Luke 20:18
Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces, and when it falls on anyone, it will crush him.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
What's easy to miss is the stark contrast between two kinds of destruction: being "broken to pieces" versus being "crushed to powder." The first describes those who actively reject and stumble against Jesus, experiencing a shattering but perhaps still a remnant. The second describes those on whom Christ, in his divine judgment, falls, signifying utter annihilation and complete destruction.
Jesus has just told a parable about wicked tenants who killed their master's servants and even his son, a clear allegory for how the religious leaders had rejected and killed God's prophets and would reject Jesus himself. The leaders understood Jesus was speaking about them and sought to arrest him, but the crowd's presence deterred them. In response, Jesus quotes from Psalm 118, identifying himself as the stone rejected by the builders that has become the cornerstone, warning of the terrible consequences for those who reject him.
Have you ever thought about the way someone interacts with God's truth? It matters, and Jesus highlights two drastically different outcomes.
Jesus presents a stark contrast in how people will face this 'stone' – a metaphor for Himself and His kingdom.
Two Encounters, Two Fates
Ask a follow-up
Ask Sola things like:
Live chat about Luke 20:18 is available in the Sola app.
The very One the leaders rejected became the ultimate Cornerstone. How does this rejection lead to destruction for some?
Jesus is quoting from the Old Testament, specifically Psalm 118. The 'stone' here is the cornerstone that the builders (religious leaders) rejected. They saw themselves as the architects of God's kingdom, but they refused to accept Jesus as the foundation He truly is.
From Rejection to Ruin
This verse's imagery of a stone, a cornerstone rejected by builders yet destined to crush those who oppose it, directly connects to Jesus' public confrontation with the religious elite in Jerusalem, echoing ancient prophecies and foreshadowing both the ultimate judgment on those who reject Him and the foundation He provides for His kingdom.
c. 970 BC
Davidic Kingdom Established
King David establishes Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, a pivotal moment for the future significance of Zion and its temple.
c. 740 BC
Prophecy of the Cornerstone
Isaiah prophesies about a stone that God will lay in Zion, a precious cornerstone that will become the foundation of a secure house, but also a stone of stumbling and rock of offense.
c. 586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem and Temple
Babylonian forces conquer Jerusalem, destroy Solomon's Temple, and exile much of the population, fulfilling prophecies of judgment.
c. 538 BC
Return from Exile
Persian decree allows Jewish exiles to return to Jerusalem and begin rebuilding the Temple, marking a significant return of God's people to their land.
c. 25 BC
Herod's Temple Expansion
King Herod the Great begins a massive renovation and expansion of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, aiming to create a magnificent structure.
c. AD 30-33— this verse
Jesus' Ministry and Rejection
Jesus teaches and performs miracles throughout Judea, presenting Himself as the Messiah, but is increasingly rejected by the religious leaders.
AD 70
Destruction of the Second Temple
Roman legions under Titus sack Jerusalem and destroy Herod's Temple, fulfilling Jesus' prophecy and signifying the end of an era for Jewish worship.
This passage describes the Lord as a 'stone of stumbling' and a 'rock of offense' against whom both houses of Israel will strike, emphasizing the destructive consequence of rejecting Him.
Daniel 2:34-35This prophetic vision of a stone striking and destroying a great image illustrates the ultimate power of God's kingdom, represented by Christ, to crush all opposition.
Matthew 21:42-44Jesus quotes Psalm 118 here, directly linking the rejected cornerstone to the judgment described in Luke 20:18, highlighting the builders' rejection of God's chosen stone.
Romans 9:32-33This passage directly references the 'stone of stumbling' and 'rock of offense,' explaining that Israel stumbled because they sought righteousness by works rather than faith in Christ.
1 Corinthians 1:23Paul describes Christ as a stumbling block and foolishness to those who are perishing, which directly parallels the idea of falling on the stone and being broken.
pooleLuke 20:18: "Whosoever shall fall upon that stone shall be broken; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder."
See Poole on "Luke 20:9"
vincentLuke 20:18: "Whosoever shall fall upon that stone shall be broken; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder."
Shall be broken (συνθλασθήσεται)Rev., rightly, broken to pieces. See on Matthew 21:44.Grind him to powder (λικμήσει)See on Matthew 21:44
What's easy to miss is the stark contrast between two kinds of destruction: being "broken to pieces" versus being "crushed to powder." The first describes those who actively reject and stumble against Jesus, experiencing a shattering but perhaps still a remnant. The second describes those on whom Christ, in his divine judgment, falls, signifying utter annihilation and complete destruction.
Jesus has just told a parable about wicked tenants who killed their master's servants and even his son, a clear allegory for how the religious leaders had rejected and killed God's prophets and would reject Jesus himself. The leaders understood Jesus was speaking about them and sought to arrest him, but the crowd's presence deterred them. In response, Jesus quotes from Psalm 118, identifying himself as the stone rejected by the builders that has become the cornerstone, warning of the terrible consequences for those who reject him.
Jesus has just told a parable about wicked tenants who killed their master's servants and even his son, a clear allegory for how the religious leaders had rejected and killed God's prophets and would reject Jesus himself. The leaders understood Jesus was speaking about them and sought to arrest him, but the crowd's presence deterred them. In response, Jesus quotes from Psalm 118, identifying himself as the stone rejected by the builders that has become the cornerstone, warning of the terrible consequences for those who reject him.
"Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces, and when it falls on anyone, it will crush him.”" — What's easy to miss is the stark contrast between two kinds of destruction: being "broken to pieces" versus being "crushed to powder." The first describes those who actively reject and stumble agains…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
