see 1 Pet. 2 : 6. Matt. 21 : 42. Acts 4:11; compare also Ps. 118 : 22. 1 Cor. 3 : 11. Eph. 2 : 20, and other passages, in which Christ is spoken of as the foundation or corner-stone of his church. The same interpre- tation of the passage was given by the ancient Jews.
The other passage, Isa. 8 : 14, is of much the same character. God exhorts the people not to be afredd of the combination between Syria and Ephraim. The Lord of hosts was to be feared and trusted, he would be a refuge to those who confided in hira, but a stone of stumbling and rock of offence to all others. This passage too, as appears from a comparison of the one previously cited with Ps. 118 : 22, and the quotation and appli- cation of them by the New Testament writers, refers to Christ. What is said in the Old Testament of Jehovah, the inspired penmen of the New do not hesitate to refer to the Saviour; compare John 12 : 41. Isa. 6 : 1. Heb. 1 : 10, 11. Ps. 102 : 25. 1 Cor. 10 : 9. Ex. 17 : 2, 7. When God, therefore, declared that he should be a sanctuary to one class of the people, and a rock of offence to another, he meant that he, in the person of his Son, as the Immanuel, would thus be confided in by some, but rejected and despised by others. The whole spirit, opinions, and expectations of the Jews were adverse to the person, character, and doctrines of the Redeemer. He was, therefore, to them a stumbling block, as he was to others foolishness. They could not recognise him as their fondly antici- pated Messiah, nor consent to enter the kingdom of heaven on the terms which he prescribed. In them, therefore, were fulfilled the ancient pro- phecies, which spoke of their rejection of Christ, and consequent excision from the people of God.