How does Luke 20:17 challenge us to evaluate our acceptance of Jesus' authority? Setting the Scene Luke 20 finds Jesus teaching in the temple during His final week. Confronted by leaders who question His right to speak and act, He answers with the parable of the wicked tenants and then cites Psalm 118:22. Luke 20:17: “But Jesus looked directly at them and said, ‘Then what is the meaning of that which is written: “The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone”?’” Jesus Quotes Psalm 118:22 • A clear messianic prophecy that foretells both rejection and exaltation. • By applying it to Himself, Jesus asserts His divine identity and authority, confirming the reliability of Scripture. • He exposes the leaders’ unbelief while inviting anyone listening to embrace the Cornerstone. The Cornerstone Metaphor Unpacked • Cornerstone – first, weight-bearing stone setting the lines of the whole structure. • Builders – leaders who should have recognized the Messiah but cast Him aside. • Rejected stone – Jesus, despised by men yet chosen by God (Isaiah 28:16; Acts 4:11). • Outcome – God installs the rejected Stone as the indispensable foundation (Ephesians 2:20; 1 Peter 2:6). Personal Implications: Examining Our Acceptance of His Authority • Alignment: Are our beliefs and choices squared with His teaching? (John 14:15) • Submission: Does He have full claim over family, work, finances, morality? (Colossians 3:17) • Reception: Have we welcomed Him wholeheartedly, or are we resisting like the vineyard tenants? (Hebrews 3:12-15) Evidences We Are Embracing His Rule • Consistent, obedient intake of His Word (James 1:22) • Prayer that seeks His will above our own (Matthew 6:10) • Willingness to bear reproach for His name (Acts 5:29) • Active participation in His church, being built together on the Cornerstone (1 Peter 2:5-6) Consequences of Rejecting the Cornerstone • Stumbling: “Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces” (Luke 20:18a; cf. Romans 9:32-33) • Crushing: “But he on whom it falls will be crushed” (Luke 20:18b; cf. 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9) • Loss of inheritance: as with the tenants, rejection forfeits covenant blessings (Luke 20:16) Standing Firm on the Stone • Security: lives built on Christ withstand every storm (Matthew 7:24-25) • Identity: a chosen people who declare His excellencies (1 Peter 2:9) • Hope: the resurrected Cornerstone guarantees living hope (1 Peter 1:3) • Mission: invite others to be “built together for a dwelling place of God” (Ephesians 2:22) Luke 20:17 insists we settle the question of Jesus’ authority. The Cornerstone is set; every life will either align with Him or stumble over Him. Embrace the Stone and let all you are and do rest securely on His unshakable foundation. |
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