What Did Jesus Mean By Saying that He Was the Stone the Builders Rejected?
Jesus used the language and context of his time to explain the eternal truth. When he called himself “the stone that was rejected,” he was referring to something that his contemporaries well understood. Many of Jesus’ sayings and parables do not have the same cultural meaning today, so we may need to do a little research to discover the original message.
Now let’s look in more detail at what Jesus meant when he said, “I am the stone that the building rejected”:
Historical context:
In Matthew chapter 21, Jesus meets the chief priests and Pharisees in the temple court. He tells them the example of a landowner who planted a vineyard, rented it to tenants, and then sent his servants to gather the fruit. But the tenants mistreated the servants and killed them, beat them and ran away. Finally, the landlord sends his son, believing that the tenants will never mistreat him. However, the tenants kill the boy to seize and own the vineyard.
Connection with the New Testament:
Jesus asks what the master will do with these servants? He himself answers how the owner will take the vineyard from the tenants and give it to others, better stewards.
After this parable, Jesus says: “Have you not read in the Bible: The stone which the builders rejected has become a built stone; God has done this, and it is strange to us” (Matthew chapter 21 verse 42).
Meaning for Jesus’ listeners:
At that time, foundation stone was the most important stone in construction. This stone determined the stability and strength of the whole building. Therefore, when Jesus said that he was “the stone that the building rejected,” he was referring to the religious leaders who had rejected him. He presented himself as the rock necessary to build the kingdom of God, even though he was rejected by the religious leaders of the day.
In short, by saying, “I am the stone that the building rejected,” Jesus was conveying several points:
He presented himself as the Messiah, the promised savior.
He predicted that he would be rejected by the religious leaders.
He emphasized that despite the rejection, God has chosen him as the cornerstone of his church.
This phrase is a powerful reminder of the role of Jesus Christ in the Christian faith, even if not everyone understands it.
The priests and Pharisees understood this parable, which was evident in their anger. This parable introduces priests as tenants. God owns the earth and Jesus is his son. This parable foretells both the death of Jesus, orchestrated by the priests, and how God will take the stewardship of the kingdom from them and give it to others: the new church, a community of Jews and Gentiles under a new covenant.
Furthermore, he claims to be the Son of God. Combine all these meanings, the leaders were so enraged that they tried to kill him on the spot. They refused because of Jesus’ popularity.
The Gospel of Mark, chapter 12, verses 10 to 11 also narrates that Jesus tells the same parable to the high priests, scribes and elders and ends with the same quote from the Old Testament. Luke chapter 20 verses 17-18 narrates a similar interaction with the religious leaders and the same quote, but then adds Jesus’ words: “Whoever falls on that stone will be crushed, and whenever If it falls on someone, it will crush him.”
These verses generally show Jesus’ awareness of how he was rejected by the Jewish leaders, even leading to his crucifixion. However, despite this rejection, he will become the foundation stone, the first stone laid when building a structure such as a temple or a house. By introducing himself as the cornerstone, Jesus affirms his central and essential role in God’s plan of salvation.
Today in the article : What Did Jesus Mean By Saying that He Was the Stone the Builders Rejected? We reviewed useful information about the Bible and the way of Jesus. If you wish, you can view other articles of Ali Vahidi about Christianity
