Peter's readers would be familiar with many stone temples of various sorts, but in coming to Christ we come to the living stone. We do not come to a human religious system, but to the living God. We are not coming to aset of ideals or philosophy, but to a person. Christ was rejected by men, but is chosen by God. Ie Christ is God' choice of the way, it really doesn't matter what others think, it is God's opinion that counts.
We are being built into a spiritual temple. Ancient temples were made of stone, many of them were magnificant buildings, and they were the focus of the religion. We are not like that. We ourselves are the stones, being built into a living temple. The focus of the gospel is on people, not buildings.
We are all part of a holy priesthood. Priests were the ones who offered various services to the god they worshipped, including animal sacrifices. We are all priests to the one true God, and offer ourselves as a living sacrifice to God. Ie living lives in trust and obedience to God is the sacrifice that God requires.
We are being built into a spiritual temple. Ancient temples were made of stone, many of them were magnificant buildings, and they were the focus of the religion. We are not like that. We ourselves are the stones, being built into a living temple. The focus of the gospel is on people, not buildings.
We are all part of a holy priesthood. Priests were the ones who offered various services to the god they worshipped, including animal sacrifices. We are all priests to the one true God, and offer ourselves as a living sacrifice to God. Ie living lives in trust and obedience to God is the sacrifice that God requires.
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