How does Luke 20:19 connect to Psalm 118:22-23 about rejection? Setting the Scene: Luke 20:19 in Context “ When the scribes and chief priests realized that Jesus had spoken this parable against them, they wanted to arrest Him on the spot, but they feared the people.” • Jesus has just finished the Parable of the Wicked Tenants (Luke 20:9-18). • In that parable He quotes Psalm 118:22, identifying Himself as “the stone.” • The religious leaders immediately grasp that He is exposing their unbelief and murderous intent. • Their impulse to seize Him confirms the very rejection the psalm foretold. Psalm 118:22-23: The Prophetic Anchor “ The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. This is from the LORD, and it is marvelous in our eyes.” • “The builders” = those with authority over God’s house—Israel’s leaders (cf. Ezra 3:10-11 for “builders” of the temple). • “Rejected” = deliberate, informed dismissal, not a mistake. • “Cornerstone” = the essential foundation stone that aligns and supports the entire structure. • The LORD Himself turns rejection into exaltation, causing astonished praise. Shared Theme: Rejection Leading to Divine Exaltation • Luke 20:19 shows the leaders’ desire to arrest Jesus—active rejection. • Psalm 118:22-23 prophesies that such rejection fulfills God’s plan to make the rejected One the foundation of salvation. • The hostility in Luke proves the accuracy of the psalm and moves the messianic story toward its climax at the cross and resurrection (Acts 2:23-24). Jesus as the Cornerstone Rejected by Leaders • By quoting Psalm 118:22 in Luke 20:17, Jesus publicly claims the prophetic identity of the Cornerstone. • The immediate reaction in Luke 20:19 embodies the “builders’ ” rejection: – Scribes = experts in the Law. – Chief priests = temple authorities. – They are the very “builders” who should recognize the Stone. • Their fear of the people shows their rejection is willful, not from ignorance (John 11:48-50). • God will nevertheless raise and enthrone Christ, making Him the cornerstone of a new, living temple (Ephesians 2:19-22). Prophecy Fulfilled in the Gospels and Beyond • Matthew 21:42; Mark 12:10-12: parallel accounts repeat Psalm 118:22-23 and record identical hostility. • Acts 4:11: Peter before the Sanhedrin—“Jesus is ‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.’ ” • 1 Peter 2:4-8: believers are “living stones” built on Christ; unbelievers stumble over Him. • Isaiah 28:16 and Isaiah 8:14 foretold the same stone as foundation for believers and stumbling block for rejecters. • Romans 9:32-33 links Israel’s unbelief to stumbling over that stone. Implications for Readers Today • Christ’s identity is not optional; rejection or reception of Him determines one’s relationship with God (John 3:18). • God’s purposes stand: human opposition only serves to advance His redemptive plan (Acts 2:23). • The Cornerstone invites us to be built into a holy dwelling for the Lord; our role is to come to Him in faith and obedience (1 Peter 2:5). |
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