Living Stones
As you come to Him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ
(1 Peter 2:2-5)
In Priene, Turkey are the ruins of a once-magnificent temple built in honor of the Greek goddess of wisdom, warfare, and handicraft, Athena. One of her symbols was the owl, which gave rise to the belief that the owl is a bird of wisdom. In actuality, owls are pretty dumb.
The stones used in this temple were hewn and carved at the quarry and then carefully numbered to ensure correct placement when transported to the site. Each stone had a specific number and a precise position in the edifice.
We, the believers, who make up the body of Christ, are referred to in Scripture as “living stones.” God the Master Builder carefully cuts and hews His living stones and then places them precisely where they need to be in the invisible temple He is building on earth.
Jesus used stones as examples many times, and this could have been because of His profession. For centuries people have believed that Joseph, Jesus’ father, was a carpenter. But that may not be the full story. After Jesus taught in his hometown of Nazareth, the people asked, “Is not this the carpenter’s son?” (Matthew 13:51). The Greek word used is tekton, and the more accurate translation of this word is craftsman or builder.
A further fact that gives credence to this translation of tekton is that the majority of homes during that time were constructed of stone. Carpentry would have been an element of construction, but the larger part of the work was carving stone and stacking building blocks. This might explain the many references to stonework in the New Testament but none about woodwork.
Nazareth, Jesus’ hometown had a population of less than 500 people. For Joseph and Jesus to be able to make a living in Nazareth alone was highly unlikely. They would have had to go to the surrounding areas to find work. During that time, Herod Antipas was developing the ancient city of Sepphoris. The Jewish historian, Josephus, called it, “the jewel of all Galilee.” This massive project would have required an enormous amount of labor. Sepphoris was also only three miles from Nazareth with an enormous rock quarry situated halfway between the two towns. Joseph and Jesus may have been hired as tektons to work on the city.
While all of this is interesting history, the most important lesson about stones in the New Testament is that they need a firm foundation to be placed upon otherwise they will simply topple and fall. That foundation is Christ.
For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 3:10-12 NIV).
He is the chief cornerstone without which the building would crumble.
Having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit (Ephesians 2:20-22).
The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone (Psalm 118:22-23 NKJV)
Do not for a minute ever think you are just a random stone or worse, a loose piece of gravel. You have been hewn and cut by God Himself and placed exactly where He needs you in the spiritual house He is building on earth, His church.
