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Weekly Blessings: Week 16: Cornerstone

Image Credit: http://intrumpet.com/superintendentsviewpoint/the-way-the-truth-the-life/

Hello all, and welcome “Weekly Blessings!” If you’re a returning guest, welcome back and thanks for sticking with me! If you’re new here, I’m so glad you decided to stop by! 

This week’s inspiration came from an unlikely source. Anyone who knows me well enough knows that I absolutely love Jamaican music and culture. I especially love Jamaican documentaries. One night I stumbled upon a documentary about Bob Marley. The documentary just went through his life and the stories behind his music. If you’re interested in the documentary, you can click here to watch it.

One song caught my attention and is the driving force behind this week’s blessing: “Cornerstone:”




If you didn’t know, Bob Marley was bi-racial. According to the documentary, he was born to an 18-year old mother and 60-year old father. Although his parents were married, his father was constantly away and Bob was only able to see him a few times until he passed away when Bob was 10. 

Years later Bob began working on his music career and needed money for a car so he could get around to sell his records. He decided to go see his father’s family and ask for help. According to the documentary, his father’s family turned him away, claiming that he was not one of them, for Norval Marley(Bob’s father) never had a child. This event hurt Bob so deeply that it became the inspiration for “Cornerstone.”

When I thought about this and listened to the song, I realized that, although Marley was a Rastafarian, this song easily takes on Christian principles. I decided to investigate.

I looked at the lyrics of the song and found a site that had some scripture from the Bible actually backing Bob’s words up! Here were the verses they used:

~Psalm 118:22 – The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner. (KJV)

~Matthew 21:42 – Jesus asked them, Have you never read in the Scriptures: The very Stone which the builders rejected and threw away has become the Cornerstone; this is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes? (AMP)

~Acts 4:11 – This [Jesus] is the Stone which was despised and rejected by you, the builders, but which has become the Head of the corner [the Cornerstone]. (AMP)


~1 Peter 2:7 – To you then who believe (who adhere to, trust in, and rely on Him) is the preciousness; but for those who disbelieve [it is true], The [very] Stone which the builders rejected has become the main Cornerstone (AMP)

I chose to keep the first verse in King James because, as you can see, that verse says exactly what Bob says in the song, he just used it differently. In the song, Bob was using the metaphor of the cornerstone to describe how his father’s family rejected him. However, they did not realize that he was going to become one of the most celebrated musicians in history. Therefore, he will always be loved and remembered; he is the reason the Marley name is so well known, not because of them. And that is kind of what the scriptures are saying too: at the end of the day, God will get His glory.

Also in my research, I found a blog post by James over on Think Hebrew who talked about these scriptures also. He explained in great detail the meaning of the cornerstone. It’s a great read.

What exactly is a cornerstone? Well, in building terms, it is the most important stone in the whole construction because it sets the foundation for the rest of the stones and determines position of the entire building. Also, cornerstone is defined as “something that is essential, indispensable, or basic,” or “the chief foundation on which something is constructed or developed.” However, the cornerstone, or the capstone, as James called it, is usually the last stone that is put into place.

Is it clicking yet? No? Well let me break it down for you: Jesus came into the world completely opposite of how the people thought he would. He was born in a manger around animals (Luke 2:11-12) and grew up to be a simple carpenter(Mark 6:3). Not to mention the fact that He was described as a plain-looking man; he wasn’t very impressive(Isaiah 53:2). Jesus was the last person anybody thought would be the Savior of the world, but obviously he proved them all wrong! Here is a rabbinic parable, as told by James, that will explain further:

“When Solomon’s temple was being built, it was forbidden for the sound of hammers to be heard at the job site because it was a holy place of worship.  You can’t have worship with construction going on in the background!  So it had to be quiet.  What this meant for the construction was that each and every 20 ton stone had to have a ‘shop drawing’ and was made several miles away in the quarry.  Several miles away each stone was carefully cut for its exact spot in the temple.  From the very start, there was a plan for each stone.  The very first stone to be delivered was the capstone, but that’s the last stone needed in construction.  So the builders said, “What is this?  This doesn’t look like any of the first stones we need.  Put it over there for now.”  Well, years went by and the grass grew over the capstone and everyone generally forgot about it.  Finally the construction was done and the builders said “send us the capstone” and the word came back from the quarry “we already did”.  They were confused.  Then someone remembered what they had done with the very first stone sent to them.  It was taken from its lowly position among the overgrown weeds where it had been forgotten, and it was honored in the final ceremony to complete the temple.  Thus the scripture says, “The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone.”


Making sense yet? See how they tossed that stone aside, not recognizing its value until they realized that they needed it to accomplish their take? Isn’t that similar to what they did to Jesus? 

Didn’t most of the people in Jesus’ time reject him(Isaiah 53:3)? Didn’t they tell Him he was crazy and that He wasn’t the Messiah(John 10:20)? And didn’t they realize that they had made a mistake and that Jesus really was who He claimed to be(Matthew 27:54, Mark 15:39)? Jesus was “the stone that the builder refused,” and they realized that “He will always be the head cornerstone,” because he is “the way, the truth, and the life,” and nobody can get into Heaven unless it’s through Him(John 14:6)! He is what we need to finish our own tasks and create our spiritual buildings! 

We can’t have a successful relationships without acknowledging His presence in it, we can’t build fruitful churches without Him in it, we can’t even say ‘Merry Christmas’ without Him in it! And most importantly,we can’t be saved unless we accept Jesus! 

And to make it even more interesting, during Jesus’ time, carpenters did not just work with wood, they worked with stone! This kinda fits in with the fact that God is the creator of all humankind and has a specific purpose in mind for everyone, just as a carpenter as a use for everything he uses; he doesn’t make stuff just for the heck of it,people; there is a specific use in mind! Also, James mentions in his post that the Greek work for carpenter is “tekton,” which means “builder.” Isn’t that amazing?! 


 As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him— you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.For in Scripture it says:“See, I lay a stone in Zion,  a chosen and precious cornerstone,and the one who trusts in him  will never be put to shame.”Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe,“The stone the builders rejected   has become the cornerstone,” ~1 Peter 2:4-7

And to wrap it up, I have a song for you guys! 
“No Way” by Tye Tribbett.

Thanks for reading! If you’d like to share something(Bible verse, a song, or a message) that God has put on your heart, please do so! If you’d like to contribute to “Weekly Blessings,” reach me via Facebook,  Twitter, or Emailyou can also simply comment below and I’ll make sure to get back with you!

6 thoughts on “Weekly Blessings: Week 16: Cornerstone

  1. Thanks for this very important inspiration and reminder! I certainly needed to read that before the busy week ahead. Visiting from the Peony Project!

  2. Thank you for your comment! I agree,Jesus is vital to our lives and some do reject Him,but at the end of the day everyone is going to bow down eventually.

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