Ancient Architectural Cornerstones

The architectural cornerstone of Biblical times is often thought to refer to what today we might call a foundation stone. Apples and oranges. The cornerstone in ancient buildings would be the keystone at the head (or top) of an arch. The photo of this doorway in a Crusader castle (1168 AD) from Israel’s Jordan Valley illustrates it beautifully. In the Gospels of Matthew (21), Mark (12) and Luke (20), Jesus (Yeshua) quotes Psalm 118:22, “The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief corner stone.” The “head of the corner” (“rosh pina” in Hebrew) holds everything else in place! The cornerstone/keystone bears the weight of the others. Remove the stone… and the whole building falls apart. The Lord upholds you today! He can handle the pressures that you were never intended to bear.