Matthew 21:42
Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: “‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this was the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes’?
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Jesus is pointing out the irony: the very religious leaders who saw themselves as the wise "builders" of God's house are the ones rejecting the cornerstone God Himself chose. It’s not just about a stone, but the stone, highlighting Jesus as the singular, divine foundation, whose rejection is a divine setup for His ultimate triumph and marvelous purpose.
Fresh from telling a parable about wicked tenants who killed their landlord’s son, Jesus confronts the religious leaders. He quotes Psalm 118, highlighting how the "stone" rejected by the builders has become the most important cornerstone. This biblical allusion points to how Jesus, though despised and rejected by the Jewish authorities (the "builders"), will be exalted by God and become the foundation of His kingdom, a truth that will be marvelous to witness.
Ever felt overlooked or underestimated? Jesus uses a powerful image of rejection to show how God's plans defy human judgment.
Jesus confronts the religious leaders, calling them 'builders.' These weren't just construction workers; they were the 'experts' of God's law and people, responsible for building up Israel. Yet, they completely missed the most crucial 'stone' – Jesus himself.
The Architect's Wisdom
Think about building a house. The cornerstone is vital; it sets the foundation and direction for the entire structure. The 'builders' – the religious elite – looked at Jesus and saw nothing valuable. Perhaps His humble beginnings, His lack of traditional rabbinical credentials, or His radical teachings made Him seem unfit for their 'building.' They rejected Him, casting Him aside.
But God, the ultimate Architect, had a different plan. What these 'builders' discarded, God ordained as the most essential piece. This highlights a core truth: human evaluation is fallible, but God's wisdom is perfect and His choices are sovereign.
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What seems like failure to us can be the very key to God's grandest design. Discover the wonder in God's 'marvellous' work.
The most astonishing part of this declaration isn't just that the rejected stone was chosen, but how it became central. It 'has become the cornerstone.' This wasn't a backup plan; it was God's original, glorious intention.
The Divine Hand at Work
Jesus explicitly states, 'this was the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes.' This wasn't a mere coincidence or the cleverness of men. It was a divine masterpiece unfolding.
Understand the original words
graphē · Greek Noun
The collection of holy writings recognized as divinely inspired. In the New Testament, it refers to the Old Testament as the authoritative word of God and the source for understanding His redemptive plan.
lithos · Greek Noun
A stone, often the foundation or capstone, used metaphorically to describe Jesus Christ. It represents the central, foundational element of God’s plan of salvation, which is often rejected by human systems of authority.
kephalē gōnias · Greek Noun phrase
Literally the "head of the corner," this refers to the primary stone that holds a structure together and determines its alignment. Theologically, it signifies Christ as the supreme, irreplaceable foundation upon which the church is built.
Jesus quotes Psalm 118:22, a passage understood to refer to the Messiah. Its original context spoke of Israel's post-exilic restoration, but Jesus applies it directly to Himself, highlighting His rejection by the Jewish leaders and His ultimate exaltation by God as the foundation of His new kingdom.
c. 1000 BC
David Chosen as King
King David, initially rejected by some in his own community and family, is chosen by God to rule Israel, foreshadowing a greater king.
c. 500 BC
Psalm 118 Written
The psalm containing the prophecy about the rejected stone becoming the cornerstone is composed, likely after the return from Babylonian exile.
c. 700 BC
Isaiah's Prophecy
Isaiah prophesies about God laying a stone in Zion, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation, which will be a stone of stumbling and rock of offense.
c. 30 AD— this verse
Jesus Rejected by Leaders
Jesus, claiming divine authority and fulfilling prophecy, is rejected by the chief priests, elders, and scribes, the 'builders' of the religious establishment.
c. 33 AD
Crucifixion and Resurrection
Jesus is crucified, fulfilling the role of the rejected stone, but is then resurrected, demonstrating God's power and establishing Him as the cornerstone.
c. 40-50 AD
Gospel spreads to Gentiles
The message of Christ, the rejected cornerstone, spreads beyond the Jewish people to the Gentiles, who receive Him and form part of God's spiritual building.
This is the direct source of the quote Jesus uses, highlighting that the rejection and exaltation of a chosen figure was foretold in the Old Testament.
Isaiah 28:16This prophecy speaks of God laying a 'stone' in Zion as a foundation, a precious cornerstone for establishing His people, directly paralleling Jesus' role despite rejection.
Acts 4:11Peter quotes this same passage to the Jewish rulers, explicitly identifying Jesus as the rejected stone who has become the cornerstone, reinforcing the continuity of this theme.
1 Peter 2:6-7This New Testament passage also references the Old Testament prophecy about the cornerstone, contrasting its preciousness to believers with its role as a stumbling block to disobedient Jews, echoing the rejection Jesus faced.
Ephesians 2:19-22This passage describes believers as being built together on the foundation of apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone, emphasizing His unifying role for both Jews and Gentiles in God's spiritual house.
henryMatthew 21:33-46: "Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country:"
21:33-46 This parable plainly sets forth the sin and ruin of the Jewish nation; and what is spoken to convict them, is spoken to caution all that enjoy the privileges of the outward church. As men treat God's people, they would treat Christ himself, if he were wi…
barnesMatthew 21:42: "Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?"
Jesus saith ... - Jesus, having led them to admit the justice of the great "principle" on which God was about to act toward them proceeds to apply it by a text of Scripture, declaring that this very thing which they admitted to be proper in the case of the "husbandmen" had been p…
Jesus is pointing out the irony: the very religious leaders who saw themselves as the wise "builders" of God's house are the ones rejecting the cornerstone God Himself chose. It’s not just about a stone, but the stone, highlighting Jesus as the singular, divine foundation, whose rejection is a divine setup for His ultimate triumph and marvelous purpose.
Fresh from telling a parable about wicked tenants who killed their landlord’s son, Jesus confronts the religious leaders. He quotes Psalm 118, highlighting how the "stone" rejected by the builders has become the most important cornerstone. This biblical allusion points to how Jesus, though despised and rejected by the Jewish authorities (the "builders"), will be exalted by God and become the foundation of His kingdom, a truth that will be marvelous to witness.
Fresh from telling a parable about wicked tenants who killed their landlord’s son, Jesus confronts the religious leaders. He quotes Psalm 118, highlighting how the "stone" rejected by the builders has become the most important cornerstone. This biblical allusion points to how Jesus, though despised and rejected by the Jewish authorities (the "builders"), will be exalted by God and become the foundation of His kingdom, a truth that will be marvelous to witness.
"Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures:
“‘The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone;
this was the Lord’s doing,
and it is marvelous in our eyes’?" — Jesus is pointing out the irony: the very religious leaders who saw themselves as the wise "builders" of God's house are the ones rejecting the cornerstone God Himself chose. It’s not just about *a*…
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