unbelieving – Ministry of Grace Church

and a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense to the ones who are stumbling at the word, being unbelieving, — to which also they were appointed.

Truth to Learn

Those who reject God’s call are condemned because they don’t believe.

Behind the Words

The word translated “stone” is lithos, which is a primary word that refers to any stone independent of size, whereas the word translated “rock” is from the Greek word petra, meaning “a mass of rock” or “a massive rock.”

“Stumbling” is translated from proskommatos, which is made up of pros, meaning “to, toward, or against” and a form of koptō, meaning “to cut” or “to strike.” So, literally this word means “to strike against,” that is, “to stub” or “to stumble.”

The word translated “offense” is the Greek word scandalon. It literally means “a trap stick”, that is, a stick which is bated and used to trap or snare an animal. This word has come to mean “an occasion to fall” or “an offense.”

The word “unbelieving” is translated from apeitheō, which we looked at in the previous verse. It means “disbelieving” or “being disobedient.”

Finally, the word “appointed” is from a form of tithēmi which means “to place”, “to put”, or “to appoint.”

Meaning Explained

Not only has Christ become the most important foundation stone upon which Christians and the church as a whole are built, but He has become a different kind of stone for those who reject Him.

Peter is saying that Christ has become a firm cornerstone to believers but to those who stub themselves on the Word (that is, they don’t believe the simple message contained in the Bible), He is a stubbing stone and a massive rock that traps. The reason they stub themselves is because they do not believe, to which condition they were appointed (because they are not among the chosen ones). This interpretation has been hotly debated for centuries but those who interpret the Bible literally understand it to be consistent with the doctrine of election.

Now, lest we get the wrong idea from what Peter is saying, these who do not believe are condemned because they are disobedient. They are not disobedient because they are condemned. That is, God does not “cause” them to be disobedient; He simply judges them for their disobedience.

And … God does not hide the truth from these disobedient ones, but Satan does:

whose minds the god of this age [Satan] has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them. (2Corinthians 4:4)

Application

Those who do not believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that He died on the cross to pay for their sins, are condemned for their disobedience. They are disobedient by their very nature (sin nature), not because God caused them to be disobedient. They are personally responsible for their sins, just as we are. The difference is that we have accepted Jesus’ payment for our sins and they haven’t

In God's service, for His glory,

Therefore, to you who believe, is the preciousness; but to the unbelieving ones, "the stone which the builders rejected became the head of the corner,"

Truth to Learn

What you believe about Jesus determines the role He plays in your life, both now and eternally.

Behind the Words

The word translated “believe,” is pisteuō, meaning “to believe” or “to have faith.” It is expressed here as a present participle and could be expressed as “the believing ones.”

“Unbelieving” is translated from apeitheō, which literally means “someone who is not persuaded” or “someone who does not believe.” Through common usage, however, it has come to mean “one who is disobedient.” This, too, is expressed in the current verse as a present participle and could be expressed as “disobeying ones.”

The word “rejected” is translated from apodokimadzō, which is a compound word made up of apo, meaning “from” or “away from” and dokimadzō, meaning “to test” or “to approve.” Hence, it means “to disapprove” or “to reject.”

In the previous verse we saw that “chief cornerstone” was the translation of the Greek words lithon akrogōniaios. In the current verse it is translated from kephalēn gōnias, which literally means “head of the corner.”

Meaning Explained

In verses 2 and 4 of this chapter, Peter refers to Christ, the cornerstone, as precious, having great value. In this verse he makes a distinction between what this cornerstone is to true believers and what this stone (stumbling stone) is to unbelievers. To those of us who believe, He is truly precious, but to the disobedient ones, those who reject Christ, He is a stumbling stone, as Peter will say in the next verse. In the current verse, Peter is pulling together the contents of three different Old Testament passages:

And He shall be a sanctuary for you, but for a stone of stumbling, and for a rock of falling to both the houses of Israel, for a trap and for a snare to the people of Jerusalem (Isaiah 8:14)

therefore so says the Lord Jehovah, Behold, I place in Zion a Stone for a foundation, a tried Stone, a precious Cornerstone, a sure Foundation; he who believes shall not hurry (Isaiah 28:16)

The Stone which the builders refused has become the Head of the corner (Psalms 118:22)

The Jews, you see, took delight in the verses which portrayed their Messiah as a bearer of blessing, while they overlooked those references to His retribution and offense. Peter is making it clear to his readers that Christ is one and the same with the Messiah and, depending on what you believe about Him, is either a Savior or a Judge.

Application

I sometimes make assumptions about the people who read these daily devotional studies. I assume that you already believe Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of God, and that you have accepted Him as your Lord and Savior. If that’s true, then Jesus is your sure foundation. Otherwise, He is your Judge and you will be found eternally guilty!

In God's service, for His glory,

Ministry of Grace Church

Tag: unbelieving

1 Peter 2:8 – Stumbling Disobedience

1 Peter 2:7 – Foundational Judge