This talk of stones/rocks has got me thinking, oh no not again. About some of the ways Jesus was described as a stone/rock and how he talked about stones/rocks.
In 1st Peter 2; 1-8 we read:
WHEREFORE laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings,
2. As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:
3. If so ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.
4. To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious,
5. 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.
6. Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion (Hebrew: צִיּוֹן, tziyyon Sion is a term that most often designates the Land of Israel and its capital, Jerusalem) A Chief Cornerstone, Elect, Precious, And He That Believeth On Him Shall not Be Confounded.
7. Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, The Stone Which The builders Disallowed, The Same Is Made The Head Of The Corner,
8. And A Stone Of Stumbling, And A Rock Of Offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.
In Isaiah we read:
Isaiah 8:14-15 And he shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel, for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 15 And many among them shall stumble, and fall, and be broken, and be snared, and be taken.
It is interesting that in this passage Jesus is first mentioned as a sanctuary, a place of refuge, a dwelling place, and a place of worship.
He then declares that he would be a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence.
He also declares that Jesus would be a gin* and a snare to some. *Side note; a Gin is also a type of block and tackle used to set stones in place when building a building; to lower into place and fix solidly, as the blocks of cut stone in a structure.
Paul also made reference to an Old Testament prophecy.
Romans 9:33 As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumbling stone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
Again, in his first letter to the Corinthians he refers to the same thing.
1 Corinthians 1:23 But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling block, and unto the Greeks foolishness.
In Psalms 31 verse 2 we read:
Bow down thine ear to me; deliver me speedily: be thou my strong rock, for an house of defence to save me.
3. For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name's sake lead me, and guide me.
Lastly: The Bible is clear that Jesus is the rock.
Corinthians 10:4 and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ.
Just my thoughts.
Seeking to do God's will always,
Douglas