Gloryteller

I was reading Peter’s ‘first’ and noticed how he refers to Jesus Christ as the Chief Cornerstone twice in quick succession. That caused me to think – to ponder.
I sat in ponderous thought.
I thought about how ancient Isaiah also referred to the Messiah as the cornerstone.  God gave several different authors this metaphor that is eternal in its reach.
“The Bible is an astoundingly brilliant work!” I thought.  (Duh! Of course it is!)

“Cornerstone”, I thought . . . An ancient builder’s term; one with which many in Peter’s flock would have been familiar, as I am, even today. The primary (chief) cornerstone is the first part of a building to be set. Primary to the other three cornerstones. (I think of the other cornerstones as being the Prophets, the Apostles, and the Disciples.) Its placement must be perfect and the stone (the block) itself must be perfect, for the perfection of the whole building depends on it.
“That’s Jesus!” I thought.
The stone that was rejected in Matthew, Mark and Luke became the Chief Cornerstone. The builders (the pharisees, I’m assuming?) built their building without Him, resulting in its collapse. Their structure of belief in themselves, and not Jesus, is a fallen one. (“Not one stone will remain upon another”, He said.)

The cornerstone is chosen for its qualities of material strength, purity of substance, and ability to endure ponderous weights under all conditions of time and weather. It is then shaped with sharp steel to possess many perfect right angles. “That, too, is Jesus!” I said to myself.

When the resulting cornerstone is perfected, it must be set. Its placement will determine the final position and shape of the whole structure. It must be perfectly plumb, perfectly level, and lined up perfectly “straight with the world”. Although our Cornerstone will be considered foundational, it must, Itself, be placed on a solid footing – either bedrock, or packed, undisturbed soil but never sand, clay, or mud. And, to me, that foundation is the Word of Father God.
“Jesus, again!” He always stands upon The Word – the Good and Precious Stone of Acts, Ephesians, Peter, Psalms, and Isaiah.

Now let us assume that our stone is a perfect cube, although it could as easily be a rectangular solid. How does one make a perfect cube? By measuring the diagonals of each face (from each corner to the opposite one) and making certain that the two diagonals on each face are exactly the same length. My cognitive processes soon led me to a wonder – the figure formed by those two diagonals is . . . a cross! The diagonals make four perfect right angles. I really like making these connections!

And if the cornerstone were a rectangular solid, the diagonals would form an ‘ X ‘.
SIDE NOTE: Here is an excerpt from a previous post:

“I began to think about how the X in Xmas stands for Christ.  I found that the X is actually Chi, the first letter in the Greek word, Χριστος.  I hope I got that right, because, hey, it’s Greek!  Anyway, that Greek word means Christos – the anointed One – which is a translation of the Hebrew “Messiah”.    The X in Xmas is derived from the Chi (pronounced “Ky” which rhymes with “my”, or “guy”) in this word: Χριστος.  X, or Chi, (we think in terms of an English “X”) came to denote “Christ” sometime in the sixteenth century.”  I consider the cross and an “X” to be closely related – another connection to our Jesus.

So, the Prime Cornerstone is precious. It is perfect in itself and is placed perfectly. It is strong, and pure, and durable, and beautiful. It stands on the most solid footing. Its faces bear the figurative markings of a cross. It is essential – the First, the Primary, the Beginning. “Yes!” I thought, “That is most certainly our Jesus! If we are the bricks in the walls of His body – His Church – He most certainly holds us up in all the ways one would expect a perfect Cornerstone to perform!”

Then there is the Capstone.

In the NIV, Peter adds the reference of Jesus as the Capstone – the finishing stone covering the top of the walls. He refers to Psalm 118. (Zechariah also spoke of The Capstone.)  The Chief Capstone is Ornate and glorious. It signifies completion, exaltation, and eminence. It sits atop the wall directly above the Chief Cornerstone, sealing, and protecting, and possessing every piece under it. This too, is a wonderful picture of Jesus.

I picture the essence – the Spirit – of the Living Cornerstone beginning to ascend up the corner of the building, slowly, like an elevator. It is lit with an inner glow that gets brighter and whiter as it rises. As it passes each row of blocks comprising the walls, it imparts its light to that row all the way around. It keeps rising, lighting each row and burning brighter with pristine white fire, ascending and transforming until it reaches its final position seated on top of the wall. It is at the peak of its splendor and glory. It has made the whole structure splendid and glorious. The finished work. The epitome; the peak; the top Capstone. High and exalted. He now sits at the highest pinnacle of everything. The Beginning and the Ending. The First and the Last. Alpha and Omega. Beginner and finisher of our faith and our salvation. The strong Rock we stand upon and our Seal at the top.  Our Crown!

Cornerstone and Capstone. Yes! That is our Lord Jesus!
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