◄ 1 Peter 2:7 ►
To you who believe, then, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe, "The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,"
Study Bible
To you who believe, then, this stone is precious.

This phrase emphasizes the value and significance of Jesus Christ to believers. In biblical context, Jesus is often referred to as the "stone" or "rock," symbolizing strength, stability, and foundation. For believers, Jesus is the cornerstone of their faith, the essential element upon which their spiritual lives are built. This aligns with passages such as Ephesians 2:20, where Christ is described as the cornerstone of the church. The preciousness of this stone to believers highlights the personal relationship and the salvation they find in Him. Historically, the imagery of a cornerstone would resonate with the audience familiar with construction practices, where the cornerstone is the first stone set in the foundation, determining the position of the entire structure.

Isa 28:16 So this is what the Lord GOD says: “See, I lay a stone…
1Pe 1:8 Though you have not seen Him, you love Him;…
Php 3:8 More than that, I count all things as loss…

But to those who do not believe,

This phrase introduces a contrast between believers and non-believers. In the cultural and historical context of the early church, there was a clear division between those who accepted Jesus as the Messiah and those who rejected Him. This division often led to persecution and social ostracism for early Christians. The distinction here underscores the differing perceptions of Jesus' role and significance, which is a recurring theme in the New Testament.

Jhn 3:18 Whoever believes in Him is not condemned,…
Heb 3:19 So we see that it was because of their unbelief…
Rom 11:20 That is correct: They were broken off because of unbelief,…

“The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,”

This part of the verse is a direct quotation from Psalm 118:22, a messianic prophecy that is frequently referenced in the New Testament (e.g., Matthew 21:42, Acts 4:11). The "builders" symbolize the religious leaders and authorities of the time who rejected Jesus, failing to recognize His messianic role. Despite this rejection, Jesus becomes the cornerstone, the most crucial part of God's redemptive plan. This transformation from rejection to foundational importance is a powerful testament to God's sovereignty and the fulfillment of prophecy. The use of this imagery would have been particularly poignant for Peter's audience, who were familiar with the Jewish scriptures and the significance of the cornerstone in construction. It serves as a reminder of the unexpected ways in which God accomplishes His purposes, turning what was dismissed by men into the central element of His divine plan.

Psa 118:22 The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.
Mat 21:42 The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.…
Act 4:11 This Jesus is ‘the stone you builders rejected’…

Persons / Places / Events
1. Peter
The apostle who authored the letter, addressing early Christians scattered throughout Asia Minor.

2. Believers
Those who have faith in Jesus Christ and recognize Him as the cornerstone of their faith.

3. Unbelievers
Those who reject Jesus, failing to see His significance and value.

4. The Stone
Refers to Jesus Christ, the cornerstone of the Christian faith.

5. Builders
Symbolically represents the Jewish leaders and others who rejected Jesus as the Messiah.
Teaching Points
The Value of Faith
For believers, Jesus is precious. Our faith in Him should be the most valuable aspect of our lives, guiding our actions and decisions.

Rejection and Acceptance
Just as Jesus was rejected by the builders, believers may face rejection in the world. However, our acceptance by God is what truly matters.

Foundation of Life
Jesus as the cornerstone means He should be the foundation of our lives. Our beliefs, values, and actions should align with His teachings.

Prophetic Fulfillment
Recognizing Jesus as the cornerstone fulfills Old Testament prophecies, affirming the reliability and divine inspiration of Scripture.

Witnessing to Unbelievers
Understanding the rejection of Jesus by some should motivate us to share the Gospel, praying for hearts to be opened to His truth.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does recognizing Jesus as the cornerstone influence your daily decisions and priorities?

2. In what ways can you demonstrate the preciousness of Jesus in your life to those around you?

3. How do the Old Testament prophecies about the cornerstone strengthen your faith in the reliability of Scripture?

4. What are some practical steps you can take to build your life more firmly on the foundation of Jesus Christ?

5. How can you effectively witness to those who currently reject Jesus, using the truth of Him as the cornerstone?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Psalm 118:22
This verse is directly quoted in 1 Peter 2:7, emphasizing the prophetic nature of Jesus being the cornerstone.

Isaiah 28:16
Speaks of a precious cornerstone laid by God, which is a foundation for believers.

Matthew 21:42
Jesus Himself quotes Psalm 118:22, identifying Himself as the cornerstone.

Acts 4:11
Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, declares Jesus as the rejected stone that has become the cornerstone.

Ephesians 2:20
Paul describes the church as being built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus Himself as the cornerstone.
Sermons
The Two VersionsA. Maclaren 1 Peter 2:7
Newborn Babes and the Higher IsraelR. Finlayson 1 Peter 2:1-10
The Soul-Temple, and Soul-ServiceU.R. Thomas 1 Peter 2:4-8
Christian Life Crowned with Wonderful HonorC. New 1 Peter 2:4-10
Christ is Our HonourPhilip Henry.1 Peter 2:7-8
Christ More than PreciousMemoir of Bishop Simpson.1 Peter 2:7-8
Christ Precious to All True BelieversS. Davies, M. A.1 Peter 2:7-8
Christ Precious to BelieversC. H. Spurgeon.1 Peter 2:7-8
Christ Precious to BelieversC. H. Spurgeon.1 Peter 2:7-8
Christ Precious to BelieversC. H. Spurgeon.1 Peter 2:7-8
Christ Precious to the BelieverD. Dickson, D. D.1 Peter 2:7-8
Christ Precious to Them that BelieveW. McCulloch.1 Peter 2:7-8
Christ Rejected by the JewsJohn Rogers.1 Peter 2:7-8
Dangerous to StumbleJ. Trapp.1 Peter 2:7-8
Disobedience the Converse of FaithW Arn.1 Peter 2:7-8
Jesus Precious to True BelieversW. Notcutt.1 Peter 2:7-8
Jesus, the Stumbling Stone of UnbelieversC. H. Spurgeon.1 Peter 2:7-8
Practical Trust in Christ the Highest HonourD. Thomas, D. D.1 Peter 2:7-8
The Christ of ExperienceH. Allon, D. D.1 Peter 2:7-8
The Honour of Believing in ChristA. F. Joscelyne, B. A.1 Peter 2:7-8
The Precious SaviourW. C. Burns.1 Peter 2:7-8
The Preciousness of ChristJ. M. Buckley, D. D.1 Peter 2:7-8
The Preciousness of ChristH. M. Villiers, M. A.1 Peter 2:7-8
The Preciousness of Christ1 Peter 2:7-8
The Stone Which the Builders DisallowedJohn Thomas M. A.1 Peter 2:7-8
Where Christ is Valued He Will be Made Known1 Peter 2:7-8
People
Peter
Places
Asia, Bithynia, Cappadocia, Galatia, Pontus, Zion
Topics
Believe, Believers, Believing, Belongs, Builders, Building, Capstone, Cast, Chief, Corner, Cornerstone, Disallowed, Disapproved, Disbelieve, Disobedient, Faith, Honor, Honour, Precious, Preciousness, Rejected, Stone, Unbelievers, Unbelieving, Value, Worthless
Dictionary of Bible Themes
1 Peter 2:7

     2069   Christ, pre-eminence
     5240   building
     5433   occupations
     6231   rejection of God
     8836   unbelief, response

1 Peter 2:4-7

     5207   architecture
     5403   masons

1 Peter 2:4-8

     1240   God, the Rock
     4366   stones
     5269   cornerstone
     6512   salvation, necessity and basis

1 Peter 2:5-7

     7024   church, nature of

1 Peter 2:6-8

     2203   Christ, titles of
     6708   predestination
     8023   faith, necessity

Library
Under the Shepherd's Care.
A NEW YEAR'S ADDRESS. "For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls."--1 Peter ii. 25. "Ye were as sheep going astray." This is evidently addressed to believers. We were like sheep, blindly, willfully following an unwise leader. Not only were we following ourselves, but we in our turn have led others astray. This is true of all of us: "All we like sheep have gone astray;" all equally foolish, "we have turned every one to his own way." Our first …
J. Hudson Taylor—A Ribband of Blue

The Jewish Rebellions
1 PETER ii. 11. Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul. I think that you will understand the text, and indeed the whole of St. Peter's first Epistle, better, if I explain to you somewhat the state of the Eastern countries of the world in St. Peter's time. The Romans, a short time before St. Peter was born, had conquered all the nations round them, and brought them under law and regular government. St. Peter now tells those …
Charles Kingsley—Discipline and Other Sermons

Christ the Exemplar
'For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow His steps.'--1 Peter ii. 21. These words are a very striking illustration of the way in which the Gospel brings Christ's principles to bear upon morals and duty. The Apostle is doing nothing more than exhorting a handful of slaves to the full and complete and patient acceptance of their hard lot, and in order to teach a very homely and lowly lesson to the squalid minds of a few captives, …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture Ephesians, Peter,John

Transcriber's Note:
List of corrections and amendments made: Ephesians: Page 36: added closing quote after "the event of our inheritance" (line 3) 102: "gentle words ot" to "to" 154: "it" added in "what it is to hear" 263: [Preached on Whitsunday] was a footnote. 286: (R.V.) to (R.V.). for consistency with other references. 286: "please to understand" to "do" 287: "we shoud be entitled" to "should" 391: added -- and changed Ephes. to Eph. for consistency with other headings 391: added colon after "Mark its …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture Ephesians, Peter,John

Spiritual Sacrifices
'... Spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.'--1 Peter ii. 5. In this verse Peter piles up his metaphors in a fine profusion, perfectly careless of oratorical elegance or propriety. He gathers together three symbols, drawn from ancient sacrificial worship, and applies them all to Christian people. In the one breath they are 'temples,' in the next 'priests,' in the third 'sacrifices.' All the three are needed to body out the whole truth of the relationship of the perfect universal …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture Ephesians, Peter,John

Mirrors of God
... That ye should show forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness ...'--1 Peter ii. 9. The Revised Version, instead of 'praises,' reads excellencies--and even that is but a feeble translation of the remarkable word here employed. For it is that usually rendered 'virtues'; and by the word, of course, when applied to God, we mean the radiant excellencies and glories of His character, of which our earthly qualities, designated by the same name, are but as shadows. It is, indeed, …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture Ephesians, Peter,John

Living Stones on the Living Foundation Stone
'To Whom coming, as unto a living stone ... ye also, as living stones, are built up.'--1 Peter ii. 4, 5. I wonder whether Peter, when he wrote these words, was thinking about what Jesus Christ said to him long ago, up there at Caesarea Philippi. He had heard from Christ's lips, 'Thou art Peter, and on this rock I will build My Church.' He had understood very little of what it meant then. He is an old man now, years of experience and sorrow and work have taught him the meaning of the words, and he …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture Ephesians, Peter,John

Christ Precious to Believers
This remark is uttered by way of introduction, it may seem egotistical, but that I cannot help. I must give glory to God in the midst of the great congregation, and pay my vows to the Lord now in the midst of all his saints, in the midst of thee, O Jerusalem. My text states a positive fact, namely, that Christ is precious to believers. This shall be the first part of our discourse; then in the second we will try to answer the question, why is Jesus Christ so precious to his believing people? And …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 5: 1859

Coming to Christ
"To whom coming."--1 Peter 2:4. IN THESE three words you have, first of all, a blessed person mentioned, under the pronoun "whom"--"To whom coming." In the way of salvation we come alone to Jesus Christ. All comings to baptism, comings to confirmation, comings to sacrament are all null and void unless we come to Jesus Christ. That which saves the soul is not coming to a human priest, nor even attending the assemblies of God's saints; it is coming to Jesus Christ, the great exalted Saviour, once slain, …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 62: 1916

The Lively Stones. Rev. W. Morley Punshon.
"Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ."--1 PETER ii. 5. There is a manifest reference in the fourth verse to the personage alluded to in Psalm cxviii. 22, 23: "The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner. This is the Lord's doing; it is marvellous in our eyes." And this passage is applied by Christ to himself in Matthew xxi. 42: "Jesus saith unto them, Did …
Knowles King—The Wesleyan Methodist Pulpit in Malvern

The Sin-Bearer.
A COMMUNION MEDITATION AT MENTONE. "Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls."--1 Peter ii. 24, 25. THE SIN-BEARER. THIS wonderful passage is a part of Peter's address to servants; and in his day nearly all servants were slaves. Peter begins at the eighteenth verse: "Servants, be subject …
Charles Hadden Spurgeon—Till He Come

That the Grace of God Doth not Join Itself to those who Mind Earthly Things
"My Son, precious is My grace, it suffereth not itself to be joined with outward things, nor with earthly consolations. Therefore thou oughtest to cast away all things which hinder grace, if thou longest to receive the inpouring thereof. Seek a secret place for thyself, love to dwell alone with thyself, desire the conversation of no one; but rather pour out thy devout prayer to God, that thou mayest possess a contrite mind and a pure conscience. Count the whole world as nought; seek to be alone …
Thomas A Kempis—Imitation of Christ

"For Hereunto were Ye Called; Because Christ Also Suffered for You...
"For hereunto were ye called; because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that ye should follow in his steps." It was Friday morning and the Rev. Henry Maxwell was trying to finish his Sunday morning sermon. He had been interrupted several times and was growing nervous as the morning wore away, and the sermon grew very slowly toward a satisfactory finish. "Mary," he called to his wife, as he went upstairs after the last interruption, "if any one comes after this, I wish you would …
Charles M. Sheldon—In His Steps

Defective Learning.
"He that believeth on Him shall not be confounded."--1 Peter ii. 6. St. Paul declares that faith is the gift of God (Ephes. ii. 8). His words, "And that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God," refer to the word "faith." A new generation of youthful expositors confidently assert that these words refer to "by grace are ye saved." The majority of them are evidently ignorant of the history of the exegesis of the text. They only know that the pronoun "that" in the clause "and that not of yourselves" …
Abraham Kuyper—The Work of the Holy Spirit

From Gallienus to the End of the Last Persecution (Ad 261-313)
Valerian, who had treated the Christians so cruelly, came to a miserable end. He led his army into Persia, where he was defeated and taken prisoner. He was kept for some time in captivity; and we are told that he used to be led forth, loaded with chains, but with the purple robes of an emperor thrown over him, that the Persians might mock at his misfortunes. And when he had died from the effects of shame and grief, it is said that his skin was stuffed with straw, and was kept in a temple, as a remembrance …
J. C. Roberston—Sketches of Church History, from AD 33 to the Reformation

A Defence of the Doctrine of Justification, by Faith in Jesus Christ;
SHEWING, TRUE GOSPEL-HOLINESS FLOWS FROM THENCE; OR, MR. FOWLER'S PRETENDED DESIGN OF CHRISTIANITY, PROVED TO BE NOTHING MORE THAN TO TRAMPLE UNDER FOOT THE BLOOD OF THE SON OF GOD; AND THE IDOLIZING OF MAN'S OWN RIGHTEOUSNESS AS ALSO, HOW WHILE HE PRETENDS TO BE A MINISTER OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND, HE OVERTHROWETH THE WHOLESOME DOCTRINE CONTAINED IN THE 10TH, 11TH, AND 13TH, OF THE THIRTY-NINE ARTICLES OF THE SAME, AND THAT HE FALLETH IN WITH THE QUAKER AND ROMANIST, AGAINST THEM. BY JOHN BUNYAN …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

Justification by an Imputed Righteousness;
OR, NO WAY TO HEAVEN BUT BY JESUS CHRIST. ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR. This is one of those ten excellent manuscripts which were found among Bunyan's papers after his decease in 1688. It had been prepared by him for publication, but still wanted a few touches of his masterly hand, and a preface in his characteristic style. He had, while a prisoner for nonconformity, in 1672, published a treatise upon this subject, in reply to Mr. Fowler, who was soon after created Bishop of Gloucester; but that was …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

God's Peace Obtained in Answer to Prayer
GOD'S PEACE OBTAINED IN ANSWER TO PRAYER ". . . Let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." -- Phil. 4:6, 7. When we make our requests known unto God by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving we are assured of receiving His peace through Christ Jesus. When we enter into the sacred Presence of the Prince of Peace, we enter into the place of perfect peace. The house of prayer is the sanctuary …
T. M. Anderson—Prayer Availeth Much

The First Wall.
Let us, in the first place, attack the first wall. It has been devised, that the Pope, bishops, priests and monks are called the Spiritual Estate; Princes, lords, artificers and peasants, are the Temporal Estate; which is a very fine, hypocritical device. But let no one be made afraid by it; and that for this reason: That all Christians are truly of the Spiritual Estate, and there is no difference among them, save of office alone. As St. Paul says (1 Cor. xii.), we are all one body, though each member …
Martin Luther—First Principles of the Reformation

Some Other Writers of the New Testament
[Illustration: (drop cap L) Ancient engraving of man reading scroll] Let us now look at the rest of the books which make up the New Testament. In the days when Paul preached at Athens, the old capital of Greece, much of the ancient splendour and power of the Greek people had passed away, for the Romans had conquered their country, and they were no longer a free nation. Yet, although the Greeks had been forced to yield to Rome, their conquerors knew that the Grecian scholars and artists were far …
Mildred Duff—The Bible in its Making

Of the Primacy of the Romish See.
1. Brief recapitulation. Why the subject of primacy not yet mentioned. Represented by Papists as the bond of ecclesiastical unity. Setting out with this axiom, they begin to debate about their hierarchy. 2. Question stated. An attempted proof from the office of High Priest among the Jews. Two answers. 3. Arguments for primacy from the New Testament. Two answers. 4. Another answer. The keys given to the other apostles as well as to Peter. Other two arguments answered by passages of Cyprian and Augustine. …
John Calvin—The Institutes of the Christian Religion

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