
1 Peter 2:7: 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,
Peter distinguishes between those who believe, to whom Christ is precious, and those who are disobedient.
1 Peter 2:8: 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.
This verse explicitly calls Christ a stone of stumbling and rock of offense to those who are disobedient to the Word.
Romans 10:11: For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
This verse repeats the promise that those who believe on Christ will not be ashamed, a key part of the stumbling stone passage.
It refers to Christ. Israel stumbled because they sought righteousness by the law rather than by faith. Romans 9:33 says that whosoever believes on Him will not be ashamed.
Les Feldick teaches that just as Christ became a stumbling stone to Israel, Scripture says Jerusalem is to be a stone of stumbling to the nations, and the nations keep stubbing their toe on Israel until the last day.
No. Les says the stone will not stay covered with weeds forever; the day is coming when it will return and take its place as chief cornerstone. Psalm 118:22 ends with the stone becoming headstone of the corner, and that part is still future.
Yes. It is the same stone. Christ is the chief cornerstone, but because Israel rejected Him, He became a stone of stumbling and rock of offense to them.
Watch the Teaching: Why Did Israel Miss the Messiah? Romans 9:25-33 Explained