Peter’s claim that Christ and Christians are alike “living stones” (resurrected, born again—alive) is astounding, if only because the apostle groups Christ and Christians together as components of the same house. He refers to Scripture to substantiate his point. With the word translated as “stands” (literally, “encircle”) the apostle declares that all of Scripture (and not just a couple of texts) surrounds and supports the unity God intends between Jesus Christ and his people. That is, all Scripture insists that what God did in Jesus Christ was for the benefit of God’s chosen so that Christ’s benefits are the Christians’ benefits.
6 For it stands in Scripture: “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”