1 Peter 2.1-8.
Simon bar Jonah’s nickname
Some Christians claim Peter’s name actually means “pebble.” The more common word for rock in ancient Greek is
No we don’t know why Jesus gave him that name. Some Christians speculate it’s because—and only because—of Jesus’s line about building his church upon Peter. Other guesses come from all the reasons we’d name somebody “Rock,” or refer to them as “my rock”—they’re big and strong, or they’re stable individuals. Peter wasn’t all that stable when he first followed Jesus, but Christians imagine that’s just because he was young; he grew into that. Maybe so. Again, lots of speculation.
Interestingly, in today’s passage of Peter’s first letter, we see Peter write about how Jesus is his rock. And of course ours.
1 Peter 2.1-8 KWL 1 So be rid of every evil,- every trick, hypocrisy, and jealousy,
- every evil talk;
2 crave reasonable, pure milk- like newborn infants,
- so by it you might grow into salvation,
3 if you taste that the Master is gracious.4 Come to the Master,- a valuable living stone
- which was rejected by people
- and elected by God,
5 Like living stones yourselves,- you’re being built into a Spirit-led house,
- into a holy priesthood
- to offer Spirit-led sacrifices
- received by God through Christ Jesus.
6 For this reason this is in the scripture:- “Look, I put a stone in Zion,
- a valuable, chosen cornerstone.
- One who believes in him
- ought not be ashamed.”
Is 28.16 7 So, value to you who believe.- To unbelievers, “the stone the builders reject:
- This becomes the foundation stone,”
Ps 118.22 8 and “a stumbling block,- an offending rock.”
Is 8.14 - This becomes the foundation stone,”
The foundation stone.
Properly, the “foundation stone” of verse 7 is
Thing is, cornerstones nowadays are not what they used to be. In the past, cornerstones were the stones you based your building on: You get a big, solid rock, firmly planted on the ground, and attach the rest of your building to it. Nowadays our foundations do that. So if you’re gonna describe kefalín gonías for the 21st century, “foundation stone” is probably best.
Peter is of course quoting Psalm 118; loosely referring to it in verse 4, but directly quoting it in verse 7.
Psalm 118.22-23 NET 22 The stone that the builders discarded- has become the cornerstone.
23 This is the LORD ’s work.- We consider it amazing!
It’s a passage Jesus himself once quoted to rebuke the Judean leaders.
Matthew 21.42-44 NET 42 Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the scriptures:- ‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.
- This is from the Lord, and it is marvelous in our eyes’?
Ps 118.22-23 43 For this reason I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit.44 The one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, and the one on whom it falls will be crushed.”
Jesus loosely referred in verse 44 to Isaiah 8, which Peter likewise refers to in his own passage, in verse 8.
Isaiah 8.11-15 NET 11 Indeed this is what the LORD told me quite forcefully. He warned me not to act like these people:12 “Do not say, ‘Conspiracy,’ every time these people say the word.- Don’t be afraid of what scares them; don’t be terrified.
13 You must recognize the authority of the LORD of Heaven’s Armies.- He is the one you must respect;
- he is the one you must fear.
14 He will become a sanctuary,- but a stone that makes a person trip,
- and a rock that makes one stumble—
- to the two houses of Israel.
- He will become a trap and a snare
- to the residents of Jerusalem.
15 Many will stumble over the stone and the rock,- and will fall and be seriously injured,
- and will be ensnared and captured.”
Within a few months, Peter also quoted it to these very same Judean leaders, in Acts 4.
Acts 4.11-12 NET 11 “This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, that has become the cornerstone.Ps 118.22 12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among people by which we must be saved.”
It’s likely a passage he meditated on a bunch, which is why it comes up in this passage too. Peter also noticed the similar “stone for the corner” language in Isaiah 28… in a passage which likewise rebukes the then-leaders of Jerusalem.
Isaiah 28.14-19 NET 14 Therefore, listen to the LORD ’s message,- you who mock,
- you rulers of these people
- who reside in Jerusalem.
15 For you say,- “We have made a treaty with death,
- with Sheol we have made an agreement.
- When the overwhelming judgment sweeps by
- it will not reach us.
- For we have made a lie our refuge,
- we have hidden ourselves in a deceitful word.”
16 Therefore, this is what the Sovereign LORD , says:- “Look, I am laying a stone in Zion,
- an approved stone,
- set in place as a precious cornerstone for the foundation.
- The one who maintains his faith will not panic.
17 I will make justice the measuring line,- fairness the plumb line;
- hail will sweep away the unreliable refuge,
- the floodwaters will overwhelm the hiding place.
18 Your treaty with death will be dissolved;- your agreement with Sheol will not last.
- When the overwhelming judgment sweeps by,
- you will be overrun by it.
19 Whenever it sweeps by, it will overtake you;- indeed, every morning it will sweep by,
- it will come through during the day and the night.”
- When this announcement is understood,
- it will cause nothing but terror.
The leaders in Isaiah’s day probably thought they’d evade justice, but no they wouldn’t. Likewise the leaders of Peter’s day imagined the same thing… but
Okay, but back to Jesus. If he’s the foundation stone of a building, which building is this? Clearly
To us, Jesus is our foundation stone. To others, he’s a rock in their path which they trip over. When they’re distracted by the things of this world—with their politics, with their culture wars, with their petty grievances, with their mindless pursuit of power and wealth and sex—Jesus is gonna be in their way, and trip them up. And like
Peter tells his readers to be rid of such evil, tricks, hypocrisy, and jealousy, and come to Jesus. Rightly so.
A Spirit-led house.
Too often, bible translations render the word
Anyway that’s why I went with what I think is a better way to look at things that are nefmatikós—either led by the Holy Spirit, or empowered by the Holy Spirit. So, “Spirit-led.”
We Christians are being built into a Spirit-led, Spirit-empowered house, in which Spirit-inspired sacrifices are gonna take place. The temple of the Holy Spirit isn’t just an edifice with a holy stamp of approval; we have a living, active Spirit motivating us to serve God and help bring
That’s the proper way to think of “spiritual” things: They got the Holy Spirit all up in ’em. And as the temple of the Holy Spirit, isn’t that what we should see in Christians?
