There is a story, the truthfulness of it cannot be confirmed, that illustrates a truth of God taught in both the Old Testament and the New Testament. The story tells of that time when Solomon was building the temple. The Bible says that there were 80,000 laborers in the mountains who quarried the stones for the temple (1 Kings 5:15), and these were then moved to Jerusalem. The stones are described as being large (one foundation stone has been discovered that was 38’ 9” long and weighed 100 tons), costly and hewn to perfection (1 Kings 5:17).
The most remarkable aspect of the building of this magnificent building was what happened when stones arrived to be put in place. “And the temple…was built with stone finished at the quarry, so that no hammer or chisel or any iron tool was heard in the temple while it was being built” (1 Kings 6:7).
It is at this point where the unconfirmed story enters. It is said that one stone arrived in Jerusalem, and they laid it aside not knowing where it was to be placed. In that type of building, the most important stone was the one which brought the walls and the roof together—called the cornerstone. The story tells of how later they could not find it, but eventually found the cornerstone they had rejected and laid aside.
Whether that part of the story is true or not has little to do with the application made about the place of Jesus in the building of God’s new temple, the church. Peter describes Jesus in this way: “A living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious” (1 Pet. 2:9). The Old Testament background of this is then quoted by Peter. Isaiah prophesied, “Behold I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone, elect, precious, and he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame…the stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone” (1 Pet. 2:5; Isa. 28:16). The apostle then added to this the words of David, “The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone” (Psa. 118:22).
What does all of this have to do with us in our day. Look again at the words of Peter. He calls Jesus the living stone, rejected by men. The Jews saw Him as dead, but such was far from the truth. Jesus is alive and the chief cornerstone of the church.
But there is more, for Peter describes us. “You also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” (1 Pet. 2:5). Every time the world looks down on you, remember how God honored the rejected Chief Cornerstone. We may be rejected by men, but God sees us as the stones who make up His holy temple.