STONE

The fact that stone was so widely used in ancient times as a building material has been of great aid to archaeologists in gaining some knowledge of the past. Temples, palaces, monuments and other structures of stone were erected by the Egyptians, Assyrians and other nations, on many of which are pictorial representations and inscriptions relating events, describing victories and depicting customs that throw light on their history as well as on their everyday life. The Hebrews used stone widely in buildings (Lev. 14:40, 41), walls (Neh. 4:3; Prov. 24:31), for covering wells, caves and tombs (Gen. 29:8; Josh. 10:18; John 11:38), for altars (Ex. 20:25), millstones (Judg. 9:53), water vessels (John 2:6), weights (Prov. 16:11) and many other purposes. However, the Hebrews did not erect monuments with pictorial bas-reliefs, as did the pagan nations; consequently little is known about their appearance, the exact styles of their clothing, and so forth. But the Bible provides a richer history of Israel, their manner of life and their personalities than the stone remains give of any of the other nations.

Stonecutting was a highly developed craft. (2 Sam. 5:11; 1 Ki. 5:18) The stones for the temple of Solomon at Jerusalem were cut at the quarry, so that they fitted together at the temple site without further shaping.—1 Ki. 6:7.

FIGURATIVE USE

Jesus Christ is called the “foundation cornerstone” of the spiritual temple of Jehovah, upon which the spirit-begotten followers of Christ “as living stones are being built up a spiritual house.” The Jewish religious leaders, as national “builders,” rejected him as the “chief cornerstone,” stumbling over this stone because they were disobedient to God’s word.—Eph. 2:19-22; 1 Pet. 2:4-8; Matt. 21:42; Mark 12:10; Luke 20:17; Rom. 9:32, 33.

God’s kingdom is likened to a stone “cut out not by hands” and which will crush and put an end to all other kingdoms, and will itself stand “to times indefinite.”—Dan. 2:34, 44, 45.

At Revelation 2:17, the glorified Christ Jesus promises concerning the Christian conqueror: “I will give him a white pebble [“stone,” AV], and upon the pebble a new name written which no one knows except the one receiving it.” The word “pebble” here translates the Greek word pseʹphos. The apostle Paul uses the word when he recounts his former Persecution of Christians, saying: “I cast my vote [pseʹphos; literally, voting pebble] against them.” (Acts 26:10) Pebbles were used in courts of justice in rendering judgment or voicing an opinion of either innocence or guilt. White pebbles were used for pronouncing innocence, acquittal; black ones for pronouncing guilt, condemnation. The white pebble given to the conqueror therefore appears to mean Jesus’ judgment of him as innocent, pure, clean, passing Christ’s approval as a disciple.—See JEWELS AND PRECIOUS STONES; ROCK-MASS