Definition for Cornerstone
Glossary
Cornerstone:
Different places in Scripture refer to a foundation stone, a cornerstone (cf. Is. 28:16; Zech. 10:4; and Ps. 118:22). The cornerstone is the body of Jesus — the NC Temple. This interpretation is confirmed by St. Paul when he writes, “Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom you also are built into it [SML] for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit” (Eph. 2:20-22). That which grew into a holy Temple
Scripture directly links the Temple, the cornerstone, and Jesus’ body (Jn. 2:21). This same direct linkage can be made to the story of Jacob (Gen. 28:11-19). Taking the stone upon which he had slept the night of his dream (he dreamt of angels ascending and descending a ladder), Jacob erected it as a pillar. According to God’s inspiration, Hildegard wrote that a stone is the very symbol of the Temple. Jacob’s erection of the stone pillar was a foreshadowing of the Son of God becoming incarnate. The stone is the symbol of unchangeable Truth incarnate.[1] St. Cyprian of Carthage also directly links Jesus and stone by citing the following Scripture passages: 1) Is. 28:16 (the foundation stone from Zion).
Here are some apropos passages in Scripture:
1. Deut. 10:1-3 (the two stones tablets hewed after the first two were broken — the two that ended up in the Ark);2. Jos. 24:25-27 (the witness stone);3. Acts 4:10-11 (the rejected cornerstone);4. Gen. 28:11 (Jacob’s stone ‘pillow’ and pillar);5. Ex. 17:12 (the stone seat Moses sat on during the battle with Amalek);6. 1 Sam. 17:49 (the stone to the forehead of Goliath); and,7. 1 Sam. 7:12 (the stone that helpeth — called Ebenezer — set up by Samuel after conquering the Philistines).[2]
St. Peter tells us, “Come to him, to that living stone, rejected by men but in God’s sight chosen and precious; and like living stones be yourselves built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” (1 Pt. 2:4-5).
In other words, the members of the body of Christ, i.e., the Church, are also living stones, and the spiritual house is the Temple
ENDNOTES:
[1] Hildegard, Scivias, 380-381.
[2] St. Cyprian of Carthage, “Treatise 12,” The Treatises of Cyprian (Third Millennium Media L.L.C., The Faith Database L.L.C., 2008), n. 16.
[3] Pope Pius XII, Mystici Corporis Christi, n. 7.